“Stop Doubting And Believe!”

“Stop Doubting And Believe!”(Jn.20:19-31).
We are with the post- resurrection appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ. According to the gospel of John, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene at the tomb.
He then appeared to all the disciples who were “together with doors locked for fear of the Jews.” He greeted them with the traditional “Peace be with you!” He then commissioned them saying, “As the Father sent me, I am sending you.” He also breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Thomas who was not around refused to believe their story that the risen Lord had appeared to them. Thomas said, “Unless I see the marks on his hands…I will not believe it.” Jesus appeared to them again, still behind locked doors and told Thomas, “…Stop doubting and believe…blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
We who live in Ground Zero live in a kind of locked door situation. There is fear of the unknown everywhere! Even so, our locked doors are no guarantees to safety. Apart from the fear of the ‘boyses’ and the military, armed bandits have come to add to the reasons for our fears.
But those who believe in the risen Lord Jesus Christ have this blessed assurance that even behind the locked doors the risen Lord comes to assail our fears with the comforting words, “Peace be with you!”
To any doubting Thomas the risen Lord says, “Stop doubting and believe…blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
To all of us have been given the Holy Spirit. We have been commissioned to forgive the sins of humanity. This power to forgive sins does not become a privileged possession which we offer to those we love and withhold from those we hate. God is the final authority who forgives the sins of all of us.
We are sent to spread the goodnews to all who care to listen. Those who doubt it remain in their doubts, but those who believe have their sins forgiven.
Believe begins only where doubt ends. If we were to see and touch everything before believing, there may be no reason for all the fields of studies. Our teachers teach/taught us what they were taught by those who also learned from their teachers, ad-infinitum!
We are overcomers of the world when we believe that “Jesus is the Son of God.” Believe is complemented by loving God and carrying out his commands. “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world…”(I Jn.5:1-5).
We should learn to stop doubting and to believe. Let what we believe show itself in our love for God and one another. This love should reveal itself by obeying his commands, which makes us overcomers!
Sunday prayer: Holy Spirit, in my moments of doubt prod me to believe in the risen Lord Jesus Christ who drives away my fears. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.