RECAP last week sermon – Joshua 14:6-15
A look at Caleb, who followed the Lord wholeheartedly - what stands out for such a man?
(1) TRUST IN THE UNSEEN GOD - He Does Not Believe Everything He Sees
(2) CLING TO THE PROMISE - He Does Not Despair Over Misfortunes
(3) CRAVE FOR THE BLESSING OF GOD - He Does Not Wait for Things to Happen
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Thomas uttered one of the most profound declarations of faith – John 20:24-31
24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he 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."
26 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 you!" 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
For a Jew to call someone "my Lord and my God" is blasphemous under any circumstances (cf.10:33), but Thomas said it.
• He started as a sceptic and a doubter, but ended up making the most profound statement ever - a declaration of his faith!
• Both words he used – Lord and God - were titles of deity in the OT. He knew what he was saying. He was worshipping Jesus!
He was not even declaring Jesus as Lord and God, but as HIS Lord and God. It was very personal!
• The confession was significant. Transformation has taken place. He recognised Jesus. Faith changed him.
• We are not changed because we attend church, or that we come from a Christian family.
• I’m changed because of my personal faith in the resurrected Lord and Saviour!
This is not just the cry of Thomas. It ought to be our cry too.
I came across this phrase in my reading this week - ‘Jesus AS Lord’.
• I’m used to ‘Jesus is Lord’ but not ‘Jesus as Lord’… and it got me thinking.
• It’s just a change of an ‘I’ to an ‘a’ but what a change! ‘Jesus is Lord’ can be understood in a general way – He is Lord of the universe, the One who rules.
• But when I say, ‘Jesus as Lord’, that puts a different light to it. It drags me into the equation. Is He my Lord? It becomes personal. Is He?
Thomas moved from being a doubter to a believer, from a sceptic to worshipper.
• How can we move from verse 25 Thomas to the verse 28 Thomas? Where I can truly worship Jesus as MY LORD and MY GOD?
(1) LET GO of Your Agenda
He was a doubter because he had set certain condition in his mind – he wanted to SEE and TOUCH to believe.
• He wanted Jesus to prove that He is alive ON HIS TERMS.
• “I want to see those marks on His hands and touch the scars his side. Otherwise, I cannot believe.”
He had expectations. He set certain demands. There were conditions.
• It might be the result of his dissatisfaction or anger that Jesus had chosen to show Himself when he was absent.
• Whatever the reasons, he wanted Jesus to prove something! He set the conditions. Jesus needs to re-appear, if Thomas is to believe.
What he said were strong words. It was like holding Jesus to ransom.
• We don’t say it out loud the way Thomas did, but we do echo the same sentiments sometimes – we challenge Jesus to prove something.
• We want Him to prove Himself, to show that He is real, true and good.
ONE WEEK LATER, the Lord appeared again. He is gracious. He is always gracious. He will show up again, just for Thomas. He wants to!
• Look closely at the passage. Look at the title to this passage. This was the sole purpose Jesus had in mind – to meet Thomas.
• He spoke to him personally (v.27): “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side.”
• If that’s what you want, if that’s what can really satisfy you, then here I am. Come, you can touch me and feel my scars!
Thomas did not take a step closer. He did not put his finger where the nails were, as he said he would. He did not put his hand to his side, as he said he wanted to.
• WHY? What happened to all those demands, those conditions?
• By now, he has already dropped them. What happened? FAITH has taken over. When faith takes over, he surrenders.
• Lordship of Christ has to do with surrendering our will to Him.
The only words that Thomas could say came easy: “My Lord and my God!”
• A week ago, it would be very difficult. Now he was surrendered man. He worshipped Jesus freely.
• All that he has been clinging on to – his demands, his agenda – has been given up. It doesn’t matter now.
Is there a personal agenda you are clinging on to? You want to be in control?
Are you waiting for God to prove something? Let go, and let God do His part.
(2) CHOOSE to Have Faith
FAITH IS A CHOICE YOU CAN MAKE
Despite the attempt by his fellow disciples, Thomas could not believe.
• He chose to cling on to his demands, so he suffered another week of restlessness and doubt.
• He could have experienced the hope and joy of knowing Christ is alive and well, if he had believed.
Why? Why did Thomas not believe? He was NOT WILLING to.
• It was not for a lack of evidence. Jesus spoke about His resurrection. And now all the disciples had seen Him (Thomas was the last to see Him).
• Thomas was NOT WILLING to believe because he wants it to be done HIS WAY.
• He wants to go by WHAT HE SEES and not by faith.
Now Thomas demands nothing. Jesus appeared again, especially for him.
• Jesus did not make it hard for him; neither will He make it difficult for us today.
• Author John tells us specifically in verse 31: “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31)
• These were written, not so much to prove Jesus’ divinity but to help us believe.
Jesus said to Thomas at the end, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)
• That’s you and me today. We are blessed when we believe.
• God is please to see faith. Faith pleases Him.
• Put your trust in what Christ has already revealed. Don’t be disturbed by what He has not revealed. Have faith in what He has revealed through His Word.
When you believe, worship becomes effortless.
• Jesus is Lord whether we want Him to be or not. His Lordship does not hinge on our belief.
• His glory is not dependent upon our giving Him honour. He is not exalted only when we worship Him; He is already exalted even without our worship.
• If He is our Lord and God, then we must HONOUR Him as such!
(3) SEE Jesus as He Truly Is
Why do we find it hard to make Him Lord? We are not seeing Him clearly.
(1) We are afraid that He may ask us to do something that we do not want to do. It’s the problem of FEAR. We are not seeing Him as He truly is.
(2) We think we know what is best for us. God’s plan may not be our best. It’s the problem of PRIDE. We are not seeing Him as He truly is.
(3) We are not convinced that God is not altogether good to us particularly. It is the problem of DOUBT. We are not seeing Him as He truly is.
How do you overcome these? Get to see Christ afresh through the Scriptures.
• Do it again and again. As often as we can. Get to where Thomas is.
• We got to see His true colour, His real self, His perfect beauty. You will stand in awe of Him.
Seeing Him will move from scepticism to trust, from being lukewarm to a transformed worshipper of Jesus Christ.
1. Learn to LET GO and let God rules.
2. CHOOSE to TRUST Him, based on what He has already revealed. Don’t be disturbed by what He has not shown you.
3. Get fresh REVELATIONS of Christ from the Word. See Him as He really is.
[Share the testimony of DR RICH EDWARDS, in the book NOT A FAN by Kyle Idleman, p.52-53.]
