Doubting Thomas

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Doubting Thomas

Introduction:

Text: John 20:26 – 29

I.   Thomas cannot and will not believe.

A.     We have recorded in John that 10 of the disciples were present in the upper room on the first day of the week when Jesus appeared to them.

1.      Verse 24 – Didymus (Twin - double) was not with them.

2.      Jesus spoke to thm – Peace be with you.

3.      He showed them His hands and His side.

4.      The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

5.      For the second time – peace be with you – He also gives them their commission – as the Father sent me, I also send you.

6.      Jesus breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

B.     Thomas was not there!

1.      When Thomas showed up – the disciples told him what had happen – we have seen the Lord.

2.      Thomas response – Unless I see (experience for myself – no other way that it will work – except I see)

§         Imprints of the nails

§         Put (to throw) - my finger into the place of the nails

§         Put my hand into His side.

3.      I will not believe! (ou me pisteuso)

C.     Background info on Thomas:

1.      Jesus is in Bethany – John 11

§         John 10:39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.

§         Lazarus has died and Jesus says – it is time to go to Lazarus.

§         John 11:16 Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

§         Brave man – willing to die.

2.      Upper room – before the crucifixion.

§         I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

§         You know the way!

§         Thomas – Lord we do not know where you are going, how do we know the way?

§         Phillip is struggling along with the rest on this night.

D.     Why does He have such trouble believing?

1.      That is the effect of our sinful nature – they have had trouble believing from the start.

§         Matthew 8:26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

§         Matthew 14:31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

§         Matthew 16:8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?

§         Matthew 17:20 And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.

2.      The evils of life have a troubling effect on all men.

§         Pharisees and Sadduccees had won – Jesus is dead.

§         Nothing ever works out in life – I knew it would not end well.

§         My hopes and my dreams are gone – what is the use.

§         After all I have given and this is it!

§         I do not want anything to do with religion with the way that people act.

Illustration: Acts 24:25 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.”

Felix loved to talk with Paul – they talked often – but he did not believe

Application:

1.      Without faith it is impossible to please God.

2.      We are called to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

II. thomas experiences god’s grace in a very dramatic way.

A.     Eight days later – Jesus appears again and this time Thomas is present.

1.      Jesus says again – Peace be with you.

2.      Specifically speaks to Thomas

§         Reach here with you fingers

§         Reach here with your hand

§         Put it into my side

3.      Who told Jesus what Thomas had said? Lord knows all and he knows the struggles of man’s heart.

B.     Jesus comes to Thomas and find him on this day.

1.      Do not be unbelieving, but believing.

2.      Jesus commands him to change – to come into being.

3.      This is grace at work – Jesus finds Thomas and commands a change to the very nature of Thomas.

4.      Thomas comes alive at this moment – specifically aimed at Thomas (middle voice – stop not believing and start believing).

5.      How do I know?

C.     Thomas response demonstrates that he now knows and understands the death and resurrection of Jesus.

1.      My Lord

2.      My God

3.      Thomas gives a greater testimony than the rest of the disiciples.

4.      The others just rejoiced – Thomas submitted himself completely to the Lord.

Illustration: This same thing happens to Paul on the road to Damascus - Acts 9:20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

Application:

1.      Do you confess Jesus as Lord and God?

2.      That is the only confession that counts – faith is the start of our walk with God – it is the beginning point to life.

3.      The resurrection of Jesus is about life.

III.                What impact did this moment have on Thomas?

A.     We know that he later is fishing with Peter and five other disciples when Jesus comes to them and has breakfast.

1.      This was the third time that Jesus had manifested himself to the disciples.

2.      He hears the talk of Peter and Jesus – do you love me.

B.     The next time we hear of Thomas is in the book of Acts.

1.      He was in the upper room with the other disciples.

2.      He was devoting himself to prayer.

3.      He was with Peter at Pentecost.

4.      That is the last time we hear of Thomas in the Bible.

C.     What do we know of Thomas afterward?

1.      It is believed that Thomas preached in Persia, Parthia and also in India.

2.      He was known as the founder of the church in Syria.

3.      Thomas was the one that helped build a palace in India and credited with the founding of Christianity in that country.

4.      Thomas is believed to be buried at Edessa and to have been killed with a spear.

5.      The spear and a builder’s square are the symbols of Thomas.

Illustration: There is a story of Thomas sending Thaddeus to Eddessa – healed Abgar.

Application:

  1. Faith the Lord Jesus has profound impact – you now have life.
  2. A life that will have a impact on all that you come in contact with in life.
  3. 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

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