Easter People: A 4-Day Easter DevotionalSample

THOMAS | I've Seen Enough

The truth is that these days, it's easier than ever to be a skeptic. Why are we so skeptical? I think, partially, it's because we have access to more information than anybody has ever had. I also think it's true that, at times, we've been deceived. What do they say? Once bitten, twice shy. It is natural for doubt to rise up in all of our hearts. In all of us, there is a little bit of skepticism, which is appropriate to begin our conversation about Thomas, who is told by his friends that Jesus has risen from the dead and famously doubted that it was true. Thomas doubted. But I want to pick our way through his journey. And I want to do so in a way that, hopefully, will show every single one of us this truth: there is hope for the skeptic.  

• Absence + Unbelief: Thomas's journey in this text starts with these two things: absence and unbelief. The text tells us clearly that the 10 gathered on Sunday, and Thomas was not present. He was absent from his crew. Absent from the people who were there to rally him and encourage him and pray for him and build him up and hold him accountable. I believe he had an easier time giving into his unbelief because of his absence. The greater his absence, the greater his unbelief became. 
• Persistence + Kindness: Thomas's absence and unbelief were met with persistence and kindness by the disciples. The disciples could have been appalled, disappointed, embarrassed. That's not at all how they respond. In fact, the Greek suggests that they didn't give up on him. Jesus speaks kindness to the skeptic. I’m with you. I'm not mad at you. I love you. 
• Encounter + Invitation: Because the disciples were kind and repeatedly invited him, he was now present and he had an encounter with Jesus. It seems Thomas had completely changed his tune because he's now seen the Lord who encountered and who was now inviting him to touch his wounds and believe. 
• Declaration + Demonstration: It’s been said that when Thomas said, “my Lord,” he was putting Jesus on the throne of his heart, and when he said, “my God,” he was recognizing that Jesus is on the throne of the entire universe. Not the Lord and the God, but My Lord and my God. That's a declaration. The demonstration would happen later – church history tells us that Thomas went forth from this room a changed man. For the rest of his life, he would demonstrate that he was under the rule of Jesus as King.

Thomas's story tells us that we're not limited by where we started. That we can experience great breakthrough even after our biggest failure. Thomas's story tells us that even, and especially, when we feel abandoned by God, he is with us, present, even when he feels far.