Great Bible Truths Podcast Episode 155

Lessons from their lives Talk 21 - Thomas

Welcome to Talk 21 in our series, Lessons from their lives. Last time we looked at John the Baptist and saw that, although he was described by Jesus as the greatest of the prophets, he was nevertheless subject to doubt. We looked at the nature of his doubt, the cause of his doubt, and the remedy for doubt. Today I have chosen as our subject Thomas, who is also well known for his doubts. You will doubtless - excuse the pun - see several similarities between them. We’ll begin by reading:

John 20:19-31

19. On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’
20. After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21. Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’
22. And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.
23. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’
24. Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
25. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’
26. A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’
27. Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’
28. Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’
29. Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’
30. Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
31. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Let’s consider:

• Why Thomas doubted
• Why he did not really need to doubt
• How his doubts were overcome
• How all this applies to us.

 Why Thomas doubted

• His personality? cf. John11:16 Let us also go, that we may die with him
• He had experienced a massive disappointment
• He did not keep close to his fellow disciples (20:24)
• He consequently missed a wonderful experience (19-20)

Imagine his feelings during that week. Why didn’t Jesus appear to him before? There are experiences of Jesus that we only receive when we are gathered with our fellow-disciples.

Why he did not really need to doubt

• He had spent 3 years in the presence of Jesus and had never known him to fail. Jesus never made a mistake. He always had an answer.
• He had personally experienced the miracle-working power of God (Matthew 10:1, 3, 7-8)
• Jesus had prophesied his own resurrection (John 2:19, 21-22, 10:17-18, Matthew 12:40, 26:32 etc.)
• Jesus had personally told him he was going away (John14:1-6):

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

How his doubts were overcome

• He got together with the disciples again (20:26) (He wouldn’t believe their evidence, but he was longing to find out)
• He had a personal encounter with the risen Christ (26-27)
• He surrendered his doubts to Jesus (28)

As a result, he became an obedient disciple and Spirit filled preacher

(Acts 2). Apostle to India.

How all this applies to us

We need to:

• Surrender our doubts to Jesus
• Get together with the disciples
• It’s there that we’re most likely to have a personal encounter with Christ
• Remember that Jesus said:

29 Because you have seen me you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed

• It is possible to believe without seeing
• It is better to believe without seeing
• It is enough to believe the Book (30-31)

30. Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
31. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

We often say ‘Seeing is believing’. The Bible tells us the reverse is true.

BELIEVING IS SEEING!

Read the Book

Believe what you read

In it you will encounter Jesus

In Jesus you will find life.

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