Be Believing in Jesus Christ!
The Gospel of John
John 20:19-31
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Grayson Baptist Church - August 15, 2018
(Revised July 19, 2020)
BACKGROUND:
*Please open your Bibles to John chapter 20. Here God's Word gives us the story of the Lord's resurrection on the very first Easter Sunday. Three days after dying on the cross for our sins, Jesus rose again from the dead! In vs. 14-17 the Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene. Later that evening Jesus appeared to His disciples. In vs. 19-25 we read:
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, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you.''
20. Now when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21. Then Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.''
22. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
23. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.''
24. But Thomas, called Didymus, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25. The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord.'' But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.''
*The disciples had a wonderful meeting with the Lord that night, but poor Thomas missed that big event, and tonight we'll look at Thomas' story. Let's begin by reading vs. 24-31, and as we read, please think about the great truth everybody should believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
MESSAGE:
*Have you ever felt left out? -- Like you got the short end of the stick? Everyone around you was getting some kind of big blessing, but somehow you got left out. That's the way Thomas must have felt here in vs. 24.
*Thomas missed seeing the Lord, and he went through 8 days of gut-wrenching doubt because he was left out. But in vs. 27, Jesus had a crucial message for Thomas. It’s the same message the Lord has for us today: Believe! Be believing in Jesus Christ.
1. BELIEVE IN JESUS FIRST, BECAUSE HE WILL KEEP HIS FOCUS ON YOU.
*Poor Thomas missed the big blessing that first Easter Sunday. We don't know where he was in vs. 24, but by the time he got back, Jesus was gone. Then in vs. 25 the other disciples said, "We have seen the Lord!" But Thomas said, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I WILL NOT BELIEVE.''
*Thomas did not see the Lord that first Easter day, but here's the great news: I may miss seeing Jesus, but He doesn't miss seeing me! And when Jesus came back 8 days later, He knew exactly what Thomas had said to the other disciples.
*Jesus saw Thomas, and the Lord certainly sees us. This should be a challenge to us, but also a great comfort: God sees me. He knows what’s going on in my life, and He cares.
*When the Lord appeared to Moses at the burning bush, one of the first things He told Moses was this: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey." (Exodus 3:7-8)
*God was watching over them, and child of God, He is watching over you!
*In the spring of 1905, Civilla Martin and her husband were staying in Elmira, New York. There, they became friends with a couple by the name of Doolittle. They were strong believers in the Lord.
*Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for almost 20 years, and her husband had an incurable illness that left him confined to a wheelchair. But despite all their hardships, the Doolittle's lived happy Christian lives. They were an inspiration and comfort to all who knew them.
*One day while Civilla and her husband were visiting the Doolittle's, her husband asked them the secret of their bright hope. Mrs. Doolittle's reply was simple: "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me."
*That simple expression of strong faith inspired Civilla to write these famous words:
"Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me." (1)
2. BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST BECAUSE HE WILL KEEP HIS FOCUS ON YOU. ALSO BELIEVE BECAUSE HE WILL CORRECT YOUR FAULTS.
*God wants to correct our faults, just like He corrected Thomas in vs. 27. There Jesus told Thomas, "Do not be unbelieving, but believing.''
*Jesus had already spoken comforting words of peace to Thomas. But thank the Lord, He is also willing to speak tough words to us when we need them!
*Listen to the Lord in Revelation 3:14-20. There, Jesus spoke to the church in Laodicea:
14. "To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
15. I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
16. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth.
17. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked
18. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.'"
*Many parts of the New Testament were written to help Christians overcome our selfish, sinful ways. Here's part of Paul's admonition to the church in Ephesians 4:22-26:
22. that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23. and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24. and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.
25. Therefore, putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
*God wants to correct our faults. That's why 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
*God wants to correct our faults, and a great place to see our Heavenly Father's correction is in Hebrews 12:5-13. There the Bible speaks to Christians, and says:
5. . . You have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6. For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.''
7. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
8. But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
9. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
10. For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
11. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,
13. and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
*God wants to correct our faults, and Christians, we all have them. ALL children need discipline and correction. That's true of our children, and it's true of God's children.
*But remember this: Our enemy the devil accuses us to beat us down under a load of guilt. But the Holy Spirit brings us under conviction to build us up through repentance and confession to God.
3. SO BELIEVE IN JESUS BECAUSE HE WILL CORRECT YOUR FAULTS. ALSO BELIEVE BECAUSE HE WILL BUILD UP YOUR FAITH.
*In vs. 27-28, Jesus said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.'' And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!''
*The Lord met Thomas right where he was spiritually, and began to build up his faith. How did Jesus do this? He showed His scars to Thomas. Scars are always reminders. If you have some scars, you probably remember where you got them.
*I remember that my Daddy had little square scars on his hands, like a checkerboard. He got those scars when he was a little boy and fell on a hot floor furnace.
*Scars usually remind us of something painful in life. But there are no scars like the Lord's scars! And there is no pain like the pain Jesus suffered to get those scars!
*The Lord's scars are there to remind us of how much He loves us, and how much He was willing to suffer on the cross for us. Our Risen Savior will have those scars forever, because He took our fall for us. He took the punishment and suffering for all of our sins. Jesus took our death.
[1] KNOWING THIS HELPS BUILD UP OUR FAITH. BUT THINK ABOUT THE ROAD TO BELIEVING.
*For Thomas it was seeing. He saw the wounds. For Thomas, SEEING brought believing. But now the Lord has given us another road to faith, and it is a better road. Jesus wants us to know that now HEARING brings believing.
*Listen to the Lord in vs. 29: "Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"
*Then in vs. 30-31, the Apostle John added these words:
30. Truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
31. but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
*Ever since Jesus went back to Heaven, the road to faith has been by hearing the Word of God. At the same time, the Lord does still appear in dreams and visions today, especially in places like Muslim-majority countries where God's Word is so scarce.
*Our International Mission Board's monthly newsletter for students published this report in December 2001: "In the Western world, we often limit God to revealing Himself through sermons, Bible studies and the advice of godly counselors. But we discount dreams and visions as suspect. By contrast, many people in other countries, including most of the Muslim world, consider dreams and visions as standard vehicles through which God will speak to them.
*Speaking at Two Rivers Baptist Church, Dayna Curry, one of the two women jailed by the Taliban for sharing Christianity, said that God is reaching Afghan Muslims through their dreams. Curry said that an Afghani woman she knew was under stress, wondering how to feed and clothe her 8 children.
*One night, the woman had a dream that Jesus walked into her home, placed His hand on each of their heads, and told her 'not to worry because I will be their father.' '(Then the woman) came to us and wanted to know how to get closer to Jesus,' Curry said." (2)
*Here is also part of a testimony from Campus Crusade for Christ on April 25, 2000: "Again, I am in awe. Something is happening that defies human logic. In a very restricted and closed Middle Eastern nation, three Muslim men contacted a former CCC worker.
*Each man told of having experienced a powerful vision. They saw a man with a radiant face. He was clothed in a robe of pure white and surrounded by a brilliant light of glory. He told them, 'I am Jesus. I am the way. You need to believe the Bible and believe in Me.'
*Each man told of seeing the same vision for 17 days in a row. Together they went to their Muslim leader and asked for help. The mullah advised them, 'I have my own firm views of Jesus. But if you want to know who He really is, you need to find a Bible and read it for yourselves.' They followed the mullah's advice, found a Bible, studied it, discovered God's way of salvation and gave their lives to Christ!" (3)
*There are probably thousands more stories like that. But notice that in both of these cases the people were steered to someone who could share God's Word with them.
*And the vast majority of the millions of people who have ever been saved, were saved not by having a vision, but by simply hearing the Word of God. Never underestimate the power and importance of God's Word in your life!
[2] HEARING GOD'S WORD IS THE ROAD TO BELIEVING IN JESUS. BUT THINK ABOUT THE RESULTS OF BELIEVING IN JESUS.
*We see one of the greatest results in vs. 28. There Thomas answered Jesus and said, "My Lord and my God!'' I believe Thomas must have fallen to his knees when he cried out: "My Lord and my God."
*Thomas was rightly worshiping Jesus as God, because Jesus is the eternal Son of God, forever one with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Thomas was worshiping Jesus Christ, and one of the greatest results of believing is worshiping the Lord.
*That's one of the reasons why God wants to grow our faith. God also wants us to able to hear the same kind of praise Paul gave the church in 2 Thessalonians 1:2-3:
2. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, BECAUSE YOUR FAITH GROWS EXCEEDINGLY, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,
4. BELIEVE IN JESUS BECAUSE HE WILL BUILD UP YOUR FAITH, AND BELIEVE BECAUSE HE WILL GIVE YOU LIFE THAT LASTS FOREVER.
*Please listen again to vs. 29-31:
29. Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30. And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
31. BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME.
*The great news of the Bible is that God wants everyone to have eternal life. But this life from God cannot come without His forgiveness for our sins. And the wonderful truth is that God wants to forgive your sins!
*Acts 26:18 tells us that Jesus sent the Apostle Paul to lost people: "To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND AN INHERITANCE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE SANCTIFIED BY FAITH IN ME."
*Ephesians 1:7 tells Christians that in Jesus "we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."
*Forgiveness of sins was the purpose of the cross. But people have to believe in Jesus Christ, so John 3:36 says: "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." In Acts 16:31 Paul and Silas said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.'' And in John 6:47, Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life."
*Jesus Christ will forgive all of your sins and give you everlasting life, if you will believe in Him. But this means much more than just believing some facts with your mind. It means believing with your heart, believing with your life. It means receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, trusting in the Lord. And you can trust Him completely because He proved His love on the cross.
CONCLUSION:
*God surely wants to give His forgiveness and eternal life to you.
*It's life that lasts forever in Heaven with God. And until we get there, it's life in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, knowing Him, loving Him, worshiping Him, sometimes falling short, but always seeking to follow Jesus, trusting Him to take care of us no matter what trouble may come our way, and knowing that Jesus is bigger than any problem that we will ever face.
*This is the life we have in Jesus Christ. Today He invites you to share it, and you can, if you will believe in the Lord. Let’s pray about it right now.
(1) Sources:
-http://synergy_2.tripod.com/lyrics/sparrow.html
-History of Hymns: "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" by Civilla Martin - The Faith We Sing, No. 2146 - "Discipleship Ministries," agency of The United Methodist Church - Copyright 2020 Discipleship Ministries. All Rights Reserved
-https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-his-eye-is-on-the-sparrow
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Eye_Is_on_the_Sparrow
(2) Adapted from December 2001 IMB Collegiate eNewsletter - Bible study: Dreaming of Jesus" - thetask_orgstudentseNewslettersFall01_12
(3) This testimony is from the newsletter of "The Jesus Film Project" - A Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International; P.O. Box 72007; San Clemente, CA 92674-2007 - Source: http://www.whenistherapture.com/miracles.html
