The first Easter room wasn't full of confident believers

There’s a detail in the Easter story that doesn’t get nearly enough attention.

On Easter Sunday evening - hours after Mary had run back to the disciples shouting “I have seen the Lord!” - the disciples were still hiding behind locked doors.

They were frightened. They were unsure. They weren’t exactly bursting with faith.

And that’s exactly where Jesus showed up.

This Sunday at Maidenhead Salvation Army, we spent time in John 20:19-31 - one of the most honest and human passages in all of Scripture. It’s the story of frightened disciples, a sceptical Thomas, and a risen Jesus who doesn’t tell anyone off for doubting. He just... shows up. He holds out his hands. He says, “Peace be with you.”

Shalom. Not just the absence of stress - but life in its fullest, most whole sense. Every blessing of the kingdom of God, spoken over people who were still working things out.

Key takeaway: If you’re somewhere between wanting to believe and not quite being there yet, you’re in very good company. Bring your doubts to Jesus. He can handle them. Thomas did - and it led to the most complete statement of faith in the whole of John’s Gospel.

This week, try this: find just one person and tell them what Easter means to you. It doesn’t need to be long. It just needs to be honest.

▶️ Watch the full message below - it’s about 26 minutes and includes a rather entertaining object lesson involving kitchen scales and a thermostat.