Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Introduction:

Illustration- G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan had already enjoyed some success as a preacher by the time he was 19 years old.

But then he was attacked by doubts about the Bible.

The writings of various scientists and agnostics disturbed him (e.g., Charles Darwin, John Tyndall, Thomas Huxley, and Herbert Spencer).

As he read their books and listened to debates, Morgan became more and more perplexed.

What did he do?

He cancelled all preaching engagements, put all the books in a cupboard and locked the door, and went to the bookstore and bought a new Bible.

He said to himself, “I am no longer sure that this is what my father claims it to be—the Word of God.

But of this I am sure.

If it be the Word of God, and if I come to it with an unprejudiced and open mind, it will bring assurance to my soul of itself.”

The result?

“That Bible found me!” said Morgan.

The new assurance in 1883 gave him the motivation for his preaching and teaching ministry.

He devoted himself to the study and preaching of God’s Word.

[Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, Moody, 1984, p. 211]

[Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, Moody, 1984, p. 211

Raise Need

Jesus dispelled Thomas' disbelief by inviting him to feel His personal touch

We need to help Thomas, not hinder him further

We can help others dispel their disbelief by making it easy for them to hear, behold, and come to know the personal touch of Christ in their life

We can either make it difficult or easy for followers to find faith, so help, don't hinder

Orient Theme

Reprove those who force their beliefs upon others who will not believe

Rebuke those in disbelief for making excuses about not being where they can see Jesus personally

Exhort the church to protect the sacredness of the assembling of ourselves together, making sure that we have Jesus in our midst so that those who come back like Thomas can come to the faith of a personal walk with the Lord

State Purpose- CPS

Main Thought: Help, do not hinder folks who still need to find faith in Jesus by:

Protecting Sacred, Spirit-filled Services Centered on our Savior (vv.

24-25)

Continually Hearing the Words, Seeing the Wounds, and Feeling the Heart of Jesus (vv.

26-27)

Living blessed because we're walking by faith (vv.

28-29)

Sub-intro: Context of the Resurrection Appearances - Mary (Love), the Others (Hope), now Thomas (Faith); .

I. Demonstrated Disbelief ()

A. Missing Out on Meeting with the Lord - "But Thomas...was not with them..." (v.

24)

WE AREN'T TOLD WHY HE WAS NOT THERE (it doesn't really matter the excuse)

He missed a meeting with God's people and seeing Jesus

He missed hearing words of "Peace" (He spoke to them)

He missed the commissioning (He sent them)

He missed the empowering (He breathed on them)

Thomas missed seeing the proofs of the Lord's resurrection, yet apparently he needed them more than any of the others did .... Thomas missed these words, "Peace be unto you."

He missed the commission of being sent out in the service of the Lord (vs.

21).

He no doubt received it later, but the fact remains that at least for one week he did not have his commission as the others did.

He missed being breathed upon as Jesus said to His own that night, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost ...." We cannot afford to miss this divine unction.

Thomas also missed the commission which our Lord gave in regard to church action and the exercise of church discipline, to which the commission of verse 23 undoubtedly refers . . . .

[John R. Rice, The Son of God, A Verse-by-Verse Commentary on the GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN, n.d., 399.]

We cannot afford to miss this divine unction.

Thomas also missed the commission which our Lord gave in regard to church action and the exercise of church discipline, to which the commission of verse 23 undoubtedly refers . . . .

[John R. Rice, The Son of God, A Verse-by-Verse Commentary on the GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN, n.d., 399.]

John R. Rice, The Son of God, A Verse-by-Verse Commentary on the GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN, n.d., 399.

B. A Mind Made Up of Unbelief - "I Will Not Believe" (v.

25)

The Print = Tupos, or Type

Examples/Patterns - ,; ; ; ; ; ; ;

Figure - ;

Pattern/Fashion/Form - ;

Nails - only other reference is in (ordinances...nailed to His cross)

“For dogs have compassed me: The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet.”

(, KJV 1900)

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” (, KJV 1900)

Put = Ballo, or Cast (hence thrust [2x])

Will - The real battle ground (Disbelief, not Doubt)

John - Intellect; Mary - Emotion; Thomas - Will

We call him “Doubting Thomas,” but Jesus did not rebuke him for his doubts.

He rebuked him for unbelief: “Be not faithless, but believing.”

Doubt is often an intellectual problem: we want to believe, but the faith is overwhelmed by problems and questions.

Unbelief is a moral problem; we simply will not believe.

What was it that Thomas would not believe?

The reports of the other Christians that Jesus Christ was alive.

The verb said in means that the disciples “kept saying to him” that they had seen the Lord Jesus Christ alive.

No doubt the women and the Emmaus pilgrims also added their witness to this testimony.

On the one hand, we admire Thomas for wanting personal experience; but on the other hand, we must fault him for laying down conditions for the Lord to meet...Thomas’ words help us to understand the difference between doubt and unbelief.

Doubt says, “I cannot believe!

There are too many problems!”

Unbelief says, “I will not believe unless you give me the evidence I ask for!”

In fact, in the Greek text, there is a double negative: “I positively will not believe!”

[Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 393-394.]

With John, the resurrection of Christ made a demand on the intellect; with Mary Magdalene, on the heart; now, with Thomas, it makes a demand on the will.

[John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of John, An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications, 2001), .]

What was it that Thomas would not believe?

The reports of the other Christians that Jesus Christ was alive.

The verb said in means that the disciples “kept saying to him” that they had seen the Lord Jesus Christ alive.

No doubt the women and the Emmaus pilgrims also added their witness to this testimony.

On the one hand, we admire Thomas for wanting personal experience; but on the other hand, we must fault him for laying down conditions for the Lord to meet.

[Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 393.]

John Phillips, Exploring the Gospel of John, An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications, 2001), .

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 394.[Warren

W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 393-394.]

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 393.

As you review these three appearances of Christ, you can see the different results.

With Mary, the issue was her love for Christ.

She missed Him and wanted to take care of His body.

With the disciples, the issue was their hope.

All their hope was gone; they were locked in a room, huddling together in fear!

With Thomas, the issue was faith: he would not believe unless he saw proof.

Because Jesus Christ is alive today, our faith is secure.

“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain” ().

We have a living hope through His resurrection from the dead.

says, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

[Warren W. Wiersbe, Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1992), 268.]

Application: Thomas was missing out on the sacred savior centered assembly, and he refused to believe that Jesus had been with them.