THE EASTER TRILOGY: Faith Beyond Sight // Easter Sunday’s Blessing for Us / Holy Week Conversations

Have you ever woken up thinking you knew what the day would hold, only to have everything change in an instant? That's exactly what happened on that first Easter morning. The disciples woke believing Jesus remained in the tomb, despite His repeated predictions of resurrection. Their journey from doubt to faith mirrors our own spiritual paths today.

Easter Sunday fundamentally changed everything, yet it began not with celebration but with wondering and questioning. The disciples had witnessed Jesus die. They'd watched His burial. But when reports came that the tomb was empty, most couldn't believe without seeing for themselves. Thomas, in particular, needed physical proof—to touch the scars in Jesus's hands and feet. Rather than shaming Thomas for his doubt, Jesus responded with profound compassion and spoke a blessing that extends through time to us: "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

This blessing forms the heart of our faith journey today. While we don't have the privilege of physically seeing Jesus, we experience Him through Scripture, prayer, answered petitions, and witnessing transformation in others' lives. The resurrection isn't just historical fact—it's living truth that changes how we approach each day. Parents have a special opportunity to discuss these profound realities with their children, sharing personal testimonies and explaining why we believe despite not seeing. Easter invites us to live resurrection-empowered lives, finding joy in relationship with the living Christ who continues His good work in us until completion.

Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement in their faith journey! And don't forget to download our conversation guide in the show notes to help facilitate meaningful Easter discussions with your family or small group.

______________________

The Family Disciple Me ministry exists to catalyze devotion driven discipleship in our homes and around the world. We believe that discipleship starts with a conversation, and FDM provides free, easily-accessible, biblical resources to encourage these meaningful conversations along life's way. Sign up through our website to be "the first to know" about upcoming releases and resources (including the FDM App - coming soon!!!) You can also follow Family Disciple Me on social media.

Family Disciple Me is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry, and all donations are tax deductible. More information, blogs, statement of faith and contact info can be found at familydiscipleme.org

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to the Family Disciple Me podcast where
, in this collection ofconversations, we're going on a
journey through what we'recalling the Easter Trilogy.
We've been talking about PalmSunday and Good Friday and now,
in this episode, we're going tofocus on Easter Sunday.

(00:21):
This is the day that, as we allknow, changed everything.
That's right.
Easter Sunday is all aboutJesus's resurrection, the moment
when death was defeated andhope was made real.
But here's the interestingthing, Tasha, that first Easter
morning, it didn't start with acelebration.
No, it started with wonderingand with questioning, even with

(00:46):
doubt.
We can't forget the discipleshad just seen Jesus die.
They woke up that morningthinking that he was still in
the tomb.
Even though Jesus had told themwhat would happen, they didn't
believe it, at least not atfirst.
That's where we begin today witha question Do you believe in

(01:07):
Jesus even when you can't seehim?
That's what Jesus asked one ofhis disciples, Thomas, and it's
what he asked us today In John,chapter 20, verse 29,.
Jesus said Because you haveseen me, you have believed.
Blessed are those who have notseen and yet have believed.

(01:29):
And oh, Tasha, that's a promisefor us, Because while we
haven't physically seen Jesus,we still have the opportunity to
believe, trust and experiencehis power.
So today let's talk about whatthat means for our faith and, as
always, for the next generation.
But before we do, let's rollthe podcast introduction.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
Welcome to the Family Disciple Me podcast.
If you have a real relationshipwith Jesus, then you're in the
right place to be encouraged,challenged and blessed as you
seek Him, speak Him.
The mission of the FamilyDisciple Me ministry is to
inspire devotion-drivendiscipleship, which is something
we believe every Christfollower can do.

(02:14):
Discipleship starts with aconversation, so let's get going
with that right now.

Speaker 1 (02:20):
Have you ever woken up thinking you know what the
day is going to hold, only tohave everything change in an
instant?
I have, I mean all the time.
This happens to me Probablyevery single day.
I wake up, I think, I make mycalendar, I set my agenda and
then, whammo, somethingcompletely changes it all the

(02:42):
time.
Well, I can't help but thinkthat's how Jesus' disciples must
have felt on that first Eastermorning.
They thought they knew thestory.
They had seen Jesus die, theyhad watched his burial and they
probably woke up thinking thatthat was the end.
But it wasn't.
It sure wasn't.

(03:03):
Everything was about to change.
Here's what's so interestingJesus had already told them this
would happen.
In Matthew 20, 17 through 19,he predicted his death and
resurrection.
In Mark 9, he told them hewould rise again after three
days.
And don't forget, like wediscussed in the first episode

(03:23):
of this trilogy, about Easter,in John 11, verse 25, jesus said
I am the resurrection and thelife.
They had so many reasons tobelieve, but when the moment
actually came, most of hisfollowers, well, they didn't
believe at first.
They had to see him forthemselves.
Honestly, wendy, I can relate,because, well, sometimes I need

(03:49):
to see him for myself as well.
Sometimes I struggle to believewhat God's told me too.
But here's the amazing thingJesus really did rise from the
dead, and when his followers didsee him, they finally fully
believed.
But I remember reading Tashathat there's one disciple who

(04:13):
really had a hard time with this.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
His name was Thomas.

Speaker 1 (04:16):
I actually feel a little bad for Thomas because,
well, he gets the nicknameDoubting Thomas, but honestly, I
think a lot of us would havefelt the very same way,
absolutely, I mean Thomas.
He had walked with Jesus forthree years.
He'd seen the miracles, thehealing, the power, but when

(04:36):
Jesus died, Thomas just couldn'tbring himself to believe in the
resurrection without seeing theproof.
Jesus was so kind to showhimself to Thomas to give him
that proof that he needed, andwe've heard the story about him
being able to touch the scars inJesus' hands and feet.

(04:57):
The thing is, though, the thingthat's apropos to us when Jesus
appeared to Thomas, he didn'tshame him.
Instead, jesus spoke a blessingforward because of him.
Jesus said and this is ourtheme verse Jesus said because
you have seen me, verse.

(05:23):
Jesus said because you haveseen me, you have believed.
Blessed are those who have notseen and yet have believed.
That's a blessing for us, forall of us, because we don't get
to physically see Jesus, but wehave the opportunity to believe
in him anyway.
It really is so encouraging tome to know that Jesus has a
special blessing for us, forthose of us who believe in him

(05:46):
without seeing him.
Tasha, this makes me wonder inyour life, what helps you trust
in Jesus, even though you can'tphysically see him.
Well, I find that his word is sopowerful.
You know John, chapter one,verse one.
It says in the beginning wasthe word and the word was with

(06:07):
God and the word was God.
And when I spend time withJesus in the word, well, I hear
his voice.
It's so amazing.
And then I love to encounterGod through prayer.
I love to listen to him speakin my spirit, to my spirit.
I love seeing answers to prayer, seeing the fulfillment of his

(06:29):
word and, wendy, what's more, Ilove to hear the stories of
other people who've beenimpacted by Jesus, including the
stories of the people thatwe're talking about today.
Really, this is the story of allof history.
It's not just one speck, onemoment in time, but the whole

(06:50):
story of history and the wholestory of the Bible is the story
of a God who wants us to havereal relationship with him.
And there are so many ways thatwe can see him and seek him
when we seek him with all of ourhearts.
And all of that culminates inwhat the celebration of Easter

(07:13):
is all about about believing inJesus fully, completely joyfully
, even when we can't see himwith our physical eyes.
This reminds me of that reallyspecial scripture in 1 Peter 1,
8 through 9.
It says, though you have notseen him, you love him.

(07:34):
Though you do not now see him,love him Though you do not now
see him, you believe in him andrejoice with joy.
And that's the heart of Easterit's joy, it's celebration, it's
believing that Jesus is aliveand, what's more, that he is
with us.
It's loving him in the midst ofa world that does not love or

(07:59):
believe in him.
This is faith, and, tasha,faith changes everything,
because we don't just believe inJesus for eternity, we believe
in him for today.
And well, the best part, thisisn't just our personal story.
It's a story that we get toshare with others.

(08:22):
That's exactly what thedisciples did Once they finally
understood that Jesus had risen.
They couldn't keep it quiet.
They went and they toldeveryone, and that's what we're
called to do as well.
We may start out just like them, with well, disbelief, with
disappointment, with sadness andsorrow, and yet, when God shows

(08:45):
us the next thing, we get toshare the truths that he's given
to us.
We get to talk about what Jesushas done in our lives.
We let other people see that webelieve, even though we haven't
physically seen him.
Parents, this is the time tohave these intentional

(09:06):
conversations with your kids.
I mean, let's talk to our kidsabout what God has done in our
lives.
Talk to them about why do webelieve in Jesus?
What has God done in our ownfamily story?
How can we share?
our faith with others.
Those are such great discussionpoints, wendy, and you know,
with each of these podcastepisodes there is a coordinating

(09:30):
conversation guide whereparents can dive deeper into
devotion and then haveconversation questions which
they can use to begin todisciple their kids and dive
into conversation and discussionwith them.
Easter is such a great time todo this.
Easter is a day of joy andfaith and hope.

(09:51):
Jesus is alive and this changeseverything.
But Do you really want to knowwhat the best part of all of
this is?
We keep saying this is the bestpart and we keep coming up with
more best parts.
I think this might be it.
This isn't just the story fromthe past.
It's the truth that we get tolive out every single day.

(10:15):
That's right.
So, as we close out this Eastertrilogy, let's make this really
personal.
Out this Easter trilogy, let'smake this really personal.
Do you believe?
Do you believe even when youcan't see?
And how are you living that outtoday?
The story of Jesus, well, itisn't over.

(10:35):
It's just beginning.
He who started a good work inyou will be faithful to complete
it until the day of JesusChrist.
That's our hope, that's ourprayer, that's our life.
So until next time, friend,let's seek him, speak him and
let's make the most of everyconversation.

(10:57):
God bless you, friend.
Thanks for being here with me.
Wendy, thank you for having me.
We pray encouragement andblessing over you, friend.
Thanks for being here with me,wendy.
Thank you for having me.
We pray encouragement andblessing over you, amen.

Speaker 2 (11:07):
Thanks for joining us in this podcast episode.
You can find the matchingconversation guide in the show
notes.
To get the latest updates aboutthe Family Disciple Me ministry
, as well as word about oursoon-to-be-released app, sign up
to be the first to know atfamilydisciplemeorg.
Also, if you enjoyed thispodcast, help us get the word

(11:29):
out by leaving us a review onyour favorite podcast platform.
God bless you, friend.
Now go seek Him, speak Him.