Our Daily Bread 24 July 2020 Devotional for Friday
Topic: His Scars
Today’s Scripture: John 20:24–29 (NIV)
Bible in a Year: Psalms 35–36, Acts 25
Key Verse: He was pierced for our transgressions, . . . and by his wounds we are healed. – Isaiah 53:5
Today’s Insight: We can learn much about the resurrection of Jesus by piecing together the gospel accounts of the event. Prior to Christ’s appearing to Thomas in John 20:24–29, He appeared to Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” (see Matthew 28:1), the two men on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–32), and all of the disciples except for Thomas (John 20:19–24). Luke reports Jesus saying, “Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Luke 24:39). The disciples watched Him eat a piece of broiled fish. John 20:19 tells us “the doors [were] locked for fear of the Jewish leaders” and that “Jesus came and stood among them.” One week later, Thomas would see the physically resurrected Christ (vv. 26–27), resulting in Thomas’ convinced declaration of belief. Taken together, these passages show the human and divine nature of Jesus and affirm the fact of His bodily resurrection.
To learn more about the historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, visit christianuniversity.org/ca206.
Our Daily Bread 24 July 2020 Devotional Message
After my conversation with Grady, it occurred to me why his preferred greeting was a “fist bump” not a handshake. A handshake would’ve exposed the scars on his wrist—the result of his attempts to do himself harm. It’s not uncommon for us to hide our wounds—external or internal—caused by others or self-inflicted.