John 20:24-31 · Jesus Appears to Thomas

24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 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 it."

26 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!" 27 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."

28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Uncertain Certainties
John 20:19-31
Sermon
by John Jamison
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It was Sunday evening. Easter morning had come and gone, and the disciples had spent the entire day talking about the fact that Jesus had actually been raised from the dead. They were all fired up and making plans for how they were going to go out and spread the word of God and continue the ministry that Jesus had taught them to perform. Right?

Not quite.

As the sun went down Sunday evening, some of the disciples had gathered together. They were still hiding in a small room somewhere with the doors and windows closed and locked. Easter morning had come, but the disciples were still hiding, still overwhelmed by what happened at the end of the week, and still afraid that they might be the next ones to be arrested and killed. We can’t really blame them, can we? I mean, even with the stories…

CSS Publishing Co., Inc., Simple Faith?: Cycle B Sermons for Lent-Easter based on the Gospel Texts, by John Jamison