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THOMAS AND YOU

John 14:5-7

 After the resurrection, Jesus reveals himself to a number of his followers. Mary in the garden. Breakfast on the beach. On the road to Emmaus where Jesus reveals himself to the two disciples. A week later Jesus miraculously appears to the disciple despite the locked doors. One disciple is missing. Thomas! He does not believe Jesus is resurrected.

But once again 8 days later Jesus appears to the disciples, despite the locked doors.

Come and see Thomas. “My Lord and my God.”  “You believe because you have seen me.

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” He became known as doubting Thomas.  How would you like to be remembered as doubting Christopher, doubting Mandondo. Not a very nice label.

Thomas is known by millions today as Saint Thomas. Tradition has it that he sailed for India and preached the Gospel there. I think we can all relate to Thomas. We know what it is like to live between faith and doubt. Doubt is not such a bad thing. It does not mean we are bad Christians. On the contrary, doubt is a sign that we are taking our relationship with God seriously. It was his doubt that brought Thomas to faith.

JESUS PURSUES US

We are all ‘doubting Thomas’. He was lucky right. He saw and touched the resurrected Jesus. We don’t have that luxury. Jesus did not turn his back on Thomas because he did not believe. He did not reject him. He appeared a 2nd time to all the disciples and confronted Thomas with his doubts. That is what our God is like. He will seek us out, no matter where we are and no matter what our doubt. He meets us where we are so that we will continue to walk faithfully with him.

Rom 10:9 (NIV) 

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

This is not just an empty emotional confession. It is a living faith the Holy Spirit expresses through God’s people.

“No one can say, Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit”. 1 Cor 12:3

The apostles understood what the resurrection of Jesus meant.1 Peter 1:3

WHAT ABOUT YOU AND I?

We too can believe that Jesus was resurrected. We have the Biblical account and the testimony of the disciples and many others. The death of Jesus, his resurrection and his living in us by the Holy Spirit are all part of our redemption and ongoing salvation. By his resurrection, Jesus proved he was God in the flesh and that he would resurrect his people to immortal life. Believing in the resurrection is also believing that Jesus is now alive, that he is our High Priest, that he is at the right hand of the Father, interceding on our behalf. Despite our doubts, our sins, our failings and the distractions of life we can have faith in Jesus.

Faith that he is resurrected, faith that he hears our prayers, faith that he does answer our requests in accordance with his will. Faith that we will be resurrected as well. Faith that this life is not all that there is to living.

The resurrection of Jesus changed everything. “Blessed”,  said Jesus, “are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

1 Peter 1:3 (NIV) Praise to God for a Living Hope

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Every human is somewhere along the path to being drawn home to Christ. Some of us, praise God, have already had our eyes and ears opened. When we suddenly come to realise that we have a saviour.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST BELIEVE?

For doubting Thomas, it was his face to face encounter with Jesus. For Paul it was on the road to Damascus. For the thief on the cross, it was those few agonising moments before death.

For you it might have been a time and experience very different. For me, I think it has been a number of small encounters with Jesus along the Christian road of life, but their are specific times that I can look back on and say yes, that was definitely an encounter with Jesus.

God has given those who already believe, the blessing of joining him in our small way of making his Good News known. Sometimes it might seem like we are not accomplishing very much. That is why we need to encourage, support, pray, inspire one another. Live in communion with each other. So that this message, this good news of the resurrection of Jesus might be made know.

John 14:5-7

Jesus the Way to the Father

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.