We resume our week by looking at the post-resurrection accounts of Jesus and seeing his encounter with Thomas. As you’ve probably heard me say before, I think Thomas gets a bad rap because of his doubt. Most, if not all, of us will doubt at some point; this teaches us the power of finding faith, even in our struggles. Thomas, though, has to let go of his hurt and disappointment to truly find God’s power. That’s a great example for us as well. For us to live into the future God has for us, we often have to let go of the past.

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Hey. Good morning. It’s good to be back with you. We’ll see how this goes. I’m feeling better. I don’t sound much better. As long as I keep my voice in a certain range and don’t talk a whole lot, my voice is holding out. If I don’t laugh, that helps as well. You know? There’s not, like, a good cough to really make your innards feel good.

Sorry to miss yesterday. We’re back at it today. We’re going to read the end of John chapter 20 today. We’re spending time today and tomorrow in John 20, talking about the resurrection accounts—encounters people had with Jesus. Today, we’ll look at Jesus with Thomas, which is found in John chapter 20, verses 24 through 29.

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, 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 the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
A week later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, 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. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt 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 come to believe.”

We often call this story “Doubting Thomas,” and we typify Thomas by this moment. But it’s worth remembering—Thomas also had moments of great courage. Earlier in John’s gospel, when Jesus was returning to Bethany where the authorities wanted to kill him, it was Thomas who said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” So Thomas wasn’t lacking in bravery. But here, he doubts.

And I want to be clear—doubt gets a bad rap sometimes. As someone who has found faith to be challenging at times, I relate to Thomas. Belief doesn’t always come easily. Sometimes faith grows best in the wrestling, like Jacob wrestling with God. Struggle can be holy ground. Don’t be afraid of it.

Thomas’ doubt isn’t just intellectual—it’s emotional. It seems to come from a place of hurt. The resurrection news feels too good to believe. Jesus, raised from the dead? After everything that had happened? That kind of hope felt like a setup for more disappointment.

He had seen too much. The betrayal. The crucifixion. The silence of Saturday. The grief was real, and now he was being asked to believe again, to risk again. Can you really turn back to hope that quickly, after you’ve been hurt?

I think Thomas’ words are what many of us feel deep down. “Unless I see… I will not believe.” How often do we say that with our hearts, even if we never voice it aloud?

But then Jesus shows up.

Jesus doesn’t scold him. He doesn’t shame him. He offers what Thomas needs. “Put your finger here… see my hands… do not doubt, but believe.”

Jesus meets Thomas in his specific need, and He offers peace. He doesn’t leave Thomas in his pain or skepticism—He meets him there and offers the chance to believe.

And Thomas does believe.

In fact, he gives one of the clearest and boldest confessions in all the gospels: “My Lord and my God.” He doesn’t just acknowledge Jesus as teacher or friend—he calls him God.

There’s something incredibly powerful about that moment. It teaches us that doubt, when brought honestly before God, doesn’t have to be a dead end. It can lead to deeper faith. If we’re willing to name our doubts, bring them into the light, and let Jesus meet us there—He will.

But Jesus also says something important to us, the ones reading this centuries later: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

That’s us.

We haven’t seen Jesus physically with our eyes. We weren’t in that room. We haven’t touched His hands or side. And yet we believe. Maybe not always easily. Maybe not always steadily. But we believe. And that belief, that trust, brings blessing.

Sometimes we can only receive what’s ahead of us when we’re willing to let go of what’s behind us. Pain, regret, fear, even grief can keep us from seeing resurrection when it’s standing in front of us.

Thomas needed to let go of what had been in order to see what was. And so do we.

So today, may we be honest with God about where we are. May we bring our doubts, our hurts, our disappointments. And may we believe—not because we’ve seen—but because the Spirit makes faith possible.

Jesus is alive.

And He still meets us in locked rooms and wounded hearts.

Thanks for being with us today. We’ll pick up tomorrow with the story of Peter’s redemption in John 21. Have a great day.