Good weekend to you my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
It’s now been a full week since Easter weekend. How many people in the world today are living as though Easter is a non-event? They are going about their lives as though the central events of history, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, never happened. Do you know anyone like that?
The disciple John was an eyewitness to all that happened, and he tells us something very interesting occurred the weekend AFTER Jesus’ resurrection, do you know what it is? While 10 disciples of Jesus, and Jesus’ mother, as well as Mary Magdalene and several other friends of Jesus, had spent this week after His resurrection overwhelmed by the reality of Easter because they had SEEN Jesus, they had spoken with Him, they’d touched His resurrected body, they’d even watch Him eat with them, (Luke 24:28-32; John 20:19-21) there was one disciple who was unconvinced.
Do you know who he was and why he didn’t believe what these eyewitnesses insisted they had experienced? His name was Thomas and his reason for doubting was simple. John writes: “Thomas, one of the Twelve, was NOT with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told Thomas, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But Thomas said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (John 20:24,25)
Do you notice my friends, Thomas demanded a very high standard of proof for his belief of this miracle of resurrection? Can we blame him? Not only must Thomas SEE the risen Jesus, Thomas insisted that he inspect the nail marks in Jesus’ hands. And if that wasn’t enough, Thomas wanted more. Thomas wanted to put his hand into Jesus’ side where the soldier had pierced His body while He still hung on the cross! Now I don’t know what your standard is for believing something someone tells you that may be a bit hard to believe, but this is an extraordinarily high standard, would you agree?
But then again the resurrection of Jesus Christ, after such a horrific death, is worth demanding a high standard of proof! Not only because His death was so terrible, but because the significance of His resurrection is so huge, affecting Billions of people from that day to this!
Have you found that God welcomes our questions in life and God seems to enjoy proving Himself to us, His power, His full awareness of all that’s going on in our lives, His patience with us, His mercy? I wonder how God has proved Himself to you in the past few years? For Thomas, his proof came the next weekend after Easter. John tells us the disciples, and perhaps other friends of Jesus, were together again when suddenly Jesus came into the room and was among them.
No Jesus didn’t knock at the door, nor did anyone open the door for Jesus. John describes it this way: “Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said ‘Peace be with you!’. Then Jesus said to Thomas, ‘put your finger here. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:26,27)
What do you see here my friends? Do you see Jesus first APPEARING, now for a second time to a large group of His friends? Do you see Jesus then specifically inviting Thomas personally to do the very things Thomas had insisted on for proof of Jesus’ resurrection? How did Jesus know Thomas had declared those requirements?
It’s another proof of Jesus being God the Son, having all knowledge of all things. Do you see Jesus inviting Thomas to believe, now on the basis of Jesus having proven the truthfulness of His resurrection? Do you see any indication of Jesus mocking or maligning or shaming Thomas for his doubts? No, God does not use shame or intimidation to draw skeptical people to Himself. God uses love and meeting people where their questions are!
The response of Thomas to this encounter with Jesus is what God desires for every person as they consider the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thomas declared: “My Lord and my God!” Thomas was affirming that Jesus is deity, Jesus Immanuel, God incarnate, Jesus, God the Son. Thomas was also declaring Jesus to be his Lord, his master, his King, as Thomas yielded his life to Jesus.
And from that day, for the rest of his life, Thomas was a courageous, bold proclaimer of the authenticity and significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Historians tell us Thomas traveled all the way to India, proclaiming this truth, and to this day, 2000 years later, the name Thomas is revered and respected in many parts of India!
Finally Jesus spoke these powerful words to Thomas and all those present who had seen Him “Because you have seen Me you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen Me yet have believed.” (John 20:29) That’s you and me friends, and billions of people who have believed the resurrection of Jesus to be true, and believed that Jesus is alive and at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, right now, reigning over all as risen King!
So, do you believe or are you still among many who doubt the resurrection? And what will your doubting accomplish for you? I know my believing has accomplished a dynamic relationship with Jesus. I speak with Him often and He guides me in my life. I am confident of my sin forgiveness and confident of eternity with Jesus when my earthly journey ends. How about you?
Now here’s a great song that could be what Thomas sang that night as he looked at Jesus, as he touched the nail marks! It’s my story too, how about you? Have you met the author of YOUR story?
Today’s Scripture: John 20:24-29.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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