“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” — Revelation 1:7
Have you ever found yourself standing at the intersection of doubt and faith? Perhaps in a moment when what you believe collides with what you see—or don’t see? You’re not alone. Two thousand years ago, a disciple named Thomas stood at that same crossroads, his heart torn between what his friends proclaimed and what his eyes demanded to witness. Today, we journey through Scripture passages that take us from locked rooms of fear to boundless expressions of praise, from skeptical hearts to bold proclamations. This is the path of encountering the risen Lord—a journey that transforms ordinary followers into extraordinary witnesses.
The Courage to Witness (Acts 5:27-32)
Picture the scene: the apostles standing before the council, religious authorities glaring at them with indignation. “Did we not straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name?” These men had been threatened, imprisoned, and yet here they stand again, seemingly unable to contain what they’ve experienced. What compels such courage? Not political ideology or personal gain, but an encounter with something—Someone—who transcended death itself.
Peter’s response rings with shocking boldness: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” This was not abstract theology but lived reality. They had touched the wounds, eaten with the risen Christ, and received His Spirit. The God who raised Jesus had transformed these once-fearful disciples into people who could not help but speak of what they had seen and heard, even at the risk of their own lives.
The Exuberant Response (Psalm 150)
What is the appropriate response to such an encounter? Psalm 150 gives us our answer—unreserved, unbridled praise. “Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet… with the psaltery and harp… with the timbrel and dance… with stringed instruments and organs… upon the loud cymbals… upon the high sounding cymbals.” This is not polite, measured appreciation but an all-consuming, full-bodied explosion of worship.
Notice the all-encompassing nature of this praise—every instrument, every breath, every dimension of human expression directed toward God. When we truly glimpse who God is and what He has done, the only reasonable response is to hold nothing back. The resurrection doesn’t just invite quiet reflection; it demands jubilant celebration.
The Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:4-8)
The scope widens further in Revelation, where we see Jesus not just as a historical figure who conquered death, but as the cosmic Christ—”the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.” John shows us Jesus in His full majesty: “the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.”
This Jesus is not just a personal savior but the center of all history, the one “which is, and which was, and which is to come.” The humble carpenter who showed His wounds to Thomas is simultaneously the Almighty who holds all time in His hands. This startling juxtaposition of intimacy and transcendence defines our relationship with Christ—we know personally the One who reigns universally.
The Transforming Encounter (John 20:19-31)
Back in that locked room, fear permeated the air. The disciples huddled together, windows shuttered, voices hushed. Then—impossibly, miraculously—Jesus stood among them. “Peace be unto you,” He said, showing them His hands and side. Those wounds, meant to be symbols of defeat, had become emblems of victory.
Thomas missed this moment, and his absence created space for doubt. “Except I shall see… I will not believe.” His skepticism wasn’t cynicism but honesty—the kind that God meets not with rebuke but with revelation. When Jesus appeared again, He invited Thomas into His wounds: “Reach hither thy finger… thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”
Thomas’s response transcends mere intellectual assent: “My Lord and my God!” From questioning to worship in a single moment. And then Jesus speaks to us across the centuries: “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Faith isn’t the absence of questions but the presence of trust even amid them.
Conclusion
From the apostles’ bold witness to Thomas’s profound confession, from the psalmist’s exuberant praise to John’s cosmic vision—these passages weave together the story of encountering the risen Lord. It’s a story of transformation, where locked doors cannot keep Christ out and locked hearts cannot remain unchanged when He enters. It’s a journey from doubt to devotion, from fear to courage, from confusion to clarity.
This resurrection reality isn’t just history—it’s our present invitation. Like Thomas, we’re called to touch the wounds. Like the apostles, we’re empowered to bear witness. Like the psalmist, we’re invited to hold nothing back in praise. And like John, we’re given a vision of Jesus that transcends our immediate circumstances, assuring us that the One who conquered death is indeed the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of our story.
Points to Ponder
- Where do you find yourself on the journey from doubt to devotion? What questions are you wrestling with, and what certainties anchor your faith?
- How might your witness look different if you truly believed you had encountered the risen Lord?
- In what ways does your worship reflect the all-encompassing praise described in Psalm 150? Are there dimensions of praise you’ve yet to explore?
- Consider Thomas’s confession: “My Lord and my God.” What would change in your life if this declaration became your daily reality?
- How does the cosmic vision of Christ as “Alpha and Omega” inform your view of current circumstances and challenges?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You who stand in the midst of our fears offering peace, who invite skeptical fingers into Your wounds, who receive the highest praise, and who reign as Alpha and Omega—we come to You today as we are. Meet our doubts with Your patient presence. Transform our hesitant hearts into bold witnesses. Teach us to praise with abandonment. Open our eyes to see You not just as a historical figure but as the living Lord who holds all things in Your hands. May we, like Thomas, fall before You in worship, declaring, “My Lord and my God!” And may our lives bear witness to Your resurrection power. In Your matchless name we pray, Amen.
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” — John 20:31
Josh Cehulik 