“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.’”
John 20:24-25, NRSV
Last week we went on Jesus’ Resurrection Tour and saw some of the places He went and people He encountered. And it was amazing! And while none of us were there in person, the stories sure made us feel as though we were there.
But have you ever missed out on something amazing? Maybe some of your friends went to the event, came back, and told you how you had missed it. It was the best concert, movie, or whatever in the world! And there you are, with that FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) feeling being confirmed. You missed it. I cannot believe that that happened, and I wasn’t there.
Now think about Thomas. He has come to be known as “doubting” Thomas because he didn’t believe that Jesus had appeared, and he had missed it! Nobody likes to feel as though they’ve missed something spectacular. So there Thomas is, kicking himself. I don’t believe it. Unless I see it for myself – unless I see His marks for myself – I won’t believe it. That’s just too good to be true – show me the marks! (Maybe he was from the Show-Me State!)
And suddenly, Jesus, who is rich in grace and mercy, once again stepped into a locked room for the Comeback Tour of a lifetime! But He didn’t take years, as artists do for their comeback tours. No, one week later Jesus appeared to the disciples again, but this time He came for Thomas. So that Thomas could see for himself that Jesus’ resurrection was real.
Worship with us this Sunday as we all get to be a part of Jesus’ Comeback Tour. Because just when you think you’ve missed Him, Jesus comes back just for you! To register for indoor worship, you can sign up at https://rsvp.church/r/gVufUAP4 . (4 Sanctuary seats remain!) You can also join us online at 10:00am. For online worship go to www.umcgt.org.
And don’t forget, if you go to make a reservation and the sanctuary is full, we use the MPR room for overflow! That way, you’ll still be able to worship with others, see the service on the big screen, and greet friends on the parking lot!
Again, we are so thankful for your generosity during Holy Week as you gave donations toward Mozambique health care units. If you did not have a chance to donate, we will be receiving donations for the rest of April. Please designate Mozambique Health on your donation.
May God bless you and keep you!
Blessings,
Pastor Linda
One of the things I like about the Thomas incident is how compassionate Jesus was to recognize Thomas' need for confirmation, and He gave it to him. Thomas immediately confessed Jesus to be "my Lord and my God" and went on to proclaim His name As God's Messiah for the rest of his life. Tradition says he spread the gospel as far as India, where he was martyred.