The Doubting Thomas In Us

THE DOUBTING THOMAS IN US (Easter season)

Text: John 20:19-31

John 20:19-31  When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  (20)  After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  (21)  Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."  (22)  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 (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  (25)  So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."  (26)  A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  (27)  Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe."  (28)  Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"  (29)  Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."  (30)  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.  (31)  But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name (NRSV).

Doubt sees the obstacles;

Faith sees the way.

Doubt sees the darkest night;

Faith sees the day.

Doubt dreads to take a step;

Faith soars on high.

Doubt questions, "Who believes?"

Faith answers, "I!"

https://www.quotes.net/quote/18223

Have you ever had doubt? There is not a person alive who hasn’t seen doubt in his or her life. In his book The Thomas Factor, Winkie Pratney says that "One of the major reasons that God will allow doubt in our lives is because we have not grown." (Winkie Pratney. The Thomas Factor. Old Tappan. Chosen Books, 1989, p. 103). He says that "Doubt comes when we take our eyes off God" (p. 94). In this passage of scripture (John 20:19-31) we see that Thomas is struggling with his “growing pains”. He is struggling with his lack of faith. It is as if he is on the border between believing and doubting.

Who is the object of our faith God or ourselves? This is a question that all of us must confront at times when our faith is being tested. It was true for Thomas and it is also true for us.

This morning I want you to think about the ways that you see that Thomas’s doubt is mirrored in your own lives. I want you to think about how the Gospel of John mentions Thomas in three different ways, Thomas the courageous believer, Thomas the inquisitive and Thomas the doubter.

THOMAS THE COURAGEOUS

How would you define courage?

1) An athlete’s definition: Would it be as the late Tennis Star Arthur Ashe described it? “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever the cost”. Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.

2) An actor’s definition: Or, Would it be as the late actor John Wayne said “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway”. [ ] Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.

3) A disciple’s definition: Or would it be one of Jesus’s own disciples Thomas defined it, “a faithfulness unto death” (John 11:16).

Why was Thomas speaking about a faithfulness unto death?

1) Assassination wishes: There was a movement to stop Jesus by killing Him. Those who opposed Jesus had already tried to stone Him twice before (John 8:59, John 10:31).

2) Emergency: Both Mary and Martha had summoned Jesus to come to help Lazarus who was ill. The disciples reminded Jesus that He would be returning to a dangerous zone in going back to help Lazarus because the Jewish opposition were seeking to stone Him as they had twice before (John 11:8).