Do You Believe? (John 20:24-31)

why are you here?

invited

show off new dress

family tradition

in for the weekend (wedding ;) )

lunch (Justin — chicken and dressing)

while you are here

will you consider???

Do You Believe?

not necessarily Jesus (historical)

I don’t know that there is much debate over a historical Jesus

historians are settled that Jesus was a real person

do you believe what the Bible says about Jesus being raised from the dead?

it all falls apart without the resurrection

if it’s not true, then none of it is true

pack up and go home

1 Corinthians 15:17 “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”

BUT if it is true, then all of it starts to come alive

changed the day of worship

in essence, our worship on Sunday is a celebration of the resurrection every week

if Christ was resurrected,

then all His followers will be resurrected too

while we all have our different reasons for being here, we have the same question before us…

do you believe?

when we understand Jesus’ mission was to save us from our sins,

the cross was necessary

shed blood was necessary

Leviticus

Hebrews 9:22 “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

payment for sin was necessary

For the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23a)

I can die for me, you can die for you

but I can’t die for you, and you can’t die for me

BUT

Jesus came to be the sacrifice

the perfect sacrifice

the divine payment for our sin debt before a holy God

beaten beyond the appearance of a man

hung by the Romans on the most gruesome torture device

now…

Jesus being truly God can die for you (penal substitutionary atonement)

AND by repenting and believing (placing full trust) that He paid your sin debt

you can be forgiven

relationship restored with God

fit for heaven

For the wages of sin is death,

but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 6:23

BUT if He is still in the grave,

all of this is just wishful thinking

maybe you are not sure if Jesus rose from the dead

still investigating

perfect day for you to explore

20:24-25 pew Bible # 1,078

Jesus made appearances during 40 days after resurrection

Thomas missed out on the first one (20:19-23)

“We have seen the Lord.”

other disciples saw

selfies???

eyewitnesses (same as Youtube)

John — Jesus’ resurrected body = physical body

some scars were gone

beaten beyond the appearance of a man

for Jesus, some scars are eternal

eternal scars because eternal significance

doubting Thomas

gets a bad rap

if he would have been there, he would have believed

it will be to our benefit that Thomas wasn’t there (great confession)

have you placed the burden of proof to an unreasonable degree?

John 20:25 “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side,

I will never believe.”

οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω — (double negative) never ever, not at all…will I believe

what will it take for you to believe?

for Thomas

gives his demands

Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.

for Justin

beyond a reasonable doubt

for you

unless I see a Youtube clip???

personally see and touch??? (same as Thomas)

unreasonable???

but even then

will it be enough???

was it enough for Thomas?

will it be enough for you?

20:26-29

Eight days later

the following Sunday (Jews started counting with today)

Jesus appeared again

doors locked (fear of Jews)

except Thomas was present this time

would he believe?

would he have more demands before believing?

after scars were revealed

clear risen Lord is none other than the crucified sacrifice

Jesus didn’t have to overcome the demands of Thomas, but He did (20:27)

Put your finger here, and see my hands;

and put out your hand, and place it in my side.

Do not disbelieve, but believe

Plummer Do not be unbelieving, but believing

D.A. Carson Stop doubting and believe

but how will Thomas respond?

notice Thomas doesn’t raise the bar

now show me heaven

now heal my son

now put $1M in my bank account

his belief is prompt

and his declaration is significant

Thomas believes more than Jesus’ resurrection

My Savior and my God

not Lord and God

but my Lord and my God

personal

most ardent skeptic expresses most profound confession

we are not surprised

John 1:1

John 1:14

unless we address Jesus as Thomas does,

we have not come to believe in the Jesus of the Bible as revealed in the Gospels

is seeing the only way you will believe?

if seeing is your burden of proof, then unreasonable?

Jesus foresees a time when people will not have tangible evidence like Thomas had

2:29

but not blind belief

are eyewitnesses enough?

1 Cor 15 (12 then 500)

how about the 12 disciples going to their deaths for a lie?

spiritually speaking, the Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus

blessed

not just ‘happy’

but accepted by God

1 Peter 1:8-9

black screen

20:30-31

signs have been significant

1st—water to wine

healing sick

lame to walk

feeding 5,000…men

blind to see

even Lazarus being raised from the dead

YET greatest sign was Jesus’ death, burial, and RESURRECTION

John tells his readers

he chose to write that you may believe

because…

believing results in life

by believing/TRUSTING who Jesus is and what He has done

we have life

abundant life

John 10:10

here and now

don’t delay

eternal life

John 3:16

Jesus is only hope

don’t delay

Do You Believe?