Monday 13 April 2015

John 20 verses 19 to 31

Lucky old Thomas eh!

It was easy for him to believe because the risen Lord Jesus appeared to him and showed him his hands and the wound in his side; and if he did that for me of course I’d believe as well.

Probably many of us have felt like this at some stage. And even when we have come to believe in Jesus there are occasions when we wish he’d just appear in front of us and answer our prayer or give us guidance. It would make life so much simpler sometimes.

But was it easy for Thomas - and what can we learn from today’s gospel reading from John?

First of all imagine how he must have felt when he heard that Jesus had appeared to the other disciples while he’d just popped out to buy a loaf of bread or something.

How frustrating that must have been for him. He’d followed Jesus for the last three years or so all the way to the cross - but now, he alone among the disciples had missed out on seeing him alive again.

I suspect he may have felt a bit hurt and disappointed, and probably a bit let down by Jesus. 
I mean if Jesus really had come back to life - why choose to appear at a time when he knew Thomas wouldn’t be there?

He probably wanted to believe what the other disciples were telling him – but he was honest enough to admit that unless he saw Jesus with his own eyes he wouldn’t truly believe.

And isn’t this true for all of us? Other people can tell us of their experiences of Jesus – but we each need our own individual revelation or experience of him if we are to truly believe in him.

Second hand accounts can be encouraging but we need our own personal encounter with God to truly believe in Him.

I wonder if Thomas was tempted to leave the other disciples at this stage and go back to being a fisherman? You can just imagine the devil whispering to him – it’s obvious he doesn’t really want you as a disciple  – or why would he leave you out? Why not go back to fishing? After all, if he really is risen, he can come and find you – that is if he really does want you.

But despite his doubts and any hurt or disappointment he is feeling - Thomas chooses to stay with the other disciples and his perseverance is rewarded a week later when Jesus appears to them again, and singles him out for special attention.

His doubts and any negative feelings are all swept away as he encounters the risen Lord Jesus and it changes his life forever.

Tradition says that Thomas journeyed outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, travelling as far as India and eventually being martyred there in 72 AD.

And encountering the risen Lord Jesus and having our lives changed forever is what is at the heart of Christianity. Christianity isn’t about being religious – it’s about knowing Jesus and having a relationship with him.

When I say knowing Jesus, I don’t mean seeing Jesus with our physical eyes – although occasionally people do - but having our spiritual eyes opened by God so that we can recognise and know him.

And this is what happens when we are born again. To be born again simply means to experience a spiritual birth – a spiritual coming alive.

When we are born again God’s Holy Spirit – the spirit of Jesus comes to live in us and we become spiritually alive.

We come into relationship with God the Father through Jesus, and although we can’t see him physically, we know in our spirits that Jesus is alive – and that he is indeed our risen Lord.

And as Jesus says in verse 29 – those who have not seen him but believe in him are truly blessed – because believing in Jesus is what secures our salvation.

This of course is why John wrote his gospel – his own eye witness account of what happened 2000 years ago - to help us to come to believe – so that as he says in verse 30 - by believing we may have life in his name.

Now it’s all very well for me to say this – and it was great for Thomas and its fine for those who do believe – who have had some revelation of Jesus – but what about those who 
haven’t yet experienced this?

How can they come to know God? What do they have to do? Perhaps you feel a bit frustrated this morning as you’ve come to church for a while and you’ve sought God – but as yet things haven’t really clicked for you. What can you do?

Well, God alone sees each person’s journey of faith. He sees the desires of our hearts and how intently people seek him. He sees how open our hearts are to receive him.

And ultimately I believe that He comes where He is truly wanted – where people’s hearts are ripe to receive Him. Where people have reached a stage in their lives when they truly want to know Him - and so they invite Him into their lives wholeheartedly.

And this is what repentance means. It means making the decision that from now on we want to live life with God and do things His way rather than on our own.

So I think the first thing we must do is to examine our hearts and see whether we really are seeking God – and whether we do truly want to know him.

Jesus died for us to give us the opportunity to embrace a new life – a life of faith lived in relationship with him. And some are hungry for this new life because they have become dissatisfied with their old lives.

This may be because they feel their lives lack meaning and purpose – or because they know they’ve made a mess of things and they genuinely want forgiveness and the opportunity of a new start in life.

But some people are comfortable and content with their existing lives and feel little need for God. They hear of the new life that Jesus offers but actually it has little appeal for them. So instead of being hungry for a relationship with God they can tend to want to keep Him at arm’s length.

So are we genuinely seeking God? Are we really hungry to know him? Or if we’re honest – does the idea of a relationship with a God who may ask things of us sound a bit too close for comfort?

Now if we really are seeking God – like Thomas we must persevere and we will need to overcome any negative thoughts and feelings which may assail us.

I speculated that the devil may have tried to influence Thomas to give up on Jesus. We’re not told this in the gospels but I would be surprised if he didn’t.

You see the devil – and by this I mean any demonic spiritual being – always seeks to oppose God. In fact the Hebrew root of the word Satan means to obstruct or oppose.

And the last thing in the world he wants is for anyone to become a Christian – as the moment we receive Jesus into our lives – the devil’s hold on our life is broken forever.

We are transferred from his kingdom into the kingdom of God – and we become God’s children.

And the way he opposes us is generally either by trying to tempt us away from God or by seeking to plant negative thoughts or fears in our minds.

So if we have any doubts or concerns about Christianity the devil may try and magnify these and hinder our search for God.

What are some of the doubts and concerns that can hinder our way to God?

Well quite a common one is feelings of unworthiness, thoughts like - you’re not good enough to become a Christian. I mean look at your life and some of the things you’ve done. God would never accept you.

This of course is absolute rubbish. The only qualification needed to become a Christian is that we must be sinners – people who do wrong things and get stuff wrong.

That’s the whole reason Jesus died for us. If you recognise that you fall short – you are precisely someone who God can help.

I’ve been a Christian for nearly 30 years now – but I still sin. I still get stuff wrong every day. 

Ask my wife – she’ll tell you.

All God asks is that we confess our shortcomings and with His help try to do better next time.

And don’t let the Devil suggest to you that a particular sin you’ve committed is beyond God’s forgiveness. It isn’t. The only sin that puts us beyond God’s forgiveness is rejecting Jesus - because by rejecting Jesus we reject our only means of forgiveness.

Another common obstacle is fear, particularly of what others may think.  I mean what will my friends and family think if I become a Christian? What will my work colleagues or peer group think?

Well – if they genuinely care for you – they’ll be pleased for you. And if you become more loving, kind and patient – they may even prefer you as a Christian.

And in any case – isn’t receiving eternal life and finding forgiveness and a relationship with the living God far more important than what some people may or may not think?

Perhaps your big obstacle is unbelief. You’re just not really sure that God exists or hears your prayers.

Well, that’s true of everyone before they encounter God. How can you be sure if He exists or hears your prayers if He hasn’t yet revealed himself to you?

Whatever your obstacle or fear – realise that God’s love for you is strong enough to overcome it - if only you will say yes to Him and invite Him into your life.

I’d like to conclude my talk this morning by saying that Jesus is alive. He is risen and he is God - and actually although we can’t see him – he is among us now.

As he says in Matthew’s gospel - where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Even as I speak he is in the midst of us looking at our hearts. He is seeking the hearts of those who will turn to him in faith, and he longs to reveal himself to those who will receive him.

He longs to come and live in our lives - to make his home with us and to brings us eternal life. He longs for us to know his love -  if only we will make the decision that from now we want to live life with Him and do things His way rather than on our own

So will you take a step of faith and receive Jesus into your heart and life? Will you say yes to him? Who knows perhaps like Thomas all those years ago - today is the day that he will reveal himself to you.

Let’s end with a time of prayer.

If you want to receive Jesus into your life – first of all ask him to forgive you for all your wrong doing. If there’s anything that you feel particularly bad about just confess it to him now.

And now thank Jesus for dying on the cross for you and paying the penalty himself for all your sin – past, present and future.

And finally invite Jesus into your life to be your Lord and Saviour and ask him to reveal himself to you.

Amen.

If this prayer was particularly heartfelt for you this morning – do come and see me or Campbell after the service so we can help you as you start your Christian journey.



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