John 20:27      Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

I think most of us love the story of Doubting Thomas because we can identify with him. He missed out on being with the disciples when Jesus was resurrected and suddenly appeared in the upper room. Thomas must have been in hiding somewhere else and didn’t feel safe in the company of the others; after all, one of them had already betrayed Jesus, so who was to say that another of the twelve wouldn’t do the same?

            Eventually, Thomas felt it was safe to go back to the band of followers, but when he got there, instead of being relieved, he is perplexed with the other disciples because they all seem deluded and keep talking about Jesus being alive again. Thomas cannot accept this and even if it was true, he’s probably angry with himself for not being there when Jesus appeared. He also declares that if Jesus was standing in front of him, Thomas would still not believe it unless he could touch Christ’s nail pierced hands, as well as fingering His side where a spear had been thrust.

            A week later, Jesus reappears just for the sake of canceling Thomas’ doubts and enabling him to believe again. Christ is determined to get the doubter back on the right path. It’s a wonderful moment, not just of resurrection, but of restoration, too. Jesus restores Thomas’ faith, as well as his rightful place among the Chosen Eleven.

            But here’s the thing: Thomas remained with the other disciples for several days before Jesus reappeared. He could have gone away again and stayed angry with the others, believing that they were deluded because Christ had definitely died. Despite having all of those doubts, he remained connected to the family of faith that he had known for three years. He may have given up hope about Jesus, but he did not let go of the friendship and fellowship he had known with the others.

            I think this is why Jesus came back – to bless Thomas’ loyalty to the others, just as much to show him that Christ was alive. Perhaps instead of calling Thomas ‘the One Who Doubted’, we should remember him as Thomas ‘the One Who Waited.’ And maybe this is also why we relate so much with him – we all have our doubts about our faith, but we still are waiting for Jesus to either return among us, or to eternally restore us to God’s favor, love, and kingdom.

Point to ponder: What doubts do I have about Jesus? What keeps me waiting for Him?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, like Thomas, we find Your resurrection unbelievable and mysterious, and yet we remain hopeful of Your return and await being restored to You forever. Consolidate our faith; when we are weak, please be our strength; when we have doubts, please remain with us. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

   

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (NIV)

I admire the courage of Mary Magdalene and how she remains committed to Jesus, even in the face of adversity. After Peter and John have gone back into hiding after seeing the empty tomb, Mary stays in the garden because she is concerned about where Christ’s body may have been taken. She still wants to tend to the crucified corpse; she still wishes to restore dignity back to the broken body of Jesus. Mary is determined to find out what happened, so she does not leave the garden unlike the other disciples and women.

Her bravery is also evident when she is confronted by a stranger. She does not yet know that this is Jesus standing before her, she thinks that he is merely the gardener. Mary could have run away like the others at that moment, but she is still determined to carry out her mission. If anyone knows where Christ’s body has been taken, it will surely be this gardener whom Mary presumes to be working in the tomb area.

Mary does something dangerous here: she asks the gardener if he knows where the body is and tells him that she will take care of it elsewhere. Her love and devotion to Jesus are evident in those words and her simple request. Remember, Christ has just been crucified by the Romans and His death was welcomed by the religious authorities. Mary is choosing to side with a criminal and a failed Messiah; she is placing herself in a precarious position, one that could get her flogged by both the Romans and the temple soldiers. She does not care about her own safety; all she wants to do is the right thing.

I love the fact that Jesus makes Himself known to her at this point, just by speaking her name. She may not recognize the stranger because there’s something holy and transfigured about Him, but as soon as He says her name, Mary instantly knows Christ’s voice. It’s a wonderful moment when faith vanquishes fear, love lets go loss, and devotion disables death. The voice of Jesus does that for Mary and her courage reconnects her to the Lord.

This is Easter for me because it encapsulates the Good News of the Gospel. Beyond death, there is Christ and a miraculous moment waiting for all who love Him: to hear Jesus personally speak our name. We may leave the surly bonds of Earth one day, but in that same second of transference from mortality to eternity, we will first hear the voice of Jesus say our name and then be welcomed into God’s Everlasting Kingdom.

Point to ponder: What does Easter mean to me?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, on this Day of Resurrection speak to us personally and restore us to Your love individually. Open our hearts and minds to receive Your words and ways, as well as Your love and life. Help us to reach out to Your abiding Spirit and know that we will never be abandoned, forsaken, or alone, in this world and the next. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.