Second Sunday of Easter April 19, 2009
Scripture	John 20:19-31 19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe a that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Devotional	Doubt is not the opposite of faith. Can the person who never doubts ever grow in faith? Questions encourage education. Thomas demanded proof so when he had seen Jesus with his own eyes he believed. Were Jesus’ resurrection appearances actual physical appearances or were they visions of some sort? The Gospel appearances are described as physical appearances but in other instances, such as Paul’s Damascus road experience, are more like visions. Believers have different opinions on how to view the resurrection but the disciples encounter with the risen Jesus changed their life. The question seems not to be on the way Jesus is revealed but what impact the risen Jesus has on our lives. The example of Thomas demonstrates that faith is not born full blown but develops in stages. How many times have we been made to feel inferior because someone expresses a faith so superior to ours that it seems almost impossible to believe? The example of Thomas illustrates the fact that faith does not come in the final stage but grows in stages. Thomas is an example for us that our faith continues to grow. Thomas was a disciple, even one of the Twelve, but his faith continues to grow. How do we expect to grow in our experience of the risen Jesus? Did Jesus expect the questions about how he would appear to future disciples? The mystery of the resurrection! Jesus would give himself as a gift for future generations – the Bread and Wine are the physical substance that we can experience. The presence of Jesus experienced