Jesus Among His Disciples

19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” 
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 
26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”  John 20:19-29

We haven't seen Jesus have we?  We are among those blessed ones who did not see, and yet we believe.  Our lives are also filled with unbelief, though.  Our sinful actions prove it.  We do not fear, love and trust in Jesus for all good all of the time and we do not love our neighbors as ourselves.  So, what are we to do?  Where are we to go?  How can we see the pierced hands and side of our risen Lord so that we may believe?

Thanks be to God, the same Holy Spirit that Jesus breathed onto His disciples 2000 years ago has been given to us as well.  The Holy Spirit gives us faith through the water and Word which covered us in our baptism.  The same body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ which was given on the cross is available for us to see and touch as we eat and drink it in, with, and under the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper.  In these places Jesus comes to us.  We can now see Jesus through our new eyes of faith.  We have been given the faith to trust our Lord's Word and the witness of Thomas and all who have seen the risen Lord before us.  

Jesus is still here for us today.  He is where two or three are gathered in His name.  He is in the reading, study and meditation on His Word.  He is in the Sacraments.  He is there forgiving us when our pastor absolves our sin in His name and for His sake.  Jesus is never far away.  Repent, return to Christ, remember your baptism and believe.