“By Faith I Believe!”

“By Faith I Believe!”(Jn.20:19-31).
It’s another Sunday. Let us go to the LORD’S house where we share in fellowship. We will continue to read about Jesus’ post resurrection appearances until ascension day when he is taken up to heaven.
In today’s pericope from John, Jesus appeared to the disciples who were behind locked doors for fear of the Jewish leaders.
During this appearance, Christ commissioned them: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” He also breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Thomas was not with them. When they told him that the Lord had appeared to them, Thomas did not believe. Rather Thomas said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
A week later, when the disciples were all together behind locked doors, the Lord appeared to them. He told Thomas, “…Stop doubting and believe… blessed are those who have not seen and yet they have believed.”
Last lesson from the pericope is John’s commentary concerning the Lord’s post-resurrection appearances and the purpose of John’s gospel: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
We have a mandate to decide whether to forgive or not to forgive. Whatever choice we make, we should remember that choices have consequences! If we choose not to forgive a repentant sinner, we bring judgment upon ourselves.
The risen Lord is not going to appear to us at our strongest moments. The risen Lord appears to us when we are overwhelmed with fear and are behind any kind of locked doors. When he appears, he pronounces his peace to be with us. He sends us to go for him, and he breathes on us as he asks us to receive the Holy Spirit.
Moreover, we can only see the risen Lord only with the eyes of faith. We walk by faith, not by sight! We shouldn’t be doubting Thomases!
Lastly, we learn that a biography or autobiography is never the complete story of a person’s life. They are only glimpses written with a purpose, and in the case of Jesus’, the few that was written is to make us believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. The choice is yours: to believe or not to believe!
Sunday prayer: Holy Spirit, continue to empower us daily with unshakeable faith that does not doubt the resurrection story. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.
12/04/2026.