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Text: John 20:19–31
Liturgical Date: Easter 2 C
Calendar Date: April 27, 2025
Location: Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Door County, 316 W Main St, Forestville, WI 54213, (920) 856-6420, https://doorcounty.church
Preacher: Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Jackson

Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Door County serves Sturgeon Bay and other areas of Door County.

The following transcript was generated with the assistance of AI.

Sermon: Blessing of the Unseen

Introduction

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Today, we heard Jesus say, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” These words remind us that, though we have not seen the risen Lord, our belief in Him brings great blessings. As we trust in Christ and His resurrection, we receive abundant blessings, including the promise of eternal life, won for us through His death and resurrection, along with many other blessings.

When we examine our Gospel lesson closely, we see that Jesus mentions several things that are unseen yet bring great blessings. Our theme today is the blessing of the unseen things of God. We will focus on five specific blessings mentioned by Jesus: peace, the Father Himself, the Holy Spirit, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life in Christ.

The Blessing of Peace

First, Jesus appears in the upper room and says to His disciples, “Peace be with you.” What is peace? Some might argue that peace doesn’t exist because you cannot see, touch, or hear it. Yet, we experience peace, and it carries great blessings. Through Christ’s work, God has been reconciled to us. Our sins once merited God’s just punishment, but Christ took that punishment on our behalf. Therefore, God is not a stern judge against us but a loving Father. St. Paul explains in Romans that the sinful mind is set against God, but the Gospel message transforms our hearts. When we hear that we have peace with God, the Holy Spirit renews our minds, enabling us to trust God and call Him “Abba, Father.” No longer do we flee from God; instead, we run to Him as our loving Father.

This peace brings many blessings. St. Paul writes in Philippians 4 that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. He encourages us to lift up prayers and make our requests known to God. In this dark and chaotic world, anxieties and doubts may arise, but because we have peace with God, we can approach Him in prayer. Through this relationship of peace, God preserves us in faith. When we face affliction, hardship, or darkness, these challenges, rather than causing us to fall from faith, strengthen it. Many Christians can testify that in times of greatest need, when we lift up prayers to God, our faith grows stronger. This is the blessing of peace.

The Blessing of the Father

We lift up these prayers to the Father through Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Father Himself is another unseen blessing. In John 6, Jesus says, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except He who is from God.” While we have not seen the Father, His blessings surround us. John 1 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word, the eternal Son of God, was with the Father, and through Him, all things were created. Every good gift—food on our table, a roof over our heads, family, friends, or a job—comes from our Heavenly Father. Unlike the views of atheists or Eastern religions, which may see these as accidents, Christians know these are blessings from a loving Father.

The Father’s blessings extend beyond this life to the life to come. John continues, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Father sent His Son for our salvation, as John 3:16 declares: “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Jesus, who walked this earth, is a blessing from the unseen Father.

The Blessing of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is another unseen gift. Jesus says to His disciples, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” Then He breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” While the Spirit has occasionally appeared visibly, such as a dove at Jesus’ baptism or flames at Pentecost, we typically cannot see Him. Yet, His blessings are evident. St. Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These stand in contrast to the works of the flesh, such as immorality, strife, and jealousy, which lead to destruction. A life led by the Spirit, however, brings blessings to ourselves and others, fostering love, peace, and kindness.

The Blessing of Forgiveness

Forgiveness of sins is another unseen blessing. Jesus declares, “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven.” Forgiveness cannot be seen or touched, but it enables us to see others as brothers and sisters. Consider Zacchaeus, a man unable to look others in the eye due to his stature and his past. When Jesus showed him mercy, Zacchaeus responded with love, making restitution to those he wronged and giving to the poor. Through Christ’s forgiveness, we are reconciled to God as our Father, to Jesus as our brother, and to one another as fellow Christians. This forgiveness fosters goodwill and restores relationships.

The Blessing of Eternal Life

Finally, we have the blessing of eternal life. John writes, “By believing you may have life in His name.” Though we have not seen the pearly gates or the green pastures of eternal life, we trust in Christ, our Good Shepherd, who has walked through the valley of the shadow of death and emerged in His resurrection. Because of Him, we fear no evil, for His rod and staff comfort us. I have seen people face death and hardship with courage, knowing that eternal life awaits them. This hope sustains us, even as we carry this treasure in jars of clay, confident in the life to come.

Conclusion

My prayer for you is that, though many blessings of God remain unseen, you would believe and receive the great and wondrous blessings He has given you, above all, eternal life. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.