Jesus Cares About You

By Pastor Larry Frazier

I heard an interesting story on the news some time ago. There was a Marine Corps sergeant who had been in the service for 11 years. He had been highly decorated for his service to the nation, but when he came forward and announced that he was an illegal immigrant in the country, he became subject to the rules of the government. His transgression against the law was not automatically forgiven due to his good works. The young man did, however, make an interesting statement. He said that the Marine Corps was on his side because, “They take care of their own.”

“Taking care of one’s own” is my initial point. Calling, saving, and taking care of the church is what Jesus’ life is all about. The Resurrection is the pinnacle of Jesus’ care for His church. Like that marine, we too have committed sins under the law, but Jesus’ sacrifice says, “I take care of my own.” In the Gospel reading for Easter Sunday in John chapter 20, we read how the risen Savior, by just calling her name, brought comfort to Mary Magdalene as she wept outside of the tomb.

The disciples were fearfully hiding in an upper room. There was one among them that needed some special attention—the Apostle Thomas. Thomas was considered one of the quiet workers and along with Jesus came from the region of Galilee. Thomas was devoted to Jesus, but he showed a weakness in faith when he was told that Jesus had arisen from the dead. When told of that event Thomas said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my fingers where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (John 20:25).

All of the disciples needed spiritual care. John 20:9 says, “They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.” Thomas, however, needed more immediate attention, and Jesus was ready to come to his aid.

John further wrote, “A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (verses 26-28). Thomas’ faith was restored to the strength it was earlier in John chapter 11 where it is told that the other apostles were afraid to return with Jesus to the vicinity of Jerusalem for fear of being stoned to death. Thomas spoke up and said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

There are times when our faith seems especially strong like when nothing seems impossible to us, and nothing can hinder us. That is the kind of faith that Paul refers to in 1 Cor.12:9. It is not saving faith, but a faith that believes God, who is all-powerful, can do the extraordinary things that man cannot do. Extraordinary faith and saving faith are both gifts of the Spirit. A strong believer in Christ will go into danger with Him and for Him, trusting in God’s ultimate salvation even if death comes near. The Holy Spirit works to remove the stumbling blocks to faith. Stumbling blocks are statements of unbelief.

When we put them in our own way, or in the way of another, we hinder the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wants all men and women to know that they have peace with God the Father through the blood of the Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus’ important work is to restore peace between us and the Father so that we can then have peace with each other.

When we deny reconciliation between ourselves, we deny the work of the Holy Spirit. After saving us by faith in His all-sufficient sacrifice, Christ then gives us the Holy Spirit to take up residence in our hearts. The Spirit then begins living a God-pleasing life within us.

Jesus Christ does all of this not because of something that He needs, but He does it because it is important to Him to make us holy as He is Holy. Christ desires that we should be set aside for service to God as His Body, the Church. That is why it was so important for Jesus to retrieve Thomas from his unbelief. Thomas was an apostle, a brick in the foundation of the Church. Thomas, along with the other apostles would carry the Words of Jesus to the nations of the world. They would be the witnesses of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They would provide the eyewitness accounts and later the written accounts of all they had seen and heard. The prophets and the apostles have handed down God’s Word to us so that we may hear Jesus’ words, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Our souls are important to Jesus.