John 20:24-29
Verse 28 Thomas said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
In our lesson yesterday Jesus appeared to 10 of the disciples and the two from Emmaus, only Thomas was missing.
Thomas was having a hard time accepting what the others were claiming. He had seen Jesus raise others from the dead but it was something totally different to raise yourself, he wouldn't believe it until he saw Him with his own eyes. And it had been a week and no one was able to convince him that Jesus was indeed alive. They said they had even seen Him eat.
Then Thomas finds himself back in a locked room with 10 of the men he had spent the last three years with and once again they were talking about the latest sightings of the supposed risen Lord. This must have frustrated this disciple. Why hadn’t the Lord made sure that he knew He was alive? Didn’t he matter as much as the others? If only the Lord would reveal Himself to him.
Suddenly the Lord was there. He was really there! Jesus looked straight at Thomas and offered His hands and sides for Thomas to touch as proof of His being the Lord. It doesn’t say that Thomas actually took Jesus up on the offer to examine the wounds that were now 10 days old, but it could be that he didn’t feel the need to touch them, he knew.
Thomas had been with Jesus for 3 years just as had the others and we know that when you spend that much time together you learn a person in a way that you can recognize them without actually touching them. This knowledge that it was truly Jesus, risen from the dead had Thomas dropping any reservations he had about what had happened a week prior and he did the only thing that he could do at the moment, professed that Jesus was Lord and God.
We each need to come to that point in our belief of Jesus too. It isn’t enough to accept that He is risen, we need to confess Him with our mouth as Lord and God. When we see Him as the God of the universe the only honest response is to surrender to His Lordship in our lives and worship Him forever.
Making It Personal
What part of believing in Jesus is hardest for you? Jesus said that those who don’t see Him and believe are blessed, do you feel blessed? What words of worship can you give Him today?
Making It Personal Kids
Do you find it hard to believe some things about Jesus? How do you feel blessed by Jesus? What are some words you can say today that would be worship of Jesus?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for giving us the ability to believe without seeing You. Give us hearts that are always worshiping You as God and Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.