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Last Updated 6.09.09

 

July 12, 2009 - A Front Porch People:

"See my hands ..." (Luke 24:38-43; John 20:26-39)

Key Focus:

  • Jesus was very personal and tender in revealing Himself to His closest followers after His resurrection.
    • He ate with them
    • He talked with them personally, calling them by name
    • He showed them His scars and invited them to touch Him
    • He didn't want them frightened or confused
  • Part of the reason Jesus did this was because He wanted to help them address their doubts and dispel any notion that they were seeing a vision or a ghost: this was a bodily resurrection, a crucial point for His amazed disciples -- would be called to continue the Lord's ministry in the world when He left and went back to the Father.
  • Clearly another reason is that He wanted to do this to remind the heart of ministry: using our hands and our feet to serve others. When we serve in the name of the Lord, we too may end up with some scars, but it is our willingness to be touched by the world that empowers our ministry in the name of Jesus.
  • Phil is gone this Sunday. Bob Grigg, our ministry partner in San Antonio with "The Crossing" (two house churches and one church gathering for the homeless) will be doing the Time in the Word for both Daybreak and Refresh.
Key SoHills Emphasis:
  • Church-wide emphasis: our partnership with Bob & Patti Grigg at "The Crossing"
  • Continuing our LifeWORDS series
 
Key Scriptures:
  • John 20:19-

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of anyone, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 24    Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Drama, Media, & Connecting Pieces:

 

Time in the Word Focus:

  • Key focus of the Time in the Word: The disciples of Jesus were comforted and overjoyed and energized to see Jesus' hands and feet. This led them to worship, witness and ministry in Jesus' name.

Daybreak Focus: (See emphasis above! Team Working on Planning Order - John & Marilyn, with Bob Grigg)

Refresh Focus: (See emphasis above! Team Working on Planning Order - Wade & Vann, with Bob Grigg)