How Is Your Belief Reflected?

Opening

Last week was Easter, Resurrection Sunday and we celebrated knowing that our savior was raised from the dead and that He lives. This week we begin to see the reaction of those who had travelled with Him for over 3 ½ years. Can you imagine what was going on in their minds? Here they are in a room and not just a room but a locked room for fear of Jewish leaders. They had just seen what they had done to Jesus and they had to wonder was Jesus really the son of God. For a minuet think to yourself all the miracles they had witnessed and yet when it came to Him being crucified and laid in a tomb they were still unsure. You see they didn’t understand really who Jesus was. They didn’t really understand His own words to them. Tear down this temple and I will rebuild it in three days. You see they were still looking to a physical place and they felt that this was impossible but as we look at the story we understand and we know that it was possible and because of that possibility that became reality we are hear and yet we are still faced with some of the same issues as the disciples. Those issues are around the word believe or belief. How often do you ask yourself what do I really belief? Let me ask a few questions this morning and as I ask them apply them to yourself.

Do I really believe there is a God?

Do I really believe that the word is true?

Do I really believe that Jesus lived?

Do I really believe that Jesus died and rose again?

Do I really believe that there is a heaven and hell?

Do I really believe there is life eternal?

Do I really believe?

Believe:

1. to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof

2. to have confidence or faith in the truth

3. to be persuaded of the truth or existence of:

4. to have faith in the reliability

Now hear the text for this morning:

John 20:19–31 NIV

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though 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; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

That brings me to point 1 this morning:

Point 1: Do you believe you can have peace in Jesus?

John 20:19 -- 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”[1]

Point 2: Do you believe that the spirit is in you and you are forgiven?

John 20:21-23 -- 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.[2]

Point 3: Is your belief based on what you see or on who Jesus is?

John 20:24-25 -- 24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”[3]

Point 4: What will it take for you to believe?

John 20:26-29 -- 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. 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; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” [4]

Life Application: If you do believe, then how is your belief reflected in your life?

John 20:30-31 -- 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe x that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. [5]

[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Jn 20:19). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[2] The New International Version. (2011). (Jn 20:21–23). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[3] The New International Version. (2011). (Jn 20:24–25). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[4] The New International Version. (2011). (Jn 20:26–29). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[5] The New International Version. (2011). (Jn 20:30–31). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.