Scars and All: John 20:24-29

This Sunday, we continued living in the hope of Easter by looking at what happens after the resurrection—when life is still complicated, when questions linger, and when faith sometimes feels harder to hold onto. Pastor Dave reminded us that even after the tomb is empty, we sometimes wrestle with doubts. And that’s not a sign of failure. It’s part of being human.

We looked closely at the story of Thomas in John 20, the disciple who’s often been labeled "Doubting Thomas," but who Pastor Dave helped us see was anything but faithless. Thomas wasn’t weak—he was honest. He voiced what so many of us feel but are afraid to say out loud: “I want to believe, but I have questions.” And rather than walking away from the faith community, Thomas stayed. He stayed connected. He stayed open. And because he stayed, he was there when Jesus showed up.

When Jesus appears to Thomas, He doesn't scold him. He doesn't shame him. Jesus moves toward him. He offers His scars as proof, showing Thomas that resurrection doesn't erase the reality of wounds—it redeems them. Pastor Dave reminded us that the Christian life is not about pretending we never have doubts; it’s about trusting the God who meets us even in them.

Thomas' story teaches us that doubt is not the enemy of faith. Honest doubt, brought into the presence of Jesus, becomes a doorway to deeper belief. It was after seeing Jesus’ scars that Thomas made the most personal and profound confession in the Gospels: "My Lord and my God." Not "a" Lord. Not "someone else’s" God. My Lord. My God. His doubt didn’t push him away from Jesus—it led him straight into deeper worship.

Pastor Dave also challenged us: what if we, like Thomas, learned not to run from our doubts but to bring them to Jesus? What if we trusted that Jesus is not afraid of our questions, and that He will meet us right where we are—not with anger, but with scars that speak of victory and grace?

And history tells us that Thomas didn’t just stay stuck in doubt—he became one of the boldest proclaimers of the Gospel, taking the good news all the way to India, even laying down his life for Christ. The same hand that once reached out in questioning faith later reached out in mission and courage. God didn’t reject Thomas. He used him.

The invitation for us today is the same: bring your doubts to Jesus. No matter where we find ourselves today—full of faith or full of questions—Jesus invites us to come closer. His resurrection is not just an event to be celebrated; it’s a living reality to be trusted. He is risen. He is alive. And His love still holds firm, even in our questions.