Introduction

Good morning, beloved congregation. It's a joy to gather here with you today, in this sacred space where we come together as brothers and sisters under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are here to share in the Word of God, to find comfort and guidance in its timeless wisdom, and to allow its transformative power to shape our hearts and minds in the likeness of our Savior.

Today, we will turn our attention to the Gospel of John, specifically, John 20:19-31. It reads as follows:

"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."

Fostering Faith Beyond Sight

In the world we live in, it's common to hear the phrase "seeing is believing." It's a sentiment that reflects a deep-seated human desire for tangible proof, for concrete evidence that can be seen, touched, and examined. But the Gospel passage we're considering today challenges this mindset. It invites us to a different kind of knowing, a different kind of seeing. It calls us to foster faith beyond sight.

Faith is a profound trust in what we cannot see. It's a deep-seated conviction that even though we cannot see God with our physical eyes, He is there. He is real. He is working in our lives. And He is worthy of our trust. This kind of faith is not blind. Rather, it's about recognizing that there is a deeper reality, a higher truth that transcends what we can see with our physical eyes.

This kind of faith is beautifully illustrated in the story of Thomas in our Gospel passage. Thomas, one of the disciples, wasn't there when Jesus first appeared to the other disciples after His resurrection. He didn't see Jesus with his own eyes. And so, when the other disciples told him that they had seen the Lord, he refused to believe. He demanded physical proof. He wanted to see the nail marks in Jesus' hands and put his hand into Jesus' side.

But when Jesus appeared to Thomas a week later and invited him to touch His wounds, Thomas didn't need to touch them. He didn't need physical proof anymore. He simply responded in faith, declaring, "My Lord and my God!" Thomas' story reminds us that faith is not about seeing and then believing. It's about believing and then seeing. It's about trusting in God's Word, in His promises, and in His presence, even when we cannot see them with our physical eyes.

But how do we cultivate this kind of faith? How do we learn to trust in what we cannot see? There are several practices that can help us in this regard.

Firstly, we need to immerse ourselves in God's Word. The Bible is God's revealed truth. It's His love letter to us. It's the story of His relentless pursuit of us, His creation. By reading and meditating on God's Word, we come to know Him more deeply. We come to understand His character, His promises, and His ways. And as we grow in our knowledge of God, our faith in Him grows as well.

Secondly, we need to cultivate a life of prayer. Prayer is not just about asking God for things. It's about communing with Him. It's about expressing our love for Him, thanking Him for His blessings, confessing our sins, and pouring out our hearts to Him. Prayer is a powerful way to nurture our relationship with God and to grow in our faith.

Thirdly, we need to surround ourselves with a community of believers. Faith is not meant to be a solitary journey. We need the encouragement, support, and accountability of other believers. We need to hear their stories of faith, to learn from their experiences, and to be challenged by their insights. Being part of a community of believers is a vital part of fostering faith beyond sight.

Lastly, we need to live out our faith. Faith is about allowing our faith to shape our thoughts, our words, and our actions. It's about aligning our lives with God's Word and His will. As we strive to live out our faith, we find that our faith becomes more real, more tangible, and more deeply rooted in our hearts.

Finding Christ Within Our Hearts

As we navigate the path of faith, we are called to seek Christ not just in the world around us, but also within our own hearts ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO