Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

 

Christian Stewardship (St. Thomas the Apostle Day) St. John 20:24-29 V. 29: Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me,  you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”   Many of us are like the Apostle Thomas. We need to see to believe. “…Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25). Thomas got to see the risen Christ and he believed. But how can we believe when we’ve never seen the risen Christ? John’s writing is meant for us. He is asking us to believe without seeing. Jesus said to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29).  Seeing does not mean believing. In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man: “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’“ He said to them, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:29-31). Even if one were to witness the resurrection, it does not mean they will believe.   The Bible emphasizes that hearing is believing. In Romans 10:17, Paul says, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Our faith comes from hearing the Word. John 4 teaches us that hearing the Word can make an impact. The people in the Samaritan village put their trust and faith in Christ by explaining to the Samaritan woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42). Jesus didn’t have to perform miracles while He was staying at the village, instead they believed in Him just by hearing His words.  In John 20:29, Jesus says, “…blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”. We may think that by seeing Christ, all our problems will be solved, and it will help us believe in Him. But that’s not the case. Hearing the Word of God is what will strengthen our faith. When we struggle with our faith, the solution is to open our Bibles. The Gospel according to John was written so that “you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31). We can believe because we have the Gospel. There is no reason for us to look anywhere else or to anyone else. Our faith strengthens through hearing the Word. And those of us who hear and believe will certainly be blessed.

PRAYER Lord, help me to believe in You by hearing Your Word.    Thought for the day “God speaks to me not through the thunder and the earthquake, nor through the ocean and the stars, but through the Son of Man, and speaks in a language adapted to my imperfect sight and hearing” ~ William Lyon Phelps

Christine Thomas St. John’s Marthoma Church, NY