1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,440 Let's stand for the reading of God's Word, which will be in 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:08,240 John's Gospel chapter 2019 to 31. 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,160 It's about a year ago that we launched into our study of the 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:15,880 Gospel of John, and this Sunday is the second to last sermon in 5 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:18,320 the series. Next Sunday will be our final 6 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,240 sermon in John, and then we will be moving in to the book of 7 00:00:21,240 --> 00:00:25,600 Jonah, and we'll study Jonah up through the beginning of Advent. 8 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,040 As I read this story, it's very familiar to many people. 9 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,520 And because we know the end, it's sometimes difficult to 10 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,560 imagine what the disciples were experiencing. 11 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,360 So let me set the stage. There's ten of them. 12 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,160 Thomas is not with them, Judas betrayed Christ. 13 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:49,000 The ten of them are behind locked doors, terrified of what 14 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,080 the Jews might do to them. The man that they have followed 15 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,200 for three years, the only perfect man. 16 00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:00,040 Jesus never sinned the way he taught them all that must happen 17 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,320 has died. His body has been placed in a 18 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,560 tomb. They're experiencing the shock 19 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,720 and the horror, this gruesome death, and wondering what does 20 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,600 this mean? What is the call when suddenly, 21 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:19,560 without announcement, the Lord Jesus himself appears in the 22 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,000 center, in the middle amongst them here. 23 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:28,400 Now how this unfolds according to the apostle John, as he was 24 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,080 carried along by the Holy Spirit to write these words. 25 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,440 Verse 19, John 20. On the evening of that day, the 26 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,880 first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples 27 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:43,680 were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and 28 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,760 said to them, Peace be with you. When he had said this, he showed 29 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:52,640 them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad 30 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,920 when they saw the Lord Jesus said to them again, Peace be 31 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,120 with you. As the Father has sent me, Even 32 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:04,320 so I am sending you. And when he had said this, he 33 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:08,320 breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. 34 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,760 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. 35 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,840 If you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld. 36 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:19,200 Now Thomas, one of the 12 called the twin, was not with them when 37 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,280 Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 38 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:26,160 we have seen the Lord, but he said to them, Unless I see in 39 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:30,040 his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the 40 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:35,400 mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never 41 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:40,000 believe. 8 days later his disciples were inside again and 42 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,200 Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, 43 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,840 Jesus came and stood among them and said, peace be with you. 44 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:52,280 Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here and see my hands, 45 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,120 and put out your hand and place it in my side. 46 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:03,800 Do not disbelieve, but believe. Thomas answered him, My Lord and 47 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:08,880 my God, Jesus said to him, have you believed because you've seen 48 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,760 me? Blessed are those who have not 49 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:16,520 seen and yet have believed. Now Jesus did many other signs 50 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,120 in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this 51 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,840 book, but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus 52 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,160 is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may 53 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,920 have life in His name. This is the word of the Lord. 54 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:34,840 Thanks be to God. Please be seated. 55 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:42,280 This final verse of chapter 20 is where we began about a year 56 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:47,440 ago. John so clearly tells us the 57 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:51,720 purpose for his book. The Apostle John tells us that 58 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:56,760 he is writing these things, recording this narrative, that 59 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:01,120 those who hear it would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the 60 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,320 Son of God, and that by believing He would have life in 61 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,840 His name. John, carried along by the Holy 62 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:12,560 Spirit, wrote words that you and I have been studying for over a 63 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:14,440 year. Many of you have studied a lot 64 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:16,800 longer. Some of you are brand new to 65 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,320 these words. What happened in this account 66 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,640 that you just heard me read really happened. 67 00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:27,880 There really were ten men who had followed Jesus when he said 68 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:29,720 come follow me, I will make you fishers. 69 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,160 The men, they laid down everything and they followed 70 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,320 Christ for three years. They saw Jesus do amazing things 71 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:40,040 and say amazing things. They saw him walk on water. 72 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:43,320 They saw him calm storms, They saw him turn water to wine. 73 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,800 They heard him say to a dead man in the tomb, Lazarus come out, 74 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,560 and he did. This is who they saw and who 75 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,080 they followed prior to the crucifixion. 76 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:57,040 He spent time with them in the upper room making promises to 77 00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:59,800 them, telling them what was going to happen. 78 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:06,800 And it did. Jesus Christ, the only perfect 79 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:13,840 man, the spotless Lamb, was sacrificed, killed, murdered on 80 00:05:13,840 --> 00:05:17,680 the cross. And the 10 or the 12, I should 81 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:23,240 say 1 betrayed him, one denied, and they all scattered. 82 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:29,360 This is the evening of the first day of the week, and these men 83 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:33,960 are hiding, and they're hiding in real fear. 84 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,880 They're hiding because they are afraid that the Jews, the 85 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,520 religious leaders, might come after them and do the same thing 86 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:47,240 to them that they did to Jesus. They're behind closed doors. 87 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,360 We're told the door is locked and they're simply together, 88 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:56,040 except for one, Thomas. We'll get to Thomas in a minute. 89 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,520 I want to spend some time looking at this in this way. 90 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,680 I want to focus on his appearance, the words he spoke, 91 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:07,040 and then the way he empowered them. 92 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,960 So go with me to verse 19. On the evening of that day, the 93 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,360 first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples 94 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:19,680 were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. 95 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,840 This tells us a lot about the way our Lord works and who He 96 00:06:24,840 --> 00:06:29,120 is. Jesus was not expected by them. 97 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:31,600 They were not saying to one another. 98 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,360 When do you think he's going to knock on the door and come in? 99 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:39,080 Jesus moves suddenly and shockingly. 100 00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:42,040 While these men are having whatever conversation they're 101 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:46,120 having, lamenting whatever they're lamenting, fearful of 102 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:51,680 whatever they're afraid of, Jesus is suddenly present. 103 00:06:53,920 --> 00:07:02,360 Just comprehend that if you can. A man who they saw die, a man 104 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:08,160 whose body they knew had been placed in the tomb, is now in 105 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:11,640 their presence. He's a man. 106 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:18,880 He's not a ghost. He is not a spirit in his flesh 107 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,120 He's present. And this matters. 108 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:26,040 How do we know? Because when he enters in, they 109 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:32,040 see him, and he shows them the wounds in his hand and the 110 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,480 piercing and his side. Why? 111 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:39,520 Because he's a man. And that man, the perfect 112 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:43,400 sacrifice, the spotless Lamb, truly was killed. 113 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:49,440 But he is now alive. He is resurrected. 114 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,800 He has been raised from the dead, and this man somehow 115 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,960 suddenly appears in their presence, reminding us that he 116 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:03,480 is fully God and fully man. Don't miss that. 117 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,360 He is in their midst. He is in the middle. 118 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:12,360 He is present suddenly and shockingly, the fact that he has 119 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:19,760 a body matters because it's a real man, the real man who is 120 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,400 alive. He has conquered death. 121 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:26,080 He's not just a ghost. He's not just the spirit. 122 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,320 It's really him. What does that teach us about 123 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,559 the resurrection? The Christ body was transformed. 124 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,080 It was no longer dead. It was transformed. 125 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,480 If you're in Christ, one day your body is going to be raised 126 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:43,280 as well. It's going to be transformed. 127 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,720 But we also see that Jesus's body was recognizable. 128 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,240 They knew it was him. This transformed body. 129 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,560 This raised body was recognizable, and they saw his 130 00:08:54,560 --> 00:09:01,560 wounds. Jesus is still a man, He still 131 00:09:01,560 --> 00:09:05,600 has a body. We will see him one day if we're 132 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:10,320 in Christ for all eternity. But now Jesus, his appearance 133 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:14,520 sudden, His appearance shocking. It's a transformed appearance, 134 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:16,440 but it's a recognizable appearance. 135 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,760 Jesus now speaks, standing among them. 136 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:21,880 It doesn't say that anyone else said anything. 137 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,680 First Jesus speaks, and what does he say? 138 00:09:24,680 --> 00:09:28,320 4 words. Peace be with you. 139 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:33,040 Now that's an ordinary and common greeting in the Greek, 140 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,240 but there's more to it than that. 141 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:40,320 They were not at peace. They had coward. 142 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:44,320 Peter had denied 3 times that he even knew him. 143 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:48,200 The word tells us that all of them had scattered for fear. 144 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:52,680 It's understandable. But they were not at peace. 145 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:56,560 So Jesus speaks, Peace be with you. 146 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,520 When he'd said this, he showed them his hands on his side. 147 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,960 Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 148 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:08,040 Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. 149 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:13,720 Already. On this first night of the week, 150 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:18,880 this day of resurrection, Jesus is fulfilling promises that he 151 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:23,960 made to them in the upper room. I will not leave you as orphans. 152 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:29,440 I will not forsake you. He is already present and it's 153 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:32,600 the real Lord. It's the man that was on the 154 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,880 cross. It's the man they saw walk on 155 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:37,200 water. It's the man they saw feed 156 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:39,720 thousands of people, It's the Lord. 157 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:43,320 He says, I'm going to give you my peace. 158 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:47,440 What does he speak first? He doesn't condemn them. 159 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:54,120 He doesn't rebuke them. He speaks his peace. 160 00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:58,640 Peace be with you. He says it twice, recorded here 161 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:03,880 in verse 20 and 21. Jesus promised His presence. 162 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:08,440 He promised His peace. He said in his prayer to the 163 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:10,320 Father that he was sending them out. 164 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:14,240 And then he speaks these words as the Father has sent me. 165 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:20,520 Even so, I am sending you. Isn't that amazing, the way John 166 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:25,560 records those words? Jesus says as the Father has 167 00:11:25,560 --> 00:11:30,960 sent me, as he, my Father, your Father has sent me on the 168 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:34,200 mission which I have accomplished this death and 169 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:37,800 resurrection. Even so, I am sending you. 170 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:44,240 The sent 1 is now sending the ones he called to follow him. 171 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:49,080 And it's the same mission. It's the same mission to go out 172 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:54,240 and proclaim the name of Christ, that there is only one who is 173 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:56,960 the Lord. There is only one who is God. 174 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:01,200 There is only one who can save you, and it's Jesus. 175 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:06,920 And so he says, peace be with you as the Father has sent me, 176 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:11,480 Even so I'm sending you. And then in verse 22, we see 177 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,600 another promise fulfilled. He promised that the Holy Spirit 178 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:19,240 would come. John is the only one who records 179 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:24,360 this in the Gospels, verse 22. And when Jesus had said this, he 180 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:29,280 breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. 181 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:37,280 That's really interesting. Sometimes we're prone to think 182 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,800 that the Holy Spirit really didn't come onto the scene until 183 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:46,400 Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is God eternal, 184 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:51,040 the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that mystery. 185 00:12:51,680 --> 00:12:55,560 Jesus said it is better for you that I go away, that the Spirit 186 00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:59,960 might come. Many read this in John's gospel 187 00:12:59,960 --> 00:13:02,800 and they wonder what actually was happening then. 188 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:05,560 John's the only one who records this. 189 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:09,520 It seems like he's talking about what happened at Pentecost. 190 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:14,080 Is this the same thing? Scholars have debated this. 191 00:13:14,560 --> 00:13:16,480 I don't believe it was the same thing. 192 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,760 I believe that as Jesus is meeting with these ten that 193 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:26,800 night, as he says I'm bringing you peace, This is me, I'm 194 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,080 present. Look at my hands, look at my 195 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:34,880 side. He commissions them, means he 196 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:38,440 sends them and in order to do that, he's empowering them. 197 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:43,040 And what I believe is happening here is that as Jesus is 198 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:46,120 breathing on them, just picture that scene. 199 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,000 He's in the midst of them. As he's breathing on them, he 200 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:54,280 says receive the Holy Spirit. I believe that there is a 201 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:59,440 picture here of what is about to happen, the symbolism about what 202 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:04,760 is about to happen 50 days from now when the true outpouring of 203 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,720 the Holy Spirit will take place at Pentecost. 204 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:11,640 I believe this is a picture looking forward where they're 205 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,800 already tasting some element of that power and presence that's 206 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,520 going to be with them, but not yet full. 207 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:24,400 It's coming. But I also think that John, in 208 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,960 the crafty way, the beautiful way that he was carried along by 209 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:33,520 the Spirit to right, is taking us way back, all the way to the 210 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:37,400 beginning. I love what Andreas Kostenberger 211 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:39,800 says about this part of John's narrative. 212 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,400 He says there is creation symbolism. 213 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:47,600 This should not surprise us in a book that opens with the same 214 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:51,720 words as Genesis in the beginning. 215 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:56,200 John constantly grounds his narrative in the soil of the 216 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:00,400 creation chapters of Genesis. So while we can sense that he's 217 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:04,640 looking forward to what will happen in 50 days, he's also 218 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:08,360 looking back. This breathing by Jesus is 219 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:12,720 merely to a symbolic gesture connoting Jesus creation of a 220 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:17,680 new covenant community in a way analogous to the creation of 221 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:23,000 man, where God breathed into man's nostrils the breath of 222 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,920 life and the man became a living being. 223 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:31,640 Genesis 27. Christ is breathing on them. 224 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:36,960 He's showing them the responsibility that we have as 225 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,880 his followers. He says receive the Spirit. 226 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,240 Luke tells us in the book of Acts, you will receive power 227 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:48,240 when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses 228 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:52,040 in in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria into the ends of the 229 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:55,440 earth. Jesus in this moment with these 230 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:59,520 10 is pointing them to what's going to happen in the future, 231 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,400 but also taking them back to the beginning because this is the 232 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,080 beginning. This is the beginning of a new 233 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:10,040 covenant community, the Church of Jesus Christ, in which He is 234 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:16,040 the head, and He is sending them out with the message to proclaim 235 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:18,880 Christ. It's interesting that he says in 236 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:23,480 verse 23, if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven 237 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:25,680 them. If you withhold forgiveness from 238 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:28,920 any, it is withheld. We need to be careful her not to 239 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,600 misunderstand that forgiveness lies in the power of human 240 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,960 beings. That is not what's taking place 241 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:38,320 here. This is a decorative power and 242 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:41,640 not an originating power. This is the disciples 243 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,880 proclaiming the truth that only in Christ can we be forgiven. 244 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,720 Only in Christ, the spotless Lamb who died for us, who is now 245 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:54,280 risen. That is where forgiveness lies, 246 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,240 and that's what they are to declare. 247 00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:00,600 And for those who would reject that, it must be told that it 248 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,200 will be withheld if you reject it. 249 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:07,760 Now let's move to Thomas. We talked about Jesus's 250 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,680 appearance. We talked about what Jesus said, 251 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:13,920 and we talked about how Jesus empowered the ten. 252 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,079 Well, the same thing is about to happen. 253 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:23,200 One week later we moved to verse 24 because Thomas was not with 254 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,760 them. John tells us what he said 255 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:32,200 boldly. He says if I don't put my hand 256 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:38,120 in the mark of the nails and place my hand into his side, I 257 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:43,480 will never believe. But what I don't want you to 258 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:47,320 miss is what he's refusing to believe. 259 00:17:48,360 --> 00:17:53,640 What he is refusing to believe is the Apostolic testimony. 260 00:17:54,360 --> 00:17:58,320 He is refusing to believe what the 10 apostles have said has 261 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:04,040 just happened because he wasn't there, because he wasn't in that 262 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:05,640 room. And I don't know where he was. 263 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:10,160 We're not told when he returned. Those 10 told him what he 264 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:11,320 missed. Can you imagine? 265 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:17,360 Thomas the Lord was here. He didn't knock. 266 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:22,240 He just showed up. He wasn't a ghost because we saw 267 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:26,000 his side, we saw his hands. He was transformed. 268 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,800 He's alive. We recognized him. 269 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:35,960 He spoke to us. He said peace, and we felt peace 270 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:39,480 because of his presence. And then he reminded us of why 271 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,880 he called us to begin with. The one who was sent from the 272 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:48,640 Father is now sending out us. Thomas, I'm so sorry you missed 273 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:50,720 it. And they all agreed. 274 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:59,080 But Thomas, how could he doubt? Well, maybe it's because what 275 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:04,520 happened to Jesus, what he witnessed, how those last three 276 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:09,120 days unfolded, it was very difficult to imagine. 277 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:14,520 And probably he had a little fear to trust because what if it 278 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,640 isn't true? Everything he put his hope and 279 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,680 it ended. Christ was dead and now they're 280 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,640 saying he's not dead, he's alive. 281 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:28,000 But Thomas in his doubt and you know what it's like to doubt 282 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:34,760 says unless I see and touch, I will never believe. 283 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:41,120 So what does Jesus do? Jesus appears once again. 284 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:51,800 Suddenly God is going to surprise his children when he 285 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:57,840 calls them to himself. God is the one who initiates. 286 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:03,560 God is the one who pursues. God is the one who chooses. 287 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:08,440 And for any who are going to be saved by Christ in history, 288 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:10,360 there will be a collision course. 289 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:14,840 Woman at the well, there's going to be a collision course. 290 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:21,280 When your heart that is locked, when your heart that is dead is 291 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:26,480 going to suddenly be unlocked and come alive and you're going 292 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:33,480 to say, I believe Jesus knew that Thomas wasn't there. 293 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:40,160 That first appearance that was ordained by God so that 2000 294 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,480 years later, in the time between then and now, until Christ 295 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:49,160 returns, we'll be telling the story about how he went after 296 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:53,960 one of his own who was in the midst of doubt so deep that he 297 00:20:53,960 --> 00:21:01,160 said to his companions, his fellow apostles, I will not 298 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:09,920 believe Jesus appears. It's sudden, He doesn't knock, 299 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:14,120 they don't unlock the door. He's just there standing among 300 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:15,920 them. What does he say? 301 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:19,960 Once again, the greeting. But the greeting means more than 302 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:21,200 hello. And how are you? 303 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:24,760 It's peace be with you. The promise that he had made to 304 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,120 give. And then he speaks directly to 305 00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:31,680 Thomas. The Church of Jesus Christ is 306 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:35,000 made-up of individual people who have been saved by God. 307 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:40,200 We are a collective body, but he moves individually to make us 308 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:46,960 come to saving faith. Thomas, put your finger here. 309 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,000 Wouldn't you just love to have seen the scene? 310 00:21:51,120 --> 00:21:56,960 Thomas, put your finger here. See my hands? 311 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:02,560 Put out your hand. Place it in my side. 312 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,960 He's a man. He was the man that was on the 313 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,160 cross. He's a man transformed by the 314 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:12,760 resurrection. He's alive. 315 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:17,080 He's transformed, but recognizable. 316 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,400 And then he gives this exhortation to Thomas. 317 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:31,360 Do not disbelieve, but believe. Do not disbelieve, but believe. 318 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:37,880 And then Thomas gives us the greatest declaration of who 319 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:46,400 Christ is in the whole gospel, my Lord and my God. 320 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:49,040 Now think about this for a minute. 321 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:59,320 Why did John tell us what his purpose in writing this book 322 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:03,160 was? It comes just a couple of verses 323 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:04,680 later. You heard it a minute ago. 324 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,040 Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples 325 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:12,720 which are not written in his book, but these are written so 326 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:16,120 that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, 327 00:23:16,120 --> 00:23:19,360 and that by believing you may have life in his name. 328 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:24,680 Right before that statement, John the Apostle was carried 329 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,400 along to write about doubting Thomas. 330 00:23:28,120 --> 00:23:30,760 God knew and ordained that he wouldn't be present in that 331 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:33,800 first appearance. In the second appearance, Jesus 332 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:36,760 shows up and says, Peace be with you, Thomas. 333 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:42,720 He calls him by name. Put your finger here, Put your 334 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:48,800 hand here. Stop disbelieving and believe. 335 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:55,240 He says what all who come to Christ say in one way or 336 00:23:55,240 --> 00:24:04,080 another, my Lord and my God. Then Jesus says something, 337 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,240 something that should bring you great encouragement. 338 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,120 Thomas is the one he's speaking to. 339 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:15,720 Have you believed because you have seen me? 340 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:21,120 He said he wouldn't believe unless he saw him, unless he 341 00:24:21,120 --> 00:24:24,120 touched him. Christ met him in that. 342 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:27,880 That's amazing. But then Jesus says this. 343 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:33,720 Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. 344 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:42,000 If you're in Christ Jesus like I am in Christ Jesus, we have 345 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,720 never seen him. We will. 346 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:59,240 And Jesus says blessed are we who haven't seen, but we have 347 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,800 believed. And what have we believed? 348 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:09,760 We have believed the apostles testimony that went from this 349 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:15,440 place in the power of the Holy Spirit and continues to go. 350 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:21,680 If you're in Christ, there was a day or a season of your life 351 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:28,920 when suddenly who He said He was made sense to you match with 352 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:33,320 your knowledge that you needed Him and you needed him alone. 353 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,400 And one way or another, you cried out. 354 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:44,520 Jesus, my Lord and my God, if that's happened to you, we 355 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:52,720 should pray that we never get over the gift of belief, that we 356 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:56,240 would never get over the blessing of belief. 357 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:01,080 You believe because He caused you to believe. 358 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:09,440 Grace, grace, grace. It's very possible that today or 359 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:13,480 if you're listening to this, even weeks or months or years 360 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:17,920 from now, that it's the moment when you're on a collision 361 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:23,640 course with the Lord and the Lord is calling you to Himself, 362 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,800 showing you who He is through His Word and Spirit. 363 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:33,680 That same Spirit that He breathed and said receive, that 364 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:38,920 same Spirit that was poured out at Pentecost, that same Spirit 365 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:42,360 that was promised who lives in all who are in Christ. 366 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:45,640 It's the Spirit who illuminates your heart and mind. 367 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:47,880 That might be happening this morning. 368 00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:53,760 And if it is, please talk to us. All you need to do is cry out to 369 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:58,640 the Lord and say, I trust you. You are the Lord, I trust you. 370 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:02,200 I want you to be my God, I trust you. 371 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:04,840 There is no other name in which I can be saved. 372 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,880 I am a Sinner. I need forgiveness. 373 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:12,560 You've heard it now though. So then hear these words of 374 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:19,920 Christ to Thomas. He said, stop your disbelief and 375 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:24,600 believe. This is why John wrote these 376 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:30,800 words, and the work that he sent the disciples to do when he 377 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,680 appeared to them in that room is still continuing. 378 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:40,720 And it's going to until the very last child that belongs to the 379 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:51,080 Father is chosen, is saved. Father in Heaven, so much took 380 00:27:51,080 --> 00:28:00,720 place behind this closed door. You appeared, you spoke, you 381 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:07,760 showed yourself, you're alive, you commissioned, and you 382 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:10,960 empowered. You continue to do the same 383 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:14,800 thing. Lord, as we close in singing, 384 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:20,720 for some this is a new song. Let us think deeply about what 385 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:24,520 we are saying about the mission you've called us to. 386 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:31,920 And God make us eager to go out into the world and to proclaim 387 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:38,960 that there is only one who is the Lord God, our Savior Jesus, 388 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,360 and whose name we pray. Amen. 389 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:43,320 Please stand.