Daily Bread 2010 - John 20

Daily Bread 2010 – John 20

Jesus Appears to Thomas
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So 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 it."
26A 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!" 27Then 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."
28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

I love this story, one of the last “signs” John gives us to point to Jesus as the true Messiah. As you might remember me saying, John makes use of the word “signs”, instead of miracles (I think I have drilled this point into you enough by now!). The “signs” Jesus does point to the fact that He is truly the Messiah.

But as human nature would have it, there are some disciples who still doubt, especially Thomas who had not been there when Jesus first appeared to the disciples. When Thomas heard the story from the others you can almost hear him shaking his head in disbelief and saying, “Unless I check out the wounds in his hands and side, I will not believe.” It is as if he is saying, “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!”

But Jesus calls his bluff and allows Thomas to feel where the nails were driven into his hands and where the spear was thrust into his side. Upon obtaining literal evidence of what happened on the cross Thomas exclaims, “My Lord and My God!” Jesus tells him, “Because you have seen you believe, but blessed are those who believe without seeing.”

I love the fact that Jesus doesn’t mind giving Thomas all he needs to come to faith based on the credible evidence. Remember, Thomas still has to accept the evidence and come to the conclusion that Jesus really is the Lord. These stories remind us that each of us handle matters of faith differently, and we all have different aptitudes of believing without seeing. Although faith is an incredible gift that is given from God, He doesn’t mind giving us signs and all kinds of evidence that He truly is who He says He is!

Gracious God we thank you that you meet us in our doubts and show us your hands and side, where the instruments of your execution made sure that you truly died for the sins of the world. We also thank you for the empty tomb that assures us that because You live, we too will live when we die if we trust and believe in You! In Your name we pray, Amen.