4-7-24 Believe

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Believe (John 20:19-31) 1

Barbara Loomis

 

I’m going to start with the story of my grandson Link, when he was two years old. We were on the swings in his backyard when a butterfly landed on my toe. I said, “Link, I hope it doesn’t lay eggs on my toe.” He responded with a “silly Yama”. That’s what he calls me. Yama. “Butterflies don’t lay eggs, turtles lay eggs.” It turned out, he had seen a turtle lay eggs under the deck. So I asked him about the eggs in the refrigerator. He was quiet for a while, very thoughtful and he goes “oh they become pancakes”. Some of us question life more than others. Usually children believe anything a trusted adult tells them. However, there is a time when they might become a seeing is believing person. Two was a bit early.

We want confirmation for things we believe. After all “Seeing is believing.” Jesus even said in the fourth chapter of John “unless you see the wonders, you will not believe”. This statement was in conjunction with Jesus’ encounter with a royal official. The official said, ”Sir, come down before my little boy dies.” Jesus said to him; “Go your son will live.” The child did live. The official knew of Jesus and knew of the miracles. Is this faith, trust, belief, or simply hope.

To regain the trust that Link had in his “Yama” I took him to a friend’s house, where they raise chickens. He had a tour of the chicken coop and heard the chickens clucking away when some laid eggs and he accepted turtles and chickens lay eggs. I had to take them to the library and find a book that had all the different kinds of animals, insects, etc. that laid eggs. He studied that book over and over again and then he accepted what his grandma told him. He was always a strong-minded child, but that was a little deep. I didn’t have the heart to tell him, that all things you find in books may not be true.

Logic is important to us. We like to consider ourselves rational people. Unfortunately, rationalism has given way to skepticism in so many of us. It has become hard to put faith in anything, or anyone. Many have promised so much, and they have let us down. We had faith in the government and the government has let us down. We trusted people and people have let us down. It’s easy not to believe anymore. I’ll believe it when I see it. You wanna say seeing is believing. Believing in Jesus, resurrection is one event in which both the elements of seeing is believing come together. His resurrection was verified by the eyewitness testimonies of hundreds of his day.

Thomas experienced so many things both before, and after Christ crucifixion. It is no wonder that he had difficulty understanding all that had taken place. I truly trust that he believed.

Before Jesus went to Judea, because Lazarus had died, the other apostles, urge Jesus, not to go, because Jesus could be stoned to death, but John 11:16 says then “Thomas said to the rest of the disciples, let us also go that we may die with Him.” After the Lord’s supper, Thomas did not understand what Jesus meant when he talked about his father‘s house and more (John 14:5) “Thomas said to him, Lord , we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

In Luke, we are told about when Jesus died. A darkness came over the whole land for three hours. The curtain and the temple ripped in half. The women found the tomb empty and believed they saw a living Jesus. Believe (John 20:19-31) 2 Those where emotionally filled days. It is no wonder that Thomas had difficulty believing all that happened so “he said unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails, and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” (John, 20:25).

Thomas was not the only one that had doubt. In Luke It says, “ when Jesus first appeared to the others, while they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, Peace be with you. They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them why are you frightened and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet. See that it is my myself. Touch me and see: for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet while in their joy, they were disbelieving and still wondering he said to them have you anything here to eat?” That statement seemed to open their eyes.

Our belief is based on the Trinity, the three in one, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Since Jesus is God, He was aware of the conversation the other disciples had with Thomas, and decided to make a personal appearance, one week after the resurrection, and Jesus’ first appearance to the disciples in the upper room, we find the disciples together. Once again, they are behind locked doors, and Thomas is present this time with the others, thus setting the stage for the dramatic events to follow.

Well, everyone is enjoying each other‘s company. Suddenly Jesus shows up. John’s gospel does not indicate that any small talk took place. Jesus appeared to get right to the point . After His greeting, Jesus turns to Thomas and calls for Thomas to do the same thing the other disciples were required to do so that they could believe. Thomas did not need to touch Jesus to believe Jesus was alive.

The Bible teaches us we walk by faith and not by sight. It is really only by faith that are blind eyes can be opened so that we can truly see. In the book of acts. The disciples and the followers of Jesus went far and wide to preach the words that Jesus taught them, they sought out people that had never known Jesus.

It is hard to know what to believe nowadays. We live in an age of question the source the Internet gives us. There are so many. How well versed are you at knowing what is right and what is wrong. What actually has just portions of truth that pull you in to truly believe in everything, it’s hard.

Having grown up in an era before the Internet became as relevant as it is, there were books and essays available out there that try to prove that Jesus didn’t die. I have read a few. They give good arguments. But there are more writings that break down the description presented in the Bible of the crucifixion and to the scientific evidence. There are writings that give proof of the great flood, the Exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt, the list goes on. I would assume that we all have doubts. Many of us are more like Thomas than we would like to believe, or admit.

Have we questioned if God cares for us and loves us Believe (John 20:19-31) 3 Have we questioned if all the stories in the Bible are true? Which are true or just lessons?

It is a good question. It is good that we face those questions and search for answers. When our faith grows and it is nurtured, it becomes stronger. How can we do that? We attend church. We attend Bible studies. We study on our own. We talk with friends about our faith. I have a friend that used to read hymns as a form of devotion. Not everything we read or hear fulfills that need. We should always seek to know the Lord better.

We are not likely to blindly accept everything we hear. What faith is greater: the one that never questions, or the faith, that questions and investigates, and then believes. The believer that questions along the way, has a stronger faith. The nonbeliever that investigates can become a person of strong, unmoving faith. Lee Strobel, an atheist who wrote Case for Christ, set out to prove that the Bible and Jesus were all false. Now he teaches and writes books about Jesus.

When we question our faith, or when we hear about doubting Thomas, remember that he was so much more than a doubter, but rather a person who needed to find out for himself. He needed to search for the truth.

He needed to believe, not because of the words of others, but Because God himself revealed Himself to Thomas. Let that doubt lead you to a greater understanding and dedication to Christ our savior. Thomas had doubts. So did the others. When Thomas did see the risen, Christ, his reaction was very profound.

He did not touch Jesus’ hands.

He did not touch Jesus’ side.

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and My God”

I have an image in my mind of Thomas dropping to his knees when he said, “My Lord and My God”

What brings you to your knees?

What brought you to the moment of belief and faith.

What brought you to thinking or saying it out loud, “My Lord and My God”

Amen