If Jesus were to visit your home today, make a special appearance to you sometime after lunch today, what do you think encounter would be like?

You would probably have wished you had a heads-up so you could have least vacuumed the living room carpet.

What do you think He would say to you?

Personally, I think most of us would expect Him to get on to us for something – and not the living room carpet.

We can imagine Him saying, “Why haven’t you served me as faithfully as you should’ve?

We can imagine Him picking up our Bibles and leaving through them to see which pages stuck together because we never did read that section.

Or maybe He’d just stand there and look at us and we’d be stunned into silence – we wouldn’t know whether to wilt or worship.

According to the Bible, every Christian will one day come into the presence of the Lord.

The average Christian thinks that the Lord will get out the paddle, and let ‘em have it.

The Bible says, however, that for the Christian, there is now – at this very moment – and then forever – no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

When we stand before Him at the Bema Seat – it will be for the purpose of rewarding whatever it was in your life that obeyed and honored the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:10).

I frankly believe we will all be surprised by His love and grace that will be lavished upon us – rewarded with gems in brilliant color.

Part of the reason we can anticipate that encounter is because that’s how the Lord treats His disciples in these post-resurrection appearances.

Make no mistake, He’s appearing to a group of failures – a group of cowards who didn’t defend Him – who’d run from Him – who’d thrown in the towel.

But as we pick up our study now in Luke’s Gospel at chapter 24, we’re about to see a stunning demonstration of love and grace – the kind of grace we will personally experience when we see Him one day, face to face.

Now to set the stage – this is Resurrection Sunday at early dawn. A little group of women have been to the garden tomb with spices to anoint the body of Jesus. They were met by angels who announced that Jesus had risen from the dead.

^{Adapted from Philip Graham Ryken, Luke: Volume 2 (P&R Publishing, 2009), p. 666}

And with that, people begin racing back and forth from that tomb – that wasn’t quite empty – Jesus had vaporized through the linen wrappings so that those wrappings lay undisturbed like some empty cocoon, without a body inside.

By early evening, two disciples had returned from Emmaus, out of breath, but telling the news to the apostles that they’d just been tutored through the Old Testament by none other than Jesus.

In the meantime, that afternoon Peter had received a personal visit from the Lord.

Mary Magdalene hasn’t quite recovered from her surprise – she had seen the resurrected Lord at the garden tomb.

None of this was enough to bring the disciples out of hiding. They are behind locked doors, in fear of reprisals by the religious leaders for following a heretic – a blasphemer of Israel’s God.

No doubt they’re gonna be embarrassed about all this later, but they’re convinced that these stories of appearances were psychosomatic – a series of delusional sightings born out of desperation and discouragement.

The rumors and sightings were just too good to be true!

Behind closed doors, they’re having rather animated conversations – debating and discussing the events of that weekend and certainly that very day!

With that, let’s pick up the narrative to find out what happened next – Luke’s gospel, chapter 24 and verse 36:

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” Luke 24:36

Now wait a second – how’d He get in there?

John’s gospel emphasizes the miraculous nature of His appearance – he writes in chapter 20 and verse 19:

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them... John 20:19

Liberal theologians who are unbelievers have suggested that when the two disciples returned from Emmaus and were let into the room, Jesus slipped in behind them and that’s how He got in.

Others liberals say that Jesus figured out where the disciples were gonna meet and He got there first and was hiding somewhere in the room already.

Nice try.

• The disciples know He was crucified –
• they know a stone covers the entrance
• they know Jesus is dead
• they know who’s in that upper room
• and they know the doors are locked

And suddenly, Jesus appears.

Their reaction says it all – verse 37:

But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. Luke 24:37

You could translate that – they thought they saw an apparition – a phantom – a ghost.

Their fear was a natural reaction to something unnatural.

One author wrote: Jesus’ resurrected body can now materialize or dematerialize at will. He now transcends the normal laws of physical existence – He is no longer bound by material or spatial limitations. (SOURCE: ^{Ryken, p. 670)}

And by the way, this is Paul’s description of your future glorified body as well.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul refers to your glorified body putting on immortality; it’s still you, you’re your body, Paul says, is now a different kind of body – he calls it a “spiritual body” – a literal body that can transcend the ordinary limitations of time and space. (SOURCE: ^{Ryken, p. 671)}

Our bodies will be like Jesus’ body here.

The Bible says that when we are glorified and immortalized in the Lord’s presence one day, “we will be like Him.” (1 John 3:2).

Paul wrote to the Philippians: 

We are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body. Philippians 3:20

The glorified body of Jesus has hands and feet and He’s wearing clothing and He’s talking and in a couple of minutes He’s gonna eat some fish.

But at the same time, He’s just materialized inside this upper room.

And at first glance, the disciples thought He was a ghost. Luke writes that they were startled – terrified.

If Jesus had said, “Boo!” they all would have passed out.

He wasn’t trying to scare them – He didn’t startle them just because they deserved it . . . he didn’t want to just scare them.

Unlike our 6-year-old grandson Tucker who loves nothing more than scaring us. I’ll be in my study and he’ll sneak up behind me and say, “Boo”. If I don’t flinch, he’ll say, “Aww, didn’t I scare you?” “No, I heard your footsteps coming up behind me.” And he’s so disappointed!

The other day, I was reading in my study and I didn’t hear his footsteps and he jumped out and shouted, “Boo!” and I jumped.

He said, “Did I scare you?” I said, “You sure did.” He started laughing and clapping – he was so happy about that – I’m taking him out of my will.

Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus could’ve knocked on the door? Why show up this way?

Because Jesus wanted to give them further evidence of the uniqueness of His glorified body – and get this – to give us as well, to this very day – a little foretaste of a description of our own future bodies:

• whole bodies
• literal physical bodies
• healed and perfected
• standing on two legs
• wearing clothes
• talking
• eating
• recognizable
• we will not be scary ghosts – we will be immortalized saints.

Like Jesus, who vanished at the supper table in Emmaus – and now materializes inside this upper room.

Now we’re not told where they were hiding – where this room was located – where they were meeting behind locked doors, but Jesus knew. (SOURCE: ^{Adapted from Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Transformed (Victor Books, 1986), p. 132)}

Don’t miss this – Jesus knew where they were hiding!

• He knows where you are today beloved –
• He knows your address –
• He knows where you work –

He knows where you are physically, emotionally, spiritually – and let me tell you, “even your greatest fears and your greatest failures cannot lock Him out.” (SOURCE: ^{Adapted from Wiersbe, p. 133)}

Did you notice His first words to them?

Back to verse 36:

Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” Luke 24:36

You would expect Him to say, “What are you doing hiding in here? Why’s are the doors locked?”

You don’t expect Him to say, “Peace to you” but something more like “I’m through with you.”

Reminds me of the funny story a man emailed me some time ago – an old couple was sitting out on the porch in their rocking chairs, there on the farm one evening. They were both hard of hearing. The farmer looked over at his wife and in a moment of tenderness said to her, “Through all these years, I have found you tried and true.”

She looked over at him – “What did you say?” He leaned in and said louder, “I have found you tried and true.”

She harrumphed and said, “Well, I’m tired of you too.”

Now that’s more of what I would expect from Jesus.

He arrives in a room where His disciples are hiding out and I would have expected Jesus to say,

• You abandoned me at the cross –
• you didn’t come to my funeral –
• and now you don’t even believe the reports from eyewitnesses that saw me
• “I’m tired of all of you!

But instead of running out of patience, He demonstrates even more patience.

And aren’t we grateful?

• Because we need the same patience from Him daily
• we need that daily deposit of mercy and compassion which He promised us would be new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)
• and we need a new deposit every morning

because we used up all of yesterday’s deposit . . . we drained it!

We depend on Him never running out of patience

His first word is “Peace”.

Now at this point, the disciples think they’re being visited by a ghost – they’re doubting the physical reality of a resurrected, immortalized Lord.

So Jesus invites them to take a closer look – Luke writer here in verse 38:

“And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. (you could translate that, “It’s really me!” – Jesus says next:)

Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. Luke 24:38-40

While Luke doesn’t mention the Lord’s scars from the nails in his hands and feet, as well as the scar in His side, John’s gospel is more specific.

Let me make this point here: Jesus’ glorified, immortalized body is unique because He has chosen to retain these scars – no doubt to remind us that He was the Lamb of God, sacrificed on the altar of a wooden cross, for our redemption.

He will be the only person in Heaven with scars.

But for those who call Him Savior and Lord – on that eternal day you won’t have any scars – none: physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

When you get into heaven one day, you will still be you, but with a body made completely new.

And the scars of Jesus will remind you how you got in.

So Jesus shows them here to His disciples. The verb here to show carries the idea of displaying.

Jesus is displaying these scars – these wounds – to His disciples. These are undeniable connections that Jesus was crucified on a cross.

Jesus isn’t showing them to His disciples and saying, “Let me tell you how much this hurt; look at what you made me go through.” These are badges of honor – these are symbols of His love for you and me.

This is really more like a veteran of war showing his children and grandchildren the scars left by shrapnel or bullets – “Look here – these scars were made for your freedom – these are symbols of my love for you.”

What an unforgettable moment this must’ve been between the Veteran Warrior of that great spiritual battle – now showing His disciples the mementos of His love.

Now Luke adds in verse 41:

And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Luke 24:41-43

Did you catch the first part of verse 41 – they disbelieved for joy.

In other words, it just seems too good to be true. They can’t believe it – it’s just too amazing.

We use this same expression today to communicate the same kind of disbelief. We’ll say something like:

“I can’t believe I got the job!”

“I can’t believe I passed my final exams!”

“I can’t believe I hit a homerun!”

“You men can say, “I can’t believe she married me!”

The disciples can’t believe Jesus is alive – and they are flooded with joy!

Now with that, Jesus asks for some fish. He does this because superstitions in the ancient world said that spirits couldn’t eat food.

Jesus crushes that superstition with one bite – and the text says – He ate before them.

This has the idea that they watched him bite it, chew it, and swallow it. It didn’t end up on the floor or in His pocket.

He was proving to them that he didn’t merely seem to have a body but that He had a body. (SOURCE: ^{Ryken, p. 674)}

Jesus has eaten bread with the disciples in Emmaus; He’s eating fish here.

According to the Bible – eating will be a part of heaven. In our glorified bodies we will eat for sheer enjoyment – imagine eating without any negative side effects – fruit, bread, broiled fish . . . doughnuts. That’s in my translation.

Now in John’s gospel we’re told that somebody’s missing. If you’re older in the faith, you already know who it is.

John tells us, in chapter 20, so let’s take that account up at verse 24.

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. John 20:24

Your translation might read “Thomas, called Didymus” – Didymus means twin.

We’re never told who his twin was – a brother or a sister – his twin is never named.

One author made the interesting application that we can consider ourselves Thomas’ anonymous twin – because we all qualify; how often have we insisted that God prove Himself to us! (SOURCE: ^{Wiersbe, p. 136)}

Now verse 25:

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” John 20:24-25

It’s this statement here that has earned Thomas the nickname Doubting Thomas.

But I think he’s gotten a bad rap.

He’s no more doubtful than the rest of the disciples. He just missed the first meeting.

I think he should be nicknamed Transparent Thomas, because he says what others are thinking.

He won’t just go along and act like he believes something he doesn’t believe. (SOURCE: ^{Kent Hughes, John (Crossway, 1999), p. 456)}

He’s open and transparent with his questions.

There are two other places where Thomas is quoted and they don’t reflect doubting, they reflect courage and honesty.

Back in John chapter 11, Jesus announces that He’s going to return to Judea – specifically to Bethany – because Lazarus has died.

Bethany is less than two miles from Jerusalem, and the religious leaders have already announced they plan to kill Jesus.

When Jesus tells His disciples in verse 7 that they’re going anyway, John writes that the disciples can’t believe it.

There’s a price on His head – He’s as good as dead.

The disciples spend the next 9 verses trying to talk Jesus out of it. But He insists on going.

And Thomas – that’s right – Thomas says in verse 16:

So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” John 11:16

He’s brutally honest. He isn’t a blind optimist – he’s not saying, “Listen men, everything will work out – don’t worry – Jesus has this – let’s go along and keep Him company.”

No, “If Jesus goes back there and we go back there with Him, we’re all gonna die.”

You might see this only as pessimism, but it happens to be loyal courage. In spite of believing they’re gonna die, Thomas is willing to go.

He’s effectively saying, “I’d rather die with Jesus than live without Him.”

Now the second quote from Thomas appears in John chapter 14 where Jesus says:

If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” John 14:3-5

“Hold on, Lord; not so fast. You haven’t given us a map – we don’t have directions – we don’t know the way.”

Thomas is like that person in your class – like that person in my high school science class – whenever the teacher was confusing, and that was every day – this person would raise their hand and ask for more information – you’re glad they’re in your classroom!

Peter was always raising his hand in class to instruct the teacher; Thomas raised his hand in class to ask a question.

The other disciples were probably nodding their heads in agreement.

Good ole’ Transparent Thomas is the only one willing to raise his hand in class and say, “I don’t understand . . . Lord, what do you mean You’re going away and we know the way there . . . we don’t know the way; can you give us some more information.”

And Jesus gives that classic answer, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”

In other words, “Thomas, I’m not gonna give you a map – I am the map – I am the way to my Father’s House.”

If we understand Thomas a little better, we can understand what he’s saying to the disciples here in chapter 20.

“You say that Jesus appeared to you?”

That’s confusing to me – I don’t understand what’s happening – I need some more information.”

Now instead of Jesus saying,

• Thomas you had your chance . . .
• You should’ve listened to the others . . .
• I don’t have time for questions . . .
• Besides, who are you to make these kinds of demands of me, the risen Lord?

No – don’t miss the graciousness and kindness and humility of Jesus.

Warren Wiersbe wrote “The Lord is gracious to stoop to our level of experience in order to lift us where we ought to be.” (SOURCE: ^{Wiersbe, p. 136)}

He doesn’t condemn us for our doubts – our fears – our discouragements – even our questions.

So, when the disciples reconvene the following week, this time Thomas is with them.

Which by the way shows us that Thomas is teachable enough to be shown what’s right – and he’s willing to admit that he might’ve been wrong.

John writes in chapter 20 and verse 26:

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” John 20:26

Don’t miss this – Jesus is even willing to repeat the same message and the same miracle of materializing in their presence – so that Thomas can see it for himself.

Let me parallel what Thomas had said earlier, with what Jesus now says to him here;

Thomas had said: “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails”

Jesus says:  Put your finger here, and see my hands”

Thomas had said: “Unless I place my hand into his side”

Jesus says: “Put out your hand, and place it in my side”

Thomas had said: “[Unless]…I will never believe.”

Jesus said: Do not disbelieve but believe.”

This exchange clearly reveals the omnipresence and omniscience of the Lord.

Jesus had heard each of Thomas’ three statements and He answers them in the same order.

By the way, the text never tells us that Thomas reached out to inspect the Lord’s hands or side. He didn’t need to.

John writes here in verse 28 that Thomas immediately responds to Jesus by saying:

“My Lord and my God!” John 20:28

Now wait a second here – God had delivered through Moses the very first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Thomas has just called Jesus his God and is giving Him worship as His Lord.

But Jesus doesn’t rebuke Thomas for idolatry! He accepts the worship of Thomas – and Jesus can, because He is indeed both Lord and God.

Jesus is the image of the invisible God – now robed in a resurrected, glorified, body.

There are at least two timeless truths I want to highlight, that have come to mind from this encounter:

First, Jesus doesn’t choose disciples who never ask any questions – He chooses disciples who are willing to be taught His answers.

Is it any wonder, beloved, that Thomas, and the other disciples are soon transformed from fearful disciples into courageous ambassadors.

And their message is the same message we have today – Jesus is our risen Savior, our Lord and our God.

Thomas will eventually brave the world and after decades of faithful service for Christ – die in India, as a martyr for the cause, and the glory of His risen Lord.

The second timeless truth is this:

Jesus doesn’t choose disciples who will never fail Him – He chooses disciples and then proves He will never fail them.

What kindness . . . what grace . . . what humility in our risen Savior.

To this day, Jesus doesn’t love us, or use us, or guide us because we never fail Him; he proves over and over again, that He will never fail us.

He never has . . . He never will.