When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we make one of the biggest commitments a person can make — a decision that affects us for eternity. But unlike other commitments we make, God doesn’t ask us to trust Him blindly. He gives us evidence. This Easter, Pastor Josh White walks through one of the most compelling accounts in Scripture: the story of Doubting Thomas, and why the resurrection of Jesus is the best-documented fact in ancient history.
The Tomb Was Empty
Imagine trying to convince someone that a dead man came back to life. Where would you start? The most stubborn skeptic might say, “Show me the empty tomb.” God already did that — and He did it in spite of Roman guards.
After Jesus was crucified, the religious leaders remembered His promise to rise again on the third day. Matthew 27 tells us they went to Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore, order the tomb to be made secure until the third day” (v. 63-64). Pilate sent soldiers to seal the tomb and stand guard. And yet, when Mary and the disciples came on Sunday morning, the tomb was empty.
John records what happened when Peter and John investigated for themselves: “The other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in and he saw and believed” (John 20:8). The graveclothes were still there — folded neatly — but the body was gone. Jesus had predicted this. The evidence was already there. Thomas heard all of this from his friends and still refused to believe.
The Disciples Saw Jesus
That same Sunday evening, Jesus appeared to ten of the eleven disciples. He stood among them, showed them His wounded hands and His pierced side, and said, “Peace be with you” (John 20:21). The disciples were overjoyed — but Thomas wasn’t there that night.
When they told Thomas what happened, he responded with one of the most famous statements of skepticism in the Bible: “Unless I see in his hands the marks of the nails, place my finger into the marks of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25).
Why was Thomas so stubborn? He had watched Jesus die. He had seen Him arrested, beaten, nailed to a cross. He had seen the spear enter Jesus’ side. For Thomas, a dead man staying dead was the only logical outcome — no matter how much he wanted it to be otherwise.
Thomas Saw Jesus — and Believed
Eight days later, Jesus came back. This time Thomas was with the disciples. And this time, Jesus didn’t wait for Thomas to demand proof — He offered it: “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe” (John 20:27).
Thomas’s response? “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). One week of doubt ended in worship. And Jesus turned Thomas’s skepticism into a gift: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Thomas became one of the strongest witnesses to the resurrection — not because he believed easily, but because he believed only after seeing the evidence for himself.
The Changed Lives and Deaths of the Disciples
There’s one more piece of evidence that most people overlook. Twelve men claimed to have seen the resurrected Jesus. Then they spent the rest of their lives proclaiming this message — and most of them died for it.
Pastor Josh shared a quote from Chuck Coulson, an attorney who worked for President Nixon: “I know the resurrection is a fact. Because 12 men testified that they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one of them was beaten, tortured, stoned, and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren’t true.”
Would you die for a lie? Would you let yourself be tortured and killed for something you knew was false? The disciples didn’t. They saw something that changed them — and nothing could stop them from telling the world about it.
The Firstfruits of the Resurrection
Why does any of this matter? Because the resurrection is not just an interesting historical fact — it’s the foundation of the gospel. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:20: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Jesus’ resurrection is the guarantee that everyone who puts their faith in Him will also be raised to new life.
The resurrection proves that Jesus has power over death. It proves that God accepts Christ’s sacrifice as full payment for sin. And it proves that those who trust in Jesus have the hope of eternal life.
What Do You Believe?
Romans 10:9-10 lays out the simple, profound response to all of this evidence: “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
Pastor Josh closed the message by inviting everyone who has never placed their faith in Jesus to do so right then. If you’ve never trusted Christ as your Savior — if you’ve never believed that He died for your sins and rose again — today is the day. The evidence is there. The door is open. And the God who raised Jesus from the dead is inviting you into eternal life.
“What you believe about the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important thing you can believe.” — Pastor Josh White
If you prayed that prayer for the first time today, don’t leave without telling someone. Contact us — we would love to celebrate with you and help you take your next steps as a new believer in Jesus Christ.