John 20:19-28
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.
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.
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.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
I want us to pay particularly close attention to two particular verses; Verse 25… and verse 27. The second part of verse 25 is the expression of Thomas.
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.
Then verse 27…
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.
Today, “Whatever You Need To Do.”
It’s amazing to me the lengths to which God will go. He loves while we are yet sinners. He loved so much that He gave His only begotten Son. While we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly; that neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Though He was rich, for our sakes became poor. Even though we were dead in sins, He’s quickened us together in Christ. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. (1 John 3:1)
The lengths He has gone to, to help us understand. And He still goes to those lengths today, my friend. He still tolerates our weakness and our searching. He’s not high pressure. He deals with us in our searching, in our grasping, and in our doubting. As a matter of fact, Paul said this about God:
2 Timothy 2:13
13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
He’s tolerant; patient; enduring; longsuffering. And so the crux of the story… the most powerful expression of who God really is – EMMANUEL, GOD WITH US. He was MURDERED. He was innocent, and yet broken. Then resurrected the third day… Scripture says that He revealed himself first to Cephas (or Peter) and then to the twelve. Finally, to over 500 at one time.
This is the point in the story just after he had revealed himself to the 11, and yet one remained. One who had not been with the others. The skeptic. The one who is not going to buy into this thing hook, line and sinker. He’s Thomas; the doubter. Thomas, the no nonsense; logical; his attitude was, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“I watched him die, and your word isn’t going to convince me that He’s alive… I have to experience Him myself.”
Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails… unless I put my finger into the print of the nails… unless I thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. I’ve got to experience this Jesus on more than just a testimonial level. I’ve got to live Him, or I don’t want Him at all. I’ve got to experience the sacrifice or it’s not relevant to me. No offense, but your word is not good enough. I’ve got to touch Him myself.
Thomas expressed the sentiment that day. But it’s the voice of an entire generation. A generation that is not going to just embrace and believe. A generation that says, “I have to see more…” I’ve got to experience this person called Jesus, or I can’t buy in. Oh, I want to believe it, but your words alone are not enough. If it’s real, I’ll be able to get a hold of it. If it’s the genuine article, then I’ll be able to validate it for myself.”
Jesus responds to this in a way that the church often does not. So often in the church, we’re quick to garner an attitude. “If you don’t believe like we believe, take a hike. Hit the bricks… Goodbye… Godspeed… and happy landing.” And yet Jesus doesn’t do that. Look what He said:
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.
“Put your finger in there. Look at my hands. Reach out your hand, and put it in this hole in my side. TOUCH IT… EXPERIENCE IT… LIVE IT… BREATHE IT… EAT IT… SLEEP IT… LIVE IT… And once you experience me, it will result in faith…it will result in your believing.
Jesus was saying… “Whatever you have to do… do it. Whatever it takes for you to get to the place of faith… do it. Whatever you have to do… do it.” He was saying, “I’m opening the door. I’m giving you the leeway. I’m giving you the opportunity to substantiate this faith for yourself. To explore every logical line of thought. I’m giving myself to you, to find out what you need to find out, in order that your faith might be perfected.”
That’s really what He’s looking for anyway. His eyes are looking throughout the whole earth, seeking the one whose heart is perfect towards him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
He’s got enough half-hearted faith. He’s looking for someone who really wants to experience this Christianity thing. He wants someone who wants to live it, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We’re all in God’s employment in this Christianity thing. But He’s looking for CAREER CHRISTIANS. He’s had enough part-time employees. He’s had enough piece work. He’s had enough seasonal labor. He’s looking for someone FULL TIME, ALL THE TIME.
And I’m going to be honest with you… unless you’ve had a Thomas kind of experience, you can’t be that kind of Christian; unless you’ve had an intimate experience with Him; until you’ve familiarized yourself with the scars that liberated you; until you’ve seen the place where the blood flowed; unless you’ve seen the nail prints that bought your freedom; until then, you can’t do this thing the way He wants to do it.
Jesus has a heart for a generation of Thomas’; for a generation that has to touch Him to believe. For a generation that isn’t just going to settle for the story; they have to live it for themselves. Jesus has a heart for that generation. For the generation that says “I have to have more…”
It’s the generation that says, “If I can’t touch the nail prints… If I can’t put my finger into the place where the nails were… If I can’t put my hand in your side… Then I just can’t wrap my mind around this Christianity thing.”
“I mean… I’ve HEARD about you, Jesus… I’ve HEARD you’re a Savior… but if I don’t EXPERIENCE your salvation, I can’t buy it. I’ve HEARD you’re a Healer… but if I can’t get the healing myself, then no can do. I’ve HEARD you can deliver me from my addictions… but if I DON’T GET FREE, then I’m not subscribing.”
I need more than you telling me all this. I need to live it. Friend, there’s a whole generation doing that very thing. They’re saying that very thing. There’s a whole generation saying they have heard the stories. And they are drawing the line; “Either this thing is real, or it’s not. Either I can touch it; or I can’t. Either it’s legitimate; or it’s a farce.”
There might even be people sitting in this room today, and you’ve said, “Nice story… The whole cross thing is a great story. But if I can’t live it, I don’t want it.”
“The resurrection thing reads well. But if I can’t experience it, I don’t think so. I’ve got to LIVE IT.”
I’ve got news for you today; He’s a God who will let you do whatever you need to do to experience Him. He’s a touchable God. A God who’ll let you touch His scars. A God who’ll open up those painful places. He’s a God who’ll let you see what sin did to Him. He’ll let your doubt touch Him. He’ll let you touch the only imperfection in Him… the SCARS that we put there. Because when your doubt touches Him, it will dissolve.
“Reach out with your finger.” In other words, “Your exploring this is okay. I welcome your curiosity about my divinity.”
“Look at my hands.” In other words, “EXAMINE ME. I can stand up to your inspection. Thrust your hand in my side…” In other words, “Delve into me, if that’s what it takes you to figure me out.”
“And once you do that, you won’t be FAITHLESS AGAIN.” Touching the scars changes you. Putting your hand… your finger… into the empty place that your sin left; it changes you. Jesus says, “I’m willing to let you touch me. I’m willing to let you touch me in those places where I was pierced. I’m willing, so that my divinity will be settled in your mind forever. I’m willing if for no other reason, that when your hand leaves my scars, you won’t be faithless anymore. You’ll come away believing.”
Friend, touching Him alleviates doubt. It disperses disbelieve. It will cause you to abandon uncertainty. It will cause you to walk away from the encounter, not faithless, but believing.
Are you a Thomas, friend? Is seeing, believing for you? I’m inviting you today to a Christianity that is HANDS ON. This isn’t just a story that’s demanding a blind faith. I’m telling you that the WORD BECAME FLESH, and DWELT AMONG US. I’m sharing EMMANUEL… GOD WITH US!! He’s a God who’s willing to let you touch Him, today, friend. Look what happened in Thomas, in verse 28 “…Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”
He walked in with doubt. He TOUCHED CHRIST. And He walked out with an intimate relationship.
“My Lord and my God!” Jesus had been his Lord. Jehovah had been His God. But when He touched Him, for the first time, he recognized, the two are ONE IN THE SAME. Above anything in the world, my prayer is that when you walk out of here today, you’ll have that kind of encounter; that you’ll be able to touch the hands pierced for you; that you’ll be able to touch the side that was pierced and broken. It’s the place where doubt encounters divinity, and walks away with destiny. It’s the place where you can declare, “MY Lord, and MY God.”
