‘Now Thomas (also known as Didymus ), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ’ —John 20:24-29 NIV
we use
“The tempted came to Him and said, ‘If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’” —Matthew 4:3 NIV
“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” —Matthew 4:4 NIV
“It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” —Matthew 4:7 NIV
“The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested Him by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.” —Matthew 16:1 NIV
“The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test Him, they asked Him for a sign from heaven.” —Mark 8:11 NIV
“Others tested Jesus by asking for a sign from heaven.” —Luke 11:16 NIV
“If You are the Son of God, save Yourself and come down from the cross!” —Matthew 27:40 NLT
we like to use “
‘Now Thomas (also known as Didymus ), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” ’ —John 20:24-25 NIV
we already have everything we
’ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”’ —Luke 16:19-31 NIV
there is a blessing in
“A week later His disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’” —John 20:26 NIV
“Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.’” —John 20:27 NIV
“Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” —John 20:27 NKJV> “Thomas said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” —John 20:28 NIV
“Then Jesus told Him, ‘Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” —John 20:29 NIV
“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” —1 Peter 1:8 NIV
Discussion Guide
📘 Sermon Summary – “Unless…”
In this message, Pastor Thomas-Steele explores how we often place conditions on our faith with God—using “unless” statements that demand proof before we’ll believe. From childhood manipulation to adult ultimatums, we’re all tempted to say, “If You really love me… then You’ll prove it.” But this posture mirrors the enemy’s strategy in the wilderness and the unbelief of the Pharisees—constantly testing God to validate His power.
The sermon centers on Thomas, the disciple who famously said, “Unless I see the nail marks… I will not believe.” Jesus meets Thomas in his unbelief, but He also makes it clear: there is a special blessing for those who believe without seeing. The message reminds us that we don’t need another sign—God has already given us all we need to trust Him through His Word, His resurrection, and His Spirit.
📌 Key Points
Manipulating God with “If You really…” faith reveals a heart that wants control more than surrender.
Like the devil tempting Jesus and the Pharisees demanding signs, we sometimes treat God like He has to earn our trust—when He’s already proven Himself through the cross and resurrection.
Thomas didn’t just doubt—he set the terms for belief.
His “unless” was an ultimatum, not a question. Jesus confronts it directly, calling him not to be unbelieving but believing. It’s a reminder that unbelief isn’t always passive—it can be a willful posture.
God blesses the faith that doesn’t demand a sign.
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” That blessing includes a deeper joy, stronger faith, and a peace that isn’t dependent on proof—but grounded in God’s promises.
💬 Discussion Questions
Have you ever prayed a “God, if You really…” kind of prayer?
What was going on in your life at the time, and how did God respond—or not respond?
What’s the difference between honest doubt and unbelief?
How can we recognize when we’ve moved from questioning to demanding?
Jesus called those who believe without seeing “blessed.”
Why do you think that kind of faith is so valuable in God’s eyes?
Jesus responded to Thomas’ exact words—even though He wasn’t physically present when Thomas said them.
What does this reveal about Jesus’ awareness of our private doubts, and how should that shape how we talk to Him?
In Luke 16, Jesus says that if people won’t listen to Scripture, they won’t believe even if someone rises from the dead.
What does this say about the role of God’s Word in shaping faith—and why might people still reject truth even after witnessing miracles?
🛠 Application Challenges
Catch and correct your “unless.”
This week, pay attention to any conditional thoughts or prayers you direct toward God—“Unless You do this, I won’t trust You.” When you catch one, pause and reframe it into a statement of trust instead: “Even if You don’t, I still believe.”
Lean into the Word, not the “what if.”
Spend time each day this week reading a passage of Scripture and asking, “What is God revealing about Himself here that I can trust—without needing a sign?” Let His Word be the foundation of your faith, not your circumstances.