Whiteboard: Doubt

Isn't it funny that the first story we hear after Easter is about doubt?

We come down from this marvelous celebration of Christ's resurrection and the next Sunday what do we have...doubt.

Our questions linger. Our doubts pervade. Our fears sneak in and that little voice in the back of our brains starts talking down to us again.

So maybe it isn't funny that the story of Doubting Thomas and the Disbelieving Disciples is the first thing that greets us right after our Easter Sunday Celebration. Maybe it is exactly what we need to hear.

Oh, as for the picture I was going for a bit of a visual and verbal pun. I thought with a slight tweak I could change the familiar logo for Shout Stain Remover into a clever reference to this Sunday's sermon scripture about Doubting Thomas...but then I ended up having to explain what it was to most folks who looked at it, which usually means the reference didn't work! Anyway, join us this Sunday as we continue the Season of Easter with a resurrection appearance of Jesus to his disciples and help us to celebrate the gift of New Life!

-------

John 20:19-31

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’

Jesus and Thomas

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.’

The Purpose of This Book

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.