Jesus' disciples were quick to blame Judas. Maybe that took some pressure off themselves for their own feelings of betrayal. After all, the easiest way not to deal with one’s own problems is to project them onto others.
Jesus pictured concentric circles. First, the disciples were to be witnesses to Jerusalem. Then the adjoining region. Finally, the ends of the earth. That remains the model for Christians. Our witness needs to start with our own families. Our witness needs to start with little things.
Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on his disciples, and tells them to forgive sins with his authority. This action is a second creation, an early Pentecost, a commissioning for ministry. Their business is to be forgiveness. The prototype for their work is to be the forgiveness he has given them.
The disciples' behavior is utterly different from what it was before. With Jesus in the tomb, they were scattered, demoralized, unable to pray. Now three things characterize them. (1) They stay together. (2) They pray. (3) They wait.
Do you like to work crossword puzzles? If so, here's an easy one: What's a six-letter word beginning with the letter, T, whose clue is, "doubter?" Piece of cake, huh? It's Thomas, of course, the "Doubting Thomas" of the New Testament.
Faith isn’t knowing for sure that something will happen – Faith is really just the opposite! Faith is Not Knowing that something will happen – It’s not being sure at all - but going ahead and taking that step anyway.
We wait, the first disciples wait, all people wait in a variety of ways. Could it be also that God waits? God waits during countless billions of years to establish, on this tiny pinprick of a planet, the environment capable of sustaining life, ourselves included.
The conductor said, “Dr. Einstein, don’t worry. I know who you are. You don’t need a ticket.” Einstein arose and said “Young man, I too know who I am; what I don’t know is where I am going.” The good news of Easter is that we know where we are going.
here is the Good News. God would rather we were honest with our doubts than pretend we don’t have them. He doesn’t want a shallow response from us. He wants our minds as well as our hearts. He wants us to wrestle with our faith. He knows that’s what makes faith stronger.
Often we compartmentalize people. We designate some as living, others as dead. Some as good, others as bad. Some as believers, others as skeptics. But what matters is not as simple as "Do you believe or do you doubt?" The quality of doubt or belief must be considered.