The Triumph of Easter: A 6-Day Devotional for FamiliesSample

The Necessity of Easter

Q. How did Thomas respond to Jesus after the resurrection?

A. Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)

Today there are two questions to answer. First, do you have any idea how Jesus could rise from the dead? The answer is something we learned earlier. Jesus is the resurrection and the life—the way, the truth, and the life. Since Jesus is life itself, Jesus could not stay dead. And since Jesus had never sinned, he did not deserve the punishment for sin—and death could not rightly hold him. His resurrection was bound to happen. Second, what do Thomas’s words, “My Lord and my God,” teach you about Jesus? Part of the answer is simple; they teach us that Jesus is, in fact, the Son of God. He is God in the flesh. But the words of Thomas also teach us that Jesus is Lord. And the word Lord means master, one who has human authority. The resurrection of Jesus doesn’t prove to us only that he is God, but it teaches us that he is the perfect man too! It tells us that Jesus never did anything wrong. Since death is the penalty for every man or woman who sins, then Jesus’s resurrection from the dead must be the reward for living perfectly. No wonder Thomas put it like he did: “My Lord and my God!” In all his humanity, Jesus is the one and only person who can rightfully stand, on his own merit, in the presence of God. That gives us great hope of standing there too!

Reflection and Interaction:

Can you say in your own words why the resurrection of Jesus is so important? 

What does the resurrection of Jesus prove to you about Jesus?