April 23, 2022

Dear Road Church Friends,

We live in an Age of Doubt, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Much good has come out of the questions and quests that doubters have inspired. The books of Job and Ecclesiastes express doubts about the assumptions of conventional biblical wisdom, and are more popular now than ever. Many believers identify with the frustrated man who said to Jesus, “I believe, help my unbelief!” And, Doubting Thomas is admired as the patron Saint of our modern age. This week’s Gospel reading is the story of Doubting Thomas, and the message is that honest doubts must have a place in the life of faith.

SCRIPTURE                       SERMON TITLE: The Virtue of Doubt

HEBREWS 11:1

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.

JOHN 20:19-29

When it was Easter evening the disciples were hiding from the Jewish authorities in a house with the doors locked. Suddenly, Jesus was standing among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then, he showed them his hands and his side and the disciples rejoiced. Jesus said again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Then, he breathed the Holy Spirit into their nostrils and said, if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you don’t their sins remain.”

      Thomas, the Twin, was not with the disciples that evening. So when they told Thomas they had seen the Lord, he said, “Unless I can see and touch the nail marks in his hands, and his wounded side, I will not believe.” A week later the disciples were still hiding in the house, and Thomas was with them. Suddenly Jesus was standing among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Look at my hands and side. Touch my wounds. Let what you see banish your doubts.” Thomas said, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “You have believed because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen but believe in me anyway.”

FAITH

Nothing before, nothing behind,

The steps of faith

Fall on the seeming void, and find

The rock beneath.

by John Greenleaf Whittier

 Blessings to all,

Pastor Norm

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