Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen And Yet Believed

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

April 28, 2025

in Spritual Growth

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April 27, 2025:
Readings:
Job: 42: 1-6
Acts 5: 17-22, 25-29
John 20: 19-31

2nd Sunday of Easter 2025 – Abp. Hines

Easter is the most powerful expression of God’s commitment to His people. Great are the works of the Lord. But are we studying and seeking the things of God as they are meant for us? If we know these things, it should be such a challenge to us. We must remember all these great things so that we will not succumb to the wiles of the enemy. Christ had mentioned to the disciples many times that He will suffer and die but rise up on the third day. And yet, they did not comprehend because they got anxious when they found out Christ was not in the tomb, and had seemingly disappeared.

They gathered together in a room to comfort each other. The door was locked because they feared that the Jews would be coming for them too. Then, out of nowhere, Christ appeared before them. They thought they had seen a ghost. But the first thing He said to them was, “Peace be with you.” This was now the evidence of the resurrection. The door was locked, and yet Jesus appeared before them in the flesh. To prove that He was who He was, He showed them the wounds. Then they began to rejoice because they had seen the risen Lord. “As the Father has sent Me, so sent I, you,” the Lord continued. The enemy may have stolen the image God had intended for man from the very beginning due to the fall of man in obeying the devil, but now here comes Christ, whose purpose is not only to get rid of the sin but to restore man back to God’s family. We need to realize that He did this not for Himself but for us. He not only has redeemed us, He healed all diseases. Fear and doubt may have caused us to hide but now we have been given security and strength. We are no longer a part of the kingdom of darkness but of the Kingdom of Light.

However, many of us still call upon Christ to do things for is. Nothing wrong with this as we should depend on Him but we have been given the authority. He said if we forgive the sins of others, forgiveness will be given and if we retain the sins, they will be retained. Having been given such an authority, we the congregation, are to go out and do the work of Christ. While we should never forget His wonderous acts, it is not His responsibility anymore. We’ve allowed ourselves to forget who we are in Christ.

Thomas, who was not with the other disciples when Christ appeared to them the first time, made sure to be present on the second Sunday so that He would have the opportunity to see for Himself if what they said was true. Thomas was heard saying, “Unless I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And so when Christ appeared to them again a second time, He called out to Thomas to touch the wounds on His hands and side. And when Thomas did, he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus then told Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen but yet believed.” It was in the flesh that the resurrected Lord appeared before all of them.

After all these events had taken place, the disciples who have been given the authority, did go out into the world to preach the Gospel and build His church. They have been given His holiness and righteousness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 – And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Our task, then, is to take what Christ has given to us, go out and build His kingdom for His honor and glory. 