Digging Deeper – From Doubt to Declaration
Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
John 20:28-31
FROM DOUBT TO DECLARATION
When Jesus appeared to the disciples the night after His resurrection, Thomas was not in the room. His friends—who were like brothers to him—told Thomas they had seen Jesus and that He was alive, but Thomas doubted what he heard.
After all, he had seen Jesus crucified and buried. His eyes had not been opened, and his mind had not yet been given the ability to understand. Thomas was in the dark—spiritually.
But God (my favorite preamble in any verse of the Bible) made a special trip back eight days later, just to see Thomas and open his eyes.
Thomas had said he wouldn’t believe unless he could actually touch Jesus’ scars—so Jesus came back and gave him the opportunity to do just that.
But Thomas didn’t reach out his hand to touch the scars in Jesus’ hands and side.
When Thomas saw the Lord—made possible only because Jesus sought him out—he was no longer blind, dumb, or doubting.
The Resurrection is important because it is the capstone of all of Scripture. It’s the final scene in the grand play of our existence.
The resurrection of Jesus seals all the other miracles into a six-hour and three-day window of proof that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).
The Resurrection abolishes all other paths to salvation. It is the closing argument in the trial for the soul of humanity—my soul, and yours.
When I have doubts about Jesus, I look first to the cross, and then to the empty tomb—and I am reassured.
So…
Is your heart burning within you?
Is your Lord and your God breathing on you to receive the Spirit?
Has Jesus come to you—outside your tomb of despair, along your road, into your fear, just to show you His hands and side?
Has He been opening your mind to understand the Scriptures and to believe in His name?
Then you have SEEN the Lord.
Run and tell the others. 🙂
Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!