Missouri
"Show Me State" A name attributed to Representative Willard Van Diver. It conotates a certain self-deprecating stubbornness and devotion to simple common sense.
Don't tell me about what you are going to do for me.
Don't write to me about something that has happen.
But show me
The world is full of people that been burned, that been taken advantage us. It is because of this, many have resulted to give me proof and then I will believe you.
When products are advertise we are often told a lot of good things about the product that turns out to not be true shortly after you have purchased the item.
Account of the scriptures
The bible is full of people who had to be shown first in order to believe.
This morning we will learn of a man name Thomas who had to be shown before he would believe.
-He was Jesus disciple
-He had walked with Jesus
-He was taught by Jesus
-He had spend a lot of time with Jesus
-He was not present when Jesus appeared to the other disciples and showed them his scars.
-He was known as doubting Thomas
-He was a man who had to see proof
-He was a man who needed to see more than just lip service and accounts from eyewitnesses.
-He was a disciple that was fine with everything until it came down to believing that Jesus Christ was alive, that was another story completely.
-He had to see him, touch him in order to believe in him.
-The only way his doubting could be transformed into belief and faith he had to see Jesus.
-Jesus scars served as a testimony to Thomas that He indeed was the Christ the son of the living God.
The scars in Jesus side, the nail prints in his hands and feet, and the hole in his side was his testimony that He had risen from the dead and been in the present of God.
I. Your Testimonies are your scars:
a. Every Christian should have a testimony that is your proof that you have been in the presence of the almighty God. (Salvation exp.)
b. The fact that God was with you through the darkest hours of your life is something to talk about.
c. Your suffering
d. Your pain
e. Your heartaches
(Jesus appearance before Thomas is one of the greatest testimonies recorded in scriptures.)
II. Your Testimonies or scars are proof that you have been in God's presence:
a. When you have been at a point of giving up and God stepped in and rescued you, that something to share.
b. When your life becomes the essence of proof that something supernatural has taken place is something to talk about.
(When someone is aware of what you have gone through & hear about what God did and how faithful he is, that shows that you have been in God's presence.)
III. Your Testimonies (scars) are facts:
a. It is something that can be confirmed.
b. It is something that you may be able to even include some eyewitnesses to confirm.
c. It is something that your family members and friends could possible confirm.
IV. Your Testimonies (scars) glorify God:
a. When your trails and tribulations are over and God has delivered you (Now its time to testify & Glorify God and give Him the glory.
b. II Cor. 1:3-4 "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comfort us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."
V. The Testimony (scars) of Jesus body was convincing:
a. In verse 28 Thomas was finally convince
b. His convincing came by Jesus willingness to show him the testimony (scars) of his body.
c. People today will only be convince by:
1. Seeing that we have been in God's presents
2. By having the opportunity to touch us and get to no us, they are able to see that we are for real.
Finally
VI. What are you doing with your testimony (scars)?
a. Are you hiding it?
b. Are you ashamed of it?
c. Are you talking about it?
d. Are you showing it?
The world thinks like that nickname that Missouri has adopted show me.
I don't want to be informed
I don't want to be told
I don't want to read about it
I don't want to hear about it
I want you to show me
They only way the world doubts can be transformed into belief and faith in Jesus Christ just by each one of us showing them.
Show me your scars
