Why is Jesus showing His hands and feet significant for our faith today? The Scene in the Upper Room “After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.” (Luke 24:40) The risen Christ appears to disciples who are startled and frightened. Instead of offering abstract arguments, He rolls up His sleeves and says, in effect, “Look. Touch. Know.” Proof of a Bodily Resurrection • Luke 24:39—“See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Touch Me and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” • John 20:20—The scars silence every rumor of hallucination. • 1 Corinthians 15:3-4—Paul builds the gospel on this literal, physical rising. Because the resurrection is physical, our future is physical too (Philippians 3:21). Eternal life is not a vaporous dream but a restored, glorified creation. Verification of Identity • The same body that was nailed is now standing alive. • John 20:27—Thomas is invited to probe the wounds, demonstrating that the One crucified on Friday is the same One alive on Sunday. • Revelation 1:18—“I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever.” The scars link Calvary and Easter so tightly that neither can be explained away. Fulfillment of Prophecy—Right Before Their Eyes • Zechariah 12:10—“They will look on Me, the One they have pierced.” • Isaiah 53:5—“He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities.” Jesus’ wounds confirm that centuries-old prophecy unfolded with surgical precision. Scripture proves reliable, reinforcing confidence in every promise God makes. Assurance of Completed Atonement • The nail marks are permanent receipts stamped “Paid in Full.” • Hebrews 9:12—“He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Believers do not carry sin’s debt; the evidence remains on His resurrected body, not on ours. A Preview of Our Own Resurrection Bodies • Luke notes “flesh and bones,” yet the Lord also passes through locked doors and ascends to heaven. • Philippians 3:21 promises that Christ “will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.” We look at His post-Easter form and see our future: recognizable, tangible, perfected. Motivation for Bold Witness • Acts 1:3—“After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs.” The disciples move from fear to fearless proclamation because they have seen and handled the Living One. The same evidence recorded in Scripture fuels our courage today. Living in the Light of His Wounds • Every Communion cup recalls blood once shed but never again to be spilled. • Every moment of doubt can be met with the memory of those eternal scars. • Every act of service mirrors the self-giving love forever etched on His hands and feet. The resurrected Christ, scars and all, stands as the unshakable foundation of faith, hope, and love—yesterday, today, and forever. |
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