The Faith to Believe
Second Sunday of Easter
04/12/2026
David Carter TRE
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is evidence of things we cannot see.”
As I was putting this sermon together, that verse kept coming to me time and again. This scripture is surrounded in faith, believing in things we cannot see.
We begin our reading at verse 19; but if we just drop back a few verses we find Mary Magdalene not only had told the disciples that Jesus’ body was not in the tomb. Which led to Peter and the “other disciple” go to the tomb to confirm her story. She also announced to the disciples that she had seen the living Lord later in the day.
Our scripture opens on the evening of Jesus’ resurrection. Ten of the disciples were gathered in the upper room, the same room where the twelve shared the Last Supper with Jesus. Thomas and Judas were the two missing. All the others were there behind locked doors, fearful for how the Jewish leaders, who had arranged the plot to kill Jesus, may respond to these men who were his followers. Many of the authorities were looking for them, possibly to imprison or kill them.
I also wonder if the disciples were worried that Jesus may have been upset with their actions; they had failed Him. Judas had betrayed Him, Peter denied Him three times. They all deserted Him at the cross; except for “the disciple who Jesus loved”. And soon Thomas will doubt His resurrection.
There was one disciple at the crucifixion and he had taken Mary, Jesus’ mother home. History accepts this disciple was the Apostle John. “He was the disciple Jesus loved” and “the other disciple” that went to the tomb with Peter.
Then we learn that Jesus was standing with them in the room, no doors or windows were unlocked or opened. He just appeared. C.S. Lewis writes that Jesus is not a ghost that can travel through walls; he is more like a mist or vapor that can travel through space and time. Once Jesus was with the disciples, he offered Shalom to all who were there; he says, “Peace be with you.” Israel had been waiting and asking for generations for the Chosen one. The one that would bring Shalom; bring peace and order; the resurrected Christ. Here He was. He did not knock on the locked doors, he just appeared amongst them. Jesus arrived not in disappointment or anger, but with love and peace. Jesus follows this by displaying his hands, with the nail marks and his side where the sword had pierced him. The wounds of Jesus are held up by the Church as proof that He is the risen Christ and offers grace to all who have sinned. The ten who were there began rejoicing in the presence of Jesus Christ. He then repeats, “Peace be with you.” He then blesses the group with the words, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” There sending the disciples out into the entire world to continue the mission of revealing God to everyone. This would have been when I worried. Jesus’ journey of healing, teaching, and preaching ended with his crucifixion. Is this the same journey the disciples are being sent on; one that ends in death? The blessing is completed by Jesus breathing the Holy Spirit over and into the disciples. This is where the disciples would have gained a heavenly perspective in their healing and witnessing, no longer looking at the world just through an earthly view.
Lastly, Jesus tells his disciples, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if they retain the sins of any, they are retained.” The disciples are not to determine who receives forgiveness or not; plainly those who accept Jesus and bring Him into their hearts are forgiven. The others who fail to accept will retain their sins forever.
We are never told why Thomas wasn’t in the upper room with the other disciples. I believe he was not as concerned about his safety; his faith removed the fear and concern. When Thomas does arrive later the disciples joyfully tell him they have seen the risen Lord. But Thomas doubts the existence of Jesus’ return. He even lets the disciples know that until he puts his finger in the nail holes and his hand in the pierced side he will not believe of the resurrection.
So on the following Sunday evening, the disciples are still in the upper room. This time Thomas has joined them, and Jesus appears. Again His first words are “Peace be with you.” Jesus then goes to Thomas and says put your finger in my hands and your hand in my pierced side. “Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered, “My Lord and my God!” He did not need to touch Jesus’ wounds; he just needed to see his Lord. Thomas immediately believed in the resurrection and recognized Jesus Christ. Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Here is where we need to look again at the “doubting Thomas” tag. Thomas never doubted Jesus; he doubted that the disciples had seen the risen Lord. Just as when Mary and the other ladies told the disciples Jesus was not in the tomb; which led to Peter and the “other disciple” (John) go to the tomb to confirm her story.
As I was studying the two scriptures for this week, I kept asking myself if the disciples had truly listened to the prophets’ and Jesus’ teachings. They seem to have forgotten about the death followed by resurrection. Their faith should have been strong and they should have known Jesus would return. It was brought up in our Generations class that maybe they did not believe there would be an actual death. It may have been some type of metaphorical death. You can find the same story in both of today’s readings, and all the disciples should have been familiar with the Psalm passage. This scripture would have been taught and studied by them all.
Psalm 16:10 declares, “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see the Pit.” Sheol is the grave or the underworld of the dead. This is directly fulfilled in John 20, where Jesus appears alive after passing through death.
Psalm 16:11 ends with the promise of “pleasures forever”. John 20:31 echoes this by stating the Gospel was written so that readers may “believe that Jesus is the Messiah… and that through believing you may have life in His name”.
I return to Hebrew 11:1, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is evidence of things we cannot see.”
I pray none of us lose our faith or belief. What is our natural response when we feel anxious or threatened, or just feel that we are alone? The disciples locked the doors, dimmed the lights, and sat in silence.
We cannot stop Jesus from being with us no matter what the barriers are; locked doors and windows, fear of what happens tomorrow, loss of those we love. He came to the disciples in the middle of all their pain, their fear, and their unknown. Jesus is always with us bringing the love and peace in Shalom.
Amen.