John 20
October 10, 2022
“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.’ (v24-25)
Without a doubt (no pun intended), I can see myself being like Doubting Thomas, questioning the claims of the resurrection. After all, people who have been dead for days don’t come back to life. Like Thomas, I’d want proof, too. And Jesus, in mercy, grants Thomas the opportunity to see for himself the scars in His hands and His side. There is still a rebuke from Jesus to “stop doubting and believe” (v27), but the rebuke is also marked by grace - as Jesus meets Thomas at the point of his honest doubts.
Father, I thank You for allowing me (in college) to question whether Jesus really rose from the dead. And I praise You for the mercy of meeting me in my doubts, and showing me the intellectual flimsiness of the alternative hypotheses to the resurrection. I’m now confident in my conviction about Christ’s resurrection. But I pray that You would keep me compassionate toward those, like Thomas (and me), who might still struggle with the need to see evidence for the resurrection.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
