Faithless or Faithful? John 20:24-29 Doubting Thomas? The Witness of the Other Disciples Behold My Hands! “My Lord and My God!”

Doubting Thomas?  Thomas was not there at the first meeting with Jesus  Thomas needed concrete proof of the resurrection  We must be careful of the term “Doubting Thomas”  The disciples doubted the resurrection as well  Their belief came only after Jesus appeared to them  Jesus never excuses this unbelief either Faithless or Faithful? John 20:24-29

Doubting Thomas?  What about this Thomas?  John 11:8-16 – loyal, committed, self sacrificing  John 14:1-6 – honest and questioning  Thomas is like the characters in The Pilgrim’s Progress – Fearing, Despondency, and Much Afraid  That is a good summary of many of us as believers Faithless or Faithful? John 20:24-29

The Witness of the Other Disciples  Thomas is most likely with the other disciples because of their witness to him of what they had seen  The other disciples sought him out  They could have said it was Thomas’ fault for not being there; it was his choice  God does the drawing and the saving, but we have the privilege to share with conviction and persistence Faithless or Faithful? John 20:24-29

Behold My Hands!  No matter how concerned the disciples were for Thomas, they could never change his mind nor can we  God does the changing and in His perfect timing  Jesus now invites Thomas to perform his empirical tests  Thomas had no right to demand such (especially since he implied that the test was impossible), yet Jesus met him where he was Faithless or Faithful? John 20:24-29

Behold My Hands!  Jesus tells Mary not to hold on to Him and then permits the opportunity for Thomas to touch Him  God provides what is necessary for us to believe  Yet Thomas never does what he says is necessary  The presence of the Christ of the cross and His wounds for Thomas were enough  God provides answers for our mind and our heart, but it is ultimately the love of Jesus’ sacrifice for us that grabs us Faithless or Faithful? John 20:24-29

“My Lord and My God!”  Of all the disciples, Thomas has the greatest testimony of faith, moving from doubt to total commitment  My – personal  Lord – sovereign, master, Jehovah, creator  God – no one before had addressed Jesus as God Faithless or Faithful? John 20:24-29

Application Have you, like Thomas, moved from being faithless to being faithful? Has the Gospel moved from your mind to your heart? How persistent are you in seeking out the lost to provide for them the information of what Christ has done for you? Faithless or Faithful? John 20:24-29