From Doubt to Devotion

John 20:24-29

We have been going through various eye witness accounts of the Resurrection throughout the gospels.

This week we are looking here in John 20.

There were a few apostles that earned themselves nicknames.

Peter was named “Petra” or the Rock.

James and John were “the sons of thunder”.

Judas Iscariot of course became known as the Betrayer.

And then there is Thomas - what would his nickname be?

Doubting Thomas is often unfairly remembered only for his skepticism.

Yet, Thomas made one of the greatest confessions in the New Testament — “My Lord and my God!”

History and tradition tell us that Thomas actually took the gospel further east than any other Apostle.

The strongest tradition claim is that he took the gospel to India’s Malabar Coast.

He is credited with starting seven churches there and converting many to Christianity including members of the royal family.

He was later martyred for his faith and witness in India.

Today we are going to examine his journey from doubt to devotion.

Thomas wasn’t always a skeptic.

In fact, he was a bold follower of Jesus.

When Jesus planned to go to Bethany, where the Jews wanted to stone Him,

John 11:16 KJV

16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

That doesn’t sound like timid of faithless.

Thomas’s story is not unique—many Christian’s experience seasons of doubt.

Some people treat the Christian faith like a courtroom.

There must be indisputable proof before they will accept Jesus’ story.

I saw a video of Christian apologist, Cliffe Knechtle, talking to students on a college campus.

A young man said, “you can’t prove religion…you can’t prove Jesus.”

Cliffe told the man, “you can’t prove a thing! You can’t prove that we are talking together right here…maybe it’s a dream.”

Prove to me that Napoleon was a real man.

We have eyewitness accounts of his life, so we believe.

It is no different than with Jesus Christ.

But faith by definition, requires trusting in what we cannot see.

Hebrews 11:1 KJV

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

C.S. Lewis once said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it, I see everything else.”

Faith is not blind trust—it is believing the evidence we’ve been given.

Thomas had plenty of evidence, but he was hesitant to trust it.

The Main question is: What will you do with the evidence?

The resurrection had been witnessed by others, but Thomas wasn’t willing to believe secondhand reports.

later …

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

This is our reality!

We weren’t physically present at the resurrection, but we have the testimony of Scripture, the transformed lives of believers, and the Holy Spirit’s work in our own hearts to prove it is true.

Are you waiting for more evidence, or will you trust what has already been revealed?

Are you like Thomas at the beginning, needing to see for yourself, or will you move forward in faith like Thomas did at the end?

I. The Reality of Skepticism

Let’s face it…skepticism is in all of us!

It is a real part of this life where we are being deceived every where we turn.

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The 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.

Thomas’ doubt is not unusual—it reflects the human struggle between faith and uncertainty.

Even committed believers experience moments of hesitation.

But there was something that contributed to Thomas’ doubts:

A. Thomas Was Not Present

John 20:24 tells us that when Jesus first appeared to the disciples after His resurrection, Thomas was not there.

The reason for his absence isn’t stated, but we can speculate:

Perhaps he was grieving deeply, struggling to reconcile what he had seen at the cross.

Maybe he felt disillusioned, unable to bear being around the others who still had hope.

Whatever the case, he was not together with the other disciples in fellowship together.

Isolation often fuels doubt.

When we withdraw from Christian fellowship, we are more susceptible to discouragement and disbelief.

It is the most natural thing…to pull away when you are hurting…but it is just the opposite of what you need to do.

And the devil knows this!

Charles Spurgeon once visited a discouraged man who had stopped attending church.

Spurgeon said nothing at first—he simply sat there with the man.

Then Spurgeon got up out of his seat, walked over to the fireplace and took a red-hot coal from the fire, and set it aside on the stone.

In a short time, the coal lost its heat and became cold.

The man looked, and understood.

He said, “I’ll be in church next Sunday.”

Faith, life fire, grows cold when removed from the warmth of Christian fellowship!

Be faithful every time that you are able!

Sunday School, this is our discipleship time.

Sunday Morning — Every week—there will always be excuses!

Sunday Evening — this is more of a deeper doctrinal growth time.

Wednesday evening — this is a time we can learn important teaching from the Bible but also gather together and pray.

Don’t worry…you will not have to pray out loud, if someone wants to pray with you, just tell them, “I would rather not pray out loud tonight.”

B. Thomas Wanted Proof

When the other disciples told him they had seen the risen Christ.

25 The 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.

He demanded physical evidence before accepting the resurrection.

Thomas is not alone in this mindset—many today insist, “I’ll believe in God if He shows me a sign.”

But the problem is not lack of evidence—it is an unwillingness to trust.

There was a pastor and his assistant standing on the street in front of the church with a big sign that said, “The end is nigh!”

They were waving people down, shouting warnings to the drivers.

But the drivers just rolled there eyes, honked and made rude gestures.

The Assistant Pastor looked at the pastor and said, “Maybe we ought to change the sign to say, ‘bridge out ahead!’”

The signs are there, they may require some understanding and prayer…but the signs are there!

Just because you don’t see Jesus working doesn’t mean He isn’t real and active!

Isolation fuels doubt—Thomas was away from his fellow believers and struggled more.

Faith requires trust, not endless evidence—If we demand proof for everything, we will never move forward.

Jesus is not afraid of our doubts!

But he calls us to respond in faith!

II. The Response of Christ

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Henry Drummond a Scottish theologian and scientist said, “Christ never failed to distinguish between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is looking for light; unbelief is content with darkness.”

Jesus didn’t rebuke Thomas harshly for his doubt.

Instead, He responded with compassion and evidence, meeting Thomas exactly where he was.

A. Jesus Met Thomas Where He Was

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Eight days later, Jesus appeared again—this time, Thomas was present.

Notice the grace of Jesus:

He did not dismiss Thomas for doubting

He did not say, “You missed your chance!”

Instead, He came back just for him.

Jesus does not abandon those who wrestle with doubt—He patiently draws them back.

In Luke 15, we see the parable of the Prodigal Son.

The Father of the Prodigal son did not chase after his son into the far country but waited for him to return.

The moment the son turned back, the father ran to meet him.

Jesus meets us the moment we turn toward him, no matter how long we’ve doubted.

Another man in the gospels came to Jesus asking for his help.

Jesus told him, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

The Bible says,

Mark 9:23 KJV

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

B. Jesus Offered The Evidence Thomas Needed

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Jesus repeated Thomas’s exact words from verse 25, proving He knew what Thomas had said.

This shows both omniscience and mercy!

Jesus didn’t scold him—He invited him to touch and see.

He granted the evidence, but then commanded, “Be not faithless, but believing.”

He didn’t leave him in his unbelief or lack of faith.

He encouraged him to do better next time.

God will sometimes give us confirmations, but He desires for us to have faith beyond sight.

A Father encourages his young son to jump off a ledge into his arms.

The boy hesitates, saying, “What if you don’t catch me?”

The father smiles and holds out his hands, saying, “I’ve never dropped you before.”

Finally, the child decides to trust and jumps.

Jesus has never failed us before—why hesitate to trust Him now?

Oh sure, bad things have happened…possibly very bad things.

Everyone of the apostles, except John were martyred for their faith.

God never promised we wouldn’t hurt…but Christ was always there!

The first Christian Martyr, Stephen as he died, the veil between heaven and earth was opened for him and he saw Jesus stand up in Heaven preparing to take him home.

Bad things happen, but Jesus is always there!

C. The Compassion of Christ Toward Doubters

Jesus did not scorn Thomas for wanting proof. Instead, He helped him believe.

What a difference compassion makes!

Jude 22 KJV

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

Luke 15:4-7, Jesus describes the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep.

Luke 15:4–7 KJV

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Thomas was that one sheep—and Jesus went after him.

If you have doubts, Jesus is not angry with you.

He wants to help you believe.

Oswald Chambers once said, “Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong; it may be a sign that he is thinking.”

It is so good to know that Jesus meets us in our struggles— He returned just for Thomas

Jesus gives evidence but He calls us to faith - “Be not faithless, but believing.”

Our Savior is compassionate toward those who doubt — He leads them gently to the truth.

The disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But Thomas wanted more.

Jesus in His mercy, gave him more—but He also gave us a blessing for believing without seeing!

III. The Revelation of Christ

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Thomas’ doubt was met with the ultimate revelation—not only that Jesus was alive but that He was truly God in the flesh.

His journey from skepticism to belief led him to one of the most profound declarations in Scripture.

A. Thomas’ Confession

“My Lord and My God!”

“Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.” — Oswald Chambers

Thomas didn’t just acknowledge Jesus’s resurrection—he proclaimed His divinity.

He called Jesus “Lord” – A title of submission and authority.

He called Jesus “God” – A declaration that Jesus is truly divine.

This is the strongest personal confession of Christ’s deity in the Gospels.

Faith is not just believing in facts—it is a relationship with the living Christ.

C.S. Lewis, once an atheist, resisted Christianity, thinking it was just another myth.

Lewis would often take walks with His friend J.R. Tolkien around Addison’s Path at Oxford Univeristy where the two were.

Tolkien would faithfully witness to his friend C.S. Lewis.

But after wrestling with the evidence, he finally surrendered to Christ.

He later wrote in Surprised by Joy:

“I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.”

Like Thomas, many resist faith at first—but when confronted with the truth, they can’t help but surrender.

B. Jesus’ Blessing

Jesus gave a Blessing for Those Who Believe Without Seeing

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Thomas saw and believed—but Jesus speaks of a greater blessing for those who believe without seeing.

This is a direct reference to you and me today!

We have the testimony of Scripture, the witness of history, and the transformation of countless lives—but faith requires trusting without physical proof.

But there is proof all around us, if we are watching.

In the Marvel movies like Iron Man, Spiderman, and The Incredible Hulk you can usually find one man in most of them.

Stan Lee, the author of many of these comic books that were turned into movies, can be seen in all the movies until he passed away.

This phenomenon is called The Hitchcock Cameo Effect because Alfred Hitchcock, the famous director, always made a brief appearance in his own films.

Fans would always watch very closely to try to spot him, knowing he was there, even if they missed him.

God has left His fingerprints all over history, all over creation, and all throughout Scripture.

If we look carefully, we will see His hand at work in our lives.

C. Faith’s Eyes

Faith is not seeing and then believing—it is believing and then seeing.

Romans 10:17 KJV

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Think about the Blind Trust of a Child with their parents.

A young father once told his blindfolded daughter to walk forward to his voice.

At first, she hesitates—but as she learns to trust his guidance, she moves with confidence.

Following every step of guidance he maneuvers her around obstacles and into his loving arms.

She never sees where she’s going, but she trusts the one leading her.

We may not see Jesus physically, but we trust His voice through His Word.

The truth is, True faith leads to worship – Thomas didn’t just believe, he surrendered to Christ.

We too can find true worship when we trust and surrender to Christ.

Faith is blessed when it trusts without seeing – Jesus calls us to believe on the evidence He has given.

We can see God’s hand if we will choose to trust Him.

The more we walk by faith, the more we recognize His work in our lives.

Conclusion

Thomas demanded evidence, and Jesus graciously provided it.

In response, Thomas moved from doubt to devotion,

A famous artist was painting a magnificent landscape on a large canvas in a park.

A blind man passed by heard some one there and asked, “What are you doing?”

The artist described the beauty of the mountains, the golden sunlight, and the colorful flowers he was capturing on the canvas.

The blind man responded, “I wish I could see it, but I cannot.”

The artist then took his hand, placed it on the wet paint, and said, “You may not see it, but you can feel it. And if you trust me, I will tell you about what is here.”

The blind man could not see the painting, but he could trust the testimony of someone who could.

We may not see Jesus physically, but we have the testimony of eyewitnesses, the Word of God, and the changed lives of believers as evidence.

Jesus told Thomas, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

Like the blind man trusted the painter, we need to trust the testimony of Scripture and the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.

Are you waiting for more proof, or will you trust what has already been revealed?

The empty tomb, the testimony of Scripture, and the changed lives of believers are all the evidence we need.

Like Thomas, we must move from doubt to devotion and declare, “My Lord and my God!”

If you are struggling with doubt, bring it to Jesus—Tell Him “Help Thou my unbelief!”

He will not reject you.

Don’t wait for more proof—place your faith in Christ today.

Like Thomas, move from hesitation to worship, and proclaim Christ as your Lord and your God!