Focusing on Jesus

Resurrection Day, later that evening, somewhere behind locked doors, the disciples huddled together trying to make sense out of today. The tomb is empty, Mary Magdalene has reported this to the Eleven, Peter and John have confirmed the emptiness, Mary has returned to the empty tomb, seen two angels, then been approached by Jesus before He ascends to the Father before coming back to see the Eleven.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” ¹

But someone is missing. One disciple missed out and wants equal treatment, the same experience. When the Ten tell Thomas, he wants the same treatment as the other ten already had.

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” ²

Jesus would have preferred unseen faith but He is willing to accommodate Thomas:

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ³

Have we had that focus problem that Jesus is addressing? Wouldn’t your faith be ‘better’ if you could see Jesus with your eyes, bump shoulders, shake hands, maybe even give Him a hug? Surprisingly, Jesus says that Thomas had the same opportunity as we have to believe the Word of God without touch-ey feel-ey see-ey. Jesus knew that soon He would not be touchable for in forty day He would return to the LORD’s presence and that faith would be necessary for those who would believe. His point is that we need to have our eyes on who He is and not on an incarnate form. How many times through the Gospels have we been told to focus on Him and not the apparent?

Peter is much like us. Shortly before the post-resurrection forty days ended during which there were several contacts with the risen Christ, Peter and several of the other fisherman in the group went fishing. As the sun was coming up, a man appeared on shore and told them how to catch fish. Now remember, this group had been professional fishermen forty-two months earlier and knew everything about fishing. Yet, they had caught nothing. This guy on the shore tell them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat and suddenly they have too many fish. John tells Peter, “It’s the Lord!” Peter jumps overboard and gets to shore first. Following a breakfast prepared by Jesus, Jesus begins to teach Peter one more lesson about how to minister in Jesus’s Name. Jesus probes Peter’s understanding and commitment three times and Peter becomes uncomfortable enough with the questions that he tries to turn attention away from himself and onto John:

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them… When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” ⁴  

“What about this man?” Lord, let’s focus on someone other than me and what you desire in my life. Let’s talk about John. No matter how much sincere concern Peter had for John and the ministry that Jesus had for John, Jesus said, “Peter, you follow me!” Classic LORD—get your eyes, your heart, your desires, all you are—get focused on the LORD. Jesus is about to return to the throne room of Heaven and be seated at the right hand of the Father and His message to each disciple would be the same, “You follow Me!”