Thomas
John 20:24-29
April 26, 2020
If I was to give you a quiz about nicknames . . . can you get these right?
The Intimidator - Dale Earnhart
The Bus - Jerome Bettis
Ryno - Ryne Sandberg
Mr. Cub - Ernie Banks
The refrigerator - William Perry
Sweetness - Walter Payton
The Golden Jet - Bobby Hull
His Airness - Michael Jordan
The Big Hurt - Frank Thomas
Well, if you know Chicago sports, then hopefully you at least got 8 / 10. Nicknames can be either really positive or they can be pretty bad. How many of you had nicknames? And if you think about them, they may not all have been good, not because you even did anything wrong. They often come out of a situation and then they stick. And getting rid of a nickname can be pretty difficult to do.
This morning we’re going to look at someone had got a nickname that really seems appropriate, yet when you look at this guys history, it really seems uncalled for. But understand, Jesus didn’t give it to him, nor did his friends . . . we did! And if we were to be honest, he already had a nickname from the Bible.
Let’s take a look at this guy! We’re going to look at what we know about him and see if the nickname sticks, and what we can learn from him.
We first hear about . . . drum roll . . . Thomas. Were you guessing it was Thomas?
Thomas is mentioned 3 times in the NT. They’re all in the gospel of John. We’re going to look at chapters 11, 14 and 20.
As a backdrop, in John 10, we read that the Jews are trying to kill Jesus. Jesus had been teaching in the Temple and the Jewish leaders didn’t like what he was preaching. In 3 verses we read -
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.
39 Again they sought to arrest Him, but He escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan - John 10:31, 39-40
So, Jesus left the city and then in John 11, we learn that Jesus was called to help Lazarus who was dying. When Jesus decided the time was right to go . . . they would have to go back through that same region. The disciples said to Jesus -
8 “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”
Finally, in verse 14-15, Jesus tells them,
14 “Lazarus has died . . . 15 . . . But let us go to him.”
I can imagine the anxiety among the disciples, they don’t want to go back either. Lazarus was a nice guy, but he’s dead. Hey Jesus, aren’t you the one who said “let the dead bury the dead?”
But He wants to go, now listen to what happens next. Out of all the disciples who could say something, it’s Thomas. And look at what John tells us about this so-called doubter --
16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
Thomas is ready to go to war with Jesus. And if we die, then so be it. Come on, guys. I thought you were tough, let’s go, no need to be afraid. This is the time we were made for. I don’t know about you, but I don’t see any DOUBT in this Thomas. I see great courage!
2. That’s the first time we hear of Thomas. The 2nd time occurs in John 14. The disciples are in the upper room, having Passover with Jesus. Jesus is talking to them about servanthood, His betrayal and death, and as Jesus is speaking Jesus explains in John 14 - -
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
Those are great words of comfort from Jesus. But Jesus said, “You know the way to the place where I am going.” Nope, they didn’t.
Have you ever wanted to ask a question in school or at work and you thought people would laugh at it. That’s a really stupid question. How can you not know that answer. Sometimes our insecurities get the best of us. I don’t think any of the disciples had a clue. But they just kept silent. Then Thomas jumped in and he asked Jesus -
5 “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
And Jesus gave this reply which has helped us so much over time. He simply said -
6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Isn’t that great? The way, the only way is to proclaim Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We can only come to Jesus, we can only find the way to true life through the Father.
Now, we come to the final time we see Thomas. We’re now after the resurrection, in John 20.
Thomas wasn’t with the disciples when Jesus first appeared to them. I am not sure where he was. Maybe he was hiding, maybe he went back to his old life, maybe he was just depressed that Jesus was dead. We don’t know.
But, the good news is that Thomas returned to be with the disciples and all the others. That community was important to him. And they told Thomas about Jesus.
This is the story that John tells us in John 20:24-29 --
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But Thomas said to them,
“Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails,
and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.”
26 Eight days later, His disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.
Although 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, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side.
Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
28 Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
There really were a lot of doubters. When Mary Magdalene told the disciples what happened, Mark 16:11 tells us --
11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
Last week we talked about Jesus appearing to 2 followers on the road to Emmaus. They heard about the resurrection, but didn’t believe it either.
Yet, we call Thomas, Doubting Thomas but we could call all of the disciples doubters at one point before and after the resurrection. So, it kind of seems unfair to label Thomas as the ultimate doubter.
How about you and I? How are we with our faith in Jesus? Are you struggling? Are you wondering where’s Jesus in all of this? Why did He allow this virus to take hold? After all, I think every generation has questioned the different wars and diseases and disasters that have occurred. We’re no different.
Yet, in the end and that’s the beauty and power of this story. In the end - - Thomas could exclaim, My Lord and my God!
Thomas made the highest possible confession of faith. And what’s great about Thomas’ statement is the fact that he personalized it. He didn’t say you are the Lord and God . . . He proclaimed Jesus to be HIS LORD and HIS GOD!
Isn’t that what Jesus wants from each us? To have that personal, intimate relationship. That way we can gain His power, His strength, His grace and love. It’s all available, but we need to make that same proclamation.
And Jesus said to Thomas - - you believed because you’ve seen me, but
29 “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Hey - - you know what? That’s me and you!! How blessed we are when we can say yes to Jesus.
Let me give you a couple of quick thoughts and then we’ll wrap up.
When you struggle on those days with DOUBT. Understand this doubt is not the opposite of faith. Because you doubt, doesn’t mean you’ve lost faith.
Etymologically, that’s a big word . . . The word doubt comes from a root word which means "of two minds, undecided between two things." Literally it means "to have to choose between two things."
That’s what doubt is. When we have faith, we have one mind. When we reject Jesus we have one mind. But doubt is to be torn between the two. There are times in life when we are torn, stuck, wavering between the two. Understand that doubt is when we’re struggling. In some ways, we’re stuck between two worlds. Sometimes that is even present when stuck between our world and heaven. We long for heaven and peace, but we want this world as well. That’s not doubt, that’s reality.
Also, know that doubt is not UNFORGIVABLE.
God never condemns us when we question Him. Read through the Bible and there are so many questions asked of God. God wants us to come to Him with our questions so that we can move forward in our faith and in our relationship with Him and others. We are to go to God and talk to God about those struggles, those doubts and seek His wisdom and the wisdom of other trusted Christ followers who can walk on this journey with us.
Doubt is not bad! Doubt, if we are willing can lead us to great growth. If we are willing, we will grow in who Christ is calling us to be. Doubt can be good for us. It can cause us to question, and again, if we’re willing, we can go to God or those trusted Christ followers in order to have our hearts and spirits settled. So we can find peace and strength.
God didn’t punish or chastise him for his doubting. He will not do that to you as well.
