The Revealed and Received Christ
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Scripture
Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can more like You, and more made into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much, that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all to often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possible can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.
24 But Thomas (called “Twin”[d]), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”28 Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed.[e] Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,[f] and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Context
Thus far in our advent series, we have seen many things unveil in the scriptures before our very eyes. The first week, we saw the fall of man into sin, our separation from God, and the need for God to provide a sacrifice for us. The second week, we looked at Psalm 42, a psalm of longing and need for God, and finding wisdom in knowing that He will come and He is savior and deliverer. Last week, we rejoiced through Matthew’s account of Jesus Birth into the world. This week, we are fast forwarding to just after Jesus the Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, in fact we are just some one week after that first Easter Sunday Morning.
In this gospel, the Gospel of John, aptly written by the apostle John, we see an account that stands in how oh so much of mankind, perhaps yourself included at times, in the apostle Thomas, one of the 12 hand chosen disciples of Jesus; who spent time with Him, sat under His teaching, and His Words, and would soon be tasked with spreading the Holy Church and shepherding it during it’s infant years. Even through Thomas’ doubt and refusal to believe his friends and remain in a period of self-inflicted agony, something wonderful happens to Him, and everyone who is paying attention or can see themselves in Thomas’ shoes can recognize and be a part of a similar joy. This is that despite refusing to believe Jesus arose from the grave, and keep in mind Thomas had heard him say this would happen several times, Jesus still showed Himself to Thomas. And in that moment, Thomas’ faith was restored and He got to see Jesus and recognize Him as his Lord and His God. God shares something with Thomas and everyone here, that it is blessed to believe, that It is good for you to believe in Him. Let’s see this build up and dig in where Our text today reveals these truths and actions to us about our relationship with The Revelad and Received Christ.
Message
The first truth and action about our relationship with Christ is that: Doubt gives distress 24-25
24 But Thomas (called “Twin”[d]), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
Thomas, whose other name is Didymus, which is greek for “twin.” Steps into the story, and represents everyone who has doubts about Jesus and His resurrection. On the day that Jesus appeared to the other disciples, some of whom would later be called disciples (the twelve hand chosen of Jesus to follow Him), for one reason or another, Thomas was not with them. And despite Jesus telling him multiple times that this was what would happen, and all of his closest companions who he had spent years with at this time attesting to him with enthusiasm that it indeed had happened, we have seen Jesus! What was Thomas’ thoughts and demeanor? He didn’t believe, he wanted proof, and put conditions in it to show them how much he believed he was right and they were wrong. So, he chose to stay in a state of sadness, distress, and loss for that entire week while everyone else rejoiced. While joy filled the room and table, his spot at the table was clouded with sadness and distress.
While we can only speculate why Thomas was not with the other disciples, one thing is clear. His separation from them, weather it was for good or bad reasons, had an effect on him. Just think about it, even one of the hand chosen disciples, who would be called on an apostles of Christ, who would one day die for Jesus by being speared to death by an angry king because Thomas’ sharing The Gospel with his queen (who would be converted), had doubts that troubled him. Not only did he have doubts, but furthermore, these doubts would have never happened, if he would have made being with and gathering with the other believers a bigger priority for himself. Ie, we call that gathering with other Christians regularly, that is both in your personal life and your worship life, as it appears that they were gathered together and this for some sort of worship or prayer or rejoicing gathering.
Have you ever noticed something, doubt in some way or form, always is related to some kind of inconsistency. For example, earlier this year, a group of behavior scientists tested 118 children, and found that the majority of them preferred to learn from a computer/robot that did not make any kind of errors in their lessons vs a human teacher that could make mistakes. This only changed, the children preferred the human teacher, when the scientists programed the robot/computer to begin making mistakes. Doubts leads to distress, but doubt comes from some kind of inconsistency. We already know that Thomas here was inconsistent in his gathering with the other saints. But, brothers and sisters, where are your inconsistencies that lead to your doubt which ultimately leads to your distress? Perhaps it is in neglecting your bible, maybe prayer, perhaps it is giving of your time, talents, and tithes, to the church, maybe you don’t ever make a point to point others to Jesus, maybe you don’t submit to the authority of the scripture and it’s teaching, I can go on and on, but whatever it may be for you, get it right! Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus and what He can do for you and The Holy Spirit can do through You.It is good for you to believe in Him, The revealed and Received Christ. This leads us to our next point, if you want to have victory over doubt and distress then you must:
Have faith and believe 26-29
26 A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”28 Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed.[e] Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
That next week, again Thomas choosing not to believe his friends and putting these parameters showing doubt in his belief, something big happened! In a locked room, while they were all together, suddenly Jesus once again appeared to them suddenly, no opened door, no picked lock, just the savior right in front Him, performing yet another miracle to show them who He is. So, what does Jesus do here, first, He wishes peace to them. He isn’t here to talk down to or belittle or make anyone feel small, no, he is here to teach and show in love the needed truth Thomas said he needed. He shoes Thomas His nail pierced hands, which were perceived through so he could be hung on that cruel cross. Jesus shows him the spear pierced side, between his rib bones, where a roman drove their spear through to be sure that He (Jesus) was indeed dead. Jesus showed this to him, so that he could have faith and believe. To which, Thomas responds appropriately and excitedly, calling Jesus his Lord and his God. Now, Thomas’ doubts are gone, but Jesus shares that it is very good everyone who has not seen these proofs, yet still they have faith and believe that Jesus is the messiah, the savior, God who came down to earth and died so that we can be saved.
This week, i’ll admit it, I got distracted, and I was scrolling through facebook way to much, even taking a break from writing this sermon and I started scrolling, but I came across a meme, that is a picture with words meant to communicate something, from a pastor in Clarksville that I felt tied into this perfectly. See, this picture had someone lying on and resting on a fence. On one side, was a beautiful field, on the other side was a desolate wasteland. The text said, “It’s either God or the World, and Satan owns the fence.” That’s right, there is no purity or goodness in being not being sure and remaining in that place, no, you are either a child of God and for Him, or you are a rebel (sinner) and against Him.
Once you have that information, that you are sinner in desperate need of savior to be redeemed from your sin and be made right with God, and Jesus died for you because He is that savior, then you have a choice. Either you have faith and believe or you reject it. Now, you may reject it for lots of reasons, maybe you knew that admitting that God is real and that you are a sinner means you are wrong or are subject to a righteous judgment for the evil you are hiding, or maybe you don’t want to be told what to do. Whatever it may be, there is purity on staying on the fence and have a perpetual maybe, here me today friend if this you, you keeping yourself from heaven and are on the train that leads to an eternity to hell. Just a moment ago you had the gospel shared with you, and you now everything you need to say yes to Jesus and submit to His Lordship and take on His offer of salvation. It is good for you to believe in Him. So, have faith and believe, put away your sins saved and unsaved person alike and come before The Revealed and Received Christ and you will have our next point:
Have life in His name. 30-31
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,[f] and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Here, John’s gospel get’s right at the reason for it’s purpose. The reason it was written, the reason we benefit from it today, verse 31 says that it was written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. The fact of the matter is, the truth of the matter is, that without Jesus as your Messiah, the one who saves you, you are lost, desperate, in need. No matter how much you try, no matter how much wealth you build, noo matthew how successful you are, and no matter how much good you think you have done; without the messiah, God’s verdict for you at your trial that will be the same as so many. When God sits at His throne to judge all the living and dead through all of time, if you have Jesus, Jesus will stand their as your mediator, stand in front of you, and say to His Father, This one is mine, and the Father will look at you only see the perfection of Jesus, and say, not guilty, my beloved child. Without Jesus, God will look upon you, and you for what you are (what everyone is without the savior), wicked, guilty, evil, rebellious, and He will give you the verdict you deserve. Death, death from and through sin, depart me from, and know only eternal pain and punishment for you chosen rebellion.
Keep this in mind friend, keep this mind brothers and sisters. Your body is temporary, but your soul is eternal, and if you want to it live in God’s favor and splendor forever, instead of writhing in a pit for eternity. You need life insurance. But this insurance can’t be bought by aflac, state farm, farm burea, or any other anything offered by any other insurance agent. No, the only real life insurance you need, what you need to make sure your eternal life is assured, is faith and commitment to the risen savior, who died on a cross, but was alive again in 3 days and lives even today, that is Jesus, God the Son, 2nd person of the trinity, who The Father promised He would send even after mankind’s first sin in the garden.
Have faith in His name, Have life in His Name. It is good for you to believe in Him. He has been revealed to you, just as He revealed Himself to mankind in generations past, and He revealed Himself to doubting Thomas. Now, you must receive Him. If you have received Him, now you must continue and grow in the love of worship of Him with all other things this world has to offer at a far and distant second place when compared to the urgency of giving Him glory, and Honor, and Worship.
Conclusion
Beloved, remember these points about the Revealed Savior that Doubt gives distress 24-25, don’t have doubt that leads you down, instead Have faith and believe 26-29 and then you will Have life in His name. 30-31. Don’t wait, don’t stay on the fence, get about God’s business, dedicate your life His, put you aside, and make all about lifting up, praising, and bringing others to God and see Him Glorified because you have received Him.
With all of that being said, I would be remised if I didn’t share the Gospel (or the Good News) of Jesus Christ with you today, for the benefit of both believer and non-believer in the room. This begins all the way back at the beginning, God created everything, and he created all things good. He gave His most treasured creation (us, mankind) the ability of free will, the ability to choose Him or rebellion. Man was deceived by Satan and desired to be like God and sinned (or rebelled against God). This brought the curse of sin and death into the world and it remains with us to this day; which separates us from God. God though, loved His creation (mankind) so much that He worked through history to redeem all mankind that would turn to Him from sin so that we can experience a full and perfect relationship with Him again. This was through the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the pay for sins. Accepting this free gift from God, makes you new and forgiven. All you have to do accept this free gift by repenting and believing in the Lord Jesus and you will get to experience the good side of God’s justice forever. So, now that you know this, you can no longer plead ignorance. I invite and urge you to respond today non-believer and apply this to every part of your life believers in the audience today.
With that, Let’s conclude. Brothers and Sisters, I love you all. During our last song together, if you need prayer, or want to talk more about Jesus, or have something you want to talk about, I’ll be here, don’t be afraid to come on down. Let’s pray. Father God, we thank You for who You are and what You are doing to us here in this place. May whatever it is that You are doing in each of heart here, continue as we leave go out into the world this week. Change us, mold us, make us, re-arrange us, that we can be both better lovers of You and better showers of You. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.
