Dear Christian friends:

Our sermon text is the Gospel Lesson, which I signed before. One thing different about the Christian religion is that the Founder is alive. All other religions the founders are dead. Mohammed, who founded the Muslim religion, is dead. Joseph Smith, who founded the Mormon religion, is dead. Mary Baker Eddy, who founded the Christian Science religion is dead. Charles Russell, who founded the Jehovah's Witnesses religion, is dead. But Jesus Christ, who founded the Christian religion, is not dead. He arose from death on Easter day! He lives and rules over His church today!

I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever-living Head.
(TLH 200: I Know That My Redeemer Lives, verse 1)

It shows that Jesus who died now lives.


He lives to give His church its work.
He lives to strengthen our faith for this work.

It is now Easter evening. Jesus had appeared to several of His disciples during the day. Now His disciples are gathered in a room with the doors locked, because they fear the Jewish leaders. Suddenly Jesus stands among them and greets them. He shows to them His side and hands, His wounds from the crucifixion. The disciples are very glad to see their Lord alive. Then Jesus says to them, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you." (verse 21) Jesus' work on earth is now finished. He has done the work the Father sent Him to do. The disciples' work is now beginning. Jesus here sends them to do that precious work.

As Jesus sent His first disciples, same He today sends us. We are Jesus' disciples today. Jesus is still alive. He watches to see if we obey His command.

Jesus, our living Savior and Lord sends us to work. What work should we take up?

Jesus said to His disciples, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven." (verse 23a)

We have wonderful work! We can preach peace to trembling, fearful sinners because we can forgive their sins in Jesus' name.

We have the honor and the pleasure to forgive sins through preaching, teaching, baptizing and distributing the Lord's Supper. Much of this we do here when we have our Sunday worship services as we are doing now. You have called me to be your Pastor. In your name I preach, teach, baptize and give out the Lord's Supper. In your name I forgive sins to sorry sinners. It is really your work, not mine. I am your agent, but it is your work and your responsibility. You therefore should pray for me, encourage me and help me to do this work as many of you are doing.

When you accept to serve as an officer of our church or when you accept to serve as a chairman of one of the standing committees or when you accept to serve and work on one of these committees, you are doing the work Jesus gives to His church on earth. Also when you give money to support our church here you are doing the work Jesus commands His disciples to take up.

Jesus also gives His Church the power to retain sins. Jesus said, “If you refuse to forgive his sins, I will not forgive his sins.” (verse 23b)

We forgive those who are sorry and confess they sins, those who believe in Jesus for their Savior. (Acts 16:31)

But we refuse to forgive these who are not sorry, who refuse to confess theirs, who do not believe in Jesus for their Savior. (Matthew 18:17)

Are we doing the work Jesus commands us to do? Can we do better? I'm sure that you will agree with me that we can improve and do a better job than we have done in the past. We need more faith, more eagerness for serving Jesus. Sometimes our faith is weak and we do not do for Jesus as we can.

That is the second reason why Jesus lives. He lives to take away our doubts, and to strengthen our faith in Him, so that we will gladly take up His work, which He here sends us to do.

In our text we read about Thomas. How he doubted Jesus' resurrection. (verses 24-25) Thomas wanted to see proof or he will not believe; he himself must see Jesus. He refused to accept the words and witness of the other disciples who saw Jesus that Easter evening.

Often we are like Thomas. We doubt about Jesus' resurrection and we refuse to do His work. We look around and see no proof that Jesus lives, that He is Lord and Ruler over His church today. We see only other Christians. We only see Pastor. We do not see Jesus when we gather here in church. We refuse to believe the Bible words and our Pastor's words.

But Jesus expects us to believe others. Eight days later when the disciples were gathered again an Thomas was with them, Jesus appeared again to them, and He scolded Thomas because He doubted and did not believe what the others told Him. Jesus said to him, "You believe because you have seen Me. But blessed are those who have not seen Me and believe anyway." (verse 29) But how can we believe in Jesus if we have not seen Him? Through His Word, which we have in the Bible. (verses 30-31 and Romans 10:17) Jesus expects us to believe through His Word which others preach to us and speak to us.

Today Jesus will not appear to us and show us His risen body as He did to Thomas. Today Jesus speaks through His Word that we read in the Bible, and through His word that men preach to us.

Let us love His Word and listen to our pastors and believe and obey. Then we will accept the work Jesus gives to His church on earth, and we will have strong faith and do His work eagerly and joyfully. We will rejoice in doing His Work because we know He lives.

Amen.