“Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have NOT seen yet have believed!” John 20:29

Eye-witness. First-hand account. Court-side seat. Present and accounted for.

• Right there when the servant delivered the glass of fresh water and the wedding steward’s face lit up as he discovered that the quality of the wedding beverage had been kicked up a notch…
• All ears when the royal official begged Jesus to come to his dying son’s bedside yet was sent home with the promise that the boy was living…
• Uncomfortably present when Jesus broke tradition and took a route to the Temple that led through the infirmary filled with the diseased, afflicted, blind, hopeless sufferers. Shocked as were all present when the dude actually stood up on what moments before were just shriveled stumps and watched him walk off carrying on his shoulder the bed-mat which had carried him for 38 horrible years!
• One of 12 “waiters” serving the continual supply of bread and fish to the picnicking crowd of 1000s spread across the grassy hillside as far as you could see in every direction. Empty basket in hand returning to where He was continually filling them again and wondering at what point will the supply be exhausted?
• Sometimes wake up at night and wonder, “Did we really see Him walk over to us in the middle of that horrible storm? Walk right to us ON THE WATER?!”
• Embarrassed to even admit it, but was one of those involved in serious theological debate about consequences of sin and who’s sin and…But He saw a man…a needy man…a hopeless man. And with mud on the eyes and a command to wash, the man who had NEVER seen was seeing!
• Still get chills when recalling the moment His very dear friend shuffled out of the freshly opened tomb. Saw Him cry real tears. Heard Him cry out the dead man’s name. When HE cries things happen!

Yup. Saw it all. Witnessed all that and much, much more. But was totally unprepared for the grand-daddy of them all! Word kept coming from one source after the other. Rumors of Jesus’ return from His grave. That He was alive again. But they had beaten Him mercilessly. Then they had executed Him in the most inhumane manner known to man. After that they had speared him and all the fluid of life had gushed out from His side. It was absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for Him to be alive! No way. Could not be. Refused to believe it. They were delusional with sorrow. They were imagining what we ALL wished so badly would be true. But unless I touched those killer wounds with my own hands…

I wanted it to be Him. I genuinely hoped it WOULD be Him. It really was Him! He really IS alive again! “My Lord and my God!”

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with out eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life…” 1 John 1:1

“Many other signs Jesus did…these are written that YOU might believe that Jesus IS the Christ, the Son of God: and that by believing YOU may have life in His name!” John 20:30-31

See you Sunday, Church!
Pastor Tom