Doubt and Belief

After Easter: A Journey to Pentecost

Week 1: Doubt and Belief (Sunday after Easter)

Scripture: John 20:19-31, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 10:23-25

Introduction

Good morning, church! Here’s hoping you had a great Easter celebration last weekend. “He is risen!” But what happens after Easter? What happens when the excitement fades and we return to normal routines of life.?

For the disciples, the empty tomb didn’t immediately erase their fear, uncertainty, or questions. They had seen it, but they still struggled to understand what it all meant. And one of them—Thomas—wasn’t even there when Jesus first appeared. When the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” Thomas refused to believe. He needed more. Doubting Thomas as both the secular and church world knows him.

Haven’t we all wrestled with doubt? When faith is tough?

Today, as we begin a series about what happend after the resurrection, and we’re looking at this encounter in John 20:19-31—where Jesus appears to His disciples and, in His grace, meets Thomas in his doubts. And as we study this passage, we’ll see that doubt isn’t the end of faith; it’s often the beginning of deeper trust in Jesus.

Main Teaching

Read the entire passage John 20:19-31

John 20:19–31 NIV

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 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.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

The Fear of the Disciples (John 20:19-23)

Fear can be paralyzing. And I think many of us can relate.

It can keep us locked away—isolated, uncertain, and hesitant to move forward.

That’s exactly where we find the disciples in John 20:19. Just days earlier, they had witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus. The world they had known for the past 3 years just change big time.

Now, they’re gathered in a locked room, fearing that they, too, might be arrested or even killed. Grief, doubt, and uncertainty. Lots of emotion.

But in their fear, Jesus comes to them.

Without warning, He appears in their midst and speaks the very words they desperately need to hear: “Peace be with you.”(John 20:19) Talk about an emotional swing...and he doesn’t say anything like “Why are you so scared???” He comforts them...PEACE be with you.… and then shows them his hands, side, etc.

Jesus does not just calm their fears; He gives them ongoing purpose.

He calls them to move beyond fear - to get unstuck. “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21)

We can’t miss this moment... Jesus is shifting them from fear to mission. He breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22)

This act foreshadows Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), when the Holy Spirit will empower/enable them fully for the mission ahead...I think also beginning this new age of recreation...the Kingdom here.

It also echoes Genesis 2:7, where God breathes life into Adam—symbolizing a new life for the disciples in Christ.

Jesus here doesn’t just say, “It will all be ok guys.” He moves them from fear to mission right away.

SLIDE

Paul writes this to Timothy about the Holy Spirit

2 Timothy 1:7 CSB

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

No matter what we’re going through, Jesus meets us where we are…

And yet, for as awesome as this reality is, there are many of us who still wrestle with doubt and uncertainty.

Thomas’ Doubt and Honest Struggle (John 20:24-25)

Faith is not always easy. Even when we know the truth, there are moments when doubt creeps in—especially when we feel like we’ve missed out on an encounter with God.

That’s exactly where we find Thomas.

John tells us that Thomas, one of the twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus first appeared.

We don’t know where he was, but we do know that when the others tell him the incredible news—“We have seen the Lord!”—he refuses to believe without seeing for himself. His response is a passionate one;

“Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)

Thomas has often been labeled “Doubting Thomas,” but perhaps that is unfair.

What if he’s not rejecting faith— what if he’s wrestling with it.

He is honest about his struggle, just as many of us are when we face suffering, unanswered prayers, uncertain things.

With all that said, take notice of this—Thomas does not walk away from the other disciples. He does not allow his doubt to push him away from the group. He stays. This is a key point for us:

Faith struggles best in community.

When we wrestle with doubt, one of the worst things we can do is cut ourselves off from other believers. Scripture reminds us:

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Did some study recently here about this verse....It is not talking about a service on Sunday mornings. It’s talking about disciples/believers, getting together with other disciples to help each other grow...

Even in his doubt, Thomas stayed connected. And because he remained with the disciples, he was in the right place when Jesus came again.

Don’t run away from doubt or difficulty. It might be where you need to be when Jesus shows up.

Jesus Meets Thomas Where He Is (John 20:26-29)

God is not distant from our doubts—He meets us in them.

One week after Thomas had expressed his struggle, the disciples were gathered again, and this time, Thomas was with them (John 20:26). Once more, Jesus appears, standing among them despite the locked doors, and he speaks the same words of comfort: “Peace be with you.” Notice the disciples still in the room with locked doors and windows.

But this time, his message has a specific focus. Jesus turns directly to Thomas and invites him to do exactly what he had demanded just days earlier:

“Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:27)

Notice what Jesus does NOT do. He doesn’t rebuke Thomas for his doubt. He doesn’t shame him for asking questions. Instead, he meets Thomas where he is and offers the very proof Thomas had requested. This moment is a powerful reminder that God is not afraid of our honest struggles. Scripture tells us:

SLIDE

Isaiah 42:3 NIV

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out...

Jesus will do what needs to be done for Thomas to believe.

Thomas’ Declaration of Faith

Upon encountering Jesus, Thomas doesn’t hesitate. He moves from doubt to declaration…

SLIDE

John 20:28 LEB

Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

This statement is HUGE!

It is the clearest recognition of Jesus' divinity from one of his own disciples. Thomas no longer just sees Jesus as his teacher—he now recognizes Him as God Himself.

This story reminds us that honest doubt can lead to deeper faith. Some of the greatest believers in Scripture wrestled with uncertainty—Abraham, Moses, Job, and others. Yet, God met each one in their struggle and strengthened their faith (Genesis 15:1-6, Exodus 4:10-12, Job 42:1-6, Matthew 11:2-6).

We hear this a lot....trust the process...well....let’s do this...Let’s trust the process with God. He knows what He’s doing.

Conclusion

As we finish today, remember, Thomas demanded proof, but what he received was something even greater—a personal encounter with the risen Jesus.

And in that moment, his doubt turned to devotion, his uncertainty to belief. And in return Jesus spoke a blessing that reached far beyond that room, extending to every believer who would come after:

SLIDE

John 20:29 NIV

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

That blessing is for us. We have not stood in that room or touched His scars, yet we believe. We trust in the testimony of Scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As Paul reminds us, “We walk by faith, not by sight.”And Jesus assures us that our faith is not in vain—He is near, even when we struggle to see Him.

So what do we do when we wrestle with uncertainty?

Thomas stayed with the disciples, even in his doubt. He didn’t isolate himself. In the same way, we need to stay connected to the body of Christ. The church is a people who shouldnt be afraid of questions, to grow, and to find strength in community. Like Thomas, we need to be honest with God—bringing our doubts before him, knowing he welcomes our struggles and responds with grace.

We may not see Jesus in the flesh, but we see him at work in our lives, in Scripture, and in the stories of those who have encountered His grace.

Faith is not about having every answer—it’s about choosing to trust the One who does.

If you are struggling with doubt today, know that Jesus is not disappointed in you. He is patient. He invites you to come close, to see the evidence of his love, and to believe.

And for those who already believe, let this passage remind you of the blessing that comes from trusting in the risen Christ—even when we cannot see Him.

Let’s pray together.