John 20-21

In today's devotional, we concluded the book of John by paying particular attention to the evidences of the resurrection. Jesus appeared to several people after his resurrection to prove his was alive. There are those who say Christians must provide empirical evidences like in a court of law to prove that Jesus died and rose again. Our answer should be simple, the actions of these disciples are enough. While we have the historical records that have been unearthed through archaeological studies that have proved beyond any reasonable doubt that these events are true, the actions of the disciples are unnerving. The same disciples; unlearned and untrained, timid and afraid of the authorities, now came out boldly to stake their lives for what they had seen. Something happened to them that no one could convince them otherwise. I have heard and seen cases where people tell lies to escape the arm of justice or a sentence, but to tell lies so they could be burned at the stake, beheaded, fed to lion, cooked alive in boiling oil, some were crucified, their properties confiscated, yet they were willing to lay it all down, that's enough evidence for me. This is but one of the encounters the believers had with Jesus after his resurrection that transformed them; That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” John 20:19‭-‬21‭, ‬23 NLT. Thank you Jesus.