Introduction

Good morning, beloved family of God. It is a joy to be with you today, to share in the fellowship of the Spirit, to stand together on the solid rock of our faith, and to open the pages of God's Word together. It is a privilege, indeed, to be in the house of the Lord, where we can find comfort, strength, and wisdom for our daily lives.

Today, we turn our hearts and minds to the Gospel of John, specifically chapter 20, verses 19 through 31. As we read these words, let us remember that these are not merely words on a page, but they are the breath of God, the living and active Word that speaks to us today, just as it has spoken to countless generations before us.

Allow me to read the passage: "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."

Believing Without Seeing

In the passage we read, we encounter Thomas, a disciple who wanted tangible proof of Jesus' resurrection. He wanted to touch the wounds of Jesus, to physically confirm what seemed too good to be true. He was looking for evidence that could be seen and touched. But Jesus, in His infinite wisdom and grace, gently corrected Thomas. He offered the proof Thomas was seeking, but He also blessed those who believe without the need for physical evidence.

We live in a world that often demands proof, that wants to see before it believes. But faith, by its very nature, requires us to trust in what we cannot see. It asks us to believe in a God we cannot physically touch, in a Savior who lived and died and rose again two thousand years ago. It asks us to believe in the promises of a book written long ago, in the hope of a future we cannot yet see.

But this is not a blind faith. It is a faith based on the evidence of God's faithfulness in the past. We have the testimony of those who have encountered Him and on the inner witness of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. It is a faith that sees beyond the physical and temporal, to the spiritual and eternal.

This is the kind of faith that Jesus commends in the passage. He blesses those who have not seen and yet have believed. This is the faith that we are called to have. A faith that believes without seeing, that trusts in the promises of God, and that rests in His faithfulness.

Now, let's consider the story of Thomas in a bit more detail. Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus first appeared to them. He missed out on that initial encounter with the risen Lord. And when the other disciples told him about it, he refused to believe. He wanted proof. He wanted to see and touch Jesus for himself.

This is a very human response. We often want to see before we believe. We want tangible proof, concrete evidence. But Jesus gently rebukes this attitude. He offers Thomas the proof he was seeking, but He also says, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

We may not have the physical proof that Thomas had. We cannot see or touch the risen Jesus. But we are blessed when we believe without seeing. We are blessed when we trust in the promises of God, when we rest in His faithfulness, and when we have faith in what we cannot see.

Becoming Messengers of Peace

As we continue to reflect on this passage, we find ourselves drawn to the repeated phrase, "Peace be with you ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO