Do not disbelieve but believe

John 20:19-31 ESV

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”  Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”  Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although 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, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”  Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”   Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Rev. Dan Whang

If doubt is something that you deal with, this passage is for you. This situation is the most blatant display of doubt. Thomas' doubt is the climax of the gospel of John. It is the reason for his book.

The Christians were living in fear. Jesus appeared to be dead. They were afraid of the Jews. And they had locked themselves away. And somehow, Jesus teleports among them. He appears to many of the disciples. They go to Thomas and he says he would not believe unless he saw Jesus with his own eyes and felt His wounds.

Doubt demands conditions and treats the truth with contempt.

Thomas demands to see and touch. The other disciples had seen Jesus, but Thomas wants to touch the wounds. He places demands above that of the other disciples. They saw; he demands to touch. Faith calls us to believe even without being able to see or touch.

There is a difference between a stubborn unbeliever and a honest doubter. An honest doubter seeks truth and looks for it, but once they find it. They rejoice. The stubborn heart of unbelief does not believe and takes joy in being skeptical.

Jesus erases Thomas' doubts by showing him His wounds.

Jesus shows up again and presents how wounds to Thomas. Not only that, but Jesus repeats Thomas' doubts word for word. Jesus knew Thomas' doubts and did not hold a grudge against him. Jesus is gracious, merciful, and patient even in the face of Thomas' audacious demands for proof. Jesus did not only give evidence, he still called Thomas to believe. The evidence demands a decision, a verdict. To have faith or not.

Thomas' renewed belief was expressed by a propositional and personal confession.

It is not clear whether Thomas actually placed his hand in Jesus' side. But he sees Jesus and confesses: Jesus is Lord and God. He is my Lord. Jesus is not only the almighty God of the universe. He is my personal God. It is not just personal experience, it is also backed by the bible.

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

Jesus says this to Thomas. His disciples see him. That is required for them to be apostles. They were personal eyewitnesses to Jesus' life and resurrection. John writes this book towards the end of his life. They were written for us to read and believe, without seeing Jesus with our own eyes.

Application: Prayers to battle doubt

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 ESV

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth.

Jesus, hide these written words in my heart

Jesus, direct my heart into your love and steadfastness

Jesus, help my unbelief