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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you ever heard someone say “oh, you are such a doubting Thomas”? Do you know where that nickname for Thomas came from?
This week I’ve been inviting us to put ourselves with the close friends of Jesus in the days immediately following resurrection Sunday. We have no specific record of where they spent these days or what they did. We presume they were very careful about being seen in public, since they would likely have been ‘most wanted persons,’ by the religious leaders who were distraught that Jesus’ body was gone from the tomb, yet the grave clothes had been left in the tomb, right where Jesus’ body had been laid. (Matt. 28:1-10)
The tomb guards had reported an earthquake! They’ve seen an angel from heaven come and roll back the tombstone, and sit triumphantly upon it! The religious leaders had paid the guards ‘hush money’, and told them to tell anyone who asked, that the disciples had come in the night and stolen the body of Jesus. (Matt. 28:11-15)
Can you imagine the rumors and questions which would have filled Jerusalem this week following Passover? And have you ever thought about what stories the hundreds of thousands of Passover Jerusalem pilgrims told their friends when they arrived back home? We all know how rumors spread and grow don’t we?!
John is the only Gospel author who gives us the story of what happened the weekend following Passover/ Easter. You’ll find it in John 20:24-31. Let’s turn there now, shall we? It has been very significant to every generation of inquisitive people, since that resurrection day!
John writes that on resurrection day evening, when the risen Jesus suddenly appeared to the disciples and others who were gathered in a locked house, Thomas was not present. We don’t know why, but he was elsewhere. Sometime, perhaps several times, in the week that followed, Thomas heard about the remarkable surprise appearance, of the resurrected Jesus, to the rest of the group that Easter Sunday evening. But, it was so hard to believe such a preposterous story. John writes: “So the other disciples told Thomas, ‘We have seen the Lord!’. But Thomas 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 it.” (John 20:25)
I’m so glad the Holy Spirit moved John to include this story in his account of Jesus’ life. It helps all of us, everywhere in the world, who have a difficult time believing the remarkable resurrection account! After all, when is the last time you, or anyone you know, has either seen a resurrection happen, or met someone who once was dead and buried, but is now alive? We can’t blame Thomas for doubting, can we?
And I appreciate the high standard of proof Thomas demanded. It wouldn’t be enough to simply see resurrected Jesus, not enough to even, like Mary did, hear Jesus’ voice. No, Thomas wanted more. He wanted to actually touch the nail scars in the risen Jesus’ hands. So here’s my question for you and me: what proof have you needed to not only believe the resurrection, but to let it so impact you, that the rest of your life is built on the rock solid truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
John writes: “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 with you.” (John 20:26) This was the next Sunday, one week after resurrection Sunday. Evidently they all had agreed to gather once again, likely in the same Jerusalem house. They were friends. They’d spent almost every day of the past many months together with each other and Jesus. They were trying to make sense of it all and figure out what to do with the rest of their lives, without Jesus present with them.
On this evening I suspect they were busy sharing with each other what they had done that week and interrogating each other. Had any of them been questioned by the religious leaders? Had they heard that anyone, other than their group, had seen Jesus? Had any of them had even a glimpse of Jesus that week? Can you hear the buzz, the chatter in the room? I wonder if once again Jesus quietly appeared in a corner of the room and listened, then moved into the noisy room and walked right up to Thomas?
John writes: “Then Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and 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!”. (John 20:27,28)
What do you hear in Jesus’ words? Love, compassion, understanding, invitation to trust? Do you feel any judgment, any ridicule, any sense of ‘shame on you for not believing‘? I don’t, and I’m grateful, because Thomas represents almost everyone who hears of the resurrection of Jesus. How could it be? How do you expect me to believe it with no tangible, practical proof? And that’s why Jesus’ response to Thomas is so very important. . .
John writes: “Then Jesus told Thomas, ‘Because you have seen Me you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen Me and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) Is that you my friends all around the world? Have you believed in the resurrection WITHOUT seeing the resurrected Jesus? If you have believed, what convinced you the resurrection is true? And what have you taken the next step?
Have you moved from belief in a historical event… the resurrection of Jesus… to ownership of that event?
I mean, have you owned the fact that Jesus died and rose from the dead FOR YOU! Now watch this: the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is nothing more than a fact, an event, UNLESS you own it as something personal for you. When you invite Jesus to apply it to your life, then it becomes personal. When you live everyday in the truth and the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and what happens in your life when God applies it to your sin guilt, to your dark heart. . . then my friends is when it changes you!!
So, if you have moved from fact to faith, what enabled you to trust Jesus with your life and your eternal destiny?
Did you know the risen Lord Jesus Christ has been appearing in visions and dreams for centuries, and in particularly large numbers, especially to Muslims all around the world, in recent years? Those who have these visions or dreams report He is often dressed in white, even gleaming white, as the angels are described in the Bible. He often speaks to, and in the language of the person having the vision, addressing them by their own name. He sometimes urges them to go and meet with a particular person who they know, and who is a Christian, a follower of Jesus. Sometimes in the vision, they are urged to read the Bible and believe it is true. Sometimes, like Thomas, Jesus in the vision answers their questions or gives them instructions which will lead them to the answers they seek. These dreams and visions are leading millions of people, especially Muslims, to trust the truth about Jesus (Isa) and experience salvation from their sins.
Now look closely at how the Holy Spirit of God led John to close this amazing, remarkable RESURRECTION chapter 20: “Jesus did many other miraculous 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 Christ (Messiah) and by believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:30,31)
Could it be more clear? God wants you and me to know this is far more than a story. This is life changing, historical truth. But it only becomes life changing for you and me IF it moves from history to HIS story, God’s story, at work in your everyday life and mine.
This is God truth…Fact: Jesus is the Son of God, sent by God, here to earth on a very specific rescue mission. Jesus’ miraculous conception, birth, life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension back to heaven are all essential parts of His mission. Jesus’ mission is the rescue of the human race from self destruction and eternity in hell separated from God!
Jesus has completed His mission, God’s rescue is available to every person, anywhere in the world. But rescue is only accomplished if the prisoner is willing to be rescued and joins with the rescuer in leaving the shackles and the dark dungeon behind, and stepping into a new life of freedom. Yes, it is possible for a prisoner to refuse their rescue! Think about this my friends!
All around you and me, everywhere in the world, are millions of people in bondage, who either refuse to believe Jesus is a risen Savior with the power to rescue them, OR they don’t want to be rescued, they prefer to remain in their sin, their bondage. What about YOU my friends, and every person you know?
Are you, today, claiming John 20 to be God’s miraculous rescue provision for YOU? If not yet, is there a better time than right now? Go ahead, talk to the resurrected Jesus right now, right where you are, and ask Him to rescue you from your sin, and then own John 20 as God’s rescue truth for YOU! And then start living, today, in the powerful truth of Jesus’ rescue. Refuse to live in shackles to anything, even doubt!
Here’s a song, led by a younger generation who have experienced freedom in the risen Jesus, Let’s worship with them together. . . https://www.youtube.com/
Oh Lord Jesus Christ, I celebrate the truth of Your resurrection and how it has changed my life. Oh I pray for every person hearing my voice… that today will be a new day of freedom for them!
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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