Text: John 20:19–29
Topic: Dealing with doubt

• The heartbeat of the message of the church—"He is risen"—is translated from the Greek word egeirō.
• What does egeirō mean to us two thousand years later?
• If Jesus isn't risen, we're just kidding ourselves; we're essentially playing church.
• If Jesus is risen from the dead, we have the possibility of new birth and a living hope.
• But there's a difference between believing that Jesus was raised from the grave and believing that it applies to your life.

• Sometimes even the most committed Christ-followers deal with doubts.
• In the Greek, Thomas's words in John 20:25 read, "Unless I can touch him and see him for myself, I refuse to believe that he's risen."
• The resurrection would change Thomas's life, so he had to know for himself.
• Asking sincere questions is never wrong; the road to real faith often starts with doubts.

• As we seek God, he will let us get to know him in a new way.
  • Illustration: As a freshman in high school, Groeschel asked God to prove himself by moving two twigs; God didn't do it.
• In John 20:26–27, Jesus gives Thomas exactly what he needs in order to believe.
  • Illustration: As a sophomore in college, Groeschel was lost in every sin imaginable until he met God in a radical way.

• In John 20:28, Thomas gets what he needs, and commits his whole life to Jesus.
  • Illustration: Thomas was the great evangelizer of India and died a martyr.
  • Illustration: In seminary Groeschel wrestled with doubt again, until a young man told him, "Either we believe God, or we're just playing church."

• Being a disciple of Christ is not just praying some kind of "fire insurance" prayer; it's following him and making him the Lord of your life.
• If the Resurrection is true, it demands our whole life.

For the full text of this sermon, go to "Doubters Anonymous."