The transcript of the service can be read below
John 20:24-31
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.
John 20:24-31 HOW DOES BELIEVING CHANGE YOUR VIEW? Springford Baptist Church: April 18, 2021.
Do you remember the last time you said, “unbelievable”!?
I think of watching magicians perform, what is really slight of hand. We can’t figure out how something was done and the response is “unbelievable”. We may find this entertaining and we know there is something more to it than what we can see so our description is “unbelievable.”
As we continue to consider the miraculous events of Easter and the central truth of our Christian faith that Jesus is alive, we can recognize ourselves in the various responses of Jesus’ followers. I want us this week to reflect on “Seeing is Believing and Believing Is Seeing”. The key in all of this is recognizing how believing changes our view. As we have been listening for God and praying that God will guide us through the strange and increasingly troubling times of this world we are living in, we have been able to recognize that believing does change our view. We do believe that God is present with us and that what we see happening is not just random events. When the unfolding action of the world around us is unbelievable, we can look to God who raised Jesus from the dead to show us what is certain and true. Believing in Him and trusting Him can calm and fears and keep us listening intently for His direction.
Last week we considered that the disciples were gathered together filled with fear. (John 20:19) For them, when Jesus appears, seeing is believing and believing is seeing. If they will accept that this is Jesus standing right there with them, then they will be able to see and believe the unimaginable.
And as they do believe, they are able to hear the words Jesus speaks to them.
Simple words: “Peace be with you.” (vs. 19b) This was a common Jewish greeting, but under the circumstances, it takes on a whole new and significant meaning.
And we saw what happened with the seeing and believing? It changes their view. A door is opened that permits them to see even more of who Jesus is and why He has come.
Those who had been overcome with fear are now overcome with joy.
These followers of Jesus are overjoyed because they know it is Jesus who was dead and now is alive and believing this to be true changes everything for them!
In our current context, if we focus on what we see and what we hear, that can make us afraid. How will we believe Jesus and see what He wants to show us?
The person who is going to help us to explore this reality that seeing is believing and believing is seeing this week is Thomas. We often think of Thomas as “Doubting Thomas”, but back in John 11:16 we have record of Thomas displaying a great deal of courage and devotion toward Jesus. When Jesus says that they will now go, after Lazarus has died, remember it was Thomas who said, “Let us also go that we may die with Him.”
Here in this circumstance of John 11, Thomas is convinced that Jesus is the One to follow even if it means danger or death. He does believe in Jesus and He trusts that what Jesus has taught them is true.
After Jesus’ resurrection, Thomas refused to believe unless he could see for himself. I am sure Thomas wants to believe because we know that he loved Jesus a great deal, but he is not willing to accept this outrageous story about Jesus being alive unless he can see for himself. Thomas says, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my fingers where the nails were and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it.” (vs. 25b)
Thomas clearly knew what evidence was required, in order for him to accept as true the rumour that Jesus was alive. He sets out what will be necessary for him to believe. He does not want to be deceived or disappointed.
Do you notice how the risen Lord Jesus responds when He appears again a week later?
We might expect that He
would scold Thomas or confront his hesitancy to believe. Jesus does
not, which leads me to conclude that what will be necessary for each
of us to believe is understood by Jesus and Jesus invites us to ask
our questions with absolute honesty. The goal is believing and it is
true both to expect that seeing is believing-a common phrase, and
that believing is seeing.
There are things we will only see when
we are willing to believe.
Jesus takes time to set the stage for both seeing and believing.
And Jesus, when He has
provided Thomas with physical evidence that it really is Him come
back to life from death, expects a response from Thomas:
(vs.
27) “Stop doubting and believe.”
Seeing is Believing and Believing is Seeing.
Regardless of whether we see and believe or believe and see, there is faith involved.
Jesus makes reference to blessing for those who do not see and still believe. That would be us and there is a remarkable blessing that comes as we choose to believe and then see evidence of the truth that Jesus is Alive. We see and we hear through God’s Word repeated evidence of the truth of what we believe about God.
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.
This believing is not reserved for Easter time. Every day we can choose to believe, to trust Jesus, although not seeing and not understanding all mysteries. When we stand in this place of believing, Jesus stands with us and as He did with His disciples and with Thomas personally, Jesus shows us Himself.
SEEING IS BELIEVING AND
BELIEVING IS SEEING. If we are willing to
live this way on our Journey of Faith, Jesus can show us what we have
not before seen and we truly will have life in His name!
HOW
DOES BELIEVING CHANGE YOUR VIEW?
How will
our believing in God change how we see and hear the news these days?
If we only look to human effort to resolve the complexity of our lives during this pandemic, then there is cause for fear.
If we keep hoping that people will be kinder to each other and that the evidence of hatred and discrimination will somehow magically disappear, then we will be greatly disappointed.
The extreme challenges of living in this world cannot be met by human effort alone. It is only when we see that God is among us and when we choose to believe He can help us that our view changes. No longer do we find ourselves filled with doubt and pessimism. We can, when we believe God for what is needed, begin to glimpse the ways that He is already at work in our lives and in the lives of people around us.
When Thomas stopped doubting and believed, His heartfelt response to Jesus was, “My Lord and my God”. (vs. 28)
As you encounter Jesus, our living Lord Jesus, how will believing change your view and how will you respond?