Day 6

Scripture to Read: John 20:23–29

Jesus also gave the disciples authority to proclaim the forgiveness of sins in John 20:23. This authority has been given to every born-again believer. God commissioned His church to proclaim forgiveness to the repentant believer so that each believer realizes the fullness of His forgiveness through Christ (Colossians 1:13–14, Colossians 2:13–14). But God also commanded His church to proclaim to all unbelievers that they are in danger of refusing the mercy of God and being condemned for their unwillingness to receive His gift of forgiveness through Christ. God had John then tell us about Thomas not being there that first night of Jesus’ resurrection. When Thomas returned, the disciples told him all about Jesus being resurrected and that they had personally encountered Jesus where they were staying. Thomas had doubts, just like the disciples doubted the people who first told them they had seen Jesus. Thomas said in John 20:25, “’Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’” Eight days later, Jesus appeared in the room again, but this time Thomas was there with the rest of the disciples. Jesus was so gracious with Thomas and said to him, “’Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.’”Thomas responded to Jesus, "My Lord and my God!” Thomas’ doubts were gone; he knew for certain that Jesus was his Lord and God.

Challenge & Application

• What has our Lord given us, as His church, the authority to do, and are we to do what He’s commissioned us to do? • Jesus revealed Himself to Thomas to erase his doubts; so, how does our Lord reveal Himself today to the lost?

Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!

Devotionals from this week

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Day 1

Anytime we examine the Word of God, we must always look up the cross references and other Scriptures that tie into the Scriptures we’re studying. There are four resurrection accounts recorded in the four Gospels (Matthew 28:1–8, Mark 16:1–8, Luke 24:1–10 & John 20:1–10). Each one gives a little different picture of what happened when our Lord...

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Day 2

When Peter and John ran to the tomb, Mary followed them because she wanted to know who had taken the body of Jesus. Be sure to read John 20:11–18. As Mary stood outside the tomb, she continued to weep, still thinking that the body of Jesus had been stolen. As she looked into the tomb, two angels had appeared and asked Mary (in John 20:13),’“W...

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Day 3

Before getting too deep into the next set of Scriptures, note that Jesus, when He talked with Mary, called His disciples “my brethren” in John 20:17. This was the first time Jesus referred to His disciples as family. Jesus had called them friends and servants before His crucifixion, but now He called them brethren. When we surrendered to Chri...

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Day 4

After Mary went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, we read in John 20:19, “So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.’”The disciples were in a locked room a...

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Day 5

God had John record what happened next in John 20:21–23, “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of ...

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Day 6

Jesus also gave the disciples authority to proclaim the forgiveness of sins in John 20:23. This authority has been given to every born-again believer. God commissioned His church to proclaim forgiveness to the repentant believer so that each believer realizes the fullness of His forgiveness through Christ (Colossians 1:13–14, Colossians 2:13–...

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Day 7

God had John then record this in John 20:30–31, “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” Jesus did many other miracles...

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