Apr. 07, 2024

“Got Doubts?”

John 20:24-29

When we look at Thomas, we often see a mirror of our own doubts. He heard the news from his fellow disciples, but he couldn't bring himself to believe without seeing Jesus with his own eyes, without touching His wounds. We live in a world that values physical evidence, that tells us to trust only what we can see and touch. Faith calls us to believe in what we cannot see, to trust in the promises of God even when they seem impossible. Thomas was not unique in his doubt. Even the other disciples struggled to believe when they first heard that Jesus had risen from the dead. Thomas wanted to know for sure that Jesus had risen, that the hope they had all placed in Him was not in vain. Like Thomas we want to know that our faith is not misplaced. But faith is about trust. When Jesus appeared to Thomas, He didn't rebuke him for his doubt. Instead, He invited Thomas to touch His wounds, to see for himself that He had indeed risen from the dead. Jesus met Thomas in his doubt, just as He meets us in ours. He doesn't turn away from us when we question when we struggle to believe. He invites us to seek Him, to know Him, to trust Him. Thomas doubt lead to a deeper faith. When we wrestle with our doubts, we can come to a deeper faith, a faith that is not just about believing in certain facts, but about knowing and trusting in the person of God. The story of Thomas is not just a story about doubt, but a story about faith. 

Questions:

1.    How can we see ourselves in Thomas?

2.    What does the world tell us about trust and belief?

3.    How is Thomas story a story of faith not doubt?