Communion With the Christ:: The Season of Easter : Touching His Wounds

After the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, He came and stood before the Disciples, yet in their fear they were uncertain as to what was transpiring. They had received word that the tomb of Jesus was empty. His body gone, some claimed to have seen and spoken with Him.

That the very one in whom they vested so much time and followed about learning. That very one whom they believed was the awaited Messiah, this one they witness go to the cross and knew for certain was dead, He was now before them and alive beyond any doubt.

Peace

Jesus appeared to the disciples without St. Thomas being present, and to quail their concerns Jesus showed them his wounds, by his wounds they are assured that it is Jesus who now stands before them. Jesus then declarers to them that they be at Peace.

Then the same day, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst of them and said to them "Peace be to you" Jhn:20:19

Those disciples were amazed and stunned to see Jesus who they knew had died, and now, here Jesus was, uncertainty filled them. Jesus then assures them that it is he, the very one whom they walked and talked with and had known for so long a time.

As the Disciples beheld Jesus there now in their midst, Jesus showed them his wounds to assuage their concerns. Jesus invites them to see and touch his wounds, to inspect them and so by doing they came to be at peace. It is Jesus, who was wounded and died and now Jesus is here alive among them!

While they were still talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you" . They were startled and frightened, thinking that they had seen a ghost. He said to them, “Why are troubled, and why do doubts rises in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." When He said this, He showed them His hands and feet." Jhn: 24:36-40a

Wounds Identify Jesus

When those gathered there on that resurrection day and touched and handled the risen Jesus, they knew that he had been dead and now lives, all the fears and uncertainties faded into the joy of knowing that Jesus lives.

They could be at Peace just as he encouraged them to be. Jesus' wounds identified him to them and to all Christians down through the ages.

When we handle those wounded hands and feet and see the gaping wound in Jesus' priced side, we see that Jesus was dead but now is alive for evermore. That he died upon the cross for us and now stands among us, then we can be at real peace.

Our Messiah was dead in the grave. Knowing and believing that Jesus was dead is every bit as important as knowing and believing that He lives. Both were need to accomplish our salvation, death and resurrection, and the wounds that we touch are verification that he was dead and now lives.

Jesus Stands in Our Midst

See when we gather in worship with other Christians it is the wounded Jesus who is in our midst the very one who went to the cross and even though he has ascended into the very Heavens he is still among us, still speaking peace to his people holding his hands and feet open for our inspection all that we might be at peace with God and others and even with ourselves, we needn't fear, Jesus is here.

It is when Christians come and assemble as a community of believers that Jesus shows us his presences in a unique way even now. Here within the gathering of disciples he is still speaking peace.

"I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace to His people, and to His saints: but let them not turn again to folly" Ps:85:8

Gospel of Peace

The whole Gospel message is that humanity, each and all, could have peace because Jesus has gone to the cross and the grave and now lives. He and he alone has accomplished what none other could, Jesus died for all.

Sin has been atoned for; redemption is come. We no longer have to fear death or judgement, we can be at peace. Forgiveness is here. He is our peace and has made peace for us. Eph 2:14, Eph 6:15

The Gospel is the means that tells any who will hear that Jesus has died for us and now lives, they can enter that forgiveness and experience it, they can touch his wounds so-to- speak and know that the price has been paid.

Which We Have Handled

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched, this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life" 1 Jhn:1:1

St. John may have written recalling that resurrection day when they gathered around Jesus and touched those wounds. St. John then tells us that this is what he was proclaiming to any and to all.

"The life appeared;we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life,which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,so that you also may have fellowship with us.And our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ"1Jhn:1:2-3

The Gospel message is the same invitation that Jesus offered to the Disciples, to know that he died and now lives, sin is dealt with by his cross, that is his death of which the wounds demonstrate.

"we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son,purifies us from all sin" 1Jhn:1:7b

Wounds Attest to Crucifixion

This was the message of the Church. St. Paul took this message of the wounded Messiah forth through preaching and his Epistles that invited all to touch the wounds of Jesus, so that they can believe that he has been crucified for human sin and come again from the dead.

"But we preach Christ crucified"1Cor: 1:23a

"For I determined not to know anything among you,but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" 1 Cor:2:2

St. Paul preached Christ Crucified. If the one we that we call Jesus does not bear the wounds of crucifixion, then it is not Jesus, that is, he cannot be the Messiah.

The wounds reflect the fact of his death, and that He lives which wittiness that he is actually resurrected.

He Was Dead, Now Alive

"It is just as important to believe in His Death as it is to believe in His resurrection. Jesus' death should not be over looked"

Jesus' wounds show that our sin has been dealt with. We can read of the work of our Lord in the Book of Isaiah chapter 53. So much of the work of Jesus is revealed in Isaiah, that sometimes this book is called the fifth Gospel.

Didn’t Believe

When Jesus came and showed himself to his Disciples the first time, St. Thomas was not there. St. Thomas finds it hard to believe and declares that he would need to see and touch the very wounds of Jesus to believe.

It then one week later as they are again assembled together that Jesus comes and shows and the doubting St. Thomas his wounded hand hands and feet and invited him to reach out and touch them, that is, to know that it is really Jesus who stands before him.

When the astonished St. Thomas saw the living Lord and his own eyes behind the wounds he falls before Jesus in an act of worship and accepts what any who come to grasp the full meaning of the wounds of Jesus should have, St. Thomas declares Jesus to be his "Savoir and my God" Jhn:20:24-29

St. Thomas did not believe that is until Jesus showed him his wounds. It requires Jesus himself to reveal this truth, we can tell someone about Jesus but only our Lord can reveal it in a way that one can fall before Jesus and worship as did St. Thomas and worship at Jesus' feet.

When St. Thomas saw the wounds, he came to believe. When anyone come to see and touch the wounds of our Lord there can be no other conclusion which we can arrive at other than Jesus is our Savior and our God.

Always In View

Even in worship these wounds are seen in full view. Even now in the Heavenly worship of our Lord the host of Heaven look upon them. In the Book of Revelation St. John speaks of the wounded Lord as the Lamb that looks as if slain standing amidst the Throne and Alter. Standing before a throne is a place of high honor.

Jesus is there being given the highest honor that can be given, and there Jesus is still displaying his wounds for us and standing there for us in an exalted place. This shows us the Highest place is given to our Lord who is wounded eternally for us, showing for eternity that Jesus was dead but now is alive forever ....and He invites any and all to Touch his Wounds.

"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirit of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:"

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” Rev: 5:6-10.........

Benediction: May we each and all touch the wounds of our Lord Jesus, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen