JESUS APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES. [JOHN: 20:19-31].

THIS TEXT, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE DOUBLE APPEARANCE OF JESUS TO THE DISCIPLES IN THE UPPER ROOM, ONCE WITHOUT THOMAS BEING PRESENT AND ONCE WITH HIM BEING PRESENT, PROVIDES THE PREACHER WITH A VARIETY OF OPTIONS FOR PROCLAMATINS. THERE HAS BEEN MUCH CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE FIRST OF TWO ENCOUNTERS RECORDED IN vv. 19-23. WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE OF JESUS BREATHING ON HIS DISCIPLES vv. 24-29. STILL COWERING BEHIND LOCKED DOORS, WITH NO SIGN AFTER JESUS SAYING RECEIVE "THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH OUT THEM GOING OUT AND PROCLAIMING CHRIST BOLDLY, THEY WITNESSED TO NO ONE. JESUS ACTION SHOULD BE SEEN AS A PROPHETIC SIGN- ACT, MUCH LIKE HIS CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE, WHICH DEPICTS AND FORESHADOWS IN DRAMATIC FASHION WHAT IS YET TO COME. THE FIRST ENCOUNTER INCLUDES THE SHALOM GREETING, BY WHICH JESUS CONVEYS WHOLENESS AND WELL-BEING, NOT MERELY CALMNESS, TO HIS DISCIPLES. HE THEN SHOWS THEM HIS HANDS AND SIDES, A GESTURE APPARENTLY MEANT TO MAKE CLEAR TO THEM EXACTLY WHO HE WAS, OR PERHAPS TO CONFIRM HIS TANGIBILITY AS THE RISEN ONE. NOTICE THAT THE DISCIPLES ONLY REJOICE AFTER THIS GESTURE, SUGGESTING THIS IS THE MEANS BY WHICH THEY HAD CONFIRMED TO THEIR HEARTS THAT HE WAS ALIVE AND WITH THEM.
THE FAMILIAR STORY OF THE DOUBTING THOMAS OCCURS IN vv. 24-29, AND THIS IS OFTEN WHY THIS LECTION IS CHOSEN FOR PREACHING AT EASTER.
 I HEARD ABOUT A SERMON ENTITLED " LATE FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT," COMPARING AND CONTRASTING THE STORIES IN vv.19-23 AND vv.24-29.
 THE SUGGESTION WAS THAT THOMAS MISSED OUT ON THE SPIRIT BY NOT BEING PRESENT AT THE FIRST APPEARING OF JESUS IN THE UPPER ROOM.--A DUBIOUS CONCLUSION. THE THOMAS STORY DOES, HOWEVER, HIGHLITE SOME FUNAMENTAL TRUTHS THE EVANGELISTS WANTS TO CONVEY. IN THE FIRST PLACE, THERE IS THE STRESS ON GIVING A TRUE CONFESSION ABOUT JESUS. THROUH OUT THE FOURTH GOSPEL THERE HAVE BEEN CONFESSIONS APLENTY ABOUT JESUS, BUT NONE COMPLETELY MATCHED UP TO THE HEIGHTS OF THE PROLOGUE IN JOHN 1. TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, THE CONFESSIONS THAT PRECEDE THAT OF THOMAS TO BEING ADEQUATE CHRISTIAN CONFESSION THAT MATCHES UP WITH THE PROLOGUE. IN THE SECOND PLACE, THE THOMAS STORY CONTRASTS THOSE WHO BELIEVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN THE RISEN JESUS AND THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFICIENT FAITH TO BELIEVE WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING SEEN. CLEARLY THE AUTHOR SEES THE LATTER AS A MORE BLESSED AND STRONGER FORM OF FAITH, AND THE SUGGESTION IS IMPLICIT THAT THE AUDIENCE OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL ALREADY HAS GREATER FAITH, AND THE SUGGESTION,.
THOUGH MUCH HAS BEEN MADE OF THOMAS INSISTING THAT HE MUST TOUCH THE NAIL SCARRED HANDS AND WOUNDED SIDE OF JESUS IF HE WAS TO BELIEVE, IT IS NOTE WORTHY THAT THE TEXT DOES NOT ACTUALLY SAY THAT HE DID SO. SEEING JESUS WITHOUT TOUCHING MAY HAVE BEEN ENOUGH FOR THOMAS.
THE CHAPTER ENDS WITH A PURPOSE STATEMENT-ABOUT THE ENTIRE GOSPEL.
THE AUTHOR REMINDS THE AUDIENCE IN v,30 THAT HIS GOSPEL ONLY HITS THE HIGHLITES OF JESUS LIFE. JESUS DID MANY OTHER SIGNS AND WONDERS THAN THE ONES RECORDED IN THE FOURTH GOSPEL. BUT THE PURPOSE OF RECORDING THE ONES THAT ARE INCLUDED WAS " SO THAT YOU MAY COME TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT THROUGH BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME."  HERE THE THEME OF LIFE RECURS, WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN IN 1 JOHN1 IN ANOTHER TEXT FOR THIS SUNDAY. IF ONE CHOSE TO FOCUS ON THE JOHAN-NINE TEXT, ONE COULD PREACH ON: " CHOOSE LIFE" QUITE EFFECTIVELY. THE MEANING OF JOHN 20:31 IS  PROBABLY THAT THE GOSPEL WAS WRITTEN IN ORDWR TO ENGENDER FAITH, NOT MERELY TO ENCOURAGE ALREADY EXISTING FAITH. THIS SUGGESTS THAT WHILE THE FOURTH GOSPEL WAS NOT A TRACT TO BE HANDED OUT, IT WAS NONETHELESS WRITTEN AS A TOOL TO BE USED, BY CHRISTIAN EVANGELISTS, THIS MAY EXPLAIN SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GOSPEL AND SYNOPTICS.
JESUS SPEAKS OF THE MISSION OF THE COMFORTER (HOLY SPIRIT). WHO COMES FROM THE FATHER AND BEARS WITNESS TO THE REVELATION OF TRUTH IN JESUS.
THE DISCIPLES ALSO BY VIRTUE OF THEIR FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM, HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH SAME WITNESSING COMMISSION (16:1-15). JESUS HAS SPOKEN THESE WORDS IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY BE PREPARED TO FACE THE HATRED OF THE WORLD, AND THE PROBABILITY OF  MARTYRDOM, FOR HIS SAKE. (1, 2).
THE PERVERTED ZEAL OF THE WORLD WILL SEEK TO COMPASS THEIR DEATH IN THE INTERESTS OF TRUTH, BUT, BUT REALLY BECAUSE IT IS IGNORANT OF THE FATHER AND THE SON. HE WARNS THEM OF A TIME OF SUFFERING, SO THAT THE HOUR OF TRIBULATION THEY MAY REMEMBER HIS WORDS. NOW HE IS RETURNING (TO THE FATHER AND THEY ARE TO OVERCOME WITH GRIEF TO ASK HIM CONCERNING THE PURPOSE OF HIS DEPARTURE, THE GOAL IN VIEW .THE ACT PROCEEDING TO THE FATHER) AND THE GOAL IN VIEW IS FULFILLED, HE WILL SEND THE COMFORTER. " BECAUSE I GO TO THE FATHER." THE STRESS IS WILL PR LAID ON THE IDEA OF HIS WITHDRAWAL.
HIS DEPARTURE, WILL PROCURE FOR THEM THE PARACLETE, WHOSE MISSION INTO THE WORLD  WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE GREAT ISSUES OF SIN, AND OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND JUDGMENT. HIS CONVICTING POWER WILL UNMASK SIN AND REVEAL IT S TRUE NATURE (IN THE WORSE SIN OF ALL UNBELIEF.)
THE PARACLETE WILL ALSO VINDICATE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST WILL BE VINDECATED BY THE FATHERS ACCEPTANCE OF HIM. THE VICTORY OF THE RISEN CHRIST IS THE GUARANTEE OF THE FINAL OVERTHROW OF THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD (11) AND THE DIVINE ACT OF REDEMPTION. THESE TRUTHS ARE UNDERSTOOD BY THE DISCIPLES., FROM THE TEACHING OF THE PARACLETE. THE PARACLETE (SPIRIT) WILL GUIDE THEM INTO ALL TRUTH (13). THE SPIRIT DOES NOT SPEAK OF HIMSELF. v,19, vii.17f ). HE WILL GLORIFY THE SON BY MAKING KNOWN HIS WORK.  (16:1-15).