Day 52
Today’s reading: John 20:1-31
Seeing is not Believing
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Seeing is not Believing 〰️
Reflections
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” These were among Jesus’ final words to His disciples. The truth is, seeing with your eyes and knowing the facts is not enough in the kingdom of God. Seeing with your eyes does not necessarily make you believe with your heart and, therefore, cannot make you blessed. The Pharisees and opponents of Jesus witnessed the miracles He performed firsthand and yet did not believe. On the other hand, we see people like Anna and Simeon, who had not yet seen Jesus but waited their whole lives for Him. Even more so, Abraham, David, Isaiah, and all the other Old Testament figures looked forward to Jesus without seeing Him, and it was counted to them as righteousness. The way to truly believe in your heart is to first encounter Christ in the Scriptures. As John 20:9 states, they did not understand even though they saw the empty grave because they had not yet known through the Scriptures. We need to understand the meaning and significance of all things pertaining to Christ through the Scriptures for them to take root in our hearts. The Word of God takes precedence over our experiences; it is what shapes our convictions. Spiritual maturity is marked by a faith that is not swayed by what we see or feel but is anchored in the unchanging truth of Scripture.
Study Questions
How does Jesus’ commission to the disciples in verse 21 reflect His own mission from the Father? What was Jesus sent to do, and what does that mean for what we are sent to do?
What does verse 23 mean about forgiving and retaining sins? Does this indicate authority given to the disciples, or is it connected to proclaiming the gospel?
How has the book of John shown you that Jesus is divine? Give at least three instances where Jesus clearly proclaimed His divinity.
There are seven main “I AM” statements in the book of John. List them. How have these statements helped you understand who Jesus is and what He came to do?
Highlight
“Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”” John 20:21 ESV
