April 29 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

John 20:19–20

Devotional

On the day of Christ’s resurrection, the disciples were behind closed doors. They bolted the doors out of fear that the Jewish Sanhedrin would arrest them. The disciples suffered deep tribulation on the day that their King showed His almighty power.

A picture of the church of Christ is unveiled. There were fearful disciples, trembling women, doubting travelers on their way to Emmaus, a weeping Mary, and an unbelieving Thomas. For precisely this reason, Christ did not immediately ascend into heaven. He finished everything the Father had given Him to do but He still stayed forty days to visit His poor church and take away their fear and unbelief.

The first thing Jesus did after His resurrection was to visit His own. The followers of Christ were close to His high priestly heart. He knew what could be expected of His people. He knew they would not be comforted by the resurrection unless He would say, “Behold, here am I.”

Wherever Jesus comes, it always takes place by way of a miracle. He comes from an unexpected angle and He comes right through impossibilities. No bolts can block His way; no locked doors or impossibilities can hinder Him. There are many bolts in life, keeping people locked in. There are bolts of fear, of darkness, of affliction, of despair, of suffering, of unbelief, and even bolts of deeply personal sins. There are bolts of the soul that are impossible to break. Do you know these bolts? Not one child of God is a stranger to them.

Everything can be so locked up that they don’t know how the Prince of Life can reach them or how they can ever reach to God. Everything can block the way from man’s side, but nothing can hinder Christ. Bolted doors do not stop the Lord. He does not even reckon with them. He does not even break the bolts. He has another way to visit His people. His way is a miraculous way. Deliverance comes from a totally different way than man could ever expect. Then His children have to say, “Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not (Gen. 28:16). I had not dared hope for it, nor had I expected it.” That is the almighty work of the risen Christ. That is why He stayed forty days on the earth.

Jesus still visits His people with majesty, grace, and the Spirit. He is still willing to surprise people, with the same searching love, when someone is in bondage and sees no deliverance. He will be there for those in bondage. If He tarries, wait for Him.

The church is in fear, but the grave is open and the stone is rolled away. If the door of Christ’s grave were still locked, there would be no hope for the locked doors of the soul. But the bolts of the grave are broken. Therefore there are no bolts anymore for this King.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.