Thomas: From Pouter To Doubter To Shouter

"Where two or more are gathered, there am I in the midst." - Jesus

He's not talking about His omnipresence or His personal presence. He's talking about a dynamic manifestation that He delivers only to the church! And I feel it! How about you! In our worship, in our testimonies, in the preaching - it's real and undeniable!

There truly is strength in numbers - the Bible said it first...and He inhabits the praise of His people! And we miss it all when we stay home.

He works here in power through the preaching of His Word...and it's different even than in our private devotions. It's a different dynamic, and it is special. The biggest and best decisions of my life were highly impacted by preaching services at the churches where God has put me. Let me ask you, Where has He put you? Might you be missing out on some of what He has planned for you?

Don't let feelings rule. I've gone to revivals and conferences before where I walked in feeling so down and small that I could sit on a curb and my feet would dangle. But I left on top of the world having met with God and God's people and having heard from God's Book and God's Spirit! He knew exactly what I needed!

There's something uniquely special about coming together and praising the Lord together with a group of like-minded believers in unity!

2. Thomas the Doubter.

It's not fair for him to be forever remembered this way.

When Jesus met with all 10 disciples on resurrection Sunday He did 3 things:

• He reassured them as He showed them the nail prints.

Why? Because at first they thought it was a ghost or a spirit. Can you blame them?

ill.--imagine you go to the funeral of a good friend and see their body lying in state, and you watch at the graveside as they lower that body into the ground. 3 days later you walk into your house and there they sit on your couch!

They needed some reassurance that He was real...lest they soil themselves!

• He re-commissioned them in v. 21

He said you will take over for me on earth! Now He has no hands but ours! We are His voice on the planet.

• He enabled them in v. 22

Jesus doesn't just give them orders, but ordinance!

When these 3 things happened, Thomas was not there. The disciples soon saw him and told him they had seen the Lord, and naturally he thinks they saw a ghost or something! And he's not going to be set up for more disappointment.

He made this one remark and now he has this nickname for ages. In heaven, will he have a name tag that says Doubting Thomas?!

Isn't it sad that we can make one stupid mistake and be branded for life?!

Thomas is human, and he is not alone. The track record of the other disciples is no better. They also scoffed when they first heard He was alive...

Mark 16:9-11

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.

11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.