“Doubt or Peace?
John 20: 19-31
Pastor Deb Troester, STHPC, April 12, 2026
Shortly after the Resurrection of Christ, the disciples were meeting on Zoom, because they were afraid to go out of their houses. All the disciples were there on the Zoom call when an unknown caller joined them. They could not see who it was. Suddenly, in the blank square, the name “Jesus” appeared! “Jesus,” the disciples exclaimed, “Is that really you on our Zoom call?” “Yes,” answered the voice. “Peace be with you.” “Oh, Lord, it is so good to have you back with us,” said Peter. But then Thomas spoke up, “I won’t believe it’s Jesus until he turns on his camera!”
We tend to think of Jesus’ disciples as a homogenous group – the disciples did this, the disciples did that. But if we read the gospels carefully, we can see that each disciple had their own personality. Peter was brave and impulsive, John was known as “the beloved disciple,” and James was always there whenever anything important happened. Thomas was the practical one, the down-to-earth one.
When Jesus said to the disciples that they were going to Jerusalem, knowing that the religious leaders there were plotting how have him executed, Thomas said, “Let us go with him, that we may die with him.” Even though Jesus had often announced that he would be put to death, the other disciples did not understand what he was trying to tell them (Luke 18:31-34). Peter even rebuked Jesus, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But Thomas seemed to hear Jesus loud and clear – to him it seemed obvious what was going to happen if Jesus kept on doing the things he was doing and preaching the things he was preaching – that eventually he would run afoul of the authorities and he would pay the price.
When Jesus spoke of his impending death, saying, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. You know the way to the place where I am going,” Thomas replied, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
Nowadays we might say that he was the logical, concrete thinker – the Spock of the disciples, to Peter’s Captain Kirk, for those of you who are Star Trek fans. Some would say that like many in our modern era, Thomas was a hard-headed realist.
Thomas was also a bit of a skeptic. He came to be known as “doubting Thomas” because he did not believe Jesus had risen from the dead, until he finally saw Jesus with his own eyes and touched him with his own hands. People of faith tend to view doubt as a bad thing, perhaps even a sin. Yet, Jesus never scolded Thomas. He did not shame him or make him feel bad because of his doubts. He did not condemn him for lack of faith.
Instead, Jesus invites Thomas to come closer, to touch him, and see for himself if it’s really him. Jesus does not drive away the doubter, but rather draws him in. In this scene from John’s gospel, Thomas is portrayed as one who, despite his doubts, is nevertheless seeking the truth. Remember that Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).
Of course, we each have our own perspective on life, but just because we all have a different point of view doesn’t mean that there is no objective truth at all.
At the same time, it’s not good to believe everything you see, hear, or read. We live in a time when even photos and videos can be faked. (Joe’s discussion group is going to talk about this next week, and how Christians might respond.) So a bit of doubt and skepticism can be useful: If something seems too good to be true, or just too weird, or fishy, try to verify it before you just accept it as real – it may keep you from getting scammed. If it’s a news article that seems off, ask yourself, “Who will benefit or who will make money if people believe this?”
Like King Solomon, we need to pray for wisdom and discernment, in our everyday lives, and in spiritual matters as well. In 1 Kings 3, as a young king, Solomon prays: “Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil…” Doubt can help us discern between right and wrong, what is false, and what is true, by not accepting everything at face value, but rather by motivating us to look a bit deeper, beyond the surface.
Nearly a thousand years ago philosopher and theologian Peter Abelard wrote, “By doubting we come to inquiry, by inquiry we come to truth.” His contemporary, Bishop Anselm, coined the idea that theology is “faith seeking understanding,” which later became a popular Presbyterian byword. We believe that faith is not opposed to reason, but rather invites us to use our minds. We do not have to leave our brains at the door when we step into the church.
When John wrote his gospel he realized that some people might need tangible proof of Christ’s divinity and his resurrection. John concludes this chapter with the words, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” John was a witness to the resurrection and to Jesus’ ministry.
He wrote down the most important things that Jesus said and did so that they would not be forgotten. One reason we have four Gospels is so that we have the witness of more than one person to the life and teachings of Jesus. Just as in a court of law, witnesses matter. When the gospels were written, there were still people living who could have challenged their contents, yet these accounts were accepted as true by the early church.
Of course, reading eyewitness testimony is not the same as having scientific proof, but then if we could prove 100% that God exists and that God raised Jesus from the dead, there would be no room for faith. God wants us to be free to choose to believe, not to be forced to believe.
But what about peace? Can we have peace as long as there is any doubt in our hearts? Let’s think about what kind of peace Jesus offers. When Jesus enters the room where the disciples have gathered behind locked doors, out of fear, he greets them with the words, “Peace be with you.” How can they be at peace when Roman guards might come and arrest them at any moment? This kind of peace is not necessarily an absence of all conflict.
When Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” or “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you,” he is talking about inner peace: the assurance that God has everything under control. That is the essence of faith. We may see the storms raging around us, but if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we will not drown. Remember how Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Christ? “When he noticed the strong wind,” is when he began to sink. He took his eyes off of Jesus.
I do not understand how Jesus walked on water. I can’t explain the resurrection either, but I believe that God is in control, that God cares for each of us and wants what is best for us. That kind of faith can bring peace even in challenging times.
But what if we still have doubts? God can handle our doubt. It is better to be honest with God than to pretend we believe. The Psalms are full of honest expressions of doubt and even anger toward God. For example, David wrote in Psalm 13:
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
God did not condemn David for writing these words; neither will God condemn us for our honest questions and doubts.
College Chaplain, Maggie Alsup, recently wrote in Presbyterian Outlook, “The good news of the resurrection is this: the story of Easter joy does not exist apart from the sorrow and pain of Good Friday and Holy Saturday. As people of Easter, we do not deny suffering — we carry it alongside hope. …Even when life does not make sense. Even when questions remain. Even when grief lingers. I am still comforted.”
To all the disciples, even the one who doubted, Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” And he still says it to us today. Peace be with you.
I will close with a prayer from Howard Thurman, African American author, philosopher, minister, theologian, and civil rights leader. Let us pray:
“…[T]he need of my heart is for room for Peace: Peace of mind that inspires singleness of purpose; Peace of heart that quiets all fears and uproots all panic;
Peace of spirit that filters through all confusions and robs them of their power. These I seek now. I know that here in this quietness my life can be infused with Peace. Therefore, before God, I seek the enlargement of my heart at this moment, that there may be room for peace.” And I will add, even in the midst of doubt.
Amen.
Sermon @Deborah Troester, 2026