Go! And Don't Doubt The Resurrection Of Christ - John 20:27 Series

Go! And Don't Doubt the Resurrection of Christ - John 20:27

Introduction

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Today, we continue in our “Go! And…” series with a message titled: “Go! And Don’t Doubt the Resurrection of Christ.”

We live in a world where doubt is often celebrated as wisdom, and certainty is mocked as arrogance. Yet the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not merely a belief—it is the cornerstone of our faith. It is not an optional doctrine—it is the defining truth that separates Christianity from every other religion.

John 20:27 (NLT) — Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

This is the Word of the Lord. Amen.

I. Doubt Meets the Risen Christ (John 20:24–29)

Let us begin by looking at John 20:24–29, where Thomas, one of the twelve, is absent when Jesus first appears to the disciples. When they tell him, “We have seen the Lord!”—he refuses to believe.

John 20:25 (NLT) — “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands…”

This scene is often where Thomas gains the nickname “Doubting Thomas.” But church, let’s be honest—how many of us have had moments of doubt?

Thomas’s doubt was not due to spiritual weakness—it was due to unmet expectations. Like many Jews, Thomas expected a conquering Messiah, not a suffering Saviour. When Jesus died on the cross, his hope seemed to die too.

The Greek word used in verse 27 for “faithless” is apistos, which means “unbelieving” or “without trust.” Jesus confronts Thomas’s lack of faith not with condemnation, but with invitation.

Jesus doesn’t shame Thomas—He meets him in his doubt. And church, He meets you there too. Jesus doesn’t require blind faith—He offers evidence, presence, and peace.

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) — “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”

Faith isn’t foolishness—it’s trust in the One who has proven Himself faithful.

Charles Stanley once said, “Disappointment is inevitable. But to become discouraged—there’s a choice I make.”

I love that. Because Thomas was disappointed, but Jesus didn’t let him stay discouraged. Jesus gave him proof, and He’ll give us what we need to believe, too.

II. The Resurrection Was Not a Hoax (1 Corinthians 15:3–8)

To reject the resurrection is to reject the Gospel itself.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (NLT) — “Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.”

Paul isn’t spinning a tale—he’s reminding the Corinthians of a historical, witnessed event.

Paul refers to over 500 eyewitnesses, most of whom were still alive at the time of his writing. This would be like you saying, “I saw someone rise from the dead,” and hundreds of people in the room nodding in agreement.

The word used for “raised” here is egegertai (????e?ta?), a perfect tense verb in Greek, indicating a completed action with ongoing effects. Jesus rose—and that resurrection still matters today.

We don’t follow a dead philosopher. We follow the risen Son of God.

John Piper puts it this way: “The resurrection of Jesus is the root of every radical risk in the cause of Christ.”

Because Jesus rose, we have nothing to fear and everything to gain when we step out in faith.

III. Faith Is More Than Seeing (John 20:29)

After Thomas sees and believes, Jesus says:

John 20:29 (NLT) — “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Church, that’s you and me. We haven’t seen Him with our physical eyes, but we have experienced Him through the Spirit, the Word, and the fellowship of believers.

This is the beatitude of belief—a blessing pronounced by Jesus upon all future disciples who would walk by faith, not sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT) — “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”

Jesus isn’t just present in the upper room—He is present by His Spirit right now in our hearts.

Faith isn’t about pretending something is true—it’s responding to the truth that has been revealed.

Imagine you're in a dark room. You can’t see what’s in front of you. But someone turns on a light. Faith is not the light—it’s the response to the light. The resurrection of Jesus is that light.

IV. Resurrection Power for Everyday Life (Romans 8:11)

Romans 8:11 (NLT) — “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you…”

Friends, this is resurrection power—not just for the end of life, but for the everyday struggles of life.

The word for “power” in the New Testament is often dunamis—from which we get the English word dynamite. This isn’t passive strength—it’s explosive, transforming power.