Sunday, April 27, 2025

Rick Stuhmer

John 20:19-31, Colossians 1:15-20 (NRSV)

Jesus Appears to the Disciples (Lk 24:36–43; 1 Cor 15:5)

19  When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20  After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21  Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22  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, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Jesus and Thomas 24  But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

26  A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28  Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29  Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen

and yet have come to believe.” The Purpose of This Book 30  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31  But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Colossians 1:15-20 (NRSV) The Supremacy of Christ (Cp Jn 1:1–5)

15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16  for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17  He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18  He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20  and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.