Rev. In Kee Kim

Scripture Passage

Matthew 28:16-20

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Together in Partnership

I told you last week that there is a project of translating the Bible in their tribal languages. It has been translated into two languages and they will do two more translation in the future. Each translation project costs U$100,000. One person donated U$100,000 and U$300,000 were raised. The Rev. Ohm said he would donate again. There are a lot of good and generous people in the world.

People in Madagascar couldn’t do this alone. We need a partnership. This world is deeply connected. It is not that western countries do the mission for the developing countries. The attitude of colonial mission should not be the model we should follow any more. We work together in partnership, using each other’s strengths and resources. People in Madagascar are doing much better in terms of mission than those who live in North America. But they need financial resources. So we help them and enable them to do what they do well. We are enablers. We have to look at mission in a new way. It is true that there had been many problems with the idea of mission traditionally. But Jesus’ Great Commission is still important to us.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… (Matthew 28:19)

Matthew 28:18-20 is often called the Great Commission. It is a term coined by the great missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, who said,

The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.

Just as the sun does not forget a village just because it is small, we do not want to ignore the people of any small language group who have not heard the gospel. That’s why we wanted to translate the Bible in their tribal languages. When I was a chair of the Asian Centre at Knox, there was a man who was translating the Bible into Hakka tribe in Taiwan.

This Bible is specifically edited to reflect African situation in their commentaries and a little stories. The Rev. Ohm’s name is written in the first page. Because this project was done by Leadership International which helps many African projects. The leader of the Leadership International came to Madagascar last year and he had a heart attack. We all prayed for his safety. With God’s help, he was Ok.

Gifts From God

The Great Commission is a precious statement. It is what gives us the purpose of life. Because of this Great Commission, we have come to know Jesus Christ, and believe in him, and have eternal life. There were people who took this Commission seriously enough that they gave their lives to fulfill this Commission. That was how the good news came to us. We owe them.

St. Paul lived with this indebted feeling. This was what he said.

I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish… (Romans 1:14)

Of course, he didn’t borrow money from them. He is a debtor of God’s grace and his way of paying back the debt was to share the gospel with Greeks and barbarians, the wise and the foolish. He lived his life with this indebted feeling.

Yes, we are all debtors. God has provided so much for us. All the good things that we enjoy – we have received from God. Material wealth, our children, our health, our good living condition, our security. Not only that. Peace we feel. Love that we experience. Forgiveness that we enjoy. The hope for the eternal life. These are all free gifts from God.

We don’t need to pay back. But deep in our heart, we have this appreciation. That appreciation is what Paul was talking about. He was so appreciative that he said he was a debtor. I think that is the best way to describe our deep appreciation. Yes, we are debtors.

Not because we have to pay back, but we want to pay back out of gratitude. Those who are in difficult situations. We are debtors to them. Those who are experiencing injustice in life. We are debtors to them. The natural environments that was destroyed and exploited because of human greed. We are debtors to them. Those who don’t know the good news. We are debtors to them.

People in Madagascar live with that attitude. I thanked them personally for taking time out and helping me. They always said, No I thank you. They live with this indebtedness. And they all took this Commission seriously. I could see that. They gave their life to carry out this Commission. My translator was so happy seeing the students learning so much and he told me what students told him with excitement.

Indebtedness

Entitlement attitude should not be a Christian attitude. I am having what I am entitled to have. I am enjoying things that I am entitled to enjoy. That is not a Christian attitude. The attitude of indebtedness should be a Christian attitude. The disciples carried out the Great Commission with this indebted feeling.

We sing this song.

O for a thousand tongues to sing

My great Redeemer’s praise,

The glories of my God and King,

The triumphs of His grace.

Even if we have a thousand tongues, it is not enough to praise God with them. That is the indebtedness.

This great commission is the honour to keep, not a burden to carry.

David Livingstone, who spent his life as a medical missionary and explorer of Africa, said,

If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honour, how can a commission by a heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?

The fact we can live a missional life is our honour. It is our privilege.

I won’t say it will be always easy. At times, it may be difficult.

But this is what Jesus promised.

And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

Jesus promised that he would be with us. It is the inner presence of Christ that motivates us, empowers us, and provides us with the energy. It is the best way to experience the presence of Christ. You do mission and you will experience the presence of Christ.

Follow Christ

Being a Christian means to be a disciple. Discipleship means basically following Christ. To follow Christ, you have to know what Christ wants from you. Have a relationship with Christ. Daily walk with him. Then you will be able to know what Christ wants from you.

There is a proverb from Cote d’Ivoire

No tree produces fruit without first producing flowers.

In the same way, your relationship with Christ has to flourish first, then you can see the fruit of knowing what Christ wants from you.

Don’t follow your common sense. Don’t follow your feelings. Don’t follow others. Don’t follow your instincts.

Follow Christ. Know his words. Let Christ shape you.

I heard that there are 22 people going to Sioux Valley. I heard that 14 people registered last Sunday.

When you go there, go with the indebted attitude. Listen to them. Listen to their hurt and pain. Listen to the injustice they experienced. Be in solidarity with them. Show them that they are not alone. There are people who care.

Build relationship with Christ. Daily walk with Christ. He will shape you. He will let you know what you need to do.

Life is about following Christ. Don’t waste your life, chasing after illusive dreams. Follow Christ. Fix your eyes upon Christ. He will show you the way to the fullness of life. You will become much happier. You give what you have but it is mystery that you become fuller. You give but you receive much more than what you give. That is what spiritual life is. Find the secret of spiritual life. Mission has to come from this spiritual life. Mission is a channel of God blessing us.

Scripture Passage

Acts 1:8

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The Ends of the Earth

Acts of Apostles was written by Luke. When Luke wrote this book, there was no such thing as Christians. They were all Jews. But they were different from the majority of other Jews. They believed that Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for. So, we call them Messianic Jews. They were a very small group. After Jesus died, only 120 people gathered together to pray. A very small, insignificant group.

But Luke had a great vision. He had a vision that there will be God’s witnesses not only in Jerusalem but to the ends of the earth. He believed in what Jesus said.

This was what Jesus said.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

What Jesus said came true. There were witnesses who went to the ends of the earth. What started with prayers of 120 people changed the whole world. Starting from Rome, the whole world changed. All Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa, and Madagascar that I went to.

FJKM Church

Slide: Church Picture

The picture you see is FJKM church in one of the villages where I taught. On the building, it says 1859. But the church officially began in 1968. FJKM means Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar. It has been a member of WCC since 1969.

This church is the biggest denomination as the reformed church in Madagascar. They have 6 million members. The Rev. Njato who organized this whole mission is a minister of 20,000 members. They have 5 separate services. It was 15,000 member church when I went last time and it grew.

I don’t know how Luke had this big vision. He was like a prophet. That itself was a miracle. He didn’t believe in the power of 120 people. He didn’t believe in the power of 4 million or 6 million people. He believed in the power of the Holy Spirit.

You can see that in today’s passage. He said, “when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you become a witness. That is what the Holy Spirit does. When you receive the Holy Spirit, you want to be a witness. And you will live a life of being a witness. Being a witness means simply to share what God has done in your life.

The Desire to be a Witness

I went to two places: Ambatondrazaka and Fianarantsoa. Since we didn’t have enough time, we had to take a small plane when we got there. It’s only 400 Km but it takes 20 hours by a car. On the way back, we came by a car.

Slide: Pilot from Sweden and a young mother from Holland.

They are all there because they want to be witnesses.

Every year, the church the Rev. Njato serves sends 50 lay missionaries. When they first started this project, they asked for help and so our church financially helped them. You see pictures on the way to the fellowship hall. Now, they are sending 200 people. They are just church members. Some of them are professors, engineers, teachers, and there are also who are not educated. They take vacation and go there to help establish a church.

In Madagascar, there are a few big cities but there are also so many small villages. There is no road to get there. So, you have to go there by Helicopter and there is a Heli Mission. Or some places, you go by a boat. These lay people want to be witnesses and that’s why they get trained and go to rural areas. I helped them again with the fund you provided for me.

Just to take us around, two people took their vacation and drove us. One was a professional soldier and the other was a taxi driver by profession. One person took a week’s vacation to do translation for us. They were all church members. For them, serving is their life. Serving for Christ is what they do.

They do this with the desire to be witnesses. That is the proof of having the Holy Spirit within them. The proof of having the Spirit is not about having supernatural gifts or speaking in tongues but having the desire to be a witness. Luke believed in this power. And we have seen this power throughout Christian history.

Passion

I went to train seminary students. FJKM has 4 seminaries. And there is a Faculty of Theology in Antananarivo. You study 3 years in these seminaries but they have to study at the Faculty of Theology for their final year. Then you go out and practice one more year. Then you can become a minister.

There are 7,200 churches in the national church but only 1,500 ministers. In Ambatondrazaka, there were 69 students and 77 students in Fianarantsoa. There were more female students in both seminaries. Their studying environment was not very good. They all live there. In a small room, 6-8 people live together. Not many facilities.

Slide: Washroom

But they all have this desire to be witnesses. They didn’t mind their difficult circumstances. They had this passion to be witnesses.

Slide: Students

They could overcome all their difficult situations with this sole desire to be witnesses. When I taught them, they said they never heard this kind of teaching. They all learned Synoptic problems but first time, they were able to see Jesus portrayed in each gospel differently. They were so happy. The principal came to me with tears and said, are you gonna teach only 4 books. Teach us more. Come back next year. What they wanted was not money or material.

I went to their library. Only very old French books. I couldn’t see any new books. Archaic books. They don’t have a computer and so they write their paper by hand and go to the village and get it typewritten, paying. They could not even do the research.

So with the fund you gave me, I helped them set up a computer system. The church the Rev. Njato serves has many computer technicians and so they will set up for them. Several years ago, I brought many books in one of their theological seminaries and I could see them with our church name. They need more resources. Around the seminaries, they own a huge land. Students all learn how to do agriculture because when they go out, they have to teach people how to do effective agriculture. Their ministry will not be just teaching the Bible. There are many tribal languages. The Rev. Ohm raised U$100,000 and translated the Bible in Cianaca language. One person donated $100,000. They had worship service in their own language, using their own Bibles. Even at the seminary, there were people who spoke Cianaca language. So, we brought Bibles to the library.

I saw so many people who wanted to live as witnesses. They came from all over the world. Our life has to be a life of being a witness. God still works through you. You experience every day how God takes care of you and you experience his grace daily. You need to share that with others. That is what it means to be a witness.

God Works Through You

Years ago, when I went to Knox College, I once invited international students to my small apartment. I met a man from Madagascar then. We talked a lot. And he was teaching at Faculty of Theology. All the professors of two seminaries I served learned from him.

We don’t know how God works in our lives. You need to be a witness to those around you but you also have to remember to be a witness to the ends of the earth. To experience that, Elder Daniel and his wife, Grace went this time. They stayed with me for the first week and they went to a different place in the second week. Daniel’s brother’s work has to do with agriculture and he is willing to help. So, Daniel did a presentation to people who can use Daniel’s help.

Thank you for praying for us. I could feel your prayers there. You have made this mission possible through your personal help, mission dinner and prayer. Without your desire to be witnesses, this mission would not have been possible.

Before I left, one old lady from KSM told me that there would be an explosive effect. I said at that time, let’s see whether what you are saying is a prophecy. It did have a very powerful impact on them. What God does – Mysterious If you have a desire to be a witness, God can do a great work through you. What the Spirit did through disciples and St. Paul, he will do it through this church.

Scripture Passage

John 14:1-14

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Uncertainty

Last few weeks, I have encountered many deaths. It is sad to witness the passings of people with whom I have had a close relationship. Not only that, I also have heard from people who are going through illness that makes their future very uncertain. I received a Kakao message from a person I haven’t seen some time. He asked for prayer. He was diagnosed with cancer and asked me to pray for him.

To all of us, life is very uncertain. More uncertain, especially for those who are going through a difficult time.

But my friends, the truth is our life has been always uncertain. We always lived with the uncertainty. We don’t know our future. That is what life is. God made it that way.

Proverbs said,

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. (Proverbs 27:1)

James said,

Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.’Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. (James 4:13, 14)

We do not know what tomorrow will bring. That is the undeniable truth. Ancient people knew that. It didn’t change in our modern time.

Unfortunately, this gives us anxiety. It troubles our heart.

We Don’t Know About Tomorrow

In the last few days of Jesus’ life, his disciples felt very uneasy. We see that very clearly in today’s passage. Today’s passage is called Farewell discourse. This is Jesus’ final words to his disciples. He knew he was going to die soon and so he wanted to say goodbye to his disciples but at the same time, he wanted to say a few words to them.

The disciples sensed that something bad was coming. Their future was not clear. Jesus kept talking about going to the father. This made them feel very uncomfortable.

Finally, Thomas asked this question.

Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way? (John 14:5)

The disciples were scared. When something bad is coming, we all sense it. They all sensed dark clouds coming over them. They depended on Jesus all this time and now they sensed that he might no longer be with them. They could not think of their lives without Jesus. They all followed Jesus and Jesus showed them what to do. If Jesus were not with them, they wouldn’t know what to do. Threats and dangers – they felt them.

Sensing their anxiety, Jesus said this.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1)

Uncertainties of life will never disappear from us. You will always face uncertainties of life. No one lives with certainty. No one knows what holds tomorrow.

We see a movie where people come from the future and know exactly what would happen in a few minutes. When we see that, we say, “oh that’s nice.” But it is only a fantasy. We don’t know about tomorrow. Everyone is on the same boat.

Live With Faith

FACING UNCERTAINTIES OF LIFE, ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE WITH ANXIETY OR ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE WITH FAITH?

These are two roads ahead of you. You have to choose. Depending on which road you choose, your life will turn out very differently.

Jesus clearly told us to choose to live with faith.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1)

Jesus is saying to the disciples to choose to live with faith when your future is uncertain. Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Choose to live with faith. That is what Jesus wants us to do.

I don’t know what holds my tomorrow. But I know who holds my tomorrow. I may not know about tomorrow, but I am going to live today with faith in God who holds my tomorrow.

I am going to Madagascar tomorrow. I don’t know clearly what is waiting for me. I don’t know what God is going to reveal to me. But I will go with faith in God who holds my tomorrow.

When you have this faith, worries disappear. There is nothing to worry about tomorrow. Do what you have to do today.

That is what our Lord Jesus taught us.

So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:34)

You have the energy only enough to deal with today’s trouble. You don’t have the energy to worry about tomorrow. When you start worrying about tomorrow, it will start damaging your soul.

Confidence In God

Don’t you have to plan for tomorrow? Of course, you do. You have to plan for tomorrow. Planning for tomorrow is different from worrying about tomorrow. Planning for tomorrow means to take tomorrow positively. Worrying about tomorrow is taking tomorrow negatively. Planning for tomorrow means to invite tomorrow. Worrying about tomorrow is avoiding tomorrow. You can plan for tomorrow because you don’t worry about tomorrow. When you have faith, you can use all your energies for planning not for worrying.

But when you plan for tomorrow, keep this in mind. You plan it but it is God who makes it happen.

The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

So don’t worry whether your plan will work out or not. You plan it but leave it in God’s hands.

When you live with faith, you will have confidence. Confidence not in your own power but confidence in God’s power.

This is what Jesus said to the disciples.

I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. (John 14:13, 14)

What a powerful promise. When you face tomorrow with faith, you can dream big. Because Jesus will provide what you ask for. You can even dream about unthinkable things.

That was what Jesus said to the disciples.

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these… (John 14:12)

The disciples actually did greater works than what Jesus did. Jesus did great miracles and taught wonderful truths. But his ministry was limited in the Jewish land. He could have been easily forgotten after time passed. But it was the disciples who carried on. It was the disciples who made Jesus’ name great. They were able to do that through the spirit of Jesus.

Jesus left his spirit to the disciples. That Spirit is given to those who believe in Jesus. Through that spirit, they were able to do greater works than what earthly Jesus did.

I am very excited to go on mission. On one side, I am a little uneasy. But the excitement is much much greater than the uneasy feeling. I am excited not because I have so much to give. I am excited because the Spirit would work through me. I am more excited because Daniel and Grace are going with me.

Last time: computer, books.

Thank you for your support.

Don’t worry about anything. Give freely. That is the blessed life. God is the provider and you are the giver.

That is what life of faith is all about. Give, give, and give.

Scripture Passage

John 10:1-10

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Abundant Life

Life is about giving. It is not about taking. Good life is a life of giving. There is a joy in giving. There is a secret of happiness hidden in the life of giving.

This is what Jesus said.

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

He gave us the abundant life. Abundant life is a life of giving. Your life is so filled with God’s blessings that it overflows. That overflowing is giving. You don’t give from scarcity. You give from the abundance.

Abundance is not necessarily the abundance of material. That is not what Jesus is talking about. Those who followed Jesus did not become rich materially. But they had the abundant life. Abundance is the quality of your heart. It is the quality of your existence.

This is what St. Paul said.

Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13)

That is what abundant life looks like. It doesn’t depend on the material abundance.

The Path of Taking

A few weeks ago, a person came to me and told me after the service. Rev., if there is anybody in HiC who needs help, let me know. I can help. I am a counsellor. That is the attitude of giving. Your heart is filled with God’s blessings and it overflows.

When you don’t have abundance in your heart, you cannot give. All you can think about is taking. Because you feel you are lacking. You feel empty inside. That empty void within you drives you to want to take more. But the truth is it cannot be filled by having more.

If you take the path of taking rather than giving, you will become very unhappy. The more you try to take, the more unhappy you will become. I don’t know why this is the case but that is what I see both in me and in others.

Someone said this. While reading books or articles, I have a habit of writing down phrases I like. I don’t know where I read it but it was good so I wrote it down in my notepad.

Gratitude flows from the recognition that who we are and what we have are gifts to be received and shared.

The recognition that who we are and what we have are gifts – THAT FILLS OUR EMPTY VOID. When we have that recognition, we experience our deep void being filled and the gratitude follows.

We often forget about the givenness of life. We did not make everything possible on our own. We did not achieve everything that we have. Important things in life are given. The air we breathe. Beautiful trees and flowers. Sunshine we enjoy. Rain that blesses the land. These are all given. These are gifts of God.

We did not become who we are on our own. It is not all about our achievement. There were a lot of people who have helped you to become who you are. Your parents, your friends, your colleagues, and even strangers.

When you recognize that who you are and what you have are gifts to be received and shared, you will thankfully share what you have. That is life of giving. That is what abundant life looks like. You give not because you have to or because you feel guilty. You give because you love to. As you received good gifts from life, you want to share these gifts with others so that they may also experience the goodness of life.

When you take the path of taking rather than giving, you become smaller and smaller. Your existence will be shrunk up. You become a needy person. Very focused on yourself. Always think about yourself. You become a prisoner of yourself.

That is not who we are. We are more than that. We are created in God’s image. Our God is abundant God. All the good gifts overflow from God. God is always giving.

For God so loved the world that he GAVE his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

He even gave his only Son for us. Jesus came to give us life, the abundant life.

God is all about giving. We are created in God’s image. Overflowing abundance – that is who we are. You are much more than selfish people who always want to take. You are generous people who are filled with God’s abundant blessings.

Self-Transcendence

There was an American psychologist who studied human needs.

His name is Abraham Maslow

He came up with a pyramid that describes the hierarchy of human needs. And he put self-actualization at the top. At the bottom, there are physiological needs. (Safety, Love and belonging, Esteem…) Physiological needs are predominant in infancy and early childhood. But for the mature adult, the need of self-actualization is strong. Self-actualization is living out your full potential.

But near the end of his life, he amended his pyramid, realizing that there is another step to the top after the self-actualization. That is self-transcendence.

Self-transcendence is thinking about others more than your needs. Other people. Nature. Even cosmos.

Life of transcendence is life of overflowing. You transcend your own personal concerns and needs and see your life from a higher perspective. Joy, peace, and gratitude come from this level.

This theory was already well spoken 2,000 years ago by our Lord, Jesus.

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:24, 25)

Explain about “hate.”

You don’t become poorer by giving. You become richer by giving.

The Beauty of Giving

God will provide what you need. He has already provided what you need to live abundantly. There is nothing for you to worry about. Jesus taught us not to worry about what to eat and what to wear. God will take care of our needs.

This is what St. Paul said.

And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

God is your provider and now you are a giver. When the relationship between you and God becomes like this, you are right on the path of giving. You will harvest lots of joy, peace, and gratitude. Your life will be filled with laughter.

Sometimes your giving can be taken advantage of. So we are cautious. It’s good to be cautious.

I once met a woman who needed help. She said her monthly government assistance didn’t come in. She had two children. Her children needed food. So I gave whatever I had in cash, about $40. Later, I thought that wouldn’t be enough and so I bought some groceries and went to the address she gave me. There was no such address.

So it is good to be cautious. But don’t let that take away your spirit of giving.

There is a beauty of giving.

Scripture Passage

John 20:19-31

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Why Follow

This is what Jesus said to the disciples.

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)

What a positive statement about those who believe in Jesus! You will do the works Jesus did and even greater works than what Jesus did. Doing what Jesus did was pretty big shoes to fill. And yet Jesus said we would do greater works than what he did.

When you read the gospels, you don’t see a positive image about the disciples. You often encounter the incapability of Jesus’ disciples. The image you get about the disciples is not the ones equipped with a powerful potential. The image you get is weak, self-centred, and unbelieving disciples. They simply didn’t get what Jesus was telling them. I don’t know why they followed Jesus.

You see that in today’s passage too.

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews…(John 20:19)

You see the disciples filled with fear. They were trembling in fear behind the locked door. This was right after Mary Magdalene told them that she had seen the Lord.

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her. (John 20:18)

And yet, they didn’t quite believe what Mary said to them. They were frozen with fear. They were timid, passive, and fearful. Even after hearing what Mary said…

Thomas was not that different from other disciples. When Jesus appeared to the disciples, Thomas wasn’t there unfortunately. They told Thomas that they saw the risen Lord.

We have seen the Lord. (John 20:25)

That was the exact words Mary used to tell the disciples and they didn’t believe. Thomas did the same thing as the disciples did. He didn’t believe. It wasn’t that Thomas was asking for more than what the disciples experienced. He just wanted to see Jesus himself. So, the nickname, “doubting Thomas” is a kind of unfair statement for Thomas. But Thomas did the same thing as the disciples did. He didn’t believe what his friends told him.

You see weak, blinded, and unbelieving disciples. Even though Jesus said many times  while he was with them that he would be crucified and he would rise again from the dead. But nobody believed this mysterious and wonderful truth.

I send you

YET, JESUS BELIEVED IN THEM.

Jesus trusted them. Even though many times, Jesus was frustrated with them, he still believed them. Once he was so frustrated that he said this.

Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’ (Matthew 17:17)

Jesus was quite frustrated with the disciples and yet he believed in them. It is one thing to be frustrated and another thing to give up on them. Jesus never gave up on them.

To unbelieving disciples, Jesus appeared and said this.

Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. (John 20:21)

As God sent Jesus to this world, now Jesus is sending them to do what Jesus did and more. Indeed, the disciples did greater things than what Jesus did. Jesus did wonderful miracles, supernatural healings, and taught unfathomable truths. And yet, his influence was limited in the Jewish land. He did three years of ministry basically within the boundary of the Jewish land. Judah, Galilee, and a few gentile places – that was about it. People could have been totally impressed by Jesus and that could be the end of it. They could easily forget what Jesus did and what he taught and the world could move on.

Who made Jesus so powerful and influential generation after generation? It was the disciples. They were the first ones who started this movement. They were not any special breed. They were like us. They were not super heroes. They were ordinary people like us.

But they were able to do unimaginable things. I believe that that is the power of resurrection. The power of resurrection did not end in raising Jesus from the dead. It spread. It spread to revive everything it touches.

The power of resurrection brings dead things come alive. It brings light to the darkness. It brings alive the dead spirit within us.

Through the Spirit

This is what Jesus did when he appeared to the disciples again.

‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’ (John 20:21, 22)

Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit. Now through the Spirit, the power of resurrection continued. It is not about seeing the evidence of the body of the risen Jesus any more. Yes, the first disciples had to do that. But not anymore.

Even for Thomas, he didn’t have to. He demanded the physical evidence of the risen Jesus.

This was what he said.

Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe. (John 20:25)

Thomas heard his friends saying, “We have seen the Lord.” And yet, that was not enough for him. He had to see the evidence.

So Jesus came and showed him as he showed him to other disciples.

Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. (John 20:27)

Then Jesus said,

Do not doubt but believe. (John 20:27)

Thomas did not even have to put his finger in the nailed hands. Right after hearing “Do not doubt but believe”, he said simply,

My Lord and my God! (John 20:28)

Even though Thomas demanded physical evidence of the resurrection, he didn’t have to have it. What Jesus said was enough. Do not doubt but believe. The power of resurrection worked through the Spirit. This is the turning point. No more people will believe in the resurrection by seeing the risen Lord but by the powerful witnesses of those who have seen the Lord.

Forgiveness

We don’t have the privilege any more to see the physical evidence of the risen Jesus. Jesus would not appear again and again to show physical evidence. What is important is not the physical evidence. What is important is the power of resurrection that works through the witnesses of the believers.

This was what Jesus said.

Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe. (John 20:29)

That statement was like a prophecy. That was what happened. When the disciples witnessed Jesus to people, they believed. The power of resurrection worked through their witnesses.

We have no choice but to depend on the first witnesses. But somehow their witnesses were powerful enough to turn people around. That is the power of resurrection.

We just finished the study of four gospels. Each gospel was the witness of the writer. The power of resurrection worked through their witnesses.

Once you receive the power of resurrection, you will do greater works than what Jesus did. You will come alive. You will overcome challenges you face. You will defeat the darkness and bring the light.

This is the authority Jesus gave to the disciples.

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. (John 20:23)

You are given the authority to forgive the sins of others. As Jesus forgave your sins, go and forgive the sins of others. Free them from their bondage. Don’t hold grudge against them. With the big heart, embrace them.

That was the only thing the risen Jesus told them to do. He died on the cross to forgive us. Forgiveness is that hard. But that is what we must do. We can do that through the power of resurrection.