MAY 22PM Thomas’ Conviction and Confession
John 20: 24-31
If you ever want to point someone to a passage of Scripture concerning conviction and confession, tonight’s passage is a good place. This passage involves the great conviction and confession of Thomas.
READ 24-25. It looks like Thomas was from Missouri, the show-me state. From Thomas’ reaction, it looks like he was a little frustrated because Jesus had shown up when he wasn’t with the other disciples. That’s why I don’t want to miss church. The one time I’m not here would be the time Jesus showed up.
Thomas hadn’t been with the disciples when Jesus first appeared to them. And Thomas, at this point, was a lot like many people today, he refused to believe that Jesus had actually risen from the dead.
The disciples testified and bore witness to the truth. The tense of the Greek word for “told him” literally means “kept on telling him. From the Greek text we can surmise Thomas was kind of stiff necked and obstinate in his unbelief. He even argued against their testimony. It looks like he was aggravated and frustrated, feeling disappointment and guilt.
This aggravation and guilt is seen in how he says, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
What was it that frustrated Thomas so much and caused him to sense such intense guilt and react the way he did?
• Evidently Thomas had forsaken the Lord, and that was enough to frustrate any man’s spirit. Maybe that’s why Thomas wasn’t there the first time.
He probably felt guilty which is probably why he became critical of the body of believers. It was his own fault, but as human nature so often reacts, he blamed others through his aggravated spirit. He argued against the experience they had with the resurrected Lord.
It was 8 more days before the Lord ever appeared to Thomas. What a loss he experienced. But, then too, persistent doubt always delays the blessings. Also, guilt, frustration, disappointment, and exclusion often result in a denial of the facts or some sort of outburst.
READ 26. Before this, Thomas had a false picture of Jesus. He had always thought in terms of an earthly Messiah or Savior who would make things better upon this earth and in this life. He had become a follower of Jesus thinking that an earthly kingdom was to be set up and that he was to be a leader in that kingdom. He saw Jesus as the promised Messiah who was to be the Son of David, that is, to come from David’s roots. He refused to see beyond the human and physical things of this world. So in that light he could only see Jesus as the man who was nailed to the cross and had a spear thrust into His side and was now dead.
There are still many false pictures of Jesus in the world today. The false pictures lead to unbelief. Unfortunately, many today still only see Jesus as a great teacher, of prophet, a great man, or the great founder of a religion.
All of these beliefs, no matter how highly they esteem Jesus, are false beliefs because they see Jesus only as a man. They see Him as one of the greatest men who ever lived, but they still see Him only as a man.
I think people prefer to see Jesus only as a man because it brings Him down to their level. It makes Him less than Lord. It puts themselves on a higher plane more equal to Jesus. Those that do that are wrong in so many ways.
These people believe that man is not totally depraved, not wicked through and through. They believe that man is not so bad that Jesus had to sacrifice His life for them.
They believe that man can do what Jesus did, the best he can, and God will accept him.
They believe that man doesn’t have to follow Jesus in every little detail and teaching. Why? Because as man, they believe that Jesus wasn’t absolutely perfect.
They believe that Jesus was wrong in some things. Where?
This is how their thinking goes. They think that each person has to decide the best they can where Jesus was right and wrong. Then that person must do the best they can to follow Jesus where Jesus was right. They believe that it’s doing the best you can that God accepts.
This is dangerous thinking because this type of thinking allows a person to form God in his own mind and after his own likeness. A person can then make God as he wishes God to be. Then a person can do what he wishes and then say that it was allowed by God.
READ 27-28. So Jesus comes back in the same way he had appeared before. The doors were again shut and locked. Suddenly, unexpectedly, without notice, Jesus stood in the midst of the disciples. Again He eased their shock by giving the normal greeting, “Peace be with you.” But then He immediately turned to confront Thomas.
Jesus revealed that He knew all about Thomas’ unbelief and demands. He used the very same words that Thomas had demanded. READ 27.
This tells me that Jesus knows every person’s heart: his despair, doubts, fears, hope, love. He knows where and when to strike at a man’s heart. But note something: Thomas was where Jesus could reach him. He was in the presence of believers listening to their testimony. He hadn’t shut them out despite his questions.
Jesus warned and called for belief. Thomas had been walking down a dangerous road. The disciples had testified to him time and again, but he had refused time and again to accept their testimony.
Jesus says, “Stop doubting and believe.” It the Greek it’s more forceful. It’s more like Jesus is saying, “Stop doubting, stop becoming an unbeliever. You are running the risk of becoming faithless and unbelieving, beyond the point of believing. You have carried your unbelief too far. It’s time to stop this foolishness. The others have been repeatedly testifying the truth to you. Stop the stiffnecked, obstinate unbelief. You are in danger.” To doubt is to be Christless.
Then we have what might well be the strongest confession ever made in Scripture. I can see Thomas most likely dropping to his knees and exclaiming, “My Lord and My God!” He now knew five great things:
1. He knew that Jesus is truly the risen Lord. All that Jesus had said was true.
2. He knew that Jesus is both Lord and God, the sovereign majesty of the universe.
3. He knew that Jesus is the One who has come to truly reveal God, that He is the Mediator between God and man.
4. He knew that Jesus accepts no half-way commitments.
5. He knew that Jesus expected an open and public confession of Him as Lord and God.
READ 29. Here’s a great lesson for us all. That lesson is this:
• To believe without having to see evidence and proof.
• To believe because of love and care and because of the need and nature of the human heart.
• Believe because of the need of morality and godly character.
• Believe because godly witness say so.
• Believe because of the inner witness of the heart.
Thomas stopped being obstinate and rebellious when he saw Jesus and after Jesus had rebuked him. Thomas had been at fault. He had been doubting and his unbelief was inexcusable. The men who had told him the truth weren’t lying. They couldn’t ALL have been deceived. Thomas had just refused to believe because he didn’t want to believe.
Thomas had to see to believe. But the person who believes without seeing demonstrates a strength of character, a sensitivity to the witness of the Holy Spirit. So that person will be blessed with a very special joy.
Let’s finish this chapter. READ 30. It’s clear that the gospel writers didn’t include all that Jesus did in their gospels. In fact, they recorded very few of the signs. Jesus was apparently ministering and meeting the needs of multitudes every day—from sunrise to sunset.
Note the word “signs.” In talking about Jesus’ life, the word “signs” is chosen by John. All that Jesus was and did were signs—signs demonstrating that He as the Messiah, the Son of God. In these last two verses of John 20, he gives the great purpose of the signs.
The fact is that Jesus did many other signs that are not recorded in this gospel by John. He did many wonderful things. He was busy every day. For about three years, Jesus was constantly demonstrating that He was the Son of God. Jesus’ character and behavior, His teaching and preaching, His miracles and power, proves he was the Son of God.
He didn’t do these signs in secret. He did them out in the open. John said He did the signs in the presence of His disciples. They witnessed the signs.
Note that John says that he has been highly selective in the signs he has chosen to record in his gospel. There were MANY sings; so many in fact, John says in 21:25, “I suppose that even the whole world itself wouldn’t have room for the books that would be written.” So John selected only a few signs to record. He had a specific purpose in mind, so he chose a few signs that would help meet that purpose.
READ 31. The great purpose of John was to select a few signs that would lead men to believe. The great result is life through Jesus’ name.
