John 20:19-20 – Being Made Whole
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Why did the Risen Jesus have to carry those ugly marks, left by the nails and the spear? Why didn’t he remove them? A scar is a reminder of both pain and healing, the trauma of being wounded the possibility of being made whole. The disciples and their faith had been wounded, probably even traumatized by what the events surrounding the crucifixion and the crucifixion itself. Being able to see and touch the nail prints and the spear mark was a healing for them, it was them being made whole so they could go forward with their mission. Each of us, no doubt, has been wounded. And the bad news is – we will probably be wounded again in the future. Physical wounds, emotional wounds, mental wounds and spiritual wounds. And when we get wounded we can do 1 of 2 things with our wounds. We can choose to allow our wounds to fester and remain open and allow ourselves to grow bitter and defensive and wall ourselves off from others. Or we can allow healing to begin, a scar to appear.
The healing for the disciples began when Jesus extended down to them the nail scarred hands and wounded side and allowed them to touch it and see that they were real, and begin to understand the extent that Jesus went to for each of us. We too can touch the nail-print hand that Jesus stretches out to us, we can forgive and be forgiven and move forward. We can move toward wholeness and the abundance of life Christ offers to us. We can allow new life to begin that we might rejoice in the Risen Jesus and take His story to others, carryout our mission to make disciples and further the Kingdom of God.
Often times it is less about right or wrong, my way or no way and more about loving one another the way Jesus loves us. So do you have wounds that need healing? Let Jesus heal you, touch the hand with the nail print that is stretched downward. Touch it and let new life begin. Don’t let the wound fester and keep you from a relationship with someone. Because if there are wounds keeping you from a relationship with others, then they are also keeping you from a true relationship with the Risen Jesus. It may not be healed the way you want, but if you give it to the Risen Jesus, new life will begin. Allow Jesus to heal you, be transformed, rejoice and experience the Risen Jesus so that you too can tell His story over and over and over and so that you can have the abundance of life that Jesus desires for you.
I think perhaps the scars on the Risen Jesus are there for 2 purposes. One so we would always be reminded of what our lack of love, trust and obedience cost and the length to which Jesus was willing to go to redeem us. And two, to show us the transforming, healing power that is available to all of us in and through our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
Allow Jesus to heal you, be transformed, rejoice and experience the Risen Jesus so that you too can tell His story over and over and over and so that you can have the abundance of life that Jesus desires for you. Amen
Pastor Mindy
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