From Easter to Pentecost (The Coming of the Spirit in John - John 20:19-31)

The members and friends of Sligo Presbyterian Church are discussing the time after the resurrection. We meet on Thursday evenings, at 6:30 p.m., to consider passages that deal with the time between Easter and Pentecost. During this series, we’ll consider the following topics:

• April 23 - Easter (Mark 16:1-8; Matthew 28:1-10; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18)
• April 30 - Two Endings in Mark (Mark 16:9-19)
• May 7 - The Commission in Matthew (Matthew 28:11-20)
• May 14 - Two Appearances in Luke (Luke 24:13-49)
• May 21 - The Coming of the Spirit in John (John 20:19-31)
• June 4 - The Commission in John (John 21:1-25)
• June 11 - From the Ascension to the Spirit in Luke and Acts (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-26)

In our fifth session, we looked at the coming of the Spirit in John (John 20:19-31). The discussion and passage are below.

John 20:19-31 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.