May 2, 2011

Opening Hymns:
Christ the Lord is Risen Today (red hymnal)
Up from the Grave He Arose 322 (red hymnal)

Scripture Reading:
John 20:19-31

Message: Doubts

In this scripture Thomas becomes an example of what not to do. Thomas is one of the twelve disciples and I relate with him a lot in this instance. He has been told that Jesus was alive again. However, the disciples had seen Jesus die… to have Him live again was a truly unbelievable event. Thomas could have been thinking that in their grief they were merely seeing things... or that they were pulling his leg. However, regardless of what he thought, we know that he would not believe it until he saw it.


There are many times that this has been the case for me. I never thought I would get through college… but here I am working as a nurse. During September 11, I remember hearing about the planes hitting the buildings but couldn’t grasp its reality until I saw it on the news. If a loved one died, I would not be able to grasp that they were alive again unless I saw them… In fact, it would be hard to convince me that a loved one had died unless I saw them as well. Very often I need to see something to fully believe it.


However, in this scripture Jesus calls us to believe in Him though we do not see. Throughout life we can have many questions and doubts. These various doubts/questions can help us learn more and more about life and the world that God has created. However, there are some things that we don’t need to see to believe… God’s love for us and His sacrifice. We can be confident in the fact that our sins are forgiven. The sins that we’ve done, and the ones that we will do in the future. Even though our own forgiveness can be hard to grasp, we can try and set our doubts aside and believe in God’s unfailing love.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for Your love for each of us. Let us always remember to love You with all our hearts. Forgive us when we doubt. Please guide us through times of doubt and answer the questions of our hearts that we might learn more about You, Your love, and this beautiful world that You created. Let us learn from our doubts, strengthen our faith so that we may draw closer to You Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling 348 (red hymnal)

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God