Walking In The Light When Darkness Threatens

WALKING IN THE LIGHT WHEN DARKNESS THREATENS

John 11:16

INTRODUCTION: FROM DESPERATION TO DIVINE ENCOUNTER

Brothers and sisters, let me take you to a moment of desperation in Scripture. Hagar stood in the wilderness of Beersheba with her son Ishmael. Abraham had sent them away. Their water ran out. Death approached. Hagar placed her dying son under a bush and walked away because she refused to watch him die. She wept. She had nothing left.

But God heard the boy crying. The Angel of God called to Hagar from heaven. God opened her eyes. She saw a well of water right there in the wilderness. God saved them both. He promised to make Ishmael into a great nation. Hagar went from despair to deliverance. She encountered the God who sees. Her situation transformed completely.

This brings us to our text today. John 11:16 says, "Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with Him.'" Jesus announced His intention to return to Judea. Everyone knew the religious leaders wanted to kill Him. The disciples feared for their lives. Darkness threatened to consume everything they believed. Yet Thomas spoke words of radical commitment. He chose to walk with Jesus into danger rather than abandon Him in safety.

This statement reveals far more than a moment of pessimism. It provides one of the strongest windows into Thomas’s character—his devotion, loyalty, courage, and misunderstanding.

a. Thomas the Loyal Disciple

Though often remembered as “Doubting Thomas,” here he emerges as Courageous Thomas.

Jesus is heading back into Judea, a region where the religious leaders had attempted to stone Him (John 10:31). The disciples fear for Jesus’ life—and their own.

Yet Thomas says:

“Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

This is not the language of a coward.

It is the language of a man willing to share the fate of his Master, whatever it may cost.

Many scholars note that this verse presents Thomas as deeply committed—even fatalistically committed—to Jesus’ mission.

b. Thomas’s Faith Mixed With Misunderstanding

Thomas does not fully understand Jesus’ power over life and death. His devotion is real, but his perspective is limited. His words show:

• Determination without comprehension

• Love without spiritual insight

• Courage mixed with resignation

He believes danger—and perhaps death—is ahead. But he still chooses loyalty.

c. Thomas Foreshadows the Cost of Discipleship

Unknowingly, Thomas speaks prophetically:

• The journey to Bethany indeed sets the stage for the growing hostility that leads to Jesus’ death (John 11:53).

• Thomas senses danger but cannot see the larger divine plan.

This moment reveals Thomas as a disciple who, though imperfect, is deeply sincere—a picture of many Christians today who follow faithfully even without full understanding.

A. THE CALL TO FOLLOW CHRIST INTO DANGER

Thomas understood the gravity of the situation. The Jewish leaders had already tried to stone Jesus in Jerusalem. Going back meant certain confrontation. Death loomed as a real possibility. Thomas did not minimize the threat. He acknowledged it fully.

Many believers today face similar crossroads. You know following Christ will cost you relationships. Your family opposes your faith. Your career demands compromise. Your friends mock your devotion. The darkness threatens to overwhelm your light. Thomas teaches us to count the cost honestly. He saw death ahead. He chose Jesus anyway.

Look at the commitment Thomas displayed. He told his fellow disciples, "Let us also go." He refused to let Jesus walk alone. He rallied others to join him. True discipleship means following Christ regardless of consequences. Peter later wrote, "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

The darkness Thomas faced was external persecution. Your darkness might look different. Financial collapse threatens your family. Illness ravages your body. Depression suffocates your soul. Betrayal shatters your trust. Thomas shows us the response. Walk toward Jesus, not away from Him. Choose light over darkness. Choose faith over fear.

B. THE COURAGE TO DECLARE FAITH PUBLICLY

Thomas spoke his commitment aloud. He did not keep silent. He did not hide his devotion privately. Public declaration marked his decision. This matters tremendously for believers today.

Romans 10:9-10 tells us, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Faith requires voice. Belief demands declaration. Thomas understood this principle before Paul wrote it.

Your workplace pressures you to stay quiet about Jesus. Your school mocks Christian values. Your neighborhood sees faith as weakness. Thomas challenges you to speak up. Declare your allegiance. State your position. Let others know where you stand.