PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Sunday

Scripture lesson: John 20:19-31 The Holy Spirit

Time to Reflect: [By the way, the John of the Gospel of John is a different John from John of Patmos, the writer of Revelation. John was a very popular Jewish name – they were everywhere.] Acts has the Holy Spirit coming on the Apostles at Pentecost, John in an private meeting between the resurrected Jesus and the Apostles. There is no reconciling the two stories. What is important is that they did receive the Holy Spirit. The underlying Hebrew and Greek terms translated as “Spirit” also translate as “wind” or “breath.” Note that Acts plays on the “wind” meaning of the term and John on the “breath” meaning. Ultimately, “Spirit” in all of its meanings is life giving. Theologically, receiving the Holy Spirit means the apostles and their successors have God's “breath” within them.

Moving through the day: Consciously breathing in and out, picture God entering your body and strengthening you.

 Scripture:

John 20:19-3

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

 19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

 21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Jesus Appears to Thomas

 24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
      But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

 26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

 28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

 29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

 30Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may[a] believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.