Love Won
Notes
Transcript
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 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.”
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.” 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 answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Introduction:
Good Morning and Happy Easter....
Today is our super bowl, our world cup, our NBA finals, our world series all wrapped up in one on steroids times 100.
This is the most important event in the history of the world, that the savior rose from the dead and proved he is God. Every time you come to church on Sunday, we rehearse Easter and reminder ourselves that it was a Sunday that he rose from the dead.
Th
Have you ever won anything?
John Lennon and Paul McCartney… sang “All we need is love.” This speaks to the greek word passion… some fulfilling kind of love… But then there is the kind of love that we find on the pages of the scripture unconditional love, selfless love and redeeming love… And on Easter Sunday not only do we see that love wins but that Love Won...
Have you ever won anything?
But the kind of love that we find on the pages of the scripture is the Phileo- friendship love and Agapeo… which unconditional kind of love… We have seen how love wins… and this morning are going to see that Love Won...
Maybe you put your name down in a raffle or you entered into a competition… and you won… you got the prize… We used to have these Bike Raffles at the church… not just at this church....and seriously its seems like our kids won every-time… It looked like it was rigged…so we haven’t had one for a while.. Anyway… here is the thing about winning award… There is a transaction that has to happen… First of all the Gift has to be given and secondly the gift has to be received…
it has to be received to be enjoyed...
Eight weeks ago we started a series entitled, “love wins” and we have been unpacking the significance of this word love…
John Lennon and Paul McCartney… sang “All we need is love.” This speaks to the greek word passion… some fulfilling kind of love… But then there is the kind of love that we find on the pages of the scripture unconditional love, selfless love and redeeming love… And on Easter Sunday not only do we see that love wins but that Love Won...
The Bible says that God is love and we define love by the heart of God, God’s passion for you his desire to know you. Love is a major motivator for Easter… We see in Easter...
His desire to execute his plan in your life.
His desire to forgive you and establish a relationship with you.That's love, the heart of God.That's how he sees you, though he knows everything about you, he loves you anyway.
And His love drove His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sin.And to give us an opportunity to have a relationship with God. His love drove his son to the cross for an opportunity to be forgiven for our sin and understand our purpose of life.
That's how he sees you, though he knows everything about you, he loves you anyway. And His love drove His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sin.And to give us an opportunity to have a relationship with God. His love drove his son to the cross for an opportunity to be forgiven for our sin and understand our purpose of life.That opportunity is available to you today, and it's an opportunity to share the gospel with someone else.But it does not do you any good until you receive it.There is something to know about Jesus, a lot of people know about Jesus and his Resurrection and about mary and the virginbirth.but they don't know Christ personally. We want to take you from one level knowing about God, knowing that he won this opportunity for you. We want to give it to you.that you receive it.Because it's available to every single one of you.
That opportunity is available to you today, and it's an opportunity to share the gospel with someone else.
But it does not do you any good until you receive it.
There is something to know about Jesus, a lot of people know about Jesus and his Resurrection and about mary and the virgin birth.but they don't know Christ personally. We want to take you from one level knowing about God, knowing that he won this opportunity for you. We want to give it to you.that you receive it.Because it's available to every single one of you.
ESV“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
but you have to receive it, amen. and this story is simple.Let me give you the context.The bible says
ESVfor all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
The bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory ofGod.The Bible also says
ESVFor the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So the penalty of sin is death. physical and spiritual death.spiritual death is eternal separation from God. and therefore someone has to pay for your sin with their life.
so God looked down and said, I want to give all of these people an opportunity to have a relationship with me. If they have to pay for the sin themselves, they will die and burn in hell forever.
So God sent his son, Jesus, to live 33 years, he had a 33-year ministry. He walked on water and healed the blind and the mute, and demonstrated the power and kingdom of God.
Jesus told his disciples I will be crucified and die and rise from the dead three days later. He was arrested after a disciple betrayed him.
And they beat him and whipped him, and beat his bare back 39 times with metal on bone.
They beat his face in and stuck thorns on his head and spit on him and cried out, crucify him.
Jesus had to carry a cross two or three blocks and nailed him to the cross and was on there six hours and in those six hours His heart burst, he died of a broken heart.
And then the sky turned black and those thinking that they killed him. Thinking it was over
. But in three days he got up again.And they said, if you are the Son of God, save yourself. He said, I didn't come to save myself but to die.
They put him in a tomb with a rock in front, and guards to guard the tomb and three days later -- by the way they guarded the tomb.
They didn't want the fishermen to steal the body and tell everyone that he rose from the dead. And they put a rock and no one would get in that tomb and steal the body and claim that jesus rose from the dead.
But you can't hold God back.And in three days an earthquake and the roman soldiers saw the angels and fell over dead -- oh, snap, it's the angel.
And then on Sunday morning mary looked in the tomb, he's gone and then peter said he was Gone. And the word on the street is that he rose from the dead. Everyone is talking that he rose from the dead…
there was a disciple named Thomas. Thomas didn't believe that he rose from the dead. He says, I need proof.
Then there was a disciple named Thomas. Thomas didn't believe that he rose from the dead. He says, I need proof.
Lets read our text
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.”
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.”
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:24-
T/sWhat do we learn about Jesus interaction with Doubting Thomas?
1. Love won by Securing a place for your Doubt.
1. Love won by Securing a place for your Doubt.
The First Easter was a full and busy day…Early easter morning at Dawn the three Mary’s, Mary the Magdalene, Mary mother of Jesus and another Mary had gone at the Tomb of Jesus with spices .. When they arrive they are met with an angel and an empty tomb....Jesus is not there He has risen… Mary leaves to tell disciples… and Peter runs back to the tomb and confirms that the tomb is open and Jesus is no longer there..Later that evening Jesus appears to the disciples in home that they are hiding in this house and the doors are locked and Jesus appears in the house....and Jesus shows the disciples his nail scared hands and piercing
in his side… The disciples see with their own eyes and they believe that Jesus is resurrected. John tells us that Thomas the twin one of the 12 Disciples is not there with them that evening…
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
a. Thomas is absent that first resurrection evening when Jesus showed the other disciples His scars.
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
There is this tension between Experience and Truth..
a. Thomas was not with the 12 when Jesus showed them his hands and feet.
a. Thomas was not with the 12 when Jesus showed them his hands and feet.
a. Thomas is absent when Jesus showed the other disciples His scars. He is missing.
These disciples had seen the resurrected Lord.. Jesus had commissioned his disciples by breathing his spirit upon them…there is this excitement to share what they had seen experienced.… And they go and find their friend and companion and fill in and catching him on the resurrection… They want to share with Thomas the Good News.…that Jesus has risen..
These disciples had seen the resurrected Lord.. Jesus had commissioned his disciples by breathing his spirit upon them…there is this excitement to share what they had seen experienced.… And they go and find their friend and companion and fill in and catching him on the resurrection… They want to share with Thomas the Good News.…that Jesus has risen..
Thomas has one of those personalities that questions everything…He is the ever practical realist…
Thomas has one of those personalities that questions everything… When Jesus announced that He was soon departing…and the disciples couldn’t go where he was heading...It Thomas who says if you leave us and don’t leave us any directions … how will we find you?
When Jesus announced that He was soon departing…and the disciples couldn’t go where he was heading...It Thomas who says if you leave us and don’t leave us any directions … how will we find you?
Thomas is evidently struggling with the truthfulness of Jesus claims… He had been a loyal disciple… He had been willing to go to Jerusalem and die with Jesus…
It Thomas who says if you leave us and don’t leave us any directions … how will we find you?
who is evidently struggling with the truthfulness of Jesus claims… He had been a loyal disciple… He had been willing to go to Jerusalem and die with Jesus… Belief has nothing to do with Loyalty… it has to do with Truthfulness...
“Belief in Jesus has nothing to do with Loyalty… it has to do with Truthfulness...”
This is where you have to take a moment and appreciate the honesty of scripture…We all can thank Thomas that he was a Real Skeptic… and truth seeker...
Every person should consider truth…We learn form Thomas that experience doesn’t equal truth…truth has to be grounded in some empirical proofs… When the disciples share with excited what they had seen...Thomas dosen’t share in the enthusiasm of the disciples..
That is why Thomas dosen’t share in the enthusiasm of the disciples..
That is why Thomas dosen’t share in the enthusiasm of the disciples..
Why not?
Why not?
b. We have the testimony of Witnesses.
b. We have the testimony of Witnesses.
In the 1st Century the way that truth was established was through the record of eye witnesses. According to the Mosaic law truth could be established in the presence of two or more witnesses.... You would have thought that the testimony of the 11 disciples would have been enough to convince Thomas… after all these were Thomas’ closest companions whom together they had experienced the ministry of Jesus first hand… Wouldn’t Thomas just be a loyal follower..
Rather what you have is the record of eye witnesses....
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.”
Some versions add - “we have seen the Lord”- “exclamation mark.” Thomas could have chosen loyalty over truth… but he doesn't… Rather...
had witnesses as a record things were established in the presence of two or more witnesses. So, why is it that --Thomas wasn't convinced..These were not the experience of strangers --- these were men that Thomas had spent 3 years with...
So, why is it that --Thomas wasn't convinced..These were not the experience of strangers --- these were men that Thomas had spent 3 years with...
c. Thomas is a real skeptic with real questions
c. Thomas is a real skeptic with real questions
Unless, I see the wounds for my self... I want to see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and hand in his side... I will not believe..
That is quite a statement... You will never convince me by your words..
Thomas is a real doubter... there are some who doubt without considering the evidence... Thomas is open to be convinced by the evidence... He is being a true skeptic...
Just because a group of people say something is true doesn't make something true... There are other many different religious groups and cults out there... there is some weird stuff... that all have truth claims.. So even though belief is needed... we need to consider the reasonableness of the Gospel... The truth claims of Christianity has to be more that it evokes emotion it feel good...more than experiential faith... their are proofs...
So Doubting Thomas... is doing all of us a favor... he is giving us permission to Doubt... We have permission to ask the hard questions..
I won't believe, I will never believe, I will not believe...
If Christianity is true it has to provide answers to real doubt...
What do we learn about Jesus interaction with Doubting Thomas?
What do we learn about Jesus interaction with Doubting Thomas?
1. Love won by Securing a place for your Doubt.
2. love won all the arguments against Jesus' deity.
2. love won all the arguments against Jesus' deity.
a. What is at the heart of Thomas' Doubt.
a. What is at the heart of Thomas' Doubt.
What is at the heart of Thomas Doubt? It wasn’t the existence or the teachings of Jesus… He had experienced that first hand for himself… He believed in
Thomas as a loyal follower was willing to make sacrifices... He was willing to go with Jesus to Jerusalem to die for his conviction… There are many religions where people are willing to martyres and die for their faith.. People can believe in a cause and sacrifice everything that they have...
is not the existence of Jesus or the sincerity of the ministry of Jesus… He was willing to go with Jesus to Jerusalem to die for his conviction… There are many religions where people are willing to martyres and die for their faith.. People can believe in a cause and sacrifice everything that they have...
The heart of his doubt is the Resurrection and the truth claims of Jesus..
b. What are the Truth Claims of Jesus?
b. What are the Truth Claims of Jesus?
c. Why the Resurrection matters.
c. Why the Resurrection matters.
Years ago Hugh Schoenfield book the Passover Plot popularized The swoon Theory
The Swoon theory claims that Jesus never died but rather was unconscious in the tomb. - Jesus lay in the tomb in a comatose state with the linen clothes that was helpful to heal his injuries… finally the dampness of the tomb revived him
popularized The swoon Theory-The view claims Jesus never died but rather was unconscious in the tomb. -D Jesus lay in the tomb in a comatose state with the linen clothes that was helpful to heal his injuries-finally the dampness of the tomb revived him
⇒ The soon theory allowed for the spread of the resurrection Hoax. In order to believe the Swoon theory you have to ignore some Historical facts…beginning with the Roman Practice of Crucifixion..
The first problem is that it would be impossible to survive the beatings, torture and 6 hours that Jesus endured on the cross.. The nailing of Jesus hands and feet meant that he would have die from his lungs collapsing...
When Roman proclaimed someone to be dead the left no doubt
perpetation of the resurrection Hoax. -you have to ignore a whole lot to believe that → When Roman proclaimed someone to be dead the left no doubt not only could no human survive the beating and torture from the crucifixion, PLN OTHER Reason is the disciple response.
→ When Roman proclaimed someone to be dead the left no doubt
The Lord gave Thomas time to think about the situation eight days.
Thomas may have been slow to believe, but was not slow to grasp the
I m plications of Christs resurrection
What do we learn about Jesus interaction with Doubting Thomas?
3. love won an opportunity for you to have a personal God.
3. love won an opportunity for you to have a personal God.
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.”
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
John 20:26:28
So eight days later on the Jewish calendar which is actually following Sunday the disciples are together... and Thomas was with them ... when Jesus came and stood among them.. What is a little interesting is the Scripture tells us that the doors were locked... The disciples were screening who was at the door.... Jesus is there before him and that in itself is miraculous. Jesus greets them with Peace be with you...... Now, Jesus has come to Thomas,
he says to Thomas, put your finger here, and look at my hands and put in my side... Then he says to Peter now that you have seen... Stop your doubting and believe...
The word believe is the word pisteuo -- means to trust or to put your faith in..
It means to place your confidence in something. Abraham believed God and it was credited as righteousness..to admit the reality of something, to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of ones trust... to commit to something
After proving himself to be the Resurrected Lord... He says now stop being faithless.. stop being unbelieving.. break this pattern of unbelief.. and Believe...
9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Rather --stop unbelief.. apistos and start believing pistos.. Believer- be faithful, reliable, trustworthy... Be fully convinced - it implies rest and reliance on some thing... To Be WON OVER BY LOVE
Rather --stop unbelief.. apistos and start believing pistos.. Believer- be faithful, reliable, trustworthy... Be fully convinced - it implies rest and reliance on some thing... Be WON OVER BY LOVE
a. Thomas Confession
a. Thomas Confession
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
b. Jesus admonition
b. Jesus admonition
29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Conclusion
Where do you stand with the truth Claims of Christ?
