INTRODUCTION
- You probably didn't come to church this morning expecting to hear an Easter sermon
- I mean you don't come to church the Sunday after Christmas expecting to hear an Advent sermon
- So why should you expect to hear another Easter sermon a week after we celebrated the glory of Jesus' Resurrection?
- Because one of the most important Easter events didn't occur until the Sunday following the Resurrection
- Granted- it wasn't as dramatic as the events of Easter Sunday
- But it was just as important to one man who DESPERATELY wanted to believe that Jesus was alive
- That man was Thomas
- And the story of his experience with Jesus is found in John 20:19-31
THE PROOF THE DISCIPLES NEEDED
- Stop right there- I want you to grasp the significance of what we're just read
- By this time on Easter Sunday reports of the Resurrection have been flooding in all day
- The reports:
- Mary Magdalene had shared vivid details of her encounter with Jesus
- Several other women told how they'd seen Jesus as they were rushing back to tell the disciples about the Empty Tomb
- Peter and John had investigated the women's claims- and confirmed that the Tomb was empty
- Two men who'd been traveling to Emmaus arrived to say they'd spent several hours with the Resurrected Lord
- And yet- the disciples were hiding in a locked room for fear of the Jews
- I don't get it
- How could you be afraid of ANYBODY or ANYTHING if you were convinced that Jesus was Alive Again?
- Which is the point: Early in the evening on Resurrection Sunday the disciples still weren't willing to make that leap of faith
- None of the them had seen Jesus for themselves
- They knew something was going on- but they weren't fully convinced the stories were true
- To me this is one of those things that prove the Resurrection really did happen
- If it was too neat- if everyone had been on the same page from the get-go
- It would be easy to dismiss the Resurrection as nothing more than a hoax concocted by Jesus' followers in the aftermath of His death
- But the truth is that every single disciple had to be convinced- beyond a shadow of a doubt- that Jesus was alive
- That meant they had to see Him- and hear Him- and touch Him- and embrace Him
- Before they would let themselves believe that Jesus had Risen from the dead
- For 10 of the remaining 11 disciples (by this time Judas Iscariot had already committed suicide) that eureka moment came early in the evening on Resurrection Sunday
- It was true! Jesus was alive!
- There could no longer be any doubt
- This wasn't a ghost
- It wasn't an hallucination
- This was Jesus
- The One they'd lived with for three years
- The One they'd believed was the Messiah- the Son of the Living God
- The One they'd given up everything to follow
- This was Jesus
- He looked like Himself
- He sounded like Himself
- He even bore the scars of the nails that had been driven in His hands- and the spear that pierced His side
- John describes the disciples as being 'overjoyed'
- The word indicates a mixture of absolute awe and wonder- coupled with giddy joy and a I can't believe it's happening sense of excitement
- There must have been laughter and tears and emotions that were surging out of control in that room: Jesus was alive!
- I want you to focus on that word- peace
- Generally when we think of peace we think of it as the absence of war
- Folks will say:
- When our military personnel have all come home- and the guns will have fallen silent
- Then our country will be at peace again!
- But to the disciples- who were good Jews- peace or shalom was an entirely different thing
- Peace was a blessing that only God could bestow
- To have peace meant you had become the recipient of His goodness and love- His mercy and grace
- So get the picture of what's going on here: By offering the disciples peace- Jesus was reminding them that...
- He was more than their friend- their Teacher- their Master
- He was, is, and always will be...
- The Crucified Savior of the world
- The Risen Lord over all Creation
- The eternal and only begotten Son of God
THOMAS' SKEPTICISM
- Over the years preachers have raked Thomas over the coals for not being there when Jesus made His appearance on Easter Sunday evening
- Some have called him a coward
- Some have labeled him a rebellious fool
- And some have used Thomas as an example of what happens when you miss Sunday or Wednesday night worship
- If you're not at church every time the door is open
- You may miss out on some great thing that God is going to do
- Folks- that's not fair!
- The Bible:
- Doesn't say why Thomas wasn't with the others
- And it doesn't condemn him for his absence
- It simply notes that he wasn't there
- That's not a crime
- It's more a case of being in the wrong place at the right time
- Unfortunately history has never been very kind to Thomas
- How would you feel if people have always called you 'Doubting Thomas?'
- As if YOU were the only disciple who ever experienced a failure- or expressed a doubt- about Jesus
- I mean nobody ever calls Peter- 'Denying Peter'
- And what Peter did there in the courtyard of Caiphas was even worse
- In the hour of Jesus' greatest need
- Peter denied Him with curses on his lips: 'I don't know the Man!'
- But Peter is Peter- so we give him a pass
- But Thomas?
- One moment of skepticism and doubt
- And you're branded for all time
- Maybe if we knew him a little better we could be more sympathetic
- Problem is- the Bible doesn't tell us much about Thomas
- We don't know where he came from
- There aren't any descriptions of what he looked like
- In fact-
- After the Day of Pentecost
- The Bible never mentions his name again
- But- the Word of God does offer two important clues into Thomas' character
- So what can we make of all this? What does it tell us about Thomas?
- For one thing it says he was fiercely loyal to Jesus- Let us also go, that we may die with him
- It also suggests that Thomas was never afraid to ask the hard questions
- When Jesus said: You know the way to the place where I am going
- Thomas was the only disciple with enough guts to say: "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
- The only other clue we have about Thomas comes from church tradition
- It says he spent the last years of his life preaching the Gospel in India
- According to the best available evidence Thomas was killed when an angry pagan priest drove a spear through his heart as he knelt in prayer
- So what does all this say about Thomas?
- Here was a man who would sacrifice anything for the Truth
- But first he had to be convinced of the Truth in his own mind
- Which is how he came to be known as 'Doubting Thomas'
- Thomas had missed something special on Easter Sunday- the chance to see the Resurrected Jesus face-to-face
- He hadn't...
- Been there when Jesus suddenly appeared in the middle of a locked room
- Heard Jesus' words of blessing and comfort
- All he had to go on was the excited testimony of his friends who told him: 'Jesus is ALIVE!'
- Can you imagine the conflict this must have created in Thomas' mind?
- On the one hand- he desperately wanted to believe it was true
- If Jesus was alive it was the PROOF that He was the Messiah- the Son of the Living God
- If Jesus was alive it meant His death on the Cross was the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world
- If Jesus was alive it meant that ALL His promises were true: 'Because I live you will live also!'
- BUT- Thomas had been terribly hurt on Crucifixion Friday.
- He'd seen and heard all the horrors of Calvary
- And when Jesus died- something in Thomas died
- The thought of having his hopes built up- only to have them crushed again- was too painful to comprehend
- So he told the other disciples:
- I want to make sure you understand what Thomas is saying here
- He isn't doubting the possibility of the Resurrection
- Remember- he'd been there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead
- He'd heard Jesus say that He'd be crucified and rise again on the third day
- He knew that Jesus had told Martha: I am the resurrection and the life
- And he knew his band of brothers wouldn't deliberately tell him a lie
- All Thomas is asking for is proof: I want to have the same experience you say you've had. I want to see Jesus for myself. I want to know- beyond a shadow of a doubt- that He's alive again!
..."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 it."
THE PROOF THOMAS NEEDED
- Thomas got the proof he was looking for seven days later
- Just a quick comment:
- If Thomas had completely rejected the possibility of Jesus' Resurrection
- He wouldn't have been with the other disciples on the first Sunday after Easter
- This is the second time John mentions that Jesus suddenly appeared in the middle of a locked room
- Why is this important?
- Because it gives us an insight into what Jesus' Resurrection body was like
- After the Resurrection- Jesus...
- Looked the same
- People didn't always recognize Him at first
- But it didn't take long for them to realize that this was the same Jesus they'd known and loved
- Had a body of flesh and bones
- He could still enjoy a good meal with His disciples. They could touch and embrace Him
- But He was no longer constrained by physical obstacles such as locked doors.
- And one other thing:
- Before the Resurrection Jesus could be put to death on a Cross
- After the Resurrection He occupied an indestructible body that had been designed to last for eternity
- At this point you might be thinking: That's great Steve- but why should I be interested in Jesus' Resurrection body?
- Simple: The Bible says that Jesus is 'the first fruits of them that sleep'
- In other words:
- What happened to Jesus is going to happen to you and me
- His Resurrection body serves as a preview of what OUR Resurrection body is going to be like
- Notice the contrast Paul is making here.
- He says the earthly bodies we currently occupy is like a flimsy tent- something that can be blown down with a strong wind
- But our Resurrection bodies will be like a building constructed with stones
- Strong
- Solid
- Built to last
- I can't help but think of Vernon Baker
- The last time I saw her- she didn't resemble the person we knew and loved
- She was hooked up to a morphine pump
- Her arms and legs looked like they were going to explode from fluid retention
- Her pupils were dilated- and she was struggling to breathe
- I don't like thinking of Vernon being in that condition
- But now I know she has her Resurrection body
- It isn't subject to decline or decay
- She'll never again experience any pain or suffering
- Her new body will never give out- it comes with an eternal guarantee
- Folks- that's part of the hope we have as believers
- What Jesus is- is what we will be
- It doesn't get any better than that!
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them...
26 ...Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
THOMAS BELIEVES
- Jesus doesn't condemn Thomas for having expressed his doubts
- Instead Jesus is ready to offer Thomas the proof he'd been looking for
- (What Jesus said)
- Feel the scars from the nail prints. Put your hand in My side and know that I'm not a ghost.
- Here's your chance Thomas. You don't have to doubt anymore. I want you to KNOW that I'm alive
- Sometimes Christians beat themselves up for experiencing times of doubt
- Folks- doubt is not a sin
- The truth is- periods of doubt are a natural part of a life of faith
- What God wants you to do is take your doubt IN Him TO Him
- Give Him the chance to answer the questions you have
- Let the Holy Spirit provide the comfort and assurance you're looking for
- The Bible puts it this way: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
- Whatever Thomas was looking for- he'd found
- We don't know if he actually stuck his finger in the nail prints- or thrust his hand into Jesus' side
- But there was no longer any question in Thomas' mind
- The Risen Savior had become the undisputed Lord of his life
- The Resurrected Jesus was more than a great man- He was, is and always will be...
- The Christ- the Messiah b)
- The only begotten Son of the One True and Living God!
- I want you to notice something interesting about what Jesus said to Thomas:
- You've seen me in the flesh and believed that I'm Risen from the dead. And that's great...
- But God's greater blessing rests on people who will never have the chance you had- but still believe that I am the Crucified and Risen Lord.
- Jesus has just pointed out the fundamental difference between living by faith and living by fact
- See Thomas lived the rest of his life based on a fact he knew through personal experience: Jesus was Alive Again!
- He never doubted it
- He'd seen the Lord face-to-face
- As Christians today we live our life based on the FAITH that says Jesus is Alive!
- And that's a lot harder than living your life based on something you've seen- and touched- and tested
- Which is why God pours out His special blessings on those who still believe!
- In spite of the doubts- in spite of the questions- in spite of the uncertainty
- To be able to say- with conviction:
I serve a Risen Savior. He's in the world today.
I know that He is Living- whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy- I hear His voice of cheer.
And just the time I need Him- He's always there.
He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me- along life's narrow way.
He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart.
You ask me how I KNOW He lives- He lives within my heart. - That's the kind of faith that makes God stand up and say: Now THAT'S what I'm talking about! THAT'S the kind of faith I can honor and bless!
- Is it the kind of faith you possess today?
- Thomas would tell you: I know- for a fact- that Jesus is Alive!
- Are you ready to believe it- and stake your eternity on it?
- Let us pray
28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
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