Seeing and Believing!
John 20:24-29
Do you have to see something to believe it? If you see a person walking across the street, do you believe it is happening? Do you have to be an eye witness, or are you able to believe a person who was an eye witness? Courts usually believe the eye witnesses. The Bible Gospel accounts are “eye witness” reports.
If you saw something that seemed impossible, would you believe? Or would you think that your vision was playing a trick on you, even though you believe you saw it? If someone else told you they saw it also, would that help? In John 20:25 Thomas had been told by the other disciples that Jesus was alive because he had come to them and had shown himself to them. Thomas dismissed their claims and told them that he personally had to see the nail holes in Jesus’ hands to believe. Thomas was not going to accept anything but the proof that only Jesus could show before he would believe that Jesus was alive.
Verse 29 tells us that those who believe without this personal seeing (proof) are blessed. This means they have to rely on others who have seen rather than themselves. What about us? Do we believe other eye witnesses? Or are we only going to rely on our own experience and no one else’s?
The other evening in our Zoom English Conversation class group, we were talking about whether or not we would trust others “seeing” or only our own. As we talked about Easter week, I shared with them Jesus dying on the cross for our sins; His burial and His resurrection on Easter morning. Because of our discussion I shared the gospel with them from Thomas’ perspective. I then asked them, “If Jesus stood before you with his hands held out for you to see, would you believe He was alive?” It was clear that they would believe.
As our “social distancing” and “stay at home” policies continue, sharing our “eye witness” accounts with Jesus is extremely important. We share these when we talk to people, i.e. neighbors talking, getting mail, hanging out across the street, doing yard work, talking in a parking lot. Ask God for these opportunities and then use them to present Christ by letting Him show forth through us. Jesus is the only way that matters and we know this. We have the hope of the gospel in us. Those who are fearful and wondering what the end of this will be need to hear about this hope.
There are many who think as Thomas thought and want what they call “proof” to believe. As we share our experiences with Jesus, they will begin to see the “proof” they need through us. God will then open their eyes to believe (Luke 24:31) for themselves and be blessed by Him. There is nothing better than seeing a person “catch it” and to “see their eyes opened.”
Reflect and share with someone any “eye witness” instances in which your eyes were opened because YOU saw and believed.
