Easter 02: Doubting Thomas

Community Group Questions

1. What was the baseline or core of the story you were told about Easter as you were growing up, or growing up in your faith spend some time exploring in discussion the ways your understanding of the story shape your view of the Christian short story, of God, of yourself, of the church, and of the world.

2. Tim shared the quote, if you don’t doubt the claims of Easter on at least some level, then you’re probably not taking them seriously enough.”

Share about how you approach and hold the story of the resurrection. What does doubt look like and where does it show up as you conceive of and contemplate the story of the resurrection?

How do you feel about acknowledgment of doubt when it comes to the Easter story? How comfortable is it to explore the story, its veracity, and the various doubts that might be a part of that story for you and/or for others?

Now consider how you first learned, understood, and digested the story of “doubting Thomas.” How were you taught to understand his doubting statements? How was he portrayed?

In what ways did or does your understanding of Thomas and his voiced skepticism influence your own relationship to doubt in your faith? Or in the faith of others??

3. Tim shared several powerful quotes about forgiveness:

“Forgiveness is giving up all hope of having had a better past.” Anne Lamott

“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” Mark Twain

What is the hardest forgiveness you’ve ever been able to give? In which way was it hard? How do you feel now about the forgiveness you granted?

Tim also said:

“Forgiveness is harder than almost anything, except the absolute torture of unforgiveness.” & “The only boundaries that exist around the kingdom of God are the ones we’ve placed there by our own unforgiveness.”

Share about a difficult forgiveness you have not yet been able to grant. What are the barriers? Is it a forgiveness that you want to give, even if you’re not yet able?