THE 12 APOSTLES, THOMAS
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: X MARKS THE SPOT
1. Boudreaux and Thibodeaux went fishing. They found a great fishing spot, right out in the middle of a lake. 2. Boudreaux said, "Thibodeaux, we need to mark this spot so we can find it again!" Thibodeaux took out a big black marker and put a big X right in the middle of the bottom of the boat.
3. Later on, Boudreaux noticed the big X in the bottom of the boat and said, "Thibodeaux, that was really dumb to put that mark in the bottom of the boat. How is that going to get us to the same spot? Suppose the next time we go, we take a different boat?"
B. THESIS
1. Today is our 8th part in the series, “The 12 Apostles of Jesus.” These 12 men, like us, all had their strengths and weaknesses.
2. As we study them, we see how Jesus worked with them to help them grow in faith and courage.
3. Tonight we’re going to look at a disciple whose gotten worse press than any but Judas, but he was actually one of the most outstanding of the Apostles.
4. The title of this message is, The 12 Apostles of Jesus: Thomas.”
I. DEDICATED LEADER AMONG THE APOSTLES
A. CLOSE TO THE INNER CIRCLE
1. Thomas Didymus lived in Galilee. Thomas was his Hebrew name and Didymus was his Greek name. Both names mean “twin.”
2. Matthew, Mark and Luke only mention Thomas when they name the 12 apostles (Mt. 10:3, Mk. 3:18, Lk. 6:15).
But there are signs that Thomas was one of the more influential apostles.
3. For starters, the Apostle John mentions him seven times in his Gospel. After Jesus’ resurrection, when Peter declared he would go fishing again, only 4 other apostles went with him (and 2 unnamed disciples): James & John, Nathanael, and Thomas.
4. Unless Thomas had been close to Peter, James, and John, he probably wouldn’t have felt comfortable volunteering himself to accompany them.
B. READY TO DIE WITH JESUS
1. In John 10 the Jewish leaders had become increasingly belligerent. They slandered Jesus saying he was demon-possessed (10:20), they attempted to stone Him but couldn’t (10:31), and at last they tried to seize Him (10:39).
2. Jesus had to flee for His life across the Jordan River to where John had been baptizing. When Lazarus was dying, Mary and Martha sent word of it to Jesus there (11:3).
3. After 4 days, Jesus stated His intention to return to where they were trying to kill Him, to (heal) Lazarus. John 11:16, “Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’”
4. Thomas shows his love for Jesus, his devotion, and his courage by determining to die with Jesus.
5. Alfred Edersheim also believes this shows Thomas’ leadership among the apostles, since he makes the decision they would accompany Jesus (Life & Times of Jesus the Messiah, Vol. 2, p. 315).
C. NOT WANTING TO BE SEPARATED FROM JESUS
1. In the Upper Room, after Jesus had washed their feet and they had eaten the Passover/ Last Supper together (Judas had left), Jesus began to tell them that He was going away and they couldn’t come with Him.
2. This was devastating news to men who’d left all behind to follow Him. One of the 4 apostles who expressed his heartbreak at this news was Thomas, who in John 14:5 asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
3. In answer to Thomas’ question, Jesus uttered one of the most important sayings in the Bible; “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me” (Jn. 14:6).
4. Thomas’ motivating desire was that he didn’t want to be separated from Jesus.
II. HIS DOUBT OF THE RESURRECTION
A. CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING UP TO IT
1. Just as the arrest, crucifixion, and death of Jesus sent the other apostles into fear, depression, and discouragement, Thomas also experienced the defeat of his hopes centered in Jesus.
2. Thomas’ dedication turned to bitter finality that Jesus was dead and would never come back. He became pessimistic of any hope of resurrection.
3. He greeted claims of angels with skepticism. Thomas probably responded to reports of sightings of Jesus as risen with, "Maybe they hallucinated" or "Maybe they saw someone that looked like Him.”
4. But there were at least five (5) resurrection appearances during this time:
a. To Mary Magdalene, Mk. 16:9; Jn. 20:11-17.
b. 2 Other Women told by Angel, Mt. 28:8-10, Mk. 16:1,6.
c. To Peter, Lk. 24:34, 1 Cor. 15:5.
d. The 2 Disciples of Emmaus, Mk. 16:12-13; Lk. 24:13-35.
e. The 10 Apostles, Thomas absent, Lk. 24:36-48; Jn. 20:19-25; 1 Cor. 15:5.
5. Up to this moment there had been 15 people (Peter mentioned 2x) that had seen Christ or been told of His resurrection by an Angel.
6. DOUBTING THOMAS IMAGE: CARTOON
a. 'I doubt it, but I'll try.' This was the phrase used every week by Doubting Thomas - a young lad with a Biblical name and a curl of hair in the shape of a question mark - whenever he was asked to tackle any task.
b. It’s unfortunate that Thomas is only remembered for one trait. But with good reason. Luckily, Jesus was very patient with him, and with us too!
B. THOMAS’ DEMANDS OF PROOF
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “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.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:24-29.
1. THE GALL OF THOMAS
a. It was very ‘nervy’ for him to dictate the terms upon which he is going to believe and to choose the terms most offensive to Christ!
b. Who was Thomas that he should put his hands into those wounds so recently healed?
c. Would he reopen the wound to Christ's heart? Was there no other way of believing than to poke his Lord’s wounds? Why would Thomas ask such a thing?
2. Because he'd seen Jesus’ torn and obliterated body. Like a man who’d been in a Vietnam battle and seen his friend blown apart. Thomas had said to himself, "He's is never coming back from that."
3. H.P.D. DETECTIVE HYVL’S STATEMENT (4/9/04)
a. "Thomas would have made a good detective; he wouldn't decide without the facts.”
b. “Fingerprints -- are better than an eye witness. An eye witness can get excited (and be wrong). And the criminal may have a twin brother. But no one else has your fingerprints."
c. "People used old scars, wounds, tattoos or birthmarks to identify people in the old days."
d. "Thomas's technique for identifying Christ would have been normal for his time."
C. JESUS’ LOVING ACCOMMODATION
1. Acts 1:3 says that Jesus "showed himself alive... by many infallible (convincing) proofs."
2. Jesus gave each person what they needed to convince them.
a. For some, a head wrapping still intact.
b. For others, the message through an Angel.
c. For others, His eating fish and honeycomb.
d. For Thomas, the chance to touch His wounds.
3. Thomas and Jesus knew: Nail prints Don't Lie!
III. THOMAS’ TRANSFORMATION
A. A REVOLUTION OCCURRED IN THOMAS!
Imagine the shock when Jesus appeared and commanded
Thomas to inspect His wounds! Every doubt was answered with Jesus’ "in your face" REALITY! In "My Lord and My God" we see:
1. An INCREDIBLY STRONG FAITH. Before, he had had more doubt than any; now he had more faith than most. He made the strongest expression of deity by his statement.
2. A NEW HUMILITY was found in his expression. We sense:
a. "How could I have doubted you?"
b. "What I have I been thinking of?"
c. "How could I have been so arrogant?"
d. "I wandered so far, further than everyone else!" My Lord and My God!
3. A. SURPRISE of COMPLETE JOY! Intense pleasure; holy wonder. It was like he had found the one he had loved intensely, but lost, until now.
4. RENEWAL of ALLEGIANCE to CHRIST. "My Lord and My God!" In that we see a re-consecration of his service.
B. IMPACT ON HIS LIFE
1. He became one of the most courageous of the apostles.
2. Tradition says that he labored in Parthia, Persia and India, suffering martyrdom near Madras, at Mount St. Thomas.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. Each year the University of Chicago Divinity school has a day where it invites great thinkers to lecture there.
2. One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich, an atheist theologian. Dr. Tillich spoke for 2 1/2 hours proving that the resurrection of Jesus Christ never happened.
3. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as historical resurrection, the religious tradition of the Church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo.
4. At the conclusion of his lecture he asked if there were
any questions. After 30 seconds of silence an old preacher with a head of white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium.
5. "Dr. Tillich, I have one question.” Every eye in the place turned toward him. He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out of an apple and began eating it.
6. "Dr. Tillich, my question is a simple question. Now I've never read any of those books you just cited. I can't recite the Scriptures from the original Greek. I don't know anything about Niebuhr or Heidegger..."
7. He finished the Apple. "All I want to know is: this Apple I just ate; was it sour or sweet?” Dr. Tillich paused and finally said, "I can't possibly answer that question, for I haven't tasted your Apple."
8. The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his Apple into the crumpled paper bag and looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly "Neither have you tasted my Jesus."
9. The 1000+ in attendance couldn't contain themselves and a erupted into applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform. Source unknown.
B. THE CALL
1. In World Vision, writer Tony Campolo tells of taking an airplane from California to Philadelphia one stormy night.
2. It was late, but when the man in the next seat learned that Campolo was a Christian, he wanted to talk.
3. "I believe that going to heaven is like going to Philadelphia," the man said. You can get there by airplane, by train, by bus, by an automobile. There are many ways to get to Philadelphia.”
4. Campolo writes; As we started descending into Philadelphia, the place was fogged in. The wind was blowing, the rain was beating on the plane, and everyone looked nervous and tight.
5. As we were circling in the fog, I turned to the theological expert on my right. "I'm certainly glad the pilot doesn't agree with your theology," I said.
6. "What do you mean?" He asked. "The people in the control tower are giving instructions to the pilot: "Coming north by Northwest, 3 degrees, you're on beam, you're on
beam, don't deviate from beam."
7. “I'm glad the pilot's not saying, "There are many ways into the airport. There are many approaches we can take."
8. “I'm glad he is saying, "There's only one way we can land this plane and I'm going to stay with it."
