Doubt and Faith

April 5, 2013

Opening Hymns:
131 We Gather Together http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh131.sht

Scripture Reading:
John 20:19-29

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

¹⁹ 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!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus^[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ 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.”
²⁶ 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!” ²⁷ 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.”
²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Message:
Christ is risen, Christ is risen indeed! In the scripture for today he appears to the disciples. Thomas is left out the first time, and doesn’t believe the good news that Christ lives again. Scripture continually reminds us that Jesus’ disciples are human like we are. They sin, doubt, and make mistakes as we do. Peter denied Jesus (John 18:17), Judas betrays Jesus (John 18:3), and in today’s scripture reading Thomas doubts that Jesus has risen.

Doubt can sometimes be a good thing. We do need to pick and choose what we believe in and what we don’t believe in. As a young child it can be fun to believe that we can fly if we think happy thoughts… but acting on that belief can be dangerous unless there is a trained professional with a pulley system involved. Our rational minds cause us to doubt things that don’t make sense. It is no wonder that Thomas doubts that Jesus has risen from the dead. However we must remember Jesus’ words “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). Remember this as you go about your day. Anything is possible with God, because of that all our sins are forgiven and Jesus has risen indeed. Alleluia!

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, though we may doubt earthly things, let us have faith and trust in You. Forgive us when we doubt that “all things are possible” for You, oh Lord. Thank You for sending Christ to save us from our sins, and for showing us Your wonders as Christ has risen. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
374 Standing on the Promises http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh374.sht

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