That You Might Believe - Part 1 of 2

In the solution ready Junior welcoming you to one of the broadcast of the Baptist Bible and in he he is all she and well. I in her studies of the gospel of John we come today to chapter 20 beginning with the 24th verse, we first look at the experience of Thomas than the words of Jesus and finally the declaration of John hope that you will write a letter show that you have listened. Our address is the Baptist Bible Auerbach 17 oh 37, Cincinnati, OH 45217. In our studies of the gospel of John were in the 20th chapter, which concluded last time observing the visit, Jesus made to the disciples they were shut up in a room. Obviously because of great fear knowing that Jesus had been crucified and they were his followers. They were no doubt, reasoning that perhaps the soldiers would soon come knocking on their door that they too might be put to death.

But even while the doors were closed. Jesus came in the room. Put in an appearance and said, peace be unto you, relieve them of their anxiety and they had great joy as they saw Jesus alive doubt again today with first 24. But Thomas, one of the 12 called didymus was not with them when Jesus came the other disciples therefore said unto him, we have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, except I see his hand in his hands, the print of the nail and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side. I will not and after eight days again.

His disciples were within and Thomas with them.

Then came Jesus, the doors being shut and stood in the midst, and said unto them, peace be unto you, then saith he to Thomas reach their five finger and behold my hands and preached thither by hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing and Thomas answered and said to him, my Lord and my God. Jesus saith to him.

Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet really and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that she might believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Thomas was nicknamed didymus, which means twin resolvers had another member that family that don't read about in the Scriptures we know nothing of the twin, but the fact that Thomas himself was a twin first. In looking at this passage we consider the experience of Thomas every time we read about Thomas were able to get some insight into his personality. He was naturally inclined to be gloomy to look on the dark side of things, that there might be someone here today that would have to say you're talking about me.

Maybe you don't like so much admitted that other people tell you that way because of anything that comes up you consider that there could be some problem attacks that others aren't seeing our things are just not going to work out as planned. You're always expecting something terrible to happen when it happens or not.

And so Thomas was something of that trait in his personality. We first see an example of it in the 11th chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus, and said he was going back into the city and the Jews were already planning to take his life. He was greatly hated and despised by them and so would Jesus talks about going into the city.

We read in John 11 verse eight is disciples in the him master the Jews of late salt to stone.

The end goal is now thither again. They are saying, Lord, it's not a good idea but Thomas goes on to say let's go there and I the words. He's not going to resist going because Jesus said he's going so I said if Jesus is going. I'm going to go with him but I know it's going to happen will be killed.

So let's let's go and die, but you can see that he looked on the dark side because he was anticipating. This is probably in the line. They were surely going to be killed by their enemies, but at the same time you can't bring this man out as though there were no good qualities because he did demonstrate some courage he said let us go even though I think it's going to be a tragic end. I'm willing to go and he said, and to die with Jesus also indicates the great love and affection that he had for Jesus, in spite of the fact that he was known as doubting Thomas. He had some obvious weaknesses that were some qualities about them that can be appreciated, he was courageous he had genuine love for Jesus. If Jesus was going there. He was willing also himself to go in the end of the 14th chapter of the Gospel of John. Those beautiful words that Jesus spoke to give them comfort telling him that he was going away but he wanted them to find comfort in the fact they would ultimately be with him. Let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions if it were not so I would've told you. I go to prepare a place for you if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive them to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. And whether I go you know and the way such beautiful, comforting words, the disciples should have received those words joyfully with great appreciation. How comforting are these words when we go through our dark and difficult time particularly those troubling seasons when a loved one is taken away from us. We have a hard time understanding it all and we turn to some of the promises of Scripture, but were so emotionally distraught.

It's still a challenge to reach that point of trust and absolute comfort but the depth of these words I'm going to prepare a place for you and if I prepare a place for you. I'm going to come again. I'm receiving the myself, what joy to anticipate that something we will be at home with the Lord in all of those who are the subject of his grace will be there as well.

The joy of heaven. Of course, will be to see our Savior Jesus Christ. But that will be recognition of heard some argue to the contrary, but I think the Scriptures are abundantly clear that in the resurrection, you will know who you are and you know who others are and you will rejoice with them in the presence of Jesus to give him glory and praise.

But notice the words of Thomas verse five, saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou ago was how can we know the way it seems that those words are so basic, so direct that the only response would be consoled by I'm grieving that Jesus tells us he's going to the park.

He's going to be going away, but the fact that he says I'm coming back and ultimately to be together. I should make it all right but Thomas is I don't understand this, Lord.

I don't get that we we know not whether you're going. How can we know the way.

So once again, you can see his tendency to remain on the gloomy side fails to find hope in these wonderful promises that Jesus gave and then the third time we have insight as to something of the personality of this man is in the passage that's before us in John 20 verse 24 when the disciples were in that room together and Jesus put in an appearance. It says that Thomas was not with them.

We can only speculate as to what the reasons may have been but having observed in other portions of Scripture.

His inclination to look on the dark side. I think were safe to say that he was in such deep sorrow over the death of Jesus that he just felt like no use for me to even be with my brother I just rather go Seiden below just don't want to have to go through any interaction with anybody else. Spent three years with these other disciples ministering with them, you'd think that knowing they also were experiencing the depths of sorrow that troubled him. He would think it be a good idea for us to be together for student talk about the days that we have enjoyed in the presence of Jesus. Try to encourage one another, but his thought was I just wanted isolate myself, I would've be off at a distance you see he had heard the reports of the resurrection, but he did not leave them and so he was in darkness for a full week. Had he been with the disciple where he should've been. He would've seen Jesus, but because he wasn't wary should've been. It has a full week to grow in the darkness make it feeling sorry for himself, I devoted three years of my life to this man. Now he may be wondering was I deceived. Is it all a reality. What is it that I'm going to encounter down the road. What what can I expect and anticipate so he struggles for that week when he could have had great joy knowing that Jesus was alive we see that it is a detriment to be overcome with a melancholy spirit. Christians need each other and never gone through a time like this. You're discouraged. You had some setbacks in some sort to get the place. I don't want to talk to anybody. I don't want to be with anybody not concede that there are times it can be worthwhile to be alone when it's for the purpose of praying or studying God's word but just isolate yourself because your distress, your discouraged your downcast.

It's not the biblical pattern. I know the people in that frame of mind. Stay away from church asked, what were you were you sick well not really sick but I was just so discouraged.

I thoughtlessly use. I don't know if I get anything out of it anyway I just thought it was better for me to stay home. Now it may be when a person has that attitude that the very message they'll do here is being delivered at church, but they stay home and sit just like Thomas missed this great event of being present where Jesus put in an appearance but does not be guilty of following the pattern of Thomas in this respect. Christians desperately need each other.

The Lord is arranged it that way course of a person is out of fellowship with the Lord.

They don't have as much desire to be with his people.

But if you're in fellowship with Jesus Christ you want to be with those who are also in fellowship with Jesus Christ. If you're following him you're serving him you believing in him as a pilot I want to be in the company of other Christians true Christianity cannot be lived out in isolation. Sometimes it's challenging to deal with differences and conflicts seen that studying the book of first Corinthians is a lot of conflict in that church. The Paul never advise anybody to stay home till they felt better about things. Just you got some problems but your to resolve them you to deal with. So let us be careful never to have the attitude that I'm going to improve my situation by withdrawing going in the dark corner and not talking to anybody that's not the biblical pattern, and then we see not only his natural inclination to be gloomy and look on the dark side of things, but his refusal to accept the good news. When the disciples presented to doing. It's interesting also to observe that the disciples did not have a bad attitude toward Thomas. I didn't say well you know if he'd been here.

He could've enjoyed that experience. But the fact that he wasn't asked party just going to have to endure just have to suffer the consequences. Forget about it. Never had that attitude toward somebody else. Somebody failed they neglected their duty, they didn't do what they ought another one. Get what's coming to them. In fact, you can enjoy the fact they were getting what was coming to her. Maybe you thought they didn't quite get what they really got what they should've suffered a little more say were not in the position to make those decisions. The Lord will deal with his own put the rod of correction on those that he loves. But these disciples came to Thomas and brought in the news, the disciple sent him to him.

We have seen the Lord.

But he said of them except I shall see his in his hands, the print of the nails and put my finger in the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side. I will not believe these words are what gave him the name doubting Thomas hear people use that even if they're not believers in the Bible talk about somebody being a doubting Thomas not not believing something that they ought to believe the did not believe the report but you know we can't really pick on Thomas as though he was the weakest one of the group because at one point the rest of the disciples were just like it was back in the gospel of Mark chapter 16 we read in the ninth verse now when Jesus was risen early in the first day of the week. He appeared to Mary Magdalena, out of whom he had passed seven devils and she went and told them that had been with him as they mourned and wept, and they when they heard that he was alive and that he had been seen of her. It will believed not, so here's the report Mary, with whom they're acquainted said I've seen Jesus alive.

They did not believe, and after that he appeared in another form of the two of them as they walked and went under the country and they went and told that none of the residue.

Neither believed they them so all of these disciples were having difficulty believing that Jesus said actually reason for the bad that I just thought back about the things that he talked and had confidence in his words, they would've known this was indeed to be expected that Jesus said not only told that he would go to the cross and die and told that he would rise from the dead, so if we sometimes are in that low frame of mind like Thomas was in like these are the disciples were for a period of time. There is an unwillingness to believe good news that embrace the promises of God ever find yourself in that predicament just cashed down so low in the valley so disappointed, so discouraged that if somebody tries to bring a piece of good news you find some fault with it and you basically reject somebody tries to comfort to my pointing to the promises of God's word and instead of you embracing the promise rejoicing in it saying here's what God has said, I learned rely on his promise never to leave in the forsake me that I may boldly say the Lord is my helper well I don't know about this present situation. I don't see any evidence that God is with me and I prayed that he would work out some of these problems are nothing happening so you again reject and refused to receive the good news.

The message that will be of your benefit, but then when Jesus puts him this appearance of Thomas is present Jesus once again says peace. That's the message that he brings invites Thomas to touching Thomas and I and I don't believe unless I can touch his hands in the second put my finger in his side and see that place where the spirit had entered. But there's no concrete evidence that he actually went through with having to touching exhibits. This is what I require. But it indicates that when he saw Jesus alive that touching wasn't even necessary agents as my Lord and my God. The greatest confession of any of the apostles is acknowledging the deity of Jesus Christ. He didn't call him teacher or master or Messiah.

But God he recognizes this man this man Jesus was God in the flesh or the testimony and that's what the gospel of John is all about. To confirm this message so here in the latter portion of it. Here is a man, a follower of Jesus, who had gone through terrible doubts, fears, troubles darkness, but now he burst forth with the declaration of great faith. Having said how hard my Lord my God you are God.

You may have gone through some dark times some times of struggle when you knew I ought to believe in you even wanted to believe, but questions had to you that you couldn't answer somebody challenged your faith in you didn't know how to respond. So Satan's attacks were severe.

You were quickly passed down and you really wonder, do I believe or not, but you see, the Lord did not deserve Thomas.

Even in these moments of his weakness when he appears in the room. He once again says of the disciples, including Thomas, please be under you and so it is Jesus is mindful of our weaknesses in our fingers. And though there are times we struggle the were the times that doubts platelets is promise not to leave us today we brought you the first portion of the message entitled, that you might believe from John chapter 20 you would like information about other messages in this series or how to receive this one writer's at the Baptist Bible top 17 own 37, Cincinnati, OH 45217. We greet you next time.

This is the same. Bradley Junior meeting you goodbye and may God bless you and all is on days that I and E and J. D. And all in and in and in and all