Lessons for April 23, 2006 – Second Sunday of Easter The first lesson Acts 4:32-35 All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had. 33And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great favor was upon them all. 34There was no poverty among them, because people who owned land or houses sold them 35and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need. (NLT) Psalm 133 L. How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony! C. For harmony is as precious as the fragrant anointing oil that was poured over Aaron's head, L. that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. C. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. L. And the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life forevermore. (NLT) The second lesson 1 John 1:1-2:2 The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life. 2This one who is life from God was shown to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and announce to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was shown to us. 3We are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4We are writing these things so that our joy will be complete. 5This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. 6So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. 7But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. 8If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. 9But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 2:1My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. 2He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world. (NLT) The Gospel Lesson John 20:19-31 That evening, on the first day of the week, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! "Peace be with you," he said. 20As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his side. They were filled with joy when they saw their Lord! 21He spoke to them again and said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22Then he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven." 24One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. 25They told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he replied, "I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side." 26Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. He said, "Peace be with you." 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!" 28"My Lord and my God!" Thomas exclaimed. 29Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven't seen me and believe anyway." 30Jesus' disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. 31But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life. (NLT)