In the evening of the first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. John 20:19-20 HCSB
I worked at the Missouri Baptist Convention as the Youth Consultant in the Sunday School Department for several years. Missouri is known as the “Show Me” state. The Secretary of State for Missouri reports that there are a number of stories and legends behind Missouri being called the “Show-Me” state. The slogan is not official, but it is used on Missouri license plates.
The disciples were hiding behind locked doors, afraid of what might happen to them. If the Jewish leaders crucified Jesus, then certainly they would not hesitate to crucify His followers. Jesus miraculously appeared among them. He did not come through the doors. The disciples may have thought they were seeing a ghost but Jesus was quick to to say, “Peace to you!” to calm their fears. He then showed them the wounds in His hands and side to prove that it really was Him. The disciples seemed to have a “show me” attitude. They needed Jesus to prove that it really was Him.
Challenge: These Scriptures indicate that our resurrection bodies will be real bodies but will be different in that they will not be limited by walls and doors. Thank God that as a believer, you will some day have a resurrected body that will no longer experience any pain, suffering, or death.