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326. Thomas

John 20:24-31
Key Verse:  Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."   John 20:29

Thomas is often criticized when a sermon is preached on this event in the life of Christ.  I've always thought that Thomas receives unfair treatment when that happens.  After all, the others were also in doubt a week earlier as they were huddled together in the upper room.  And, even though Jesus had appeared the week before and had proven that He indeed had been raised from the dead, the door was still locked for the gathering on this occasion.  We aren't sure why, though I tend to think it was more out of prudence than fear.  Jesus doesn't seem to criticize Thomas for having questions.  Instead, He answers Thomas' questions with the same proof that He had given the others, His real, resurrected body.

We've always taught our children that there are no dumb questions.  It wasn't wrong for Thomas to want to see proof.  It would have been wrong to have been shown the proof and when confronted with the truth to have rejected it, still, as the Pharisees did.  Thomas' questioning, however, was sincere.  Jesus understood this and met him where he was in his faith.

Another of the disciples, John, addresses the importance of this tangible proof like this.  "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched, this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.  We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ."  (1 John 1:1-3)  Even though the gospel states that John believed at the empty tomb, he used all the tangible proof of Jesus' bodily resurrection as the catalyst for spurring him on to proclaim to others what he had witnessed.

Thomas is asking for nothing less.  He knew the rumors that were being spread by the Roman guards.  He was very aware of the opposition of the powerful religious leaders.  He did not want to die for a fraud, no matter how devoted he had been to Jesus before His crucifixion. And notice this: Out of all the disciples, Thomas was the first one to call Jesus, "My God!" That was great faith! 

When we share our testimony about the Lord, we need to be as confident about what we know as the disciples.  Our testimony needs to consist of what we know that Jesus has done for us. It can't be someone else’s story, it must be our own.  If that gives you pause, do you need to ask, do I have a story?  Is my testimony based on Scriptures and religious rules and traditions alone, or have I had a personal encounter with Jesus that I can truly relate to others?

It's never too late to correct the situation.  "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  (Rom. 10:13)  "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved."  (Acts 16:31)  "Before the Hebrews entered Canaan from Egypt God set out this principle:  "If from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him, if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul."  (Deut. 4:29)  And in the prophet Jeremiah, God says, "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."  (Jeremiah 33:3) 

Over and over, throughout scripture, God invites us to be in close relationship with Him, and He invites us to ask.  He is not threatened by our questions or examinations.  As He invited Thomas to handle Him, so He invites us to do what we must, with a sincere heart, to be assured that He is real, He is alive, He is forgiving and He is eternal.  If you can believe without all this, you are blessed, yet, explore if you must.  He is the Truth that will inspire you when you have found Him to be all that He claims and more.

Hymn:  "I Believe In Jesus"

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