Gospel Encounter 18

 

DOUBTING THOMAS! . . . REALLY?

Just what was it that Thomas didn’t believe?

Was it about the resurrection of Jesus? I think not! Let us follow the scriptures on Thomas . . .

                                                From JOHN 11: . . . regarding Lazarus . . . (emphasis is mine)

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep”.

Then said his disciples, “Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well”. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, “Lazarus is dead And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him”.

Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him”.

Jesus said unto her, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

Thomas and the others were with Jesus and would have heard this conversation.

Lazarus died . . . Jesus was glad that He was NOT there at the time! Why? So that the DISCIPLES (including Thomas) might believe. Believe what? That Jesus would raise Lazarus from the dead? . . . Much more! Rather that Jesus was the resurrection AND that He was the LIFE that ensues out of being raised from death (sleep).

Let us follow this through . . .

            THOMAS  RECEIVED A MIGHTY REVELATION

THOMAS heard Jesus say that He was going to “raise Lazarus out of sleep” . . . Thomas right then had a revelation that Jesus was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. Why? Look at his response, “ Let US go with Jesus so that we can die with Lazarus”.      Heh, guys, lets die too!

Why say such a thing? Unless, you were convinced that you too would be raised from the dead!

You know the rest of the account. Lazarus was raised from the dead by the word spoken into him.

Thomas, with such a revelation, was obviously NOT AFRAID OF DEATH . . . he knew that if he died, he would be raised from the dead by Jesus.

After the death and burial of Jesus, the ten disciples were in a closed room FOR FEAR OF THE JEWS! Afraid that they too would be put to death (John 20:19). Thomas was NOT with them on that occasion. Why not ? He was NOT afraid to die — remember, he’d received a revelation about resurrection. Thomas had really heard that Jesus was not only the Resurrection but also THE LIFE. Thomas had a yearning to be fully identified with that resurrected life in Christ. He needed help to fully believe that this LIFE could be his while he was still on this earth.

A week later Thomas was with the other ten . . . and Jesus came to meet that hunger in Thomas.

“Thomas, you can have the LIFE if you will but touch my hands which removed your sin and thrust you hand into my side which released His life . . . Come on Thomas, believe that you can identify with my resurrected life RIGHT NOW”.

“Thrust” in the Greek means to throw or place something which, to do it, requires energy or effort. Picture it like a boxer’s punch. Come on Thomas (including all of us!), put out some determined effort and reach right into my heart for you have already believed in resurrection. Did Thomas touch and strike Jesus? You answer that one!

“Thomas BELIEVED that this victorious resurrected LIFE was his: now what do you believe? The Spirit is saying, Christ was raised from the dead for you to be reconciled, justified and for you to show forth that resurrected LIFE by My life in you and as you”.

Jesus Christ came to give us victory over death in all its forms! . . . ‘I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly’ . . .  to which Paul added, ‘And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the     coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1Thess 5:23).

Spirit, Mind and Body is every part of you. ‘Preserved blameless’ simply means guarded against all faults . . . as one without spot, wrinkle or any blemish. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed . . . from glory to glory into the image of Christ.

The ‘coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’ is when He from within, where He dwells, comes forth in all His fullness thus manifesting His resurrected Life in His Body thus manifesting His presence in the earth. §

 

 

Footnote No.1: In John 21, Thomas was among the seven who went fishing . . . this was after the              resurrection. . . when they were able to catch 153 great fish (see Kingdom Nuggets No.3 (i).) Also in Acts 1, Thomas was among the 120 in the Upper Room who received the ‘down-payment’ of the fullness of the life of Christ.

Footnote No.2: According to ‘Church History’, Thomas became the apostle who took the gospel to India and the  region of Asia where there still many churches which carry his name. Lazarus became the apostle who opened up France called Gaul; there are still churches bearing his name in the southern part of that country.