Realists can find evidence for faith today
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The Scripture lesson for today was unusual in that we know the events it relates happened on the Sunday after Easter. The disciples gathered together again behind closed doors just as they had on Easter evening. But unlike on Easter evening, this time the skeptical Thomas was with them. Jesus coached Thomas from doubt to faith and his passage helps all of us along the same journey. Pastor Kelvin helped us to understand that just as Jesus provided evidence for Thomas, he also provides evidence for us today. Our evidence for faith is from different sources than Thomas since we do not have Jesus physically present. Our first evidence is from the uncontrived eye-witness accounts of the gospel writers, the historical records of the church’s first preaching and the early creeds as found in the New Testament. In addition, the sudden explosion of the Christian church after Jesus’ resurrection is unexplainable apart from the resurrection of Jesus. But the evidence closest at hand is in the changed lives of people we know who are Christ-followers. As we look at the evidence God gives us today, we can almost hear Jesus say to us as he did to Thomas, “Stop doubting and believe!” (John 20:27). Remember Jesus pronounced a blessing on us who believe in his resurrection without seeing him in person as Thomas did. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).