Seeing is Believing...
Notes
Transcript
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
1. Thomas was a skeptic there is no doubt, but His skepticism proves the reality of the crucifixion.
1. Thomas was a skeptic there is no doubt, but His skepticism proves the reality of the crucifixion.
while I believe that Thomas gets a bad wrap being refereed to as “doubting Thomas” as if we have never had our doubts about trusting spiritual principles, or trusting the advice of someone who has walked the path longer than you.
we see the skepticism of Thomas in Verse 24.
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Thomas has blurted these types of things out before.
16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
I cannot deny Thomas's skeptical nature.
its interesting to not that obviously God knew he was skeptical and called him anyway. He did so for two reasons:
To prove that true disciples are not perfect but flawed.
the reality of the resurrection.
31 Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. 36 For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”
2. there is an importance to the gathering of worship.
2. there is an importance to the gathering of worship.
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Had Thomas ben with his brothers he would have seen the risen christ and know a week earlier about the resurrection.
to be sure one can become a Pharisee about church attendance and that is a spirit quencher when that happens and that's not what I want to purport today, however. to live the Christian life one needs regular fellowship.
3. Thomas confessed his doubt.
3. Thomas confessed his doubt.
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
to be sure there is a difference between genuine doubt and the kind of “put on doubt that is truthfully there to avoid obedience.” that is correct not all the people who claim to have doubts truly have doubts, some of them are just looking for a side door out of discipleship. as a believer the best thing you can do for a side door doubter is pray and disengage. much of the time they are staying engaged with a struggling saint to deflect the conviction the feel.
Thomas confessed. Jesus met Him at His place of doubt and answered his fears. turned him on fire.
are you willing to take your doubts to God?
I promise he will answer them.
4. Jesus calls us blessed.
4. Jesus calls us blessed.
John 20:26–29 (NKJV)
26And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
27Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Thomas
Called Didymus, preached the Gospel in Parthia and India, where exciting the rage of the pagan priests, he was martyred by being thrust through with a spear.