Led by Edwin Ashforth
Readings:
John 20 v19-23 by Keith Bradley
John 20 v24ff by Darryl Lomas
As we commemorate 100 years since WWI and 70 years since WWII, Edwin read a poem recovered from a dead soldier killed in action in North Africa in 1944. The soldier was quite wild but as he wrote the poem his friend recalls how it was the last thing he did. He had come to know God, crying as he wrote “Look God, I’ve never spoken to you but…”
We need to know God is always there for us.
In the readings, the disciples are locked in the upper room, a point emphasised by it being repeated twice by John. The story is also contained in the gospels of Mark and Luke. John could have made the resurrection a revolutionary story with just the highlights but he chooses to use the truth with disciples hiding in fear in the upper room.
This is surprising as we know from Mark 16, John 20, Matthew 28, Luke 24 and 1 Corinthians that Jesus had already risen by this time and that fact would have spread like wildfire through the community. Here were the people who were closest to Jesus having walked and talked with him locked behind a closed door.
Do we live behind door locked doors? In the famous painting in St Pauls, Christ stands outside the door with no handle, saying ‘Behold I stand at the door and knock”. We need to know God is always there for us. We must unlock the door and let him in to talk with us.
Jesus appeared to the disciples at a time they were down and he filled the room with life and majesty and without admonishment says “Peace be with you”. He understood the fear of the disciples and the doubt of Thomas who fell to his knees as his scepticism disappeared.
Jesus loves us whatever the circumstances. We should think of his wounds and suffering for us and have no fear whilst he is with us, just invite him into our lives.