Jesus Ordains the Apostles—John 20:19-31

This episode of the Congregation of Prayer podcast from St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Random Lake, Wisconsin, focuses on John 20:19-31, the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to the disciples, including the pivotal moment with Thomas. Pastor Gillespie guides listeners through the text, emphasizing the physical reality of Christ's resurrection, the commissioning of the apostles, and the gift of the Holy Spirit through the breath of Jesus. He highlights how Jesus' peace is not merely emotional but the peace of forgiven sins, rooted in absolution and the Lord's Supper. The episode explores the theological significance of the 'office of the keys'—the authority to forgive or retain sins—grounded in the Holy Spirit's work through preaching and sacraments. Pastor Gillespie also reflects on Thomas’s doubt and eventual confession, 'My Lord and my God,' and applies the message to modern believers: blessed are those who believe without seeing. The reading from 1 John 1 reinforces the call to walk in the light, confess sin, and experience cleansing through Christ’s blood. The podcast concludes with prayers, a hymn, and a call to community involvement, including a pizza fundraiser and ongoing spiritual formation. Key takeaways include: (1) Jesus' physical resurrection is essential to Christian faith and is confirmed by His wounds; (2) The Holy Spirit is given through the Word and sacraments to create and sustain faith; (3) The apostles were ordained not by human choice but by Christ’s commissioning, 'As the Father has sent me, I also send you'; (4) The forgiveness of sins is not abstract but is delivered through concrete means—preaching, absolution, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper; (5) Doubt is natural, but Christ meets us in our unbelief with grace and tangible proof; (6) Believers today are blessed because they believe without seeing, trusting in Christ’s Word; (7) The church’s mission is to proclaim the gospel and administer the means of grace; (8) True fellowship with God requires walking in the light and confessing sin, relying on Christ’s propitiation.