TOPIC: BELIEVING THE REPORT OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION.
John 24: 24 - 31, Hebrews 10:25
Thomas was not in the meeting when the Lord first appeared to His disciples after He resurrected. He simply did not believe the testimony of his friends. He insisted that he had to see the Lord and prove that indeed He was the risen Lord by putting his hands in the nail prints and the wound by His side. That is why the Scriptures enjoins us... "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Heb 10:25)
He missed out the experience of seeing the Lord, the evidence of the resurrection, the impartation, the endowment, the extraordinary presence of the risen Christ in the midst of the disciples.
There are people that act like Thomas. "as the manner of some is".
POINT 1: THE INEXCUSABLE FAITHLESSNESS IN CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
John 20:24 - 27; Matthew 28:25; Luke 24:25, 30 - 35; Matthew 16:21; 17:22; 24:35; 1 Corinthians 15:5; John 5:38; 8:24; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Timothy 2:11; Hebrews 3:12
The unbelief of Thomas was unjustified and inexcusable. The resurrection of Jesus was attested to by the angels. The angels reported the angels' testimony and Jesus' as well. The disciples, on their way to Emmaus also encountered the risen Lord and brought report back to the 11. Jesus gave indisputable evidences that He was risen.
Apart from that, before His death, Jesus had revealed and proclaimed to them severally that He would be killed but would rise again on the third day. Even if no one had seen the risen Lord, Thomas should have believed the words of Christ. "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" (Mat 24:34)
Question is: What if Jesus didn't have mercy on him? He would have remained in unbelief concerning the resurrection of Christ. If he had died without believing that Jesus rose again from the dead, he would have perished.
There are many people who do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus and do so to their destruction.
POINT 2: OUR INDISPENSABLE FAITH IN CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
John 20:28, 29; Hebrews 11:1, 27; Romans 4:18; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 2:20
Eventually, Thomas believed and declared Jesus "my Lord and my God"
Real faith is believing before you see.
Don't change your mind on the promises of God based on things you see on the contrary. You cannot both walk by faith and by sight simultaneously.
POINT 3: OUR INEXHAUSTIBLE FULLNESS THROUGH CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
John 20:30, 31; Philippians 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 4: 14; 1 Peter 1: 8; Romans 10:9; 1 Peter 1:21; Acts 2:33; 3:15; 2 Corinthians 5:14
Our new life depends so much on the resurrection of Jesus. Ephesians 2: 5, 6.
You have to believe in the resurrection of Christ before we can identify and reign with Him and also have His power. We also get the fullness of blessings and benefits.
Jesus died, was buried and rose again. His resurrection grants us all spiritual benefits and eventually heaven at last.
John 24: 24 - 31, Hebrews 10:25
Thomas was not in the meeting when the Lord first appeared to His disciples after He resurrected. He simply did not believe the testimony of his friends. He insisted that he had to see the Lord and prove that indeed He was the risen Lord by putting his hands in the nail prints and the wound by His side. That is why the Scriptures enjoins us... "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Heb 10:25)
He missed out the experience of seeing the Lord, the evidence of the resurrection, the impartation, the endowment, the extraordinary presence of the risen Christ in the midst of the disciples.
There are people that act like Thomas. "as the manner of some is".
POINT 1: THE INEXCUSABLE FAITHLESSNESS IN CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
John 20:24 - 27; Matthew 28:25; Luke 24:25, 30 - 35; Matthew 16:21; 17:22; 24:35; 1 Corinthians 15:5; John 5:38; 8:24; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Timothy 2:11; Hebrews 3:12
The unbelief of Thomas was unjustified and inexcusable. The resurrection of Jesus was attested to by the angels. The angels reported the angels' testimony and Jesus' as well. The disciples, on their way to Emmaus also encountered the risen Lord and brought report back to the 11. Jesus gave indisputable evidences that He was risen.
Apart from that, before His death, Jesus had revealed and proclaimed to them severally that He would be killed but would rise again on the third day. Even if no one had seen the risen Lord, Thomas should have believed the words of Christ. "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" (Mat 24:34)
Question is: What if Jesus didn't have mercy on him? He would have remained in unbelief concerning the resurrection of Christ. If he had died without believing that Jesus rose again from the dead, he would have perished.
There are many people who do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus and do so to their destruction.
POINT 2: OUR INDISPENSABLE FAITH IN CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
John 20:28, 29; Hebrews 11:1, 27; Romans 4:18; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 2:20
Eventually, Thomas believed and declared Jesus "my Lord and my God"
Real faith is believing before you see.
Don't change your mind on the promises of God based on things you see on the contrary. You cannot both walk by faith and by sight simultaneously.
POINT 3: OUR INEXHAUSTIBLE FULLNESS THROUGH CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
John 20:30, 31; Philippians 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 4: 14; 1 Peter 1: 8; Romans 10:9; 1 Peter 1:21; Acts 2:33; 3:15; 2 Corinthians 5:14
Our new life depends so much on the resurrection of Jesus. Ephesians 2: 5, 6.
You have to believe in the resurrection of Christ before we can identify and reign with Him and also have His power. We also get the fullness of blessings and benefits.
Jesus died, was buried and rose again. His resurrection grants us all spiritual benefits and eventually heaven at last.
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