The Scratch That Does Not Define the Watch
(Sermon on Easter Sunday)
In Gospel of John Chapter 19, we are brought to the cross—a place of suffering, surrender, and what appears to be final defeat. Jesus Christ declares, “It is finished” (John 19:30), and with that, He breathes His last. His body is taken down and laid in a tomb. To those watching, everything seems lost. Yet even
in that moment, Scripture reminds us this was not chaos, but fulfillment. As written in Book of Isaiah 53:5, “He was wounded for our transgressions… and by His stripes we are healed.” What looked like destruction was, in truth, divine purpose unfolding.
Before we go further, consider this.
A man worked hard for years and finally saved enough to buy his dream watch. It was something he longed for, something he valued deeply. But one day, he accidentally scratched it. The mark was small—hardly noticeable unless closely examined. The watch still functioned perfectly. Nothing about its purpose
or craftsmanship had changed. Yet for the man, everything changed. Each time he looked at it, his joy was replaced by disappointment. The scratch, though minor, became his focus.
In Gospel of John Chapter 20, the scene shifts. The tomb is empty. Death has been defeated. As declared in First Corinthians 15:55, “O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” What seemed like the end is now revealed as victory.
Then comes a deeply personal moment. In Gospel of John 20:19–20, the disciples are gathered behind locked doors, fearful and uncertain. Suddenly, Jesus stands among them and says, “Peace be with you!” He shows them His hands and His side—the marks of the cross. And the Scripture tells us: the disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Overjoyed.
Why were they overjoyed when they saw the wounds? Because those wounds no longer spoke of loss - they testified to victory. What once caused despair now confirmed hope. The scars did not diminish Jesus; they revealed who He truly is. And this brings us back to the watch. The watch did not lose its value because of a scratch - but the owner lost his joy because of his focus. In the same way, our lives may carry “scratches”: a broken relationship, an unexpected diagnosis, a disappointment we did not plan for. These things feel significant, even overwhelming. But have they truly taken away our purpose? Or have they simply shifted our focus?
Often, like the man, we fixate on what is imperfect and forget what remains intact. So we must ask ourselves: Are we overjoyed? If not, why? The disciples were not overjoyed because their circumstances
suddenly became easy. They were still living in uncertainty. But their joy came from seeing Jesus—alive, present, and victorious. Their focus shifted from fear to the risen Christ.
Scripture calls us to that same shift. In Second Corinthians 4:16-17, we are reminded not to lose heart, for our present troubles are temporary but are producing eternal glory. In Book of Romans 8:28, we are assured that all things - even the painful ones - are working together for good. The scratch is real, but it is not final.
How then do we become overjoyed? We become overjoyed when we truly see Jesus - when our
attention shifts from what is “wrong” in our lives to who He is. In Book of Hebrews 12:2, we are called to fix our eyes on Him. We become overjoyed when we understand that His scars are not signs of defeat, but proof of redemption - and that our own scars can also become places where His grace is revealed. We
become overjoyed when we receive His peace, as promised in Book of Philippians 4:7 - a peace that surpasses understanding and is not dependent on circumstances. The empty grave is not just an event to remember. It is an invitation - to see differently, to live differently, and to rejoice differently.
So the reflection remains:
Are we looking at the scratch… or are we looking at the Saviour? Because when we truly see Him, standing in the midst of our lives and saying, “Peace be with you,” we will begin to understand what the disciples felt. And we, too, will be overjoyed.
by Jennifer Tan
National Board President
Aglow International Singapore
Acknowledgement: With gratitude for the Easter sermon by Titus Chung, which sparked the reflections in this article. Appreciation also for the use of AI as a tool to help bring clarity and
expression to these insights.