Friday, May 9, 2014
John 20:26-29 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!" 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." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
FAITH WITHOUT SIGHT
We are not convinced that Jesus has risen from the dead because we have seen Him alive, but because we have heard His word of peace and forgiveness spoken to us and have used that word in our lives. The familiar events surrounding the disciple Thomas during the week after Easter illustrate well for us that we do not need to see to believe; that it is not sight which increases our faith.
Thomas was certain that Jesus was still dead. Unfortunately, he was not there the first time the disciples gathered. He had not heard Jesus say to them, "Peace be with you!" He claimed he needed to see rather than hear. But did he? Did he really need to see the nail marks and put his hand into Jesus' side in order to believe?
If so, then we are all in trouble, because none of us living today have seen Jesus face to face as did those disciples of old.
When Christ appeared again and Thomas was present, again the powerful word of forgiveness came first, a word that could truly convince them He was alive. And only after He had spoken that word did Jesus invite Thomas to reach out his hand and touch his side. Then Jesus told him, "... blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." So we learn that it is not the sight which convinces us of Jesus' resurrection, but it is the Lord's word, especially His message to us that our sinful stains have been cleared away in God's sight.
Jesus increases our confidence in His resurrection not by coming and standing among us so we can see Him, but by teaching us that we do not need to see Him to believe that He is risen. Rather Jesus' word (including His word working in the sacraments) convinces us. And when we think about Thomas and what Jesus said about believing without seeing, we cannot help but be encouraged.
