Faith > Doubt

Holy Tuesday - Three Days Before Jesus Died

Read: John 20:24-29

• What did you discover in today’s reading?

It is easy for us to take the Resurrection for granted. The disciples of Jesus had no such luxury. They saw their beloved teacher die on the cross. They saw the bloody beating, the nails that held Him to the cross, the spear that pierced His heart. They heard Him cry out, “It is finished!”

Jesus was dead. He had told them He would be killed and then rise again on the third day. No doubt, that last part seemed like nonsense. The body was placed in the tomb, and the stone was set. Case closed.

I wonder where Thomas went after the crucifixion. Maybe he went back to his family or somewhere off by himself to clear his mind. Perhaps he spent some time thinking about what a waste the last three years had been. Whatever hopes he had about Jesus and his own part in a future “kingdom of heaven” were shattered. Thomas stayed away from the other apostles and missed the first appearance of Jesus on Resurrection Sunday. 

He confronted their claims seeing Jesus alive with what we might call hard-headed skepticism. I’ve got to touch him! But wasn’t he simply being realistic? 

Jesus was dead. Dead people don’t come back to life.

We can be hard on Thomas, but he did show up for church the next Sunday.

Jesus ministered to his doubts: Put your fingers in my wounds. Put your hand in my side. My Lord and my God! Thomas exclaimed. 

Then Jesus says something about you and me: Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. 

Pray: Dear Father – I bring my doubts to you and lay them on the altar. Open my eyes to see the reality of your Resurrection power! Fill me anew with the Holy Spirit! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Do: It is not a sin to doubt. Take your doubts to our Lord and Savior and let Him show the reality of His life-giving Resurrection.

• What hopes are dead in your life? What God-given dream have you abandoned?