Thomas
John 20:24-29
Introduction: This is an excellent study on conviction and
confession. It is the great conviction
and confession of Thomas. We need to
take heed of what happened to him.
I.
Cause of unbelief in
Thomas.
A.
Thomas had a frustrated and reactionary spirit.
1.
He had not been with the disciples when Jesus first
appeared.
2.
He staunchly refused to believe Jesus was risen.
B.
The other disciples testified and bore witness of the
glorious truth.
1.
In the Greek it meant, “they kept on telling him”.
2.
Thomas became stiff-necked and obstinate in his belief.
3.
He argued against their testimony
4.
He argued with deep intensity
5.
He was deeply aggravated and frustrated
C.
There was a great feeling of disappointment and guilt.
1. Because
of this. His repulsive shout - - Vs 25
A.
Why was there such an intense guilt to cause such a
reaction?
1.
Thomas had forsaken the Lord
2.
Thomas had also withdrawn from the disciples
a.
Consequently he was not present when the Lord first appeared.
b.
He had missed another opportunity to be identified with
Christ.
B.
All this increased his guilt and frustration.
1.
He was critical of the body of believers
2.
He was guilty, but wanted to blame others
3.
He argued against their experience with the Lord.
4.
His shout - - - [It was eight days before Jesus
appeared again]
Thought: Persistent doubt always
delays the blessing.
Guilt, frustration,
disappointment, and being left out often results in
a haughty spirit, reaction, denial of
facts, and a fierce outburst.
a.
1John 3:20, Hebrews 10:38, Proverbs 14:14
III.
Thomas’ false picture of Jesus
A.
His thought was in term of an earthly Messiah or
Savior.
1.
He became a follower thinking of an earthly kingdom.
a.
Thinking he possibly would be a leader in the kingdom.
2.
He refused to see beyond the human and physical things
of the world.
3.
Jesus was ‘only’ a man nailed to the cross.
Thought: A false picture of Jesus leads to unbelief.
Jesus is more than:
1.
A great teacher
2.
A great prophet
3.
A great man
4.
A great founder of religion
b.
Jesus is even more than the greatest who ever lived.
1.
No matter how high one esteems Jesus, are false
beliefs.
2.
They see Jesus only as a man
3.
They see Him as one of the greatest men that ever
lived.
4.
But they still see Him as “just a man”
5. A very sobering thought
a.
Man prefer to see Jesus only as a man because:
1.
It brings Jesus down to their level
2.
It makes Him less than Lord.
b.
It means they believe:
1.
Man was not so bad that Jesus had to sacrifice His life
for them.
2.
That man can do what Jesus did, the best he can, and God
will accept him.
3.
Man doesn’t have to follow Jesus in every detail of
teaching.
4.
Because some believe Jesus was not entirely perfect.
5.
He was wrong sometimes in some things.
6.
Each person has to decide for himself or herself when
Jesus was right or wrong.
7.
Follow Jesus if they think He was right.
8.
God accepts us if we do the best we can.
9.
Man can make God as he wishes God to be.
10.Man can do
what he wishes and then say God allowed it.
Romans 1:21-25
IV.
The Confession – Vs 26-28
A.
Thomas’ critical confession and conviction.
1.
Jesus appeared and challenged and convicted Thomas.
B.
Note the confrontation
1.
The doors were again shut and locked
2.
SUDDENLY – unexpectedly, without notice
3.
Jesus stood in their midst
C.
He again eased their shock by giving the usual
greetings.
1.
“Peace be unto you”
a.
Meaning – May every blessing of heaven and earth, which
you need be granted unto you.
b.
All good be unto you, all peace, always, by all means
c.
Conferring upon you all the blessed fruits and effects
of His death and resurrection.
2.
Jesus used the same words like Thomas used. Vs 27
a.
“Put your hands - - - - “
3.
Jesus knows every man’s heart
a.
His despair, doubts, fears, hope, love
b.
Jesus knows where to strike at a man’s heart
4.
Note: Thomas
was where Jesus could reach him.
a.
He was in the presence of believers hearing this
testimony.
b.
He had not shut them out despite his questions.
c.
John 2:25, 1Corinthians 3:20, 1Samuel 2:3,
Jeremiah 17:10
V.
Jesus warned and called for BELIEF – Vs 27
A.
Thomas had been walking down a dangerous path.
1.
Many had witnessed to him, but he refused to hear.
B.
Jesus was saying: “Be not faithless, stop becoming an
unbeliever, you are in danger of becoming faithless. It is time to stop the foolishness. Stop the stiff-necked,
obstinate unbelief. You are in danger.”
1.
John 3:18, 36, Hebrews 2:3, 12, John 5:24
C.
To be faithless is to be Christ less
D.
We are to believe - John 5:24, Romans 10:9
VI.
The Strong Confession – Vs 28
A.
This is one of the great confessions in the Scripture.
1.
Most likely dropping to his knees he proclaimed, “MY
LORD, MY GOD”
a.
He was now saying “Jesus is truly the risen Lord”
b.
Acts 2:36, 5:31
2.
That Jesus is both Lord and God
a.
He is the Sovereign Majesty of the universe. Hebrews 1:3
3.
Jesus is the ONE who has come to truly reveal God.
a.
He is the mediator between God and man. John 14:6
4.
That Jesus accepts no halfway commitments.
a.
Jesus expects us to be totally committed – MY LORD, MY
GOD.
b.
We must bow down and worship Him as Lord and God.
c.
Philippians 2:9-11
5.
That Jesus expected an open and public confession of
Him as Lord and God.
a.
Matthew 10:32, 1John 2:23
Conclusion: To sum up all that has been said, Jesus said it
much better. “Blessed are they that
have not seen, and yet have believed.”