A Word from the Vine No. 534: The Blessing of Belief

Welcome to A Word from the Vine. I’m Pastor Loren Christensen, and today we conclude our short eries exploring John 20:19-31. In this final episode, we will focus on the blessing of belief and how it ties together everything we've discussed.

Let's read John 20:30-31:

"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

The purpose of John's Gospel is clear—to lead readers to believe in Jesus and find life in His name. John's account is written to strengthen our faith and assure us of eternal life through Jesus.

Believing in Jesus brings peace, joy, and the promise of eternal life. The blessings of unwavering faith are immeasurable. When we fully commit to Jesus, we experience the fullness of life that He offers.

Here's a short recap of the previous episodes in this series:

• Locked Doors and Fearful Hearts:

  We began by looking at the disciples, locked away in fear after Jesus' crucifixion. Despite their fear, Jesus appeared to them and offered peace. We learned that we must open our hearts to Jesus, despite our fears, and let His peace fill us.

  
  

• The Skepticism of Thomas:

  Next, we focused on Thomas, who demanded physical proof of Jesus' resurrection. We discussed how many of us are like Thomas, needing tangible evidence before we believe. We were challenged to move beyond doubt and trust in Jesus' promises.

  
  

• Jesus Meets Us Where We Are:

  In our third episode, we saw how Jesus responded to Thomas' doubt with compassion and understanding. Jesus met Thomas where he was but also called him to a higher level of faith. We were encouraged to embrace faith and trust in Jesus, even without physical evidence.

Now, as we conclude, let's consider the blessings that come from believing in Jesus. When we fully commit to Him, we experience peace, joy, and the promise of eternal life. There is no middle ground in faith; we are either all in or not at all.

Make a firm decision to believe in Jesus wholeheartedly. Choose today to stand firm in your faith and experience the blessings that come with it. Reflect on the areas of your life where you may be holding back and ask God to help you fully commit to Him.

As we reflect on the blessing of belief, let us pray for the courage to fully commit to Jesus and to experience the fullness of life that He offers.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word and the lessons we have learned throughout this series. Give us the strength and courage to stand firm in our faith. Help us to trust in Jesus fully, without doubt or fear. Bless us as we commit our lives to Him. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Thank you for joining me today on A Word from the Vine. I hope this series has been a blessing to you and has strengthened your faith. Until next time, may God bless you and keep you.