Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:24-29

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Doubt in our faith journey is often a misunderstood concept. When looking at the story of Thomas in John 20, we discover that doubt isn't the enemy of faith, but rather a catalyst for deeper belief. Our doubts often reveal our true desire for God, and that he does not neglect our questions and uncertainties, but actually welcomes them. Thomas' story encourages us to keep pursuing God and his mission even when we don't have all the answers, remembering that Jesus promised to be with us always. This perspective shift on doubt can revolutionize our approach to faith, allowing us to embrace our questions as part of our growth rather than feeling ashamed or discouraged by them. In this week's Manhattan message, Pastor Ryan Schlachter challenges us to see doubt as a tool that can strengthen our faith when we bring it to God and our community.

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Our doubts reveal our desires

• Thomas gives us one of the most honest, vulnerable, and human responses to Jesus that we are always too scared to actually give.
• Every doubt that we carry about God, for the most part, is something we desperately want to be true.
• If we can hide behind the guise of doubt, then we won’t fully believe, and belief is the very thing that can set us up to be let down by God.
• Your doubts actually point to you wanting Jesus more than you realize. Don’t be discouraged by not believing right away. You’re actually showing that you want something Jesus is offering you.

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“Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.” 
Paul Tillich, German Lutheran Theologian

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Our doubts are welcomed 

• One of the biggest lies that exists in the church is that your doubts are the thing that are keeping you from God.
• Thomas’ reaction to the resurrection of Jesus is an extremely emotional one. He’s hurt that he was not in the room to see his teacher and friend, but also responds in a way that indicates that he will never fully believe.
  
  • Thomas doesn’t wrestle with doubt in isolation, he includes the disciples in his wrestling and questioning.
• Jesus doesn’t show up to Thomas immediately—he waits eight days before appearing to the disciples, including Thomas.
• Eight is the number of completion, indicating that Jesus is coming to establish something new in Thomas's heart so that he can live as a new creation, as somebody who has experienced the resurrected King.
• When Jesus sees Thomas, he doesn’t scold him for not believing, but invites him closer.
• When you wrestle with your doubts long enough, they will begin to turn into a declaration.

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Our doubts don’t have to stop the mission

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“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, three in one, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20

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• Your doubts are going to be a part of your mission, and they do not have to stop the things that God has called you to.
• Jesus doesn’t call them to have all the answers figured out or all their doubts squared away, he calls them to simply “go”.
• The comfort that Jesus gives them is not that everything is going to work out the way that they imagined. It's that he will always be with always.

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“If you wait until your doubts are gone, you’ll never follow God. The great people of the Bible weren’t doubt-free—they were faith-full.” - John Ortberg

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Dinner Party Questions:

1. How has doubt played a role in your own faith journey, and how has it potentially strengthened rather than weakened your beliefs?
2. What can we learn from Thomas's experience about the importance of community when wrestling with doubts?
3. In what ways can we continue to pursue our calling and mission even when we don't have all the answers?

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Put It Into Practice:

1. This week, journal about a doubt you're experiencing. Pray about it, asking God to reveal what desire might be behind that doubt.
2. Identify one area where these doubts might be holding you back from something God is calling you to do. Take a small step of faith in that area this week.