THOMAS' CHOICE
JOHN 20:19-20, 24-25 NKJV
19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
Some people have expressed that they were just like doubting Thomas. That's not what you want to identify with.
After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples. The doors were shut, and suddenly Jesus was standing there.
The disciples were already afraid of the Jewish leaders arresting them, so the doors were locked. But there was Jesus. Locked doors and all. No wonder His first words were, "peace be with you."
Here is a truth we may have skipped over when we refer to Thomas. Jesus showed the ten disciples present His hands and His side. He showed them the wounds He received at the cross. And the disciples were glad. Notice they were glad after they saw His hands and His side.
Thomas was not present when Jesus came through the locked doors. He was not there when Jesus displayed His wounds from the crucifixion. But that was no excuse. Thomas made the choice not to believe.
If you read the entire chapter, Thomas was not commended for acknowledging Jesus. Instead, Jesus revealed that the blessed ones were the ones who had not seen and yet believed.
So, Thomas could have made a different decision. He could have chosen to believe the ten men he had traveled with for three and a half years. He could have chosen to believe their eyewitness account of seeing Jesus' hands and side. He could have chosen to believe Jesus' own words when He told the disciples He would rise from the dead.
Thomas had a choice, and he chose to believe only what he could see and feel.
APPLICATION:
We also have a choice as to what we will believe about Jesus. Faith comes by hearing God's word, not seeing or feeling.
It's so easy to get caught up only believing what is revealed to our five senses. But we can learn from Thomas and make a better choice. We believe without seeing.
PRAYER:
Lord I believe in You. I believe You are real and alive and that You are the King of kings and Lord of lords.