Faith and Doubt: Shepherd MV

Sermons @ Shepherd

In today's podcast from Shepherd of the Hills, we will be delving into the Gospel of John, Chapter 20 verses 19-31. This passage tells the story of Jesus appearing to his disciples after his resurrection, and we are offered some context before delving deeper into the meaning of the passage.

After a prayer, the sermon is divided into two parts, with the first part focusing on the disciples' perspective and what it means to be a follower of Jesus in this story. The second part examines Jesus' perspective and what he is trying to accomplish in this passage. The message highlights that the passage takes place on Easter and the disciples are afraid and have locked themselves in a house because they fear persecution from the Jewish authorities.

In the second part of the sermon, we learn that Jesus appears in the room where the disciples are hiding with locked doors and shows them his hands and side to prove he is resurrected. He greets them with "Peace be with you" and breathes on them, giving them the Holy Spirit. Jesus is preparing the disciples to be sent, and reminds them that they are blessed for believing without seeing him. We are asked where we fit in this story when Jesus says he is sending all of them, gifting them with the Holy Spirit to give them strength and power.

The sermon concludes by discussing Jesus's bodily ascension into heaven, leaving the disciples with a mission to share the good news and continue his work. This sermon offers a powerful reminder of the importance of faith and the blessings that come with believing without seeing. Listen to this powerful passage and message teaching us about how we can look at faith and doubt in our own lives.