"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and everyone who loves the parent (father) loves the child. 2. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. 3. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4, For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. 5. Who is he that overcomes: the world? He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

Dear Christian friends:

When the risen and living Jesus appeared to His disciples that first Easter evening Thomas was not there. We don't know where he was. Perhaps he went to buy some groceries, or was out jogging, nevertheless Thomas missed that wonderful event. When he came back the excited disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord!" Thomas refused to believe that. For one week the disciples argued with him but he refused to buy it. He probably said to them, "Do you think I am a fool? Show me His hands!"

The next time the risen and living Savior appeared to His disciples Thomas was with them and Jesus said to Thomas, "Examine the hands." And when he had put his finger into those nail scared (Crucified) hands he blurted out (said) a beautiful confession: "My Lord and My God.”

Can you this seventh day after Easter say the same beautiful confession? Is Jesus your Lord and God? Our text says, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God." (1 John 5:1)

If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Christ, the One God sent to die for your sins, the One God raised from death on Easter morning to declare your sins forgiven, then you are a child of God, and you have a unique (very special) relationship with God. Through your eye of faith I urge you today to see your lord reaching out to you with His nail-scared (crucified) hands, inviting you to become His brother and a child of God, renewing that blessed relationship He made with you in baptism, Can you see Jesus reaching out to you today?

Now I ask you to think of other hands you have known. Think of the hands you can't forget: your mother's hands, your father's hands, your grandparents hands. Remember the oldest hands that have rested in your hands. Think of the hands of a new-born baby, your baby, your nephew or niece. How beautiful and soft and perfect are the hands of a child! There is special beauty in the hands of the man or woman we love or the person who loves us. Other hands we can't forget are the hands of a doctor, a nurse, an artist, perhaps even a pastor.

Think of all the hands that have made a good impression on you. Has someone's hands brought the love of Christ to you? Has someone's hands helped you to feel the presence of Christ? Has someone's hands brought healing and new life to you? Hands can wipe away tears; hands can help when you have fallen; hands can embrace you. Thomas saw those hands and cried out, "My Lord and my God!" Today I invite you to remember and respond to those hands that invite you to become and remain a child of God.

After Jesus reached out to His disciples, He said, "As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you." Our text makes that command clearer: "Everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5: 1b-3) If you really love God then you love all of His children. Jesus reaches out to His disciples and to each of us with loving, nail-scared hands, therefore we reach out to all of God's children with loving, helping hands. Jesus' hands show the heart of God to us, therefore our hands show the heart of God to a suffering and hurting world. When you extend your hand to help another person, it's not just your hand - it is your heart.

Steve Herzfeld, a black Lutheran pastor's son, was almost killed in an automobile accident in Oakland, California. The doctor did not expect the 14 year old boy to live. The father and his congregation said many prayers for the boy. One person who attended that church was Purvis Short, a forward for the Golden State Warrior basketball team. Short, Steve's hero, spent hours holding the boy's hand. He talked to the boy and only got weak responses on the monitoring machine. Short dedicated a Warrior's game to Steve and helped win it. Then he went back to the hospital room, "Occasionally Steve would squeeze my hand, and I felt good," Short said, "I kept on talking, holding his hand."

Steve is better now and his terrible experience seems like a bad dream, but he remembers what Purvis Short did for him. Short did it because of responsibility, faith, hope and love. Short says, "I used (ago) to believe in God. Then for a long time I stopped believing. Now I believe again."

Notice the connection of faith and loving God's children! As we love and extend a helping hand to God's other children we not only experience a connection with them, but also with crucified and Risen Christ. This is what Purvis Short experienced and this is what our text is saying, "His commandments are not burdensome." Our relationship with God's children and with God is renewed, Faith is born and grows!

Now look at your hands, Think of all your hands have learned to do: write, sew, paint, drive a car, etc. Remember what kinds of work they have done. How many tears have they wiped away, how much help and comfort have they offered; how much anger and evil have they shown or done and how much kindness and love have they given?

Our hands are not just for helping ourselves, but for helping others. Our hands cannot help others if they are clenched, or always grabbing, or even folded. Your hands and my hands are Easter hands. They are Jesus' hands.

Amen.