Conflicted Thomas

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

John 20:26-29: Eight days later [after Easter Sunday], His disciples were inside again and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." The He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and plance it in my side. Do not disbelieve, 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 see and yet have believed."

Poor Thomas:
He seems to be labeled all the time. For centuries Thomas was labeled, "Doubting Thomas." The reason? It's simply, really. Thomas was using reason and rationalism to determine whether or not he was going to believe that Jesus was alive. Did Thomas trust the words of his fellow disciples? He didn't. Thomas had to "see for himself." Then he would believe.

Seeing is Not Faith:
Seeing, touching, and hearing are our senses that we use in order to experience reality. For example, someone tells me that the steaks at Lone Star Steak House are great, I will want to try for myself before I would agree. I would have to experience it.

Faith is trusting the words of your friend without you having to taste them yourself.

Conflicted Thomas:
I think Thomas believed. At the same time, his human nature took over. Still in grief and sorrow, and even some guilt, Thomas had an extremely difficult time trusting his friends who said that Jesus was alive. So that is why I think that Thomas said, "Unless I see..."

The conflict did not resolve itself until he saw Jesus, in the flesh.

Then Redirect:
Then Jesus then tells Thomas that faith is not about what he experienced through his senses.

Faith goes beyond seeing. Faith is about trusting what you don't see. Faith is trusting your gut. Faith is trusting what someone else says and accepting the truth of it.

For Us:
Jesus is talking about our faith. Jesus is talking about the reality that we believe the words and experiences of others, including Jesus, and accepting them as true and right without having to have experienced them ourselves. Faith in who Jesus is and what He did goes beyond our own frame of reference. 

Does that make us conflicted? You bet. We believe. We also have questions. And who will lead us beyond our conflict and questions to a simple faith and trust in the truth of Jesus and what He did? God the Holy Spirit will through the eye witness accounts of the reality of Jesus.

What do you think? Let's share a few words about faith. 

---