Episode 1195
What If Your Doubt Is Actually What Keeps You in the Room? (John 20:19-31)
This episode elucidates the profound theological implications of doubt as exemplified through the figure of Thomas in the Gospel of John. Rather than receiving admonishment for his skepticism, Thomas is presented with an invitation to explore his doubts intimately, thus highlighting a significant aspect of faith: that honest inquiry is not a detriment but a pathway to deeper understanding. The narrative emphasizes that the presence of Jesus transcends the barriers of fear and uncertainty, manifesting even in the most locked and guarded spaces of our lives. Furthermore, the discussion invites listeners to reflect on their own locked doors—be they emotional or spiritual—and encourages them to articulate their doubts as a means of fostering authentic encounters with faith. Ultimately, we are reminded that peace is the first response to our struggles, as we navigate the complexities of belief and understanding through community and open dialogue.
Takeaways:
- In the podcast, we explore the progressive interpretation of biblical texts and their relevance today.
- Thomas's experience illustrates that doubt is met with invitation rather than punishment in faith.
- The notion that Jesus walked through locked doors symbolizes the overcoming of barriers in our lives.
- The act of expressing honest doubt can lead to profound spiritual encounters and understanding.
Links referenced in this episode:
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).
He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.
Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.
He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)
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- Understandable: A reading from the New Testament (usually the Gospel) selected from the Revised Common Lectionary using "The Message" translation.
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- A prayer for your day.
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Transcript
Hello my friend Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:This is your daily reading of the Bible from a progressive point of view.
Speaker A:In a bit I will read the New Testament lessons selected from the Revised Common Lectionary for this very day.
Speaker A:The reading is understandable.
Speaker A:I use the Message version relatable.
Speaker A:Please listen to the points to ponder and applicable with action steps you can take.
Speaker A:We pray and are done in less than 10 minutes.
Speaker A:It's all brought to you by voiceofgoddaily.com which is the home of your free personal Bible Study Guide, the ABC1, 23 Bible Study Method.
Speaker A: lionaires a million people by: Speaker A:You can help by saving and subscribing to the podcast and tagging your friends.
Speaker A:Here's today's reading.
Speaker B: Today from the Gospel of John: Speaker B:Jesus entered, stood among them and said, peace be to you.
Speaker B:Then he showed them his hands and his side.
Speaker B:The disciples, seeing the Master with his own eyes, were awestruck.
Speaker B:And Jesus repeated this greeting, peace to you.
Speaker B:Just as the Father sent me, I send you.
Speaker B:They took a deep breath and breathed into them.
Speaker B:Receive the Holy Spirit, he said.
Speaker B:If you forgive someone's sins, they're going for good.
Speaker B:If you don't forgive sins, they're going to do what are you going to do with with them.
Speaker B:But Thomas, sometimes called the twin, one of the 12, was not with him when Jesus came.
Speaker B:The other disciples told him, we saw the Master.
Speaker B:But he said, unless I see the nail holes in his hands and put my finger in the nail holes and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it.
Speaker B:Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room.
Speaker B:This time Thomas was with them and Jesus came through the locked door, stood among them and said, peace to you.
Speaker B:Then he focused his attention on Thomas.
Speaker B:Take your finger and examine my hands.
Speaker B:Take your hand and stick it in my side.
Speaker B:Don't be unbelieving.
Speaker B:Believe.
Speaker B:Thomas said, my Master, my God.
Speaker B:And Jesus said, so you believe because you've seen with your own eyes.
Speaker B:Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.
Speaker B:Jesus provided far more God revealing signs than are written down in this book.
Speaker B:These are the written ones so you can believe that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God and the act of believing have real and eternal life and the way he personally revealed It.
Speaker B:Well, great.
Speaker B:That ends the reading of this passage.
Speaker B:A couple things I really want you to sit with today.
Speaker B:I like to call them points to ponder.
Speaker B:First one is this.
Speaker B:Thomas didn't get punished for his doubt.
Speaker B:He got an invitation.
Speaker B:Poor Thomas.
Speaker B:He gets a bad rap, doesn't he?
Speaker B:For centuries, the church has handed this man a nickname he never asked for doubting Thomas, as if doubt was a wisp, was the worst thing a person can bring to their faith.
Speaker B:But look what actually happens in the text.
Speaker B:Thomas says, I need evidence.
Speaker B:I need to see this for myself.
Speaker B:And Jesus doesn't show up eight days later with a lecture.
Speaker B:He doesn't sideline Thomas or revoke his disciple credentials.
Speaker B:He shows up and says, here, Thomas, look, touch.
Speaker B:Take all the time you need.
Speaker B:So from a progressive theological standpoint, that matters enormously.
Speaker B:So much of religious culture treats doubt as spiritual failure, something to suppress, confess, or to quickly move past.
Speaker B:But this text suggests something entirely different.
Speaker B:Doubt, honesty expressed, is actually the thing that keeps you in the room.
Speaker B:Thomas didn't walk away.
Speaker B:He stayed.
Speaker B:He stayed with his questions in community.
Speaker B:And that's exactly where encounter happened.
Speaker B:On my cancer related podcast, I talk to people regularly who are sitting with some version of what Thomas experienced.
Speaker B:They kind of look at their circumstances and say, I'm not sure I can believe what everyone else seems to believe right now.
Speaker B:And I always want to tell them, stay in the room.
Speaker B:Bring all of it, the doubt and everything.
Speaker B:You are an excellent company.
Speaker B:Point upon our number two.
Speaker B:Jesus walked through locked doors twice.
Speaker B:Detail I really like.
Speaker B:I like here.
Speaker B:I love this detail.
Speaker B:The disciples are huddled behind locked doors out of fear, you know, And Jesus just walks right through.
Speaker B:No knock, no key, no presence.
Speaker B:He just there in the middle of their lockdown.
Speaker B:And then he does it again eight days later.
Speaker B:Same locked room, apparently.
Speaker B:Same frightened people, same unhurried exist entrance.
Speaker B:And a progressive reading of this asks, what are the locked doors in our own lives?
Speaker B:Fear, grief, cynicism, exhaustion, old wounds.
Speaker B:These are locked doors.
Speaker B:The theological claim here is that none of these locks are actually a barrier to grace.
Speaker B:Not one.
Speaker B:Jesus gets through the locked doors of our lives.
Speaker B:My wife and I have been married for 34 years.
Speaker B:We got three great kids, a couple wonderful granddaughters.
Speaker B:They all make every day better.
Speaker B:I'll tell you from lived experience.
Speaker B:The moments where love showed up most powerfully were never the easy open door moments.
Speaker B:They were the hard seasons, the times we didn't know what came next.
Speaker B:And that's where presence does its deepest work.
Speaker B:And notice what Jesus says both times he walks through those locked doors.
Speaker B:Not hey, what's wrong with you guys.
Speaker A:Now you should have been braver.
Speaker B:Just this Peace be with you.
Speaker B:Peace first, always.
Speaker B:Wonderful.
Speaker B:Here's your action Step Identify one honest doubt or question about your faith that you've been keeping locked up.
Speaker B:Maybe of embarrassment or fear of judgment or just because it feels too complicated to say out loud this week.
Speaker B:Say it out loud, write it in a journal, share it with a trusted friend, or just say it to yourself when you're driving in your car.
Speaker B:Honest doubt brought into the open as a way of becoming the very doorway where something real walks in.
Speaker B:We'll come back and have a prayer here just a moment, but did want you to know that we have a great resource for you for your home Bible study.
Speaker B:It's called the ABC123 Bible Study Method.
Speaker B:Head on over to our website voiceofgoddaily.com that's where you can pick it up for free.
Speaker B:Let's pray God meet us in our locked rooms and our honest doubts walk right through every wall we've built.
Speaker B:All we need is to hear his peace.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker A:My friend, I am delighted you chose to join me for today's reading.
Speaker A:The Daily Bible Refresh is called Completely listener supported.
Speaker A: on years, a million people by: Speaker A:I would be so grateful if you would go to voiceofgodddaily.com and share your gift of any amount.
Speaker A:Thanks much.
Speaker A:My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A:Please subscribe and tag your friends until tomorrow.
Speaker A:Remember, God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up, it's created new.
Speaker A:Every morning.
