1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: dot com. You're listening to Daily devotions with Pastor John. 4 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: I'm John Stangey, and today's devotion is inspired by John 5 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: chapter twenty, verse twenty, which says when he had said this, 6 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: he showed them his hands and his side. Then the 7 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. As Jesus 8 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: was speaking to the disciples in this room, he showed 9 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 1: them as scars. His scars serve as a visible testimony 10 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: of what he endured in order for our sin to 11 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 1: be forgiven and for us to become part of his family. 12 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: He showed these scars to the disciples to confirm his 13 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: identity to them. He was also making sure that they 14 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: understood that even though he had just walked through a 15 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: wall to enter the room, he wasn't some sort of ghost. 16 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: He was physically present with them. Jesus was doing a 17 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: rather large favor for his followers here. He was giving 18 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 1: them a gift that impacts the core of a person's beliefs. 19 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: In showing them his scars, he was blessing them with 20 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: confidence not in themselves, but in him. How is this 21 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 1: the case? Jesus was proving to them and to us 22 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 1: that death couldn't defeat him. Nails in his hands and 23 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: feet couldn't hold him back, a spear in his side 24 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 1: ultimately couldn't end his life, and if we have faith 25 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: in him, our life is wrapped up in his. From 26 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: the later testimonies of the disciples lives, it appears that 27 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 1: this experience may have helped them to be willing to 28 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: ultimately face death for Christ's glory because they could now 29 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: see that death had lost lost its power over them. 30 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for your word, and 31 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege that it is to 32 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: be able to look at this portion of Scripture and 33 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: to see what you did for the Disciples. You showed 34 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: them that you are who you say you are. You 35 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: showed them that death could not defeat you, and you 36 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:26,399 Speaker 1: inspired them to understand that through faith in You, death 37 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: wouldn't defeat them either. Lord. We know that our physical 38 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,239 Speaker 1: bodies wear out. We know that we are susceptible to disease. 39 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: We know that accidents can happen and calamities can take 40 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 1: place in our lives that have the capacity to end 41 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,119 Speaker 1: our earthly life. But we're grateful that we have received 42 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: the gift of eternal life through you, and that we 43 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: have hope far beyond what happens to our physical frame 44 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: in this body. We know we're frail, but we also 45 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: know that you'll be giving us a brand new, glorified body, 46 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: will no longer be susceptible to disease or pain or death. 47 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: And Lord, it's inspiring to think about what you did 48 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: for the disciples here. You showed them that they didn't 49 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: need to live their lives fearful of earthly death. You're 50 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: victorious over it, and you share that victory with all 51 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 1: who trust in you. So Lord, we're grateful for your 52 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: presence with us. We're grateful for your power, and we're 53 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: grateful for the hope that you grant us beyond our 54 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 1: current circumstances. Thank you for blessing us with the privilege 55 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: to be able to walk without fear of death, knowing 56 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: that our lives are forever held securely in your hand. 57 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: We're grateful for this example and for this reminder from 58 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: your word today, and we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.