Disciples Believe

This weekend changed everything. Disciple confess Jesus as Lord, AND believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. We do not follow Jesus just as a good man (he was), or as a good teacher (he was), or a martyr (he was), but as the Risen and Resurrected King (he is)!

The Most Important Weekend

This last week I celebrated my 8 year anniversary working for Logos Bible Software. Pretty sweet. There was no cake. 50 bonusly points. :D

Not the most important weekend of our lives, for sure. A small landmark.

Better, this last year we celebrated a TON of landmark birthdays. Ella’s 13th, Logan’s 21st, Arabelle’s 18th, Dylan turned 15 and got his permit, Drew turned 16 and got his license!

Those were landmark weekends. Are they the most important moments? In our lives? In their lives?

Or perhaps this weekend, KK and I getting married 7 years ago (in one month)? (The number of perfection)

We have these moments in life where everything shifts, everything changes, our world is separated into before and after.

This week, this weekend we celebrate such a moment, such a weekend, that changed not only our lives, but the Cosmos.

The Most Important Weekend

This is the weekend that changed everything. The defining pivot point of the Universe. The crescendo of Jesus’ time on earth, the moment he built towards, the theological turning point of the Trinity, the forgiveness and hope of all humanity.

This weekend exactly, in BOTH the church calendar AND the lunar (luni-solar) Jewish calendar, which is fun.

Summed up in one weekend. Good Friday (or Good Thursday I might argue) to Resurrection Sunday (for those who don’t like to say “Easter”). The simple gospel, and here it is in the oft-quoted (by me) earliest creed of Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

“Delivered” and “received” signal a transmission, he learned this creed from elsewhere and is now passing it along. This is the ancient version of “quotes” with a foootnoted citation… and even language analysis says this isn’t Paul’s usual vocab or style.

Thus, in our earliest text, the first letter to Corinthians, written in AD 55-56, we have a quotation from an earlier familiar source or tradition, and if Paul received this from Peter and James while visiting Jerusalem, which seems likely, that puts this creed within 5 years of the Greatest Weekend: the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

Friends, this is the center of our faith, our “religion”, our “relationship” and our lives as disciples of Jesus.

Am I overstating things? Is it really that important?

How Important is this Belief?

Is it absolutely “critical”?

I know exceptions can be made.

One of our favorite verses, oft quoted:

Luke 23:42–43 ESV

42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

That is salvation. The actual requirement, the final “test”, the deciding factor of who gets into heaven is NOT a set of beliefs, passing the knowledge test, or doing the right thing, it is personal: If the King says you’re in, you’re in.

That’s the test. The whole test. Nothing but the test.

Did the thief know anything about resurrection? Nope. But Jesus saw the direction of his heart… and I bet the thief learned a thing or two about Jesus after death.

HOWEVER! Let’s be careful. This is the principle, but it is one verse and s

Disciples Believe in a Resurrected Jesus (easter)

How important was it to Jesus that his disciples believed in His resurrection? He could have just left it with the empty tomb and let them “faith” their way to believing in his resurrection. But he appears, personally, physically, to Mary Magdalene. And she tells the disciples. Eye witness testimony. They know and trust her, they could believe that way.

But on that same evening, of that first Easter, Resurrection Sunday:

John 20:19–20 ESV

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Shalom! Peace!

And then he gives him the “Great Commission” of John “As I am sent, I am sending, Receive the Spirit, forgive sins!”

And he could have left it at that. All the disciples saw him, received the commission. All the best disciples were there. Every one of them.

Thad the Chad. Bartholomew, he was there. All the greats.

Well… except Thomas. He was out getting snacks or something.

John 20:24–25 ESV

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “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.”

What a statement that is!

I hear all of you, the other 10 disciples certainly, the women probably, at least Mary Magdalene, but probably other Marys as well. Shouldn’t he believe them? Peter and Andrew, James and John… would they all lie to Thomas?

And he must want to believe, want to SO badly that it may be part of the reason why he won’t let himself believe. He’s afraid to be wrong, afraid to be disappointed, he is in the midst of grief, and maybe everyone else is in that Denial phase… and he’ll just break if he lets himself “hope” and it turns out to be wishful thinking, or a lie, or an illusion, or mass hysteria, or any other thing.

I know Thomas by other names. I have several friends in EXACTLY this position. They have heard the testimony, heard the stories, they believe that I believe it… but they just can’t get themselves there.

“Unless I see the marks.” No… seeing isn’t even enough. “Unless I can touch the wound!”

How gruesome is that??! Offensive even. Jesus is his Rabbi, his Savior, his High Priest, his King AND his God! How arrogant, uppity, foolish, inappropriate for Thomas to ask this!?

We skip the moment because we know the next part, but sit in the humanness of it.

How frustrated are the other disciples? Their mourning turned to joy and wonder… and Thomas is stuck in mourning. And offense, maybe, he doesn’t believe us? Is he calling us a liar or just morons?

And he wants to touch Jesus’ wounds? Gross and Inappropriate! Jesus showed us the wounds, but did anyone touch them? It doesn’t seem that way. Thomas is asking for the measure of proof they got AND more. Visual and physical verification, as if he, Thomas, is the judge and all our opinions and testimony and Word is meaningless.

This is offensive and arrogant and prideful… and so, so human.

Do you think I am belaboring it? This remains, this tension, this divide, for 8 days from Easter. A week goes by, the disciples still claiming Jesus is alive, by know Jesus has appeared to others, those on the road to Emmaus, maybe many others, we don’t know the timing of all the sightings. But Thomas, he still refuses to believe. “Not until I see him for myself, until I see the wounds, and until I touch not only the marks of the nails, but the very wound in his side.

I know Thomas, I know him well, sometimes I am offended by him… and sometimes I am him.

How great is the grace of God.

How important is it to Jesus that Thomas know and believe in His Resurrection?

John 20:26–27 ESV

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although 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 see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

Thomas doesn’t have to ask, Jesus knows exactly what Thomas needs to see… and what Thomas needs to touch.

Not “touch my side” but “PUT IT INTO my side.” Wow! Finger to the hands, but the whole hand in my side… that’s what it literally says.

“Do not disbelieve… but believe!”

Pistos vs Apistos. “Believe” is good, but we usually translate this “faith”.

“Do not be unfaith, be Faith!” Do not disbelieve, believe!

And Jesus says that NOT as an empty command, but while Thomas hand is being put in his wounds, while giving the very evidence Thomas so arrogantly, so humanly demands!

John 20:28 ESV

28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Right answer. A little late, friend. The rest of the disciples go “Duh! We told you!!! For 8 days, we have told you!”

Mou Ho Kurious kai mou Ho Theos. He puts the “the” in there for both. Not “a Lord”, not “a master”, but “The Lord”. Not “a god” but “The God.”

Blasphemy!!! Except that he is absolutely right.

He is probably speaking Hebrew or Aramaic, so really he says.

אֲדֹנָי וֵאלֹהָי

Adonai vElohai! Over and over again we see that throughout the Scriptures. Half the time with “Adonai” and half the time with “Adonai” being the spoken part in place of the sacred name of God, the Tetragrammaton, which we sometimes say boldly as sons and daughters of God: YHWH.

This is our Resurrected Lord and God.

And then he has this blessing for you and for me, those who believe without having seen.

John 20:29 ESV

29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Is that a rebuke to Thomas? It is not.

It is a blessing on us.

I take a lot of courage and comfort in the fact that Jesus does not rebuke Thomas. Because I know and love me some Thomas-es.

How Important is it that Disciples Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus?

How important was it to Jesus?

Again and again he appeared to his disciples. Not done here. The gospels record more and more appearances, to hundreds of disciples, again to the 12, John goes on to tell of more appearances, Acts goes on to 40 days of many proofs and more teaching

The disciples emphasized it in their early preaching:

Acts 4:33 ESV

33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

Paul writes as a proof, a key of salvation:

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Peter calls it our living hope:

1 Peter 1:3 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

They, disciples of Jesus, did not just follow Jesus as a good man, good teacher, or martyr.

We, disciples of Jesus, do not follow Jesus just as a good man (he was), or as a good teacher (he was), or a martyr (he was),

but as the Risen and Resurrected King (he is)!

Marks of Discipleship

This is our Mark of Discipleship.

Disciples follow. They hear the call of Jesus and they follow.

Disciples love. They love first, they love always, they love everyone.

Disciples abide and obey. We may be inclined to one or the other. To just “live and love and abide, man!” Or “obey the commands!” But to abide is to obey is to abide is to live and love like and with Jesus. Disciples do both, inevitably so as they follow Jesus and love as He loves.

Disciples carry crosses. In the footsteps of Jesus, laying down our life (our time, talent and treasure) for God’s glory and other’s good.

and Disciples Believe in the Bodily Resurrection of Jesus Messiah from the dead.

The Oldest Written Testimony

I want to read again from that ancient and oldest creed, for it is my favorite Easter verse, it’s documentary credentials are one of the pillars of my own faith and understanding… and it is a beautiful and powerful declaration of the Resurrection of Jesus, our sure and certain Hope.

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 ESV

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Pity the Hopeless Christian

1 Corinthians 15:14–19 ESV

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

This is the moment of the movie where the music changes from somber and sad, lingering violins… and the trumpets burst out, and the drums roll, so let the music play!!!

But in Fact!

1 Corinthians 15:20–27 ESV

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.

Christian, disciples of Jesus: this is our living hope. Jesus is the firstfruits, proof of the harvest to come.

As we are united with him in death, so we are united with him in resurrection.

We have a living hope, Christian hope: Confident expectation of the future.