And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” (Luke 24:38-41)

A small orphaned boy lived with his grandmother. One night their house caught fire. The grandmother perished in the fire. The boy cried out for help.

A man rushed into the house. Minutes later, he emerged from the flames with the boy in his arms.

Weeks later a public hearing was held in the town hall to determine in whose custody the boy would be placed. A farmer, a teacher, and a businessman wanted to take in the boy.

Then a stranger walked towards the boy. He stretched out his hands towards the boy. The man’s hands were terribly scarred. The little boy recognised those hands as those belonging to the man who saved him from the fire. He quickly hugged the man and held on for life.

The farmer rose and left. The teacher, too. Then the businessman. Everyone departed, leaving the boy and his rescuer who had won him by showing his marred hands. 

Death steps aside when Jesus with His pierced hands comes to claim you.

Those scars were undeniable proof that this is the same Jesus who was crucified, was now alive.

They were proof of His sacrificial love.

This is the same Jesus who rose from the grave and is alive forevermore. He walks with you and talks with you along life’s narrow way.

His scars were the scars of victory.

They remind us of how far Jesus would go to win victory for us. They demonstrated the price He was willing to pay to gain victory for us.

When the disciples saw Jesus and His scars, their fear, doubt, and grief gave way to faith, joy, and eventually to worship (v 52).

The cross and the resurrection are linked, yet they are so dramatically different. One speaks of suffering. The other speaks of victory.

Because of the scars of Jesus, we can have victory and power for life and life eternal.