The Lord’s Message:  Resurrection: From Doubt to Faith

The Lord’s Message:  Resurrection: From Doubt to Faith
Date:  April 19, 2026
Where:  Tilghman Methodist Church
Scripture Reference:  John 20:19-31

            Last Sunday, we left off the events of Jesus’ resurrection with two of His disciples returning to Jerusalem from Emmaus about seven miles in distance.  These two disciples said in Luke 24:35.   The events of Jesus’ resurrection found in the book of John are woven together with the events found in the book of Luke.  Let us see how the events of Jesus’ resurrection is woven between the books of John and Luke and how the recording of these events can lead us from doubt to faith.

            Let us pray.

            You may want to create two book markers for the book of Luke and the book of John.  This is my evaluation of the timeline for the events of Jesus’ resurrection found in the books of John and Luke.  Let us look at the book of Luke 24:31. “Then their eyes were opened.”  This does not mean that these two disciples were blind.  No, this refers to verse 16, “but they were kept from recognizing Him.”  The blindness was not physical, but spiritual.  We discussed all of this last Sunday.  Sometimes God brings spiritual blindness upon us, so that we will submit to God’s vision and will, instead of trusting in our own vision and will. Now at Jesus breaking the bread, the spiritual blinders are lifted, and they see Jesus.  Then Jesus disappears from their sight.  After some short discussion, they make the decision to return to Jerusalem. 

            Now remember, it would take these two disciples of Jesus about 2 or 3 hours to return to Jerusalem from Emmaus.  Let us turn to John 20:19, “On the evening of the first day of the week.”  What day was Jesus resurrected from the grave?  Sunday, the first day of the week.  The events in Luke happened on Sunday afternoon.  Therefore, this event of Jesus appearing to the ten disciples takes place on Sunday evening.  My assumption is that Jesus, after breaking the bread, goes to Jerusalem where He knows, (because Jesus is God and God knows all things, so, Jesus knows all things), to the house where the disciples are in fear of the Jews.  Because Jesus is in His resurrected body, He is not confined to time and space.  One time, He is at Emmaus and in the blink of an eye, seven miles away in Jerusalem.  All the disciples are there except for Thomas.  Perhaps Thomas stepped out to get food or something.  None of the Gospels gives us any explanation for Thomas’ absence and only John tells us about Thomas being absent.  Hold on to that thought.

            The proof that Jesus can be in one place one minute and another place the next minute is provided in Luke 24: 33b-34.  It is interesting the Luke records that all the eleven were found together.  So, maybe Thomas returned to the house after Jesus had appeared.  So, you have the accounts of Luke and John woven together. 

            The weave continues in Luke 24:36-40. John makes this personal for you and me.  I tell people that have just started out on their faith journey, new Christians, to first read the book of John.  John makes everything personal. He was one for the three disciples who were in Jesus’ inner circle, along with James and Peter.  He is the one sitting closest to Jesus at the table in the Upper Room.  The book of John contains that golden verse of scripture, John 3:16.   So, for new Christians, this book will get them off to having a personal relationship with Jesus. 

            But there are events in the book of John that are written for mature Christians as well.  This is spelled out in John 20:30-31.  This beautiful event of Thomas doubting in the resurrection of Jesus is one of those hallmark events for mature Christians.

            Let me try to explain it this way.  Suppose I had walked into church this morning pushing a wheelbarrow.  Inside of the wheelbarrow was human bones.  I told you that these human bones were Jesus.  Would you have faith and believe what I said?  Come on church would you have faith and believe what I said?  Do you have faith and believe that these bones are Jesus?  Yes!!!   Show me your hands if there is anybody here who does not believe that these bones in this wheelbarrow are Jesus?

            Oh, my fellow Christians, I have just pulled on your one of the evilest of all evil tricks.  I made you believe that there are actually bones of Jesus found here on earth.  Sometimes it is good to take a step back and doubt until we can prove what is being said is true.  When it comes to finding that truth, it is found in the Word of God, 2 Timothy 3:16-17.  The Word of God is the filter that we should use to prove that something is true. 

What was left in the tomb where Jesus laid?  In John 20:6b-7, there was only the burial cloth and strips of linen. The tomb was empty.  If I could produce Jesus’ bones, then Jesus was not resurrected, He was dead.  I do not want the bones of Jesus; I want an empty tomb.   

            The other disciples tell Thomas in John 20:25a, “We have seen the Lord!”  Thomas responds with, in verse 25b, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails where, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it.”  Thomas is not looking for the bones of Jesus, but the living flesh of Christ.  Even though Thomas cannot wrap his head around that Jesus is resurrected, he nevertheless believes in the resurrection.

            Look at verse 26.  Seven days have gone by, and Thomas is gathered in the same house with all the disciples and Jesus appears to them.  In verse 27, Jesus says to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe.”  Thomas’ response to all of this is, “My Lord and My God!”  Jesus responds in verse 29, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 

            I want us to take notice here that nowhere does the Bible say that Thomas actually put his fingers in the wounds left by the nails or his hand in Jesus side where the wounds left the sword.  Instead, it simply says in verse 28, that Thomas said, “My Lord and My God!”  Now, you may find it in a Bible translation, but I looked at more than 15 translations from King James to Catholic Bible and they all say the same for verse 28, “My Lord and My God!”  None of those translations say that Thomas actually put his fingers or hand into the wounds.

            I believe that John recorded this event in the resurrection of Jesus so that all of us would be able to believe that Jesus rose from the grave.  We have the proof, with Thomas confirming that Jesus was bodily resurrected because of the wounds in Jesus hands and side.  A skeleton would not show these wounds, only a fleshly body.  Thomas takes us from doubt to faith. 

            It is okay to doubt.  We should not believe everything that we hear, see, or read, but we should always take everything through the filter of the Word of God to prove its truthfulness.

            So, let us continue to listen to God, so that we will do His will.  Amen.