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2. A.TODAY, WE CELEBRATE THE SINGLE GREATEST MIRACLE THE WORLD WILL EVER KNOW. “HE IS NOT HERE: FOR HE IS RISEN, AS HE SAID. “ (MATT. 28:6) 1.A SKEPTIC WILL ASK, SO, WHAT DOES IT PROVE? A CHRISTIAN WILL SAY, IT PROVES THAT THE BIBLE IS TRUE!!! “DESTROY THIS TEMPLE, AND IN THREE DAYS I WILL RAISE IT UP.” (JOHN 2:19) “BUT GOD RAISED HIM UP AND PUT AN END TO SUFFERING OF DEATH, SINCE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO BE HELD BY IT.” (ACTS 2:24) “.... HOW THAT CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES; AND THAT HE WAS BURIED, AND THAT HE ROSE THE THIRD DAY ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES.” (1 COR. 15:3-4) 2.SADLY, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE CYNICS, SKEPTICS, DOUBTING THOMAS’, AND HARD- HEARTED UNBELIEVERS. 2

3. B.IT IS A SERIOUS MATTER TO ‘KNOW’ ABOUT JESUS AND STILL NOT BELIEVE ON HIM AS YOUR PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR. “.... HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE; BUT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM.” (JOHN 3:36) “SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE: BECAUSE THAT, WHEN THEY KNEW GOD, THEY GLORIFIED HIM NOT AS GOD, NEITHER WERE THANKFUL.” (ROM. 1:20-21) 1.JUDAS MADE HIS CHOICE. 2.THE CHIEF PRIESTS, THE SCRIBES, AND THE ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE MADE THEIR CHOICES. 3.THE HIGH PRIEST WHO WAS CALLED CAIAPHAS MADE HIS CHOICE. 4.PILATE MADE HIS CHOICE. 5.PEOPLE YOU KNOW AND LOVE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THEIR CHOICE. 6.IF THEY CHOOSE TO BELIEVE, THEY WILL SPEND ETERNITY IN HEAVEN. IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO BELIEVE, THEY WILL SPEND ETERNITY IN HELL!! 3

4. C.SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE THOMAS. A SKEPTIC WHO REFUSED TO BELIEVE WITHOUT DIRECT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. “BUT THOMAS, ONE OF THE TWELVE CALLED DIDYMUS, WAS NOT WITH THEM WHEN JESUS CAME. THE OTHER DISCIPLES THEREFORE SAID UNTO HIM, WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD. BUT HE SAID UNTO THEM, EXCEPT I SHALL SEE IN HIS HANDS THE PRINT OF THE NAILS, AND PUT MY FINGER INTO THE PRINT OF THE NAILS, AND THRUST MY HAND INTO HIS SIDE, I WILL NOT BELIEVE.” (JOHN 20:24-25) 1.THOMAS REPRESENTS THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE CONVINCED ON THEIR OWN TERMS. 2.“SEEING IS BELIEVING!” “THE PHARISEES ALSO WITH THE SADDUCEES CAME, AND TEMPTING THAT HE WOULD SHOW THEM A SIGN FROM HEAVEN.” (MATT. 16:1) “HE SAVED OTHERS; HIMSELF HE CANNOT SAVE. IF HE BE THE KING OF ISRAEL, LET HIM NOW COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS, AND WE WILL BELIEVE HIM.” (MATT. 27:42) 4

5. D.SOME PEOPLE ARE ‘FALSE DOUBTERS’. IN OTHER WORDS, NO AMOUNT OF TRUTH OR FACTS WILL CHANGE THEIR MINDS. THEY MAY SAY THEY ARE DOUBTERS, BUT THE BIBLE SAYS THEY WOULD NOT EVEN BELIEVE IF SOMEONE WERE TO COME BACK FROM THE DEAD. “AND HE SAID, NAY, FATHER ABRAHAM; BUT IF ONE WENT UNTO THEM FROM THE DEAD, THEY WILL REPENT. AND HE SAID UNTO HIM, IF THEY HEAR NOT MOSES AND THE PROPHETS, NEITHER WILL THEY BE PERSUADED, THOUGH ONE ROSE FROM THE DEAD.” (LUKE 16:30-31) 1.THEY SUPPRESS THE SIGN CHRIST GAVE THEM OF HIS MESSIAHSHIP. 2.IT IS A SAD SIGN OF THEIR DESPERATE CONDITION. 3.MOST OF OUR WORLD STILL REMAINS UNPERSUADED. 4.SOME, COME CLOSE, “THEN AGRIPPA SAID UNTO PAUL, ALMOST THOU PERSUADEST ME TO BE A CHRISTIAN. (ACTS 26:28) 5

6. E.WHATEVER THE REASON FOR THOMAS’ DOUBT; HE GOT WHAT HE WANTED JUST ONE WEEK LATER. “AND AFTER EIGHT DAYS AGAIN HIS DISCIPLES WERE WITHIN, AND THOMAS WITH THEM: THEN CAME JESUS, THE DOORS BEING SHUT, AND STOOD IN THE MIDST, AND SAID, PEACE BE UNTO YOU. THEN SAITH HE TO THOMAS, REACH HITHER THY FINGER, AND BEHOLD MY HANDS; AND REACH HITHER THY HAND, AND THRUST IT INTO MY SIDE: AND BE NOT FAITHLESS, BUT BELIEVING. AND THOMAS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, MY LORD AND MY GOD.” (JOHN 20:26-28) 1.THOMAS BELIEVES, BUT REMEMBER, NONE OF HIS FOLLOWERS WERE EXPECTING JESUS TO BE RAISED FROM THE DEAD. 2.THIS 1 ST RESURRECTION MORNING, GOD CONFIRMED HIS VICTORY OF SIN AND SATAN. 3.JESUS SAID SOMETHING ELSE TO THOMAS, “THOMAS, BECAUSE THOU HAST SEEN ME, THOU HAST BELIEVED: BLESSED ARE THEY THAT HAVE NOT SEEN, AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.’” (JOHN 20:29) 6

7. F.THE REAL ISSUE THIS MORNING IS NOT WHAT THOMAS DID OR DID NOT BELIEVE; THE ISSUE IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU AND I BELIEVE! “BLESSED ARE THEY THAT HAVE NOT SEEN, AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.” (JOHN 20:229) 1.DO I BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD? 2.DO I BELIEVE THAT HE CAME TO THIS EARTH TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR MY SINS? 3.DO I BELIEVE THAT WHEN HE DIED ON THAT CROSS THAT ALL MY SINS WERE FORGIVEN, IF I JUST PUT MY FAITH IN HIM? 4.DO I BELIEVE THAT WHEN GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD THAT HE ALSO MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR MY BODY TO BE RAISED AT THE LAST DAY? 5.DO I DECLARE THAT I WILL WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT? ““BUT ALL THIS WAS DONE, THAT THE SCRIPTURES OF THE PROPHETS MIGHT BE FULFILLED.” (MATT. 26:56) 7