The Family Disciple Me Podcast // Discipleship Starts With a Conversation

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

• Tosha Williams for FDM • Season 5 • Episode 29

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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.

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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

Speaker 1:

Welcome back to the Family Disciple Me podcast where, in this collection of conversations, we're going on a journey through what we're calling the Easter Trilogy. We've been talking about Palm Sunday and Good Friday and now, in this episode, we're going to focus on Easter Sunday. This is the day that, as we all know, changed everything. That's right. Easter Sunday is all about Jesus's resurrection, the moment when death was defeated and hope was made real. But here's the interesting thing, Tasha, that first Easter morning, it didn't start with a celebration. No, it started with wondering and with questioning, even with doubt. We can't forget the disciples had just seen Jesus die. They woke up that morning thinking that he was still in the tomb. Even though Jesus had told them what would happen, they didn't believe it, at least not at first.

Speaker 1:

That's where we begin today with a question Do you believe in Jesus even when you can't see him? That's what Jesus asked one of his disciples, Thomas, and it's what he asked us today In John, chapter 20, verse 29,. Jesus said Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. And oh, Tasha, that's a promise for us, Because while we haven't physically seen Jesus, we still have the opportunity to believe, trust and experience his power. So today let's talk about what that means for our faith and, as always, for the next generation. But before we do, let's roll the podcast introduction.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Family Disciple Me podcast. If you have a real relationship with Jesus, then you're in the right place to be encouraged, challenged and blessed as you seek Him, speak Him. The mission of the Family Disciple Me ministry is to inspire devotion-driven discipleship, which is something we believe every Christ follower can do. Discipleship starts with a conversation, so let's get going with that right now.

Speaker 1:

Have you ever woken up thinking you know what the day is going to hold, only to have everything change in an instant? I have, I mean all the time. This happens to me Probably every single day. I wake up, I think, I make my calendar, I set my agenda and then, whammo, something completely changes it all the time. Well, I can't help but think that's how Jesus' disciples must have felt on that first Easter morning. They thought they knew the story. They had seen Jesus die, they had watched his burial and they probably woke up thinking that that was the end.

Speaker 1:

But it wasn't. It sure wasn't. Everything was about to change. Here's what's so interesting Jesus 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 he would rise again after three days. And don't forget, like we discussed in the first episode of this trilogy, about Easter, in John 11, verse 25, jesus said I am the resurrection and the life. They had so many reasons to believe, but when the moment actually came, most of his followers, well, they didn't believe at first. They had to see him for themselves. Honestly, wendy, I can relate, because, well, sometimes I need to see him for myself as well. Sometimes I struggle to believe what God's told me too. But here's the amazing thing Jesus really did rise from the dead, and when his followers did see him, they finally fully believed.

Speaker 1:

But I remember reading Tasha that there's one disciple who really had a hard time with this.

Speaker 2:

His name was Thomas.

Speaker 1:

I actually feel a little bad for Thomas because, well, he gets the nickname Doubting Thomas, but honestly, I think a lot of us would have felt the very same way, absolutely, I mean Thomas. He had walked with Jesus for three years. He'd seen the miracles, the healing, the power, but when Jesus died, Thomas just couldn't bring himself to believe in the resurrection without seeing the proof. Jesus was so kind to show himself to Thomas to give him that proof that he needed, and we've heard the story about him being able to touch the scars in Jesus' hands and feet. The thing is, though, the thing that's apropos to us when Jesus appeared to Thomas, he didn't shame him. Instead, jesus spoke a blessing forward because of him. Jesus said and this is our theme verse Jesus said because you have seen me, verse. Jesus said because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. That's a blessing for us, for all of us, because we don't get to physically see Jesus, but we have the opportunity to believe in him anyway. It really is so encouraging to me to know that Jesus has a special blessing for us, for those of us who believe in him without seeing him. Tasha, this makes me wonder in your life, what helps you trust in Jesus, even though you can't physically see him.

Speaker 1:

Well, I find that his word is so powerful. You know John, chapter one, verse one. It says in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. And when I spend time with Jesus in the word, well, I hear his voice. It's so amazing. And then I love to encounter God through prayer. I love to listen to him speak in my spirit, to my spirit. I love seeing answers to prayer, seeing the fulfillment of his word and, wendy, what's more, I love to hear the stories of other people who've been impacted by Jesus, including the stories of the people that we're talking about today.

Speaker 1:

Really, this is the story of all of history. It's not just one speck, one moment in time, but the whole story of history and the whole story of the Bible is the story of a God who wants us to have real relationship with him. And there are so many ways that we can see him and seek him when we seek him with all of our hearts. And all of that culminates in what the celebration of Easter is all about about believing in Jesus fully, completely joyfully, even when we can't see him with our physical eyes. This reminds me of that really special scripture in 1 Peter 1, 8 through 9. It says, though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, love him Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy.

Speaker 1:

And that's the heart of Easter it's joy, it's celebration, it's believing that Jesus is alive and, what's more, that he is with us. It's loving him in the midst of a world that does not love or believe in him. This is faith, and, tasha, faith changes everything, because we don't just believe in Jesus for eternity, we believe in him for today. And well, the best part, this isn't just our personal story. It's a story that we get to share with others. That's exactly what the disciples did Once they finally understood that Jesus had risen. They couldn't keep it quiet. They went and they told everyone, 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 and sorrow, and yet, when God shows us the next thing, we get to share the truths that he's given to us.

Speaker 1:

We get to talk about what Jesus has done in our lives. We let other people see that we believe, even though we haven't physically seen him. Parents, this is the time to have these intentional conversations with your kids. I mean, let's talk to our kids about what God has done in our lives. Talk to them about why do we believe in Jesus? What has God done in our own family story? How can we share?

Speaker 1:

our faith with others. Those are such great discussion points, wendy, and you know, with each of these podcast episodes there is a coordinating conversation guide where parents can dive deeper into devotion and then have conversation questions which they can use to begin to disciple their kids and dive into conversation and discussion with them. Easter is such a great time to do this. Easter is a day of joy and faith and hope. Jesus is alive and this changes everything. But Do you really want to know what the best part of all of this is? We keep saying this is the best part and we keep coming up with more best parts.

Speaker 1:

I think this might be it. This isn't just the story from the past. It's the truth that we get to live out every single day. That's right. So, as we close out this Easter trilogy, let's make this really personal. Out this Easter trilogy, let's make this really personal. Do you believe? Do you believe even when you can't see? And how are you living that out today? The story of Jesus, well, it isn't over. It's just beginning. He who started a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. That's our hope, that's our prayer, that's our life. So until next time, friend, let's seek him, speak him and let's make the most of every conversation. God bless you, friend. Thanks for being here with me. Wendy, thank you for having me. We pray encouragement and blessing over you, friend. Thanks for being here with me, wendy. Thank you for having me. We pray encouragement and blessing over you, amen.

Speaker 2:

Thanks for joining us in this podcast episode. You can find the matching conversation guide in the show notes. To get the latest updates about the Family Disciple Me ministry, as well as word about our soon-to-be-released app, sign up to be the first to know at familydisciplemeorg. Also, if you enjoyed this podcast, help us get the word out by leaving us a review on your favorite podcast platform. God bless you, friend. Now go seek Him, speak Him.