Doubting Thomas or Faithful Fred

John 20: 19-25


 ¹⁹Then 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, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
 ²⁰And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD.
 ²¹Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
 ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
 ²³Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
 ²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
 ²⁵The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 

Are you a doubter?  I am.  It's not that I don't believe.  But I want to see it.  I want to feel it.  I have trouble telling if you are putting me on or not, so I want proof.  I have learned, especially from certain family members, that you can't believe everything you hear.  I usually don't believe the tabloids or the news. If it is something that is really far-fetched, I probably won't believe it.  But if it is something that isn't too outlandish, I will put my whole belief system into.

Sometimes we see things with our very own eyes, and still do not believe.  We as a church have seen miracle after miracle happen.  Everyday miracles happen.  There are always things that are believable.  Babies being born, people being healed, people being saved by Christ.  Doubting these things, that the Bible says we can trust is silly.  The promises we have are not always lasting.  My dad is cancer free, but that doesn't mean it is forever.  I am realistic about that.  I know that someday we are all leaving this world.  It's not something we want to really think about, but it is reality.  Some of us will be here a lot longer than others.  I have not doubts about that.

I think that what I read in the Bible is totally trustworthy.  I put my faith in this.  I always go to Hebrews 11:1...
 ¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

The disciples were lucky.  They saw Christ.  They could tell instantly his truthfulness and they each put their faith in Him.  We have to just not doubt and have faith of what we have never seen...God or Jesus.  We have to make that leap from being a doubting Thomas to Faithful Fred.