Turn with me to Matthew 10. We’re going to read the first four verses.
1And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power (authority) against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. 2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Over the years I have from time to time thought about apostles and asked myself “Who am I most like?” Have you ever done that? The question is not related to the fact that these are all men. The question is related to how they are characterized in scripture and what they do.
So I think about Peter. What’s so interesting about Peter is that in John 1, when Jesus meets Peter, he says “Simon, son of Jonas, I’m going to call you Cephas.” Peter was not his name. Simon was his name and Jesus changed it to Cephas.
When Jesus changes your name, ladies and gentlemen, it’s for a reason. The word “Cephas” means “rock”. It doesn’t mean a big boulder but a stone or pebble. It’s something that can be moved easily.
When you look at Peter’s life you see that he operated a lot out of his emotions. He was the first one to do everything for Jesus. In a way, he was the mouthpiece for the other disciples.
Remember he was the one that when Jesus was walking on the water and all of the other disciples were afraid in the boat, Peter says “Lord, if that’s you bid me to come.” Can you imagine the other disciples looking at him and asking “Are you crazy?” Peter walks on water. Jesus wasn’t the only one to walk on water.
Peter was fiercely loyal to Jesus too. Remember when Jesus talked about his death on the cross and Peter said “Nope. Not going to happen. You ain’t dying today Jesus.” And that’s when Jesus had to rebuke Satan. So I thought “I could be Peter.”
Then there other times I’d look at the disciples and think about James and John. Jesus called them the “sons of thunder”. Do you think that was an accident? When you read some of the commentaries they say James and John were called “sons of thunder” because they were mighty preachers. They preached with fire in their bellies.
Can Barry use his imagination for a minute? When I see the “sons of thunder” in my mind I’m seeing two guys that when they come into the room you notice them. And the thing you notice is that they’re big and they will look at you and you realize you don’t want to mess with them.
Remember when Jesus went to Samaria and the people didn’t want to have anything to do with Jesus? And what did the “sons of thunder” do? What did they say? “Do you want us to call down fire and rain it upon them?” These were the “sons of thunder”.
In my mind I’m seeing this: if anyone disrespected Jesus, he may get a knock at the door. He opens the door and sees these two guys. “We were there when you said ‘such and such’ to Jesus. We’re here to make sure you understand that you won’t say that again.” The “sons of thunder” okay?
It’s so interesting to me that John, one of the “sons of thunder”, is the disciple that the Bible says “Jesus loved”. John, one of the “sons of thunder”, was the one Jesus charged with taking care of his mother. Jesus put his mother under the care of someone he knew people would not mess with! So I thought, you know what? I could be a “son of thunder”.
This morning, we’re going to talk about a disciple that many of us would not want to admit that we’re probably more like him than we realize.
We’re going to talk about a disciple that during the tough times gave the appearance of being on the same page as Jesus. He gave the appearance of wanting to do everything Jesus told him to do. But that was not who he really was. And I’m not talking about Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus. I’m talking about someone who was with him for the long hall.
The disciple we’re going to look at this morning is Thomas.
The title of the message this morning is “Are you a Thomas Christian”?
We’re going to begin in John 11.
The Lord first gave me the idea about “Thomas Christians” probably six or seven years ago. And I remember where I was and I remember who was standing in front of me. I was standing in the back of the sanctuary and Sister LaFaye was standing in front of me and the Lord started talking about “Thomas Christians”.
I quickly wrote down a few notes and later reviewed them and then set them aside until sometime last year. As I read through the notes again, the Lord started giving me a few more things and I sat them aside again. When Pastor asked me to minister the first two words that came to mind was “Thomas Christians”.
Here in John 11, Jesus has gotten the message that Lazarus is sick and dying. But he doesn’t immediately go to see Lazarus.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. 7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. 8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
The disciples were saying “Jesus, going to Jerusalem doesn’t make any sense. You know the Jews want to kill you.”
9Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
I want you to see this. “He seeth the light of this world.”
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in [in the world]. Is that what it says?
What does it say? “There is no light in him.” Now, if there is light in Jesus and Jesus says “I am the light of the world” and “No man cometh to the father except by me”, what is he saying? “The light that I have in me – nobody else has.”
Hold your hands up – all of you who have the same light in you that Jesus does.
What Jesus is telling the disciples is this: “The reason we have waited until now to go Judea is because that light on the inside of me, that spirit on the inside of me, told me to wait.”
Now how many of us, if we had someone who was sick on their deathbed and they lived in Houston, Texas would not hop on the next plane to be with that person? That’s what our emotions will tell us to do.
But Jesus said, and let’s be clear ladies and gentlemen, do you not think that everything in Jesus wanted to go and see Lazarus that day? C’mon now. Let’s not make Jesus something he wasn’t. He was a man who was tempted in all points, just like us, but he didn’t sin by giving in to the temptation.
Don’t you think that as soon as he got word from Mary and Martha that Lazarus was dying he didn’t want to go right then and there? Yes, he wanted to go. But the spirit on the inside, the spirit that was always listening to the Father’s voice, said “no, don’t go.”
How many of us would have ignored God and gone to see Lazarus anyway. I’m raising my hand because I know that I may have done that and not listened to the light that’s on the inside of me. I hope you hear what I’m saying this morning.
Let’s begin with verse 10 again.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. 11 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. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
I’m not going to spend a lot of time here but I do want to make one quick point. This record in John 11 really begins in John 7 verse one. From that point to where we are now, Jesus is dealing with people who are living in unbelief. We see a culmination of that here when Jesus says “I’m glad for you that I was not there when he died. Now maybe you’ll truly believe in me when we get to Judea.”
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
I want you to notice what Thomas said: “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Now, doesn’t that sound like the right thing to say? Thomas is saying “I know it doesn’t make sense for you to go to Judea Jesus but if you want to go, I’ll go with you.” But I want you to listen to what Thomas is saying with your “spiritual ears”. I want you to hear how he is saying it with your “spiritual ears”.
When Thomas says “Let us go that we may die with him” you can hear the sarcasm and you can hear the unbelief.
The first thing about Thomas Christians: “Thomas Christians” will say all the right things but if you listen to what they say you will hear unbelief in their words.
So my question would be: If this is you, ask yourself: Why am I a Christian? Why do I follow Him? What is it about Jesus that draws me to Him?
Remember what Jesus says in verse 15? And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. That was no accident people because the next thing we see is Thomas saying “Okay, let’s go die with him” probably as he’s rolling his eyes.
One way of dealing with an attitude like that is by self-examination. Why am I a Christian? Why do I follow Jesus?
Many Christians today, who profess to be Christians, fell into Christianity. Well, Bro. Barry, what do you mean they “fell into Christianity”? Their Moms and Dads went to church every Sunday. They fell into Christianity because that’s what they did. And so, they say, “I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior.”
That’s a Thomas Christian ladies and gentlemen. Thomas Christians fall into Jesus. They really didn’t seek him out. It’s just what they did. Thomas Christians haven’t really tried to find out who Jesus really is because “we’ve been around him all this time. He’s Jesus”. You have fallen into Christianity.
Turn to John 14. Again, Thomas Christians will say all the right things but if you listen to what they say, what they say is filled with unbelief. John 14 is part of chapters 13, 15, 16 and 17. They should be read together to get the full impact of what’s going on.
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Listen to what Jesus is saying. He’s telling the disciples “You know the road I’m walking. You know the job I have to do. You know that road I’m on leads to the cross.”
Now let’s read what Thomas says
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Sounds like a very innocent question doesn’t it? Sounds like one that Jesus would respond something like this: “Thomas, do you remember when ‘this happened’? Thomas do you remember when ‘that happened’? I’ve been telling you things all along the way. You remember that don’t you Thomas?” Is that what Jesus does? Oh no. Look at verse 6.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 [Thomas] if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
At this point, Jesus has been in his ministry about three years. The question he asks Thomas, who has been with him for about three years, is this: “Thomas, after all of this time, you still don’t me? You don’t why I’m here? You don’t know my Father? After all this time?”
I’ve got news for you ladies and gentlemen. Jesus could ask the majority of the Body of Christ the same thing. Just because you’re around Christians, just because you’re around Christianity does not mean you know Jesus. It does not mean you know why he’s here. It does not mean you know his Father.
I don’t want to offend anyone. If I do, I’m apologizing on the front end. Being a Christian is not being part of a union. The longer you’re in a union the more seniority you get. Is that not true? Just because you’ve been a Christian 10, 20, 30, 40 years doesn’t mean you truly know Jesus.
And yet we have been people who have been Christians for years who think they know Jesus. We see here in scripture that Thomas was with Jesus every day of his life and Jesus tells him “You don’t know me! You have no clue what I’m about Thomas!”
How does that happen?
Jesus is not happy when he says this. He’s loving but he’s not happy. Thomas should have known him.
Can you imagine me sitting down to dinner with my baby, Precious, my wife, and we start talking and all of a sudden she stops and says “Barry, you didn’t know that about me”? Can you imagine that? For example, it could be one of the most basic things like her favorite color. “You didn’t know that was my favorite color? After 37 years? Really?”
Think about his from Jesus’ standpoint. Thomas has been with him for three years and yet he tells Thomas, point blank, you don’t know me. Can you imagine how it broke his heart to tell Thomas “you don’t know me”?
A second thing about Thomas Christians: “Thomas Christians” have no depth of knowledge and understanding about who Jesus was, why the Father sent Him, or what Jesus believed and what Jesus taught.
The interesting thing about Thomas Christians? They believe they know Jesus, what is important to him, and what he teaches. They know him so well, in fact, that they can tell when other Christians are not being “Christ-like.”
And there are a lot of Thomas Christians in the pulpit ladies and gentlemen.
If you tell people they no longer have to repent when they sin, you are a Thomas Christian.
If you tell people that God’s grace covers all of their sins now and in the future, you’re a Thomas Christian.
If you agree that two men or two women can love each other in the same way that a husband and wife love each other, you are a Thomas Christian. Why? Because that’s not love ladies and gentlemen. The Bible calls that “lust” and more specifically, the “lust of the flesh”.
So how do you deal with a Thomas Christian, the person who thinks they know everything about Jesus? You can point them to Hosea 4:6. “For my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge...” When it comes to God, what matters most is knowing and understanding His Word.
Remember Acts 17:11? Let’s turn there. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
“Searching the scriptures daily” is not getting up every morning and reading your devotional. There are some good devotionals. Don’t get me wrong. But that’s not searching the scriptures daily.
“Searching the scriptures daily” – let me give you an example of what that means. What does the Bible say about [fill in the blank]? Even if you think you know what the Bible says, search the scriptures to make sure you know. Why? Because Second Timothy tells us that God is looking for faithful men and women who can teach others what the Bible says.
When you begin to search the scriptures daily, you are slowly moving away from being a Thomas Christian because you are seeing for yourself what the Bible says.
Let’s go to the last chapter that talks about Thomas, John 20. This is the “Thomas, the doubter” chapter.
1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher.
You know the story. Mary runs and tells Peter what she’s seen. So Peter and another disciple run all the way to the burial site. They don’t find Jesus. After they left Mary sat there crying and seeing a person she thinks is the gardener ask “Where have they taken him?” And the person she thinks is the gardener, Jesus, replies “Mary”. And with that one simple word lets her know it‘s Jesus. Again, you know the story. Now let’s jump down to verse 19.
Verse 19 is a critical verse.
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
What did Jesus say to the disciples in John 14:1? “Let not your hearts be troubled.” And here we are seeing the disciples behind closed doors with troubled hearts because they feared the Jews. What I want you to understand is that they have spent three and a half years with Jesus and he’s been crucified. Evidently they weren’t really expecting Jesus to die. They were expecting him to establish an earthly kingdom.
Hold your finger here and turn to Mark 16. We’re going to read verses 9 through 14.
9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. 10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept [behind closed doors for fear of the Jews]. 11 And they [who were behind closed doors for fear of the Jews], when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her (What’s the next two words?), believed not. 12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
Verse 12 is a reference to the two men on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. Jesus appears to them but they believe he is a stranger. He asks them what they’re talking about they tell him about Jesus and his crucifixion. Jesus explains to them why everything happened and how the Bible foretold the events. And just as Jesus leaves, their eyes are open and they recognize him. Let’s read verse 32.
“And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opens the scriptures?” These are the same guys who came to the disciples and excitedly told them they had seen Jesus.
13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
On two separate occasions people have come to the disciples and told them Jesus is risen. He kept his word. And they didn’t believe. Why? Because they feared the Jews.
14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat [who were behind closed doors for fear of the Jews], and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
There are so many of us in the Body of Christ who are walking around with hardened hearts and we don’t even know it. Back to John 20, verse 20.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
A third thing about Thomas Christians: Thomas Christians, ladies and gentlemen, underestimate the spiritual significance and importance of being with other Christians.
A fourth thing we see here: Thomas Christians miss opportunities to fellowship with Jesus.
What do I mean by this? When Jesus came he encouraged the disciples who were living in fear and unbelief. Jesus does two things: (1) He reminds them that they already have his peace (John 14:27) and (2) He gives them what he had promised – the Holy Ghost, the Comforter (John 14:16-18). Thomas missed all of that!
Are we missing opportunities to fellowship with Jesus because we don’t value being together?
There is a reason, ladies and gentlemen, that we are called children of God. Children are part of a family. Family spend time together.
Look at verse 25 and there are two things I want you to see in this verse.
25 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.
A fifth thing about Thomas Christians: Thomas Christians” are full of pride.
When you are full of pride you’re telling Jesus “Until you show me something different, this is what I believe.” That’s why Thomas Christians have to see before they will believe.
Prides produces a “see first then believe” attitude.
Pride does not understand faith.
Do you know the most horrific thing about this verse? It’s when Thomas says “Except I see the print in his hands, except I see the slits in his side, I will not believe.” What Thomas Christians are saying to Jesus is that you have to prove to me who you are before I believe.
Why is this so horrible? Let’s say Jesus appears to Thomas just like he did to the others. So, Thomas says “Let me see your hands.” Jesus shows him his hands and the nail prints. Then Thomas says, “Okay, let me see your side.” Jesus raises up his robe but there are no slits where the spear pierced his skin. Thomas would say, “I knew it. You’re not Jesus!”
Now listen to me: in this scenario, Jesus did not have the proof Thomas was looking for.
What proof, ladies and gentlemen, are you looking for? What do you need to see in Jesus to believe that he is really who he says he is? What do you need?
You see, the Bible is not enough for Thomas Christians. The Bible is not enough for them to say yes to Jesus the way Jesus wants them to say yes to him. The Bible is not enough. Barry, standing here preaching and teaching, is not enough.
You, not necessarily you, but the Body of Christ have already decided that this is what I expect Jesus to do, this is what I expect Jesus to look like and if I don’t see that, he is not Jesus.
So if you in your mind what Jesus should be, what he should do and how he should respond to you that is not found in the Bible, then you are never going to see the Jesus you want to see. And you’re never going to live the life that Jesus wants you to live. You are never going to experience the blessings Jesus wants you to receive because Jesus doesn’t measure up to what you’re looking for.
Is this not what the Pharisees did? In their minds they had their own ideas of what Jesus was supposed to do and when he didn’t do them they said “You ain’t the Messiah.” They said “We have our checklist right here in front of us and we can’t check off anything for you so, obviously, you’re not the Messiah!”
A sixth thing about Thomas Christians: Thomas Christians have a checklist that Jesus must meet before they'll believe in him without reservation.
What is your checklist ladies and gentlemen?
And so many of us in the Body of Christ don’t realize that we have a checklist of what we expect Jesus to be like. For example, take same sex marriage. You talk to people who are in favor of it and they’ll say “Jesus loves everybody. He loves us. He’d want us to love who we wanted to love.”
No. No. No. That’s the Jesus that you have developed. That’s the Jesus that you have carved out for your life. That’s YOUR Jesus. YOUR Jesus, not mine. YOUR Jesus, not the Bible’s Jesus. And I’m going to tell you right now ladies and gentlemen – YOUR Jesus is not going to get you into an eternity with Jesus. YOUR Jesus is going to keep you on the slow downward path to the lake of fire and that’s where you’ll spend eternity
Thomas had put Jesus in a box and said this is the only way that I’m going to believe that you are Jesus. I need to see proof.
I implore you that if this is you, get on your knees and say “Jesus, I am so sorry. I repent. Forgive me.”
Let’s finish this up.
25 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. 26 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. 27 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.
A seventh thing about Thomas Christians: “Thomas Christians” need tangible proof that what they’re doing in their Christian walk is working.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
We’ve spent a lot of time looking at the disciple who is referred to as “Doubting Thomas”. But when you look at the other disciples who were behind closed doors because they feared the Jews, don’t you think there’s some doubt for them too? We always focus on Thomas because of what he said. Any of the disciples could have said that.
But Thomas didn’t stay a doubter. He changed. Unfortunately many Christians who are comfortable in their doubt.
Verse 29. “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
“Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Why are the people blessed? They are blessed because they know and understand that the Jesus they have put their faith in is their Lord and that he is their God.
All of us have some Thomas in us because we’re not walking where we need to be walking. So that means there is some Thomas in us. Let’s be like Thomas. Let’s not remain in doubt. Thomas came full circle. He had doubt and then he saw Jesus.
I’ll leave you with this thought: The “blessed” are those who live in and walk by faith. They know that Jesus is Lord and that He is God. If you are not living by faith, are you sure you know Jesus as your Lord and as your God? Or are you still waiting for proof?
There is nothing wrong with having doubt. Doubt becomes a problem when you don’t seek to remove it. Doubt becomes a problem when you hold on to it when scripture says something different.
Let this be a message of encouragement. You can have doubt in your life but you can remove it one piece at a time. That’s all our Father asks of us. Remove your doubt one piece at a time. Amen!
