John 20:26,27 – Eight days later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be to you.” Then He *said to Thomas, “Place your finger here, and see My hands; and take your hand and put it into My side; and do not continue in disbelief, but be a believer.”

This story is exuding the kindness and mercy of our Lord. The Lord had plans for Thomas and He took extraordinary measures to reach him. Thomas said that he didn’t believe that Jesus had risen from the dead and arrogantly said, “I won’t believe unless I put my finger in the nail-prints and my hand in His side”. Of course we all know what happened next, Thomas met with the rest of the disciples and Jesus came walking into the room. Just told Thomas to put his finger in the nail-prints and thrust his hand into His side; this was all it took for Thomas. Seeing Jesus for himself settled everything. Here is how Matthew Henry describes this moment.

“Christ was here willing to come down to the level even of Thomas’s whim about something unnecessary, rather than allow him to remain in his unbelief. He allowed his wounds to be searched, even allowed Thomas to push his hand into his side, if that was what it would take to make him believe. This is why, for the confirmation of our faith, he has instituted a ceremony to deliberately maintain the memory of his death. In that ceremony in which we show the LORD’s death we are called, as it were, to put our finger into the print of the nails. Reach out your hand to him, who reaches out his inviting, giving, helping hand. It was with moving words that Christ closed what he had to say to Thomas: Be not faithless, but believing. This warning is given to us all: Be not faithless, because if we are without faith, we are without Christ and without grace, hope, and joy.”

One of the things that always amazes me is the fact that Jesus is still in His human body and He still carries the marks of His death on His body. We will have that reminder through eternity as we look at the marks of Jesus, He carries the evidence of our forgiven sin in His body eternally. Today we get the same opportunity as Thomas, every time we gather with His disciples Jesus comes walking in the room. We take communion together and remember the wounds of Jesus. Go ahead, put your finger in the nail prints and your hand in His side. You too will become a witness of the resurrection.