The Commission

Why was Thomas so hard to convince?

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 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." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. - John 20:19-31

We like to think that Thomas needed to see for himself to believe in Jesus, and that is how John plays out the story, but I wonder if there is more to it than that.

Jesus appeared and gave them a commission.  "As the Father has sent me, so I send you."

Don't you think Thomas wanted to get that marching order from Jesus himself, rather than hear it second hand?  

As it turns out, Thomas was so inspired when he did see Jesus, he bowed down and worshiped him.  He didn't need to be told what to do.

Thomas would be able to inspire many to come to Jesus, just from having experienced what he did in his presence.

That is our mission as believers, to inspire belief in others, through our actions, yes, but also through of words.

When we live the Gospel, and share its meaning with others, we invite them along.  We don't set out to convert them, but to inform them.

Let the world know about Jesus, and show them the marks in his hands, through our works and wounds, and they will believe.

It is a tall order, but what is more important than that?

More to come...