As a boy I played a lot of soccer. I found it to be a sport that I could excel. As each year went by I got better and better and was soon the top scorer. During the middle school years I was selected to play on our city team and it seemed there was nothing I couldn’t do on the soccer field. But soccer wasn’t my only interest and by the time high school rolled I did other things. I didn’t touch a soccer ball again until I was in college. I remember it well. Our dorm was recruiting soccer players for an intramural soccer league. It sounded like fun. I was quick to tell everyone about my glory days as a player and nearly guaranteed lots of wins. I would soon earn a reputation with my soccer prowess. And I certainly did. The first day we took the field for practice I ran out to kick a ball to a teammate and nearly tripped over it as it went flying off in the other direction. “That’s a good first impression” I thought as I laughed at myself. But when I tried again the same thing happened. As the practice went on, every attempt to kick the ball turned into a disaster! All my bragging came back to bite me…bad.

Over the next few days I tried to figure out what had happened. Then it dawned on me. The last time I played soccer I was only 5 feet tall. My center of gravity had drastically changed and I was experiencing its impact.

When we consider the historical event of the bodily resurrection of Jesus, we’re considering an event that radically alters one’s perspective on everything else, a bit like having your center of gravity changed on you. It is a big adjustment – a radical shift. We should expect it to be difficult at times to go from disbelieving the resurrection to believing it. This is what Thomas was experiencing in our passage this morning and often the struggle shows itself in the form of doubt. What are we to make of this doubt?

As we look into this passage we find that Jesus addresses our doubts so that we might believe.

Study Guide

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