On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he 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.”
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:19-31 NIV)
“I’ll believe it when I see it!” How many times have you said that? Your child promises to clean her room: “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Your boss promises you a raise—next year: “I’ll believe it when I see it!” The government promises you anything: “I’ll believe it when I see it!” All of us are skeptics. We learn from little on not to believe everything we hear. But I’d say there is more skepticism today than ever before. From political promises to the ingredients in chicken nuggets, we always doubt what people say. “I’ll believe it when I see it!” We live in an age of skepticism.
That’s a problem. Don’t get me wrong. It’s often good to question. In a sinful world full of sinful people, we better be careful before taking anybody at their word. But I hope you’ve noticed this: Skepticism doesn’t bring you any peace. Doubting everything doesn’t bring any peace. The Bible says, “The one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6). Isn’t that true? “Blown and tossed by the wind.” How often isn’t that us? When you don’t believe anything, do you know what you have? Nothing. Skepticism doesn’t bring peace.
Jesus’ disciples could have told us that. On Easter evening, “the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders.” You talk about being blown and tossed by waves… Early that morning, the women said they saw angels in Jesus’ tomb. Peter and John had run to the tomb and found it empty. Mary Magdalene said she actually talked with Jesus. Then Jesus appeared to Peter… What were they supposed to think? Did they believe Jesus had risen from the dead? Yes! Did they doubt Jesus had risen from the dead? Yes! So which was it? Did they doubt or did they believe? Yes. Can you relate? That skepticism didn’t bring them any peace.
But Jesus did. All of us find ourselves in moments like those disciples, wanting to believe yet filled with doubts. But Jesus doesn’t want us to stay there. Jesus wants to take our doubts away. So, even with the doors locked, he appeared in the middle of that room and said, “Come on, guys. Pull yourselves together!” No. He said, “Peace be with you!” Skepticism doesn’t bring peace. But Jesus does. “Peace be with you!” “After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” From fear to joy in a moment.
In the process, Jesus helps answer one of the most popular questions that people ask: What are our bodies going to look like when we rise from the dead? Have you ever wondered that? Well, look at Jesus. From this lesson, we can say two things. First, our bodies will be incorruptible, yet touchable. Incorruptible—never to die or get sick or hurt again—but touchable. The disciples could still touch Jesus. Second, our bodies will be healed, but not without scars, at least Jesus’ body still had scars. The disciples could still touch where the nails had been. It was Jesus! I know this doesn’t answer all our questions, but it helps. You’ll be incorruptible, yet touchable.
But Jesus had a greater purpose than to show us what a resurrected body looks like. “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’” What was to be the disciples’ mission? Forgiveness. That is where true peace comes from: Only through sins forgiven in Jesus our Savior. On Easter, Jesus gave his disciples peace and a purpose. That’s what he’s given us too: Peace and a purpose.
And the disciples immediately went to work. They found Thomas, who hadn’t been with them, and said, “We have found the Lord!” And what did Thomas say? “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Doubting Thomas, right? He’s the classic example of skepticism. Thomas said, “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.” I wonder how awful that week was for Thomas. The rest of the disciples had joy and peace—but not Thomas. Skepticism doesn’t bring peace. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
So Jesus said, “Okay!” Jesus came to take Thomas’ doubts away too. The next Sunday, Jesus appeared again to his disciples. This time, Thomas was with them. Jesus said, “What’s your problem, man?” No. He said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Isn’t that amazing? Jesus didn’t cast Thomas away. Jesus didn’t kick him out. Jesus actually did what Thomas asked. He let him touch his incorruptible, yet touchable body. What grace. What patience! Doubts and skepticism never bring peace, but Jesus does: “Stop doubting and believe!”
It’s just too bad we can’t believe that, right? It’s too bad it’s just a made-up story, right? Or so we’re told. It’s one thing to be skeptical about politics. Unfortunately, skepticism is just as popular in Christianity today. But not just today. I have a commentary on the gospels written by a Lutheran pastor in 1905. 117 years ago. He says that most scholars in his day rejected the whole resurrection story as an invention. Nearly everybody believed that Jesus’ resurrection was just a vision or just a hope in the hearts of his disciples. Jesus couldn’t actually have risen, right?
Jesus isn’t afraid of our doubts. But Jesus wants to take all our doubts away. So let’s think about this. Did Jesus’ disciples just make up the whole story of Jesus’ resurrection? That’s impossible. Here’s why: If John were to invent the story of Jesus’ resurrection, how would you expect it to go? “I brave John went out to tomb and found the risen Lord!” That’s what you’d expect, right? But that’s not what John wrote. On Easter evening, Jesus’ disciples were huddled in fear in a locked room. What man makes up a story about how scared and fearful he is? No man ever! Why would John write that about himself? Because it’s true! It only makes sense if it’s true.
While the disciples were so afraid, who were the first ones to visit Jesus’ tomb and see Jesus alive? The women. Now let’s be honest. Do men like to give credit to women? No! So you’re telling me that John made up a story in which he was scared, while the women were courageous and faithful to Jesus? No man would ever invent a story like that! There’s more: At the time of Jesus, women were not allowed to testify in court. That wasn’t right, but that was the way it was. The testimony of women wasn’t trusted. So why on earth would John write that the eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection were women? Because it was true! It only makes sense if it’s true.
On top of that, do you know how hard it is to keep a lie? Charles Colson knows. Charles Colson was imprisoned for lying during the Watergate scandal under President Nixon. He knew what it was like to try to cover-up a lie! While in prison, Colson converted to Christianity. He once said: “I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, and then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years…. Watergate involved 12 of the most powerful men in the world—and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks. You’re telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.”
But the apostles didn’t just keep telling the same story. They suffered and died for it. According to the Bible, James was beheaded. Paul was beaten, stoned, imprisoned, and lots of other things. According to church history, Peter was crucified. Most of the disciples were executed for their faith. Yet, Christianity spread like wildfire. The Roman empire couldn’t contain it. In the face of persecution, it spread to every continent to hundreds of nations and hundreds of languages all the way to us. Why? Because it’s true! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Stop doubting and believe!
Thomas did. He said, “My Lord and my God!” What a confession! “My Lord and my God!” A Christian from last century named C.S. Lewis liked to say it like this: Jesus is either a Liar, a Lunatic, or the Lord. Have you heard this? According to C.S. Lewis, Jesus is either a Liar, a Lunatic, or the Lord. When Jesus says he’s God, he could be lying, right? People lie all the time. Jesus could be a liar. Or when Jesus says he’s God, he could be a lunatic. He could be crazy. Or when Jesus says he’s God, he could be telling the truth. Then he would be the Lord! Understand? There are only three options when it comes to Jesus: Jesus is either a Liar, a Lunatic, or the Lord.
For Thomas, he was the Lord! But Thomas added one word: “My Lord and my God!” “My!” Can you say that? I hope so! Jesus died and rose for you! Maybe you say, “But I can’t reach out my hand and put it into Jesus’ side.” That’s true, but did you hear what Jesus said? “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” This is the essence of faith. Faith is “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Isn’t this what we need more than anything else? In our lives. In our world. Why is my heart so often discontent? Why is my stomach so anxious? Why is my mind so worried? I often live my life so fearful and discontent, because I refuse to believe in the promise and power of Jesus’ resurrection.
So what does Jesus do? He takes our doubts away. How? Through his Word. “Peace be with you!” Jesus graciously comes to us when we hear his Word and says, ‘Peace be with you. Stop doubting and believe!” In fact, “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” God the Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to convince us of the truth of Jesus Christ. Not by seeing. By hearing. And when you believe the truth about Jesus, do you know what you have? Peace. “My Lord and my God!”
This is the message of Christianity: Stop doubting and believe in Jesus! I mentioned that I read a commentary by a Lutheran pastor from 1905. He taught at a seminary for 38 years and wrote a book on the gospels. I opened it up, and at the start there is an inscription. You know how books sometimes start with, “To my loving daughter” or “In memory of my mother.” His book starts like this: “Then saith Jesus to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27). Of all the verses in the gospels, that old pastor was saying, “This is it! This is what it’s all about!”
Stop doubting and believe. When Jesus said those words, what look do you think Jesus had on his face? I bet there was a smile. The smile of a friend telling you good news that seems too good to be true: “Yes, it’s true. You really are forgiven. You really are loved by God himself, so much more than you know. I have really risen, and you really will too. Heaven is real, and I’m going there to prepare a place for you. It’s true!” Can you picture the smile on Jesus’ face? I know there are so many people you can’t trust. But you can trust Jesus. Stop doubting and believe!
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