by Zeke Flores<\/p>\n
We live in a “show me” world.<\/p>\n
Most of the time, we demand evidence to verify a claim-most of the time. And the more fantastic the claim, the more we want proof. “Show me!” we demand.<\/p>\n
That’s why I think “doubting” Thomas gets a bad rap. Yes, he had his doubts, but he was willing to speak up and express them. He didn’t just want to take someone’s word for it, even if he really wanted to believe it. He didn’t check his brains or his reason at the door.<\/p>\n
Then Thomas saw Jesus, and everything changed.<\/p>\n
Can you imagine how Thomas must have felt when he saw for himself the holes in Jesus’ hands and feet from the nails of the cross? What a moment!<\/p>\n
Sometimes, perhaps more than we admit, we relate to Doubting Thomas. We know Jesus is “there,” but circumstances, fear, and lack of faith make it feel otherwise. Jesus responded to Thomas with, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have<\/em> believed<\/em>” (John 20:29).<\/p>\n So, come to Him with your questions, your fears, your doubts. Ask God to open your eyes to the reality of His love and grace, but be willing to “see” the proof. And like Thomas, you’ll say, “My Lord and my God!<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Zeke Flores We live in a “show me” world. Most of the time, we demand evidence to verify a claim-most of the time. And the more fantastic the claim, the more we want proof. “Show me!” we demand. That’s why I think “doubting” Thomas gets a bad rap. Yes, he had his doubts, but…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[709,877],"class_list":["post-86897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-evidence","tag-proof"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":63715,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-thomas-missed\/","url_meta":{"origin":86897,"position":0},"title":"What Thomas Missed","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 29, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 20:19-29 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We aren\u2019t told why, but when the disciples gathered after Jesus\u2019 death, Thomas wasn\u2019t there at a very notable time. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What was it that Thomas missed by not being there? II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What did Thomas miss? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He missed the joy of seeing the Lord\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19072,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-god-prove-he-existed-before-but-not-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":86897,"position":1},"title":"Why did God prove He existed before but not now?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 6, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: My son has come to me asking questions about the church. He is a member of the church but has fallen away. His asking questions is a crack in the door I don't want to miss out on. He's asking why did God allow proof that He existed then,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":55273,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-pattern-of-peace\/","url_meta":{"origin":86897,"position":2},"title":"A Pattern of Peace","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 25, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer John 20:18-21 shows an important pattern. Jesus was raised up from the grave and first appeared to Mary Magdalene then to the disciples (sans Thomas). Notice the pattern: Mary to the disciples: \"I have seen the Lord\" (John 20:18). The disciples to Thomas: \"We have seen the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":48884,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/dealing-with-doubt\/","url_meta":{"origin":86897,"position":3},"title":"Dealing with Doubt","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: John 20:19-31 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Is it wrong to have doubts? When those moments come when you wonder if God really exists or you run across an idea that makes you wonder if you really understood the Bible correctly, have you sinned? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Look at characters\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34876,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-jesus-married\/","url_meta":{"origin":86897,"position":4},"title":"Was Jesus married?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 19, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Was Jesus married? Answer: \"Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar\" (Proverbs 30:6). Source:\u00a0\"Did Jesus have a wife?\"\u00a0The New York Times, September 19, 2012. Let's start with the evidence: There is a fragment, measuring 4 x 8 centimeters, that contains\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/JesusWifeScrap.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/JesusWifeScrap.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/JesusWifeScrap.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/JesusWifeScrap.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44430,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-were-the-disciples-so-sure\/","url_meta":{"origin":86897,"position":5},"title":"Why Were the Disciples So Sure?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew W. Bassford One of the most significant proofs of Jesus' resurrection is the early disciples' sincere belief that He had risen. They maintained this belief in the face of great hostility from earthly powers, enduring persecution, prison, and death rather than recanting. 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