Text: “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” (John 20:25).
“Unless I see” are words that indicate doubt. If we doubt, we do not believe or we are skeptical. If we doubt, we are uncertain. Also, if we doubt, we very possibly lack trust.
Has there ever been a time in your life when doubt crept in? Have you ever been faced with a situation that seemed beyond your capabilities? Was there ever a time when you wanted to do something or accomplish some feat or achieve some goal that seemed impossible?
I believe all of us have had times of doubt. Some young people have doubts about living up to their parent’s expectations or reaching goals set forth by their teachers or mentors. Most teachers attempt to encourage their students to reach out for their dreams, no matter how far-fetched or unrealistic they may appear. This is good, but on the other hand, doubt could enter that student’s mind because of his or her own lack of faith or distrust in the person trying to encourage them.
There are people who doubt the economy will get better anytime soon. These are difficult times in which we are living. There are many people out of work; banks are foreclosing on homeowners; food prices are on the increase, and gasoline is at the $4.00 level. Doubt is entering the minds of many people because there seems to be no relief on the horizon.
Doubt is a thought that Satan likes to instill in the minds of God’s people. He wants people to lose hope in God and follow the ways of the world. People do not believe or doubt they will find work because the more they try the more rejections they get.
After being rejected time after time and no sign of acceptance, people view stealing and robbing as the way to go. They really want to believe, but doubt seems to take control. This is the time Satan is laughing and rejoicing because the person’s focus has now shifted away from the hope in God and onto the wide road of destruction.
Satan is a tempter. He tempted Jesus three different times, but Jesus stood on His Father’s Word. We, too, need to remember the Word and let Satan know we are grounded on the Word. When we follow the ways of the world, we are following the ways of the prince of this world. That prince is Satan himself.
Think about Jesus and His disciples. They ministered together for about three years. Jesus taught them the way to live and He taught them right from wrong. He told them they were the “…salt of the earth….and the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13, 14).
Jesus taught the disciples about loving everyone. He said to them, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:44). He taught them about “fasting” (Matthew 6:17); about “money” (Matthew 6:20); about “worry” (Matthew 6:25); “asking, seeking, and knocking” (Matthew 7:7), as well as many other things.
They were with Him when He performed miracles. They saw him “heal a man of leprosy” (Matthew 8:3); “heal Peter’s Mother-in-law” (Matthew 8:15); “calm the storm” (Matthew 8:26), as well as many other miracles. The disciple’s were very special to Jesus. He carefully chose each one of them and they comprised the “King’s cabinet” or inner circle of friends.
Jesus knew the disciples before He ever chose them. He knew how they would respond to Him, how they would treat Him and at some point, they would desert Him. These men were ordinary, but in some respects special. I say special, because He chose each one to carry on His mission after His ascension.
During Jesus’ ministry, the disciples felt pretty secure. They received Jesus’ attention and He gave them direction. He was a teacher and they were His students. They hung on every word that came from Jesus’ mouth. They were family. They celebrated Passover together and participated in the special meal which was the “Lords Supper”.
The disciples trusted Jesus and they were obedient to Him. Although He told them on three different occasions about His death, but they didn’t get the message. The first time Jesus said to the disciples, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Luke 9:21).
On another occasion, Jesus said to the disciples, “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of God is going to be betrayed into the hands of men” (Luke 9:44). That is rather plain language, but yet the disciples did not understand. Actually, the meaning was hidden from them and they did not pursue the issue any further.
It would have been difficult for them to understand. How could someone who did so many wonderful deeds and who showed so much love and compassion have any enemies who would stoop so low as to kill Him? Although the disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying, they did not ask for clarification.
On the third occasion, Jesus said to His disciples, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of God will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. The will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again” (Luke 18:31-33).
It is interesting to note that the betrayal, the crucifixion and the resurrection are all talked about in the Old Testament. The Psalmist said, “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9). The Psalmist was talking about the betrayal of Jesus.
The crucifixion is talked about in Psalm 22:16-18 as follows: “Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.”
Isaiah penned these words, “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; and punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth”
(Isaiah 53:4-7).
All these things are in the Old Testament, but Jesus’ predictions of His death were hidden from His disciples. Jesus knew they would not fully understand until after the resurrection when He would meet and talk to them face to face. This is the only way they would believe.
The week that ended with the Crucifixion was a difficult week for the disciples. Every thing seemed to be falling apart for them. The leadership they once had was now gone. Their friend Jesus was now dead and buried. In their eyes, their future looked bleak. What were they to do? They were fearful of the Jews because they were friends of Jesus. They wanted a safe haven, so they went into a room and locked the door.
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’” (John 20:19).
Think about that Scripture for a moment. It was the first day of the week. It was the evening of the Resurrection. Jesus had already sent His tidings or news of the resurrection to the disciples when He said to Mary Magdalene, “Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (John 20:17).
When Jesus used the word “brothers” it is believed He was talking about His disciples. Mary Magdalene did go to the disciples and told them, “I have seen the LORD!” Did the disciples believe Mary? No! Why? “They did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense” (Luke 24:11). I use the word “women” because Luke mentions three women, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James.
The disciples had witnessed the crucifixion, so they knew it was real. Jesus died and that was a fact. They knew Jesus was buried in a tomb. All of them had deserted Him when He was in need. They were afraid something might happen to them because they were friends with Jesus. There were all kinds of things running through their minds, so they needed to hide somewhere until a decision was made concerning their future.
They knew about death. Death was final. How could Jesus come back to life? Can we blame them for not believing the words of the women? I don’t think we can blame them at all. In fact, if we had been there, we most likely would not have believed.
Even today, there are people who do not believe in the Resurrection. Many say it is just a story passed down from generation to generation. Some people think the story of the Resurrection is simply a fairy tale because in their mind, it is impossible. Did Peter believe after He went to the tomb to see for himself? “Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened” (Luke 24:12).
People have a tendency to believe only after the facts have been presented. In this case, the facts were brought to the surface when Jesus entered the closed room. “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side” (John 20:20). Now they had no reason not to believe. They could see the evidence with their own eyes. Today, we accept these facts by faith. Once we accept these facts by faith and invite Him to come and live in our heart, we too, are overjoyed just as the disciples were overjoyed.
Then Jesus identifies Himself again when He says, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). He is telling the disciples God the Father had sent Him on a mission, which He is completing and now He is going to send them on a mission. The power He had was from the Father and He is giving them the same power.
Jesus gave the disciples the power when He breathed upon them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (John 20:22). The power Jesus gave the disciples was the breath of life.
The breath of life is what makes man different from another creature God created. God’s breath gives us a different type of life and that is spiritual life. When Jesus breathed upon the disciples, that breath was the power that would give the disciples what they needed to continue God’s mission upon the earth.
The mission given to the disciples was to continue preaching the Good News of Jesus. When the people heard the Good News, they would understand their sins could be forgiven. God is the only One who can forgive sins, but the mission of the disciples was to preach the Word so people who accept Jesus’ word would know after confession, their sins had been forgiven.
There was one disciple who was not present on the evening of the day of the Resurrection. That disciple was Thomas. We know Thomas as “Doubting Thomas” because he would not believe what the others told him.
Although the disciples told Thomas that Jesus had appeared, 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 it” (John 20:25). Thomas needed some concrete evidence. He did not accept what the other disciples told him. He wanted facts. He wanted evidence. Can we blame him? I don’t think so.
“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’”
I don’t believe Jesus was upset with Thomas because Thomas did not believe. Thomas had done nothing wrong. He was still one of the disciples. He just needed a little more convincing. Yes, he did doubt, but afterwards he became a very strong believer. There are people who are like Thomas. They doubt until they get enough questions answered and then they become very strong believers.
When doubt is dealt with properly, it can increase the intensity of one’s faith. Doubt leads us to search for answers and when we find answers doubt leaves and truth sets in. When Thomas received the answers to his questions, he said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
Listen to what Jesus said after Thomas believed. Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
Conclusion:
We cannot see Jesus today, but through faith, we believe in all His work and we invite Him to come and live in our heart. Our faith would not be any stronger even if we did see Jesus in person. We are highly blessed through our faith. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). God’s word is all the proof we need to keep us believing.
“Jesus did many other miraculous 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 Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31).
Amen.
