The minor festivals of the church year highlight the faith and lives of believers throughout the history of the Christian church.
These believers, by God’s grace, had their eyes fixed on their Savior Jesus. Their lives reflected that, and as we reflect on what God’s Word says about such believers, we see our Savior and his grace all the more clearly.
The minor festival for St. Thomas, Apostle, was this past Sunday (December 21, 2025).
Thomas, the very same apostle who once said, “Unless I see the nail marks in [Jesus’] hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).
Thomas, the very same man whose moniker “Doubting Thomas” has become synonymous with someone who needs tangible proof of something before believing it to be true.
What can we learn about our Savior from Thomas?
Consider how Jesus reacted to Thomas’ stubborn refusal to accept the eyewitness testimony of his fellow disciples that Jesus was not dead but alive:
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:26-28)
In his grace and mercy, Jesus gave his disciple Thomas undeniable, tangible proof that he was alive. Thomas didn’t deserve that proof, but his risen Lord gave it freely all the same.
Our Savior knows us. He knows the doubts and fears that plague us as Christians. Death seems so very final, and we might be tempted to wonder, “Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Will I really go to heaven when I die?”
In his Word, Jesus freely gives us exactly what we need to know that he is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, we may have life in his name.
“Stop doubting and believe.”
How do we believe? That too is all grace—God’s amazing grace in giving us faith through the work of the Holy Spirit.
As Pastor Gary Baumler wrote in his commentary on John’s gospel, “Thomas’ example demonstrates how impossible it is for human beings on their own to believe that Jesus truly rose bodily from the dead. Thomas’ insistence on receiving proof, however, created one more instance of proof also for us” (John, of The People’s Bible series, p. 265).
How true that is—not just as seen in the life of Thomas the apostle, but also in the lives of other believers recorded in Scripture.
Our God graciously allows us to see their fears, struggles, doubts, sins, and uncertainties . . . and even more than that, he lovingly shows us in his Word how he addresses all of those in the words and works of our Savior Jesus.
Our sins are forgiven. We’re God’s dearly loved children. Heaven is ours. And along with Thomas, our joyful, faith-filled response is now “My Lord and my God!” He lives, and because he does, so do we.
Want to learn more about the minor festivals of the church year? Beloved NPH author Richard E. Lauersdorf’s With Our Eyes on Jesus contains 35 excellent devotions based on what Scripture says about the saints and their connection to the Savior to remind believers of God’s amazing grace.
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Alex Brown is the marketing and content copywriter at Northwestern Publishing House. He has his Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in God’s creation.
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