Poor Thomas. Doubting Thomas. All the others saw Jesus and believed. But Thomas needed to see for himself. Maybe it was doubt. Or maybe it was just so hard to believe. Wanting to believe, but so difficult. Then Jesus showed up. Thomas saw, touched, and believed. He got the proof.

Then John reminds those of us to come that we are blessed because we believe even though we have not seen. This story is used by lots of preachers every Easter. Always has been. We are special because we cannot see the risen Jesus so we have to have even more faith to believe.

I have not seen the risen Lord face-to-face, at least not yet. But that is not to say I haven’t seen the proof of his resurrection. Because I have. And I believe.

When Paul writes to the Christians in Rome, he reminds them about the truth of their baptism. One of those truths is the resurrection. We are raised to new life in our baptism, which Paul compares to when Christ was raised from the dead by the glory and power of God. New life begins. The old body of sin is destroyed by grace, forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit. We live according to the Spirit and not by the desires of our body.

So I have seen that evidence of the power of a resurrected life. Just as when Christ was raised from the dead.

In the life of a believer who fought the demons of pornography and defeated them.

The gossip who now speaks affirmation and encouragement.

The one battling same sex-attraction who is now sexually sober for years.

The adulterer who is now pure.

The greedy businessman who now generously gives his money to ministries and the needy.

The angry and violent believer who is now full of joy, smiles, and hugs.

And on and on it goes.

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead has raised us to new life. And we are changing, becoming righteous by that power.

Living proof of the resurrection.

I see it every day in my life and in the lives of my community of faith.

It is real. He is risen. And I see that every day.

Use that proof to help others believe.