John 20:24-29

John 20:24-29 – Dealing with Doubt

Okay, let’s be really honest here tonight. How many of us have struggled with doubt?

Let’s face it, there have been times where many of us have allowed questions, fears and worries to overcome us, that we begin to doubt on some important things.

I mean lets be serious, have you ever doubted your salvation? I have, I think we all have at one time or another. Have you ever doubted the Bible? With so many people preaching different things, it may make us doubt that what it says is true. Let me ask you, have you ever doubted Jesus? That everything that the Bible tells us about Him, and all the messages we have heard about him, and even the times where we felt his presence, there have still been those times, that we may even doubt him.

I want you to know, that doubt is a tool that Satan uses. Do you realize, that Satan uses many deceptive tools and he tries to put thoughts in our head, to make us doubt Jesus and doubt his word.

How do we deal with doubt then? If we have an adversary who is trying to lead us astray, how are we to deal with the many doubts that come on into our mind?

Well, let’s read this passage found in John 20, where even one of the Lord’s disciples doubted Jesus.

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Growing up we get nicknames, over the years I grew tired of mine. It became one of those names that I just hated to be known by. But I feel sorry for Thomas, here was a man that has had one of the worse nicknames to last since Bible days. We don’t call him Thomas; we call him doubting Thomas.

Man, I bet if there was one moment he would love to change about his past, would have been that moment. But listen, Thomas may be known as the doubting disciple, but in reality, all the others were just the same, and even us who are here today, have had our times of doubt.

But praise the Lord, we read the passage, and we see Thomas’s doubts turn to belief. No longer skeptical, now he is secure in what he believes. And that is where we too, need to get too. So, how are we to deal with doubt? Well, this text deals with that. Look with me at the first thing we see.

The Doubts of Thomas Declared (24-25)

1. What Thomas Missed (24)

· Now here is a verse that needs to be recognized by many people today. That many people are missing Jesus, because they are not where they need to be.

· You know why some people begin to doubt the faith, doubt their salvation, doubt what they believe? It’s because they haven’t been where they should have been.

· Thomas for whatever reason, wasn’t with the other disciples. Maybe he was one of those people, that he needed to deal with it on his own. That he didn’t need to be with other believers.

· When you are away from the Lord and His people, listen doubts will start creeping in.

· Now, excuses will lead to doubts. And we can come up with some excuses of why we don’t need to be in church.

· As a minister, people often give me excuses of why they are not here. You know the excuses:

o I’m too busy

o I’m tired tonight, I think I’ll stay home

o I can get more out of things by staying home and reading my Bible

o Or, If so and so is going to be there, I’m not going, after what he or she did.

· Listen, when the doubts comes, it is because we allow excuses to keep us from where we belong.

· Let me tell you, when you are not at church, you’re going to miss it when Jesus comes.

2. What Thomas Manifested (25)

· Now Thomas comes up and he is met by the other disciples, and they begin to tell him they have seen the Lord. But what does Thomas say? Except I shall see…I will not believe.

· Now Thomas has used some strong language. Listen, his doubts had become greater than his faith in Christ at this point.

· This moment in Thomas’s life is much like how many people deal with a situation that seems impossible. That they just give up hope.

· Here was a group of people who have seen the miracle, and they come and shared it with this one, and he doubts it.

· He can’t believe it, no matter how many come and share it with him.

· Listen, there are going to be people who you go and witness too, you are testifying of what you have seen the Lord do, and they are not going to believe you.

· We live in a world where a lot of people have doubts, and they need to see it with their own eyes.

· But brethren, we need to quit trying to see with our physical eyes, and start seeing with our spiritual eyes!

· Now, I know when you’re facing something that seems impossible, it is easy to start doubting God. That the only way you can believe is by literally seeing him.

· Let me tell you, if you want to see God, then just look around. He’s in the sunrise and sunset, he’s in the trees and flowers, he’s in the blue sky and the cloud, he’s in the birth of a child and he’s in the song of the saint. He’s in every breath you take and all of creation.

· If you want to see God, just open your eyes.

· Thomas wanted tangible proof for his doubts to be gone. He wanted to be able to see the nail prints, and thrust his hand into his side.

· Thomas was asking with what to him seemed impossible. His doubt had consumed him.

· It wasn’t that Thomas couldn’t believe; it was that he wouldn’t believe.

· Listen we all can believe, but it is a choice folks, will we believe?

· Now ask yourself, is the situation that you’re dealing with, so great, that you won’t believe in the Lord?

· Now if you’re at this point, you know what you need to do? You need to make it known. Make it known! Come to the altar, and tell God, to help you with your unbelief, help you with your doubts.

· I believe that after this discussion that Thomas had with the disciples, that there were some of them that started to pray for Thomas. That they had a concern for him.

The Doubts of Thomas Discussed (26-27)

Now we have seen the doubts of Thomas declared, let’s look at the second thing from this passage, and that is the doubts of Thomas discussed.

1. The Meeting (26a)

· Jesus had met with the disciples on Sunday, he had shown himself to them. But Thomas was not there. It had been over a week. The scripture says 8 days, so this was the second Sunday following the resurrection that we read about here in verse 26.

· The disciples are there, and guess who is there this time? Thomas. Listen doubters come to church.

· There are doubters in all churches. They just want to come to see it for themselves.

· If the Lord is doing something, let me come and see it then for myself.

· Now, let’s ask ourselves. Is there more doubters in the house than believers? Don’t be thinking about other people, you think about yourself.

· Are you here right now in the church doubting Jesus?

· Well, let me tell you, it is in the church where you can put those doubts away. Listen, if we gather together, in the name of Jesus. Let me tell you Jesus is going to show up.

· There is no doubt that Jesus is here right now. Jesus can touch your life here tonight just like he can on a Sunday morning.

· Listen, when you come into the house of the Lord, don’t be doubting if the Lord is going to show up here today, ask yourself, am I going to show up for the Lord today.

2. The Master (26b)

· Now Thomas has walked into the room, the doors are shut. A man filled with doubts and fears. A man worried for his life. That all he had done for the last three years of his life was just a waste.

· You ever had those thoughts? That you have wasted your life. That all of this is for nothing. Those doubts are toxic and destructive.

· Thomas was having those thoughts. But then, Jesus walked into the room.

· You know what the first thing Jesus said to them and to Thomas? Peace be unto you.

· Right there it is, this is how you don’t have to doubt any longer, when the peace of God comes in to your life!!

· When Jesus comes into your life, you don’t have to doubt anymore. You can live in peace.

· Peace in knowing that Jesus is always there for you. That he will never forsake you. That he will never leave you. Jesus is there. He is the master!!

3. The Message (27)

· Now Thomas was in the presence of Jesus, he is seeing the Lord with his own eyes. He hasn’t said anything at this point. The other disciples haven’t seen Jesus since the last Sunday. But Jesus knew what was on Thomas’s heart.

· I want you to know Jesus knows your doubts. Because doubts are just a form of disbelief.

· Jesus came up to him and shared a message. Just like I’m preaching to you right now, the spirit of God is there preaching straight to you with a personal message.

· What does Jesus say? He tells Thomas to touch the nail prints, to thrust his hand into his side. Jesus told him give your doubts to me.

· Listen, Thomas didn’t have to doubt anymore, because Jesus said here I am.

· You want to remove the doubts? Listen to what Jesus is saying to you. He is saying come and touch me, allow Jesus to make it real in your life!!

· Don’t let your doubts rob you of your faith! Believe!!

The Doubts of Thomas Dispelled (28-29)

Now we have seen the doubts Thomas declared and discussed, but let look at the final part, the doubts of Thomas dispelled.

1. The Great Confession (28)

· Now let me tell you, here is a beautiful verse, a verse that I hope we all can insert our name in and say.

· A man with doubts is not doubting anymore. A man with fears isn’t scared anymore. A man with worries is now confident. Because he made Jesus his Lord.

· The only way you can get rid of your doubts, is by allowing Jesus to take his rightful place in your life.

· Thomas declares the Lord “my Lord and my God”. This is the first recorded post resurrection confession of the deity of Christ.

· What Thomas did here was two things, he put Jesus on the throne of his heart by saying my Lord; and put Jesus on the throne of the universe when he said my God.

· Listen, doubts can only be conquered when we put Christ where he belongs in our life.

· When you sit on the throne you’ll be defeated. You will second guess and doubt. But when you put Jesus on the throne, you will live in confidence knowing that there is nothing to doubt.

2. The Great Contrast (29)

· Now we may be here right now, saying, Thomas saw the Lord. His doubts were dispelled because he saw.

· How is that going to help me in my situation. Well look here are verse 29.

· Listen, there are so many people who are looking for a miracle to believe in Jesus. We don’t need to be looking for miracles, we need to be looking to the message.

· Paul said faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

· Those who insist on signs, wonders, and miracles can have them – at a price.

· Satan is willing to counterfeit miracles to lead a person astray. We don’t need to doubt because we cannot see it happening before us.

· We live by faith and not by sight. Put away those doubts and put your eyes on his word! A sure fire way, to remove the doubt.