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                But there is a well-known story in the Bible that takes place after Jesus’s death and resurrection in which His disciples were at one point “overjoyed,” but it seems that was not enough to conquer their fear and doubt. The story is the one we refer to as “Doubting Thomas.” On the evening of the day Jesus rose from the dead, most of His disciples were together in a locked room. The doors were locked because they were afraid the Jews would find them and take them away as they did Jesus. But that night, Jesus came in the room and showed them His hands and side, which filled the disciples with joy. Their teacher was alive!

                But the next week, the disciples were again gathered together in a locked room, apparently still afraid. This time Thomas was with them. He got his nickname because when the disciples who had been at the first meeting told him that they had seen Jesus, Thomas, perhaps thinking they had seen a ghost, said he would not believe until he put his finger where the nails were and his hand into Jesus’s side.

                As you probably know, Jesus again came into the locked room, told them to be at peace, and then spoke directly to Thomas: Put your finger in My hands and your hand in My side. Stop doubting and believe.

He Got It

Thomas no longer needed to touch Jesus. He immediately said, My Lord and my God! Yes, their teacher was no longer dead, but now the disciples, at least Thomas, saw that Jesus was not just a teacher, their rabbi, but God Himself. He was known as a doubter, but he was apparently the first person to understand that Jesus was deity. He was God.

The disciples had thought Jesus was bringing the kingdom, but He had been killed instead. Now they had seen the risen Jesus – they had joy but not hope. They were confused and scared. They had seen Him alive again, but He still wasn’t challenging the Romans. Who was this man they had followed for years? Did His resurrection make any difference to them?

But Doubting Thomas got it. Jesus was God, and that changed things. The disciples no longer needed to be afraid of the Jews or anyone else. In just a few weeks, instead of hiding in a locked room, they were all speaking in public to thousands, preaching to the very people who had killed Jesus. Almost all the apostles would eventually be beaten, jailed, and murdered for the name of Jesus. Back in the locked room, Jesus replied to Thomas, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. That’s us, you and me. We’re blessed because we have the joy and the hope. We would have doubted too, but we have the Bible which put it all together for us and the Spirit, whom Jesus sent when He returned to the Father. Knowing who Jesus is and that we will be resurrected too, changes us. We no longer need to hide in a locked room but can live and speak without fear, with joy and hope, just as the disciples did.

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Why do we care?

Why do we care so much? It is estimated that Americans will bet about $15.5 billion on this year’s NCAA tournament (right there is your madness). We care with our money. And we care with our time. Many of us will be checking scores during the day and staying up late watching games at night. None of us have a chance of actually participating in these games. It’s been a long time since most of us were twenty. Or tall. Or athletic…. So what gets us so involved?

Unity

I’m sure there are many reasons, but let’s talk about two. I think one reason is that we feel involved. We feel like we are a part of the games, and we feel like we are participating with other fans even if it is only through the television or our phone. Remember how dreary it was to watch the Olympics during Covid with no fans in the stands? A sense of unity and togetherness is important for us not just for how we feel, but for how much we care about something. If this were a March Madness devotional, I might mention here that perhaps the Bible, in telling the body of Christ to work together in unity, is on to something.

Hope

A second reason we care so much is because of the power of hope. We know how strong hope is. We hope for all kinds of things. A better job, better health, better relationships. And at this time of the year, we hold out hope that the other team will lose and our team will win, even if we are a fifteen-point underdog. And if not this year, then next. We long for, we hope for, something that sometime might happen. I understand there are still Cleveland Browns fans.

But because many of you will be disappointed again this year when your team doesn’t win, I want to leave you with a bit of real hope. The Bible speaks of a sure hope, a real hope based not on something that might happen, but something that did happen. Jesus Christ has already made it possible, by His death and resurrection, for us to know and have a relationship with God, to have our sins forgiven, and to spend eternity with Him.

If your team wins this year, celebrate and enjoy the happiness that brings, but even more, remember to rejoice in the victory won by Jesus for you.

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
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