Later He appeared to the eleven disciples themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reprimanded them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen from the dead.

Once we get to know people, we anticipate they will work and think in specific ways, but they sometimes do things that surprise us. If we know someone in an office setting, we may have a tough time imagining him or her as a marathon runner. If we have only known a person to be quiet and reserved, we may be caught off guard by his or her stage presence and ability to perform in front of a crowd. All of us build an idea of what people can do or what they are like based on what we know about them.

The disciples had seen Jesus perform miracles, defy the laws of nature, and teach the Word of God masterfully. Some had even recognized Him as the Son of God. They knew a lot about this powerful Jesus; however, when it came to believing in the resurrection, they did not immediately buy it. But if they truly believed Jesus was from God, such a miracle would not be easily dismissed.

We also struggle with this. It is easy to believe with all the evidence right before our eyes, but we doubt what Jesus can do when we have not seen it for ourselves. We quickly forget His power in our daily lives and live in disbelief that He can truly do anything. Jesus calls out this type of disbelief because it is poison to our relationship with Him. The disciples would not have Him on earth much longer, so they needed to a belief that went beyond experience. To join in the transformative work that was to come, they needed to have faith that He was who He claimed to be.

• What are some of “unbelievable” things Jesus did? What made them tough to believe?
• How can doubt be like a poison in our relationship with God? What should we do when we struggle with disbelief?
• Pray and tell God the areas where you struggle to believe.