Jaltus
April 27th 2003, 02:29 PM
What can happen in a week?
Sometimes it feels like no matter what we do, we get nowhere. It takes months to get approved for vacation, it takes years to get that promotion, and who knows when you will find that special someone?
But sometimes, sometimes things happen quickly, too fast for you to think. A car cuts you off and you quickly swerve out of the way...a moments hesitation would have cost you your life.
Sometimes, sometimes things take a bit longer than a moment, but shorter than a year.
John 20:26-31
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 did many other miraculous 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 Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
A week later than what?
A week after Easter sunday, a week after the Lord returned in the flesh, a week after utter dispair turned to hope most glorious.
In one week the lives of the apostles turned upsidedown.
Except for Thomas. Oh, we all know him as doubting Thomas, but that is because we know him only from these verses. Thomas is not who you think he is.
John 11:16 Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
Thomas had deep feelings for Christ. He believed that the trip to Jerusalem would end in death, but he was fine with that. Thomas held no illusions as to what was coming, but neither did he fear it.
John 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
John 14:6 is one of the most famous verses in all the Bible, and it is Thomas who prompts Jesus to speak it. Thomas had a love for Christ, and did not want to be seperated from him.
Finally, look at this:
John 20:19-25
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, 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 his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
24 Now Thomas (called 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 it."
The apostles were all together and afraid, locked in a small room fearing for their lives. Where was Thomas? Not with them! Thomas did not have the same fear as the others. He did not fear death, as we have seen, and he did not hide with the others. So when Jesus appeared, Thomas was not there.
Ahhh, you say, but he did not believe the other apostles!
If you had just watched the person you loved most in the world die, what would you say to those who told you they had seen that person alive? Much the same that Thomas did.
But Thomas, you say, had to touch His hands, His scars, His side.
Not really, Thomas immediately fell at the Lord's feet and confessed, something the others did not do at seeing Jesus.
You see, Thomas loved the Lord and could not bear to be hurt again, but as soon as he saw Jesus standing there, his heart lept and he fell to his knees.
So, what can happen in a week?
In a week, the world can be conquered, the dead can return, the broken heart can be made new, all through the power of Jesus, our risen Lord and Savior.
What do you plan on doing this week?
Sometimes it feels like no matter what we do, we get nowhere. It takes months to get approved for vacation, it takes years to get that promotion, and who knows when you will find that special someone?
But sometimes, sometimes things happen quickly, too fast for you to think. A car cuts you off and you quickly swerve out of the way...a moments hesitation would have cost you your life.
Sometimes, sometimes things take a bit longer than a moment, but shorter than a year.
John 20:26-31
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 did many other miraculous 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 Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
A week later than what?
A week after Easter sunday, a week after the Lord returned in the flesh, a week after utter dispair turned to hope most glorious.
In one week the lives of the apostles turned upsidedown.
Except for Thomas. Oh, we all know him as doubting Thomas, but that is because we know him only from these verses. Thomas is not who you think he is.
John 11:16 Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
Thomas had deep feelings for Christ. He believed that the trip to Jerusalem would end in death, but he was fine with that. Thomas held no illusions as to what was coming, but neither did he fear it.
John 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
John 14:6 is one of the most famous verses in all the Bible, and it is Thomas who prompts Jesus to speak it. Thomas had a love for Christ, and did not want to be seperated from him.
Finally, look at this:
John 20:19-25
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, 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 his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
24 Now Thomas (called 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 it."
The apostles were all together and afraid, locked in a small room fearing for their lives. Where was Thomas? Not with them! Thomas did not have the same fear as the others. He did not fear death, as we have seen, and he did not hide with the others. So when Jesus appeared, Thomas was not there.
Ahhh, you say, but he did not believe the other apostles!
If you had just watched the person you loved most in the world die, what would you say to those who told you they had seen that person alive? Much the same that Thomas did.
But Thomas, you say, had to touch His hands, His scars, His side.
Not really, Thomas immediately fell at the Lord's feet and confessed, something the others did not do at seeing Jesus.
You see, Thomas loved the Lord and could not bear to be hurt again, but as soon as he saw Jesus standing there, his heart lept and he fell to his knees.
So, what can happen in a week?
In a week, the world can be conquered, the dead can return, the broken heart can be made new, all through the power of Jesus, our risen Lord and Savior.
What do you plan on doing this week?