Easter Service
Notes
Transcript
Good morning again. Thanks for the opportunity to share this morning.
We have had a full weekend.
Friday we were at the Standing Stone site and we talked about how God never leaves us or forsakes us. There are times when we feel as if he is not there but that’s our perception not a reality.
This morning we gathered down at Sprague River Park where we asked the question, “Whom do you seek?”
Sometimes we are seeking God with our own expectations of how it is supposed to look.
Like maybe we think that since we follow Jesus, we’ll have a prosperous life or perfect health. Or any variety of “good” things.
But then when we follow and seek Jesus we find amazing blessings coming in different packages, which could include prosperity or good health, but could also include poverty, or cancer.
Sometimes when we seek God we find humility. And even if some of the things he leads us to are hard to go through, when we go through them with Jesus, then we will be at peace even in the hardest times.
Many of have read a poem called Footprints, some might even have a framed printing of it in your house.
The poem recalls a person who proclaims to walk with the Lord, but questions about the hard times.
footprints poem
footprints poem
When we seek Jesus, he will walk with us, carry us, and sometimes, though the poem doesn’t illustrate, drag us along.
Seeking Jesus is not a promise to an easy life, but to a fulfilled life. And a great eternity.
And right now, we are going to talk about someone who sought Jesus for years, had an expectation and when that expectation was not met was dragged through the sand to see what it really meant to follow and seek Jesus.
What I really hope we get out of this today is a self examination. Jim had us forgo communion for a few weeks to really examine our hearts and I think that was great. But it’s not a one and done examination.
It is a daily examination. Much like if we were going to drive to Washington D.C., well, I know it’s east, so I’ll just drive east. If I don’t consult a map regularly, I won’t make it to Washington D.C.
In the same way if we say we follow Jesus, but don’t spend time with him or in his word, or serving others, then we’ll get lost in our own world. And when he does show up, we’ll be even more surprised than if we actively seek him and examine ourselves daily.
Open up to John 20 and we are going to spend some time looking at one of Jesus’ disciples who followed him closely for years, but failed to examine himself fully.
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
Thomas get’s a nickname from this passage of scripture.
Anyone know it?
Yes, Doubting Thomas. Depending on the Bible you have in front of you the title of this section may be Jesus and Thomas, or even Doubting Thomas.
People who have a hard time believing truths are even today called a “Doubting Thomas”.
I am not personally a big fan of this name and I have several reason’s why. Most notable is my belief that one moment of struggle should not define us through all of history.
And if we were to define Thomas by the things he has done, there are choices.
When Jesus was called to go to Lazarus’ tomb there was a large threat of arrest and death in the area. When they were all discussing going Thomas simply said
16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
We could call Thomas the Pessimistically Brave.
Sometimes we go into a situation knowing it’s going to turn out badly, but we know it has to be done.
I had an instance like that a few weeks ago when I had to go into a situation I didn’t want to do, but needed to because it was the right thing to do. Even though it was scary and I believed it wouldn’t turn out good. When all was said and done my heart was racing. The situation turned out exactly as I thought and I came out the other side alive. One could say I was a Pessimistically Brave Thomas.
But Thomas has two more labels.
When Jesus was teaching them about how you can only get to heaven through him, Thomas had a question.
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
They say there are no dumb questions, and that’s true, but there are some questions that if you are truly following along and paying attention, need not be asked.
Jesus has been very clear with his disciples who he is and what he is doing, but because of preconceived and worldly influence, some are a little slow on the uptake.
Like I could tell you about the few trips my family has made to the Lava Beds in northern California. I could describe going in the Lava Bed caves and walking the trails. I might even mention that going in August is particularly hot.
Then someone who is part of the conversation, but wasn’t paying full attention might say, “Did any of the volcano’s erupt? Is that why it was so hot?”
Sometimes, even when we are all in the same room, we are not all on the same page. And that’s okay. It’s okay to be ahead, it’s okay to be behind. And it is ALWAYS okay to ask questions.
Jesus replies to Thomas that He is the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE, he didn’t reply with, “Golly Thomas, if you can’t pay attention, people are going to call you Dimwit Thomas.”
While it is true, that if we pay good attention we will have less questions, it is equally true that even the most attentive have the most questions.
So another label that doesn’t fit Thomas.
The last one is an event we know Thomas was present, even though he is not named.
At the time of Jesus’ arrest all the disciples are present. They are surrounded by soldiers and Jesus says his final words to the group.
55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Thomas is part of this group. He ran away with the rest. The same guy who said let’s go die with Jesus is now running away so he doesn’t have to die with Jesus.
One could call him Coward Thomas.
I know there are times in my life where I knew I was supposed to do something, and I ran away because I thought it was easier.
And I’ve learned from many situations, that when I run from a problem that the problem doesn’t go away, it just gets bigger until it catches up with me again.
And the more we run away, the more we alienate others and we just get bitter towards those who love us.
I believe Thomas was on this path when he ran away with the other disciples.
I can’t truly speculate what EXACTLY Thomas did from the time he ran away to this moment in John 20, but he was away from the other disciples. He was not there. Jesus showed up and Thomas wasn’t there.
John 20 begins with the header that Thomas was not there when Jesus came. He had to be tracked down, because no matter where he was, he wasn’t with them.
He was somewhere else. Years ago, I had this conviction on my soul. Up to this point in my life I would put fellowship aside for various reasons. Vacation, illness or injury, something different to do. If I could come up with a reason to skip church, I would skip.
Then one day I had a conviction that Jesus should be my priority, not my hobby.
Not something I do, but something I should live. My conviction isn’t perfect. But I will tell you this. When I live my faith, instead of just checking a box, I find much more fulfillment. And more trials, and difficulties.
And Thomas walked away from all that. Again, I don’t know where he went or what he was doing, but since he didn’t see Jesus, he didn’t believe.
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.”
You see Thomas had a preconceived idea that the Messiah, Jesus, was supposed to act a certain way, and be apart of certain events, namely the restoration of Israel.
Thomas didn’t understand that Jesus came to save souls, not bodies.
There are people in this world that were raised in the Church, or part of a church structure for many years. And then something happened. I could give examples, but there’s probably thousands and you more than likely either have or know a story of your own.
It has been labeled Church Hurt. And in my experience, there are two kinds of events that get labeled Church Hurt.
One is if you are in the church and someone within the church does something to you that is VERY wrong; i mean biblically wrong, that is not Church Hurt, but it is someone who is supposed to keep you safe, going against the Church and the Bible and hurting you.
If you or someone else has experienced this kind of hurt, I’m so sorry that you went through that. It’s not how you were designed to be treated and that is not how the true Church will treat you. And if you would like to see what the Bible says about it all, come talk to me and there is healing.
The other is more what is happening to Thomas. Sometimes, someone is part of the Church for selfish reason’s. They have their own idea’s about how things should go, what should be taught, how they should be treated. And when something happens they don’t like. For example, they are told the Bible says they shouldn’t do something. They scoff and roll their eyes. And then they might walk away from the Church, claiming Church Hurt. But in reality, they didn’t like Church Conviction.
This is a harder person to reach, because they have convinced themselves that only they are right and it’s very hard to convince them otherwise.
The best thing to do in that circumstance is pray for them, love them, and hope their hearts turn to Jesus.
Thomas is more in this camp, because he heard over and over what the truth was, but didn’t fully grasp it. And even when his fellow disciples proclaim Jesus’ resurrection, Thomas must see to believe.
I don’t know every individual here very well, but I will say this. If your relationship with Jesus is more about you than him. About what you get out of it more than what he does through you. Please come see me, because it’s not about you.
Thomas would not believe unless he could see, so...
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.”
When I was in elementary school a classmate of mine was at baseball practice. It was almost his turn to bat and he walked a little too close to the other kid swinging and took a metal bad right in the mouth.
That’s what I see when I think of Thomas and seeing Jesus.
My classmates whole world changed. This was 4th grade and by then many of your baby teeth have gone. So, likely, to this day he has caps, dentures or bridge work to maintain. I know the feeling.
But Thomas was like, nope, Jesus died, let’s just get on with our lives, don’t let the Roman’s know we followed him, let’s just hide and hope it all goes away.
Tap, tap, tap. What’s up, Thomas.
Thomas sees Jesus
Thomas sees Jesus
World transformed.
That’s the same for any of us who have come to know Jesus as savior. We were on a path that lead us to an eternity of death and suffering. Then whamo, a baseball bat of salvation to the face and our whole universe has changed. Now on a path to eternal life.
And check out Thomas’s response.
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
There have been a lot of false theories out there about Jesus and if he died or not.
Quick chronology from his arrest to his death.
Arrested in the middle of the night, no sleep.
Beaten up by the Jews and Romans over the course of 6 trials, one of which was a scourging that left his back like, excuse the graphics, raw hamburger. And no sleep.
He was then nailed to a cross and left there with little to no muscle strength and no sleep. He lived 6 hours on the cross.
NO ONE thought Jesus wasn’t dead. The Roman’s witnessed it. John witnessed it, Jesus’ mother and several other women. Jesus wasn’t faking it.
Thomas KNEW he was dead and here he was ALIVE.
The only one who could die and come back again was God himself.
So Thomas cried out, “MY LORD AND MY GOD!”
This was more than a declaration, this was worship.
Thomas had a huge leap of faith and belief. The way his came about is great. I wish we all could have seen Jesus like Thomas. But the vast majority of humanity has not.
We have what is called faith. And it’s not a blind faith.
An example of blind faith is, “I believe that there are gourmet hot dogs served daily on Saturn.
We have no evidence to suggest there is a hot dog stand on Saturn, nor anyone who has been there to attest to is. So believing it is blind faith.
Christianity is not a blind faith. We have an account from 40 different authors, written over the period of 1500 years that all tell the same unifying story. And some of these witnesses say they saw Jesus in the flesh.
We can read these words and say, “I have faith that these accounts are real and accurate.”
That is not blind, it an evidence based faith. Thomas saw with his own eyes, but since we can’t Jesus has this to say.
29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
I have not seen Jesus like Thomas, or any of the other disciples have. But he is as real to me as you all sitting in this room, even more so.
There are many people in this world that are seeking Jesus. Some are on an active journey, some are keeping an eye our, some are seeking him in other things, but not finding him.
The Bible is clear about God.
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
No human being can look at creation and say that God is not evident. They can make up stuff, sure.
But in the end, they can’t say, I looked everywhere and saw zero evidence of God.
Richard Dawkins, a famous atheist had this to say about creation:
“Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose.” - Richard Dawkins
“Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose.” - Richard Dawkins
Short way of saying, Yeah, it looks like an intelligent God created it all, but because I do not want to believe in anything higher than me, I reject it.
Even this guy doesn’t have an excuse.
And neither do we.
We have eyewitness testimony that Jesus came to this earth to die for your sin. To take you from a path of separation and division, to a path of unity with Christ.
It is not a promised easy path. But it is a fulfilling path. And the wonders you will experience. WOW!
But the neat thing about all of this, it is up to you what you do with what he has offered.
You can find Jesus and follow him. Accept his gift of salvation and continue to seek and follow his will the rest of your life.
Or, you can ignore Jesus, have a nice little life here on Earth, maybe you’ll even do well. But when this life is over, you won’t be with him.
This isn’t a believe in Jesus or he’s sending you hell call. This is a, you ate heading to hell, let Jesus save you call.
If you know Jesus as your Lord and savior, I hope and pray you take today’s message to examine yourself and check the sand. Is Jesus walking with you, is he carrying you, is he dragging you a little, or have you wandered off.
Examine your heart, talk to him, talk to another believer. It’s never too late to give him more.
If you ate not a follower of Jesus, he loves you and wants you to know him. He is waiting for you to see him like Thomas did. He’s very patient and greatly desires to know you.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Everyone has the opportunity to know Jesus. If you meet him early in life or late makes no difference to your eternity, but it does make a difference to your life here and it might make a difference to other peoples lives.
I could name several people, some in this room that have ministered to me and have loved me more than I deserve and I wouldn’t be where I am if not for their Godly council.
Before we pray, I’m going to leave a few moments for you to examine yourself. Ask the question, am I following Jesus and if yes, how can I follow more. And if no, what is keeping you from starting that journey with him.
Please, join me in prayer
