Life from this hour being made whole in his power

Faithless Believing

11/02/2024
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 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, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

Instead of did God really say that as in the garden here we find the did God really do that recorded here. Here his name was called didymous, not doubting Thomas, for his issue went far beyond that. It appears his name came from what he always said. I can almost hear him, 'did he now?' Let me tell you, did the Lord really do that or did he not. As one of the disciples himself had he not been with Jesus all along. From the start of his call to the end thereof, he had been with him and seen the many mighty works done in his name. He ought to have been so familiar with the Lord's words having seen them himself fulfilled time and time again. Yet here the issue of the resurrection is a strange and foreign notion to him. It almost speaks of one having been with the chief priests this whole time hatching a plot for the destruction of the Lord.


Instead of did God really say that as in the garden here we find the did God really do that recorded here. Here his name was called didymous, not doubting Thomas, for his issue went far beyond that. It appears his name came from what he always said. I can almost hear him, 'did he now?' Let me tell you, did the Lord really do that or did he not. As one of the disciples himself had he not been with Jesus all along. From the start of his call to the end thereof, he had been with him and seen the many mighty works done in his name. He ought to have been so familiar with the Lord's words having seen them himself fulfilled time and time again. Yet here the issue of the resurrection is a strange and foreign notion to him. It almost speaks of one having been with the chief priests this whole time hatching a plot for the destruction of the Lord. Remember Scripture tells how the temple would be destroyed and raised in three days time. Here it is the third day already, with the tomb empty and disciples gone. Yet Thomas, one of them, isn't anywhere to be found. The text makes it clear that Jesus had long since appeared to the other disciples on several occasions: in the garden, at the upper room, and on the road to Emaus to name a few. Yet Thomas had missed all this. Herein lies the danger of not being present at the Master’s coming, and of missing out. See, it’s more than just a fear as the ten virgins found when the oil and light of the lamps ran out. I cannot think of anything more startling than not being present when Jesus comes. Still, in all of this, the Master’s power to keep should never be doubted. If he has the power to meet you he also has sufficient power to keep you. Unlike the virgins, his has never run out. When you get your power from him, you will never run out. Then too is his statement shocking to say the least. Herein he announces his belief only under certain conditions. So also, he is seen in a position of almost rebuking the disciples. For in Hebrews 11:1 we know “faith as the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.” The disciples have seen and heard it all. For them their faith has been made sight as the one who is perfect has come unto them at last. But to Thomas, this comes as a bit of a foreign concept. Yet for some things, it seems good for not all to be believed. Hence are you protected from the hour that is to try the world as the antichrist walks free with many others gone out into the world. So it seems the faith quality is one that can be handled, sensed, yet still believed. How Thomas faith was yet undeveloped and immature. Notice how this a distinct reversal of the order of temptation that brought about the fall originally. So does Colossians 2:21 speak to the same whereby we "touch not, taste not, handle not." Pleasing to the eyes, good for food, with knowledge offered beyond the worlds. Then too is the lack of belief until the print of the nails in the hands be seen. For in some cultures it is customary to offer the hands upon meeting, greeting, or on giving in marriage. Else would we not be as one betrothed and laying in wait for the bridegroom. Then again is the lack of belief seen until the hands have handled those of love. Not to be funny or irreverent, but in cultures I can almost hear the old familiar cries of the beggar asking for change. Yet here is nothing wanted, not at all. Then at last is the lack of belief until putting his hand into that side be seen. To some people, the side is the most sacred place of all. Yet when Jesus comes, those that seek him simply will find by simply trusting and believe. It seems to me I can almost hear the echoes of another room, one to which the unfaithful servant is come. Can you hear it now, ‘Master, here is all you have that is thine, laid up carefully in this napkin, perfect and intact.’
 

Might well you wonder what has happened in this house that might have caused Thomas’ absence. See, John 11:16 tells the story of how it all began. Thomas it seems while following Jesus had something of his own way going on. Remember, you cannot follow your way and God’s way too. It just will not work out. But Thomas here, really had it going on and so had not yet figured that one out. Perhaps hold up with me for just a minute more if you will. His lack of faith is found within the words, “let us also go, that we may die with him.” It is then seen from the text that Jesus had come to the realm of the dead even to where Lazarus was once found. Though it really could be forgiven him, since he might well have just not known. Soon though, reality set in. Before death came an awful lot of fears. For to him he wondered could God really overcome it all. Yet praise God that indeed he could nor would the condition ever be for long. See, Thomas’ main problem though was his having lost the way as in John 14:5. How many of you know that when you cease to put God first, nothing else will follow. But with him things just fall right into place. For as the Scripture says, he champions at making the impossible things out of nothing. When you know who you’re trusting, he makes the yoke easy, the burdens light and even the path found. Though Thomas found he was lost without knowing the way and stuck in a hopeless situation, God did not let that define him. How good it is to know God does not measure us from the sum of our past mistakes. Rather, he takes all who come to him in trust and straightens men out from there. To me it is interesting to see Jesus citing Thomas word-for-word. So then, such is God’s response. For what it's worth, another translation of the text renders this as 'stop doubting and believe.' Yet rarely is the issue ever so simple. Rather as Jesus said, the issue stems from being faithless. Sure no man can serve two masters as we have seen before. Neither can Thomas, if you are being honest. Were he an angel preaching another gospel, he would have been found accursed. Could it be then there is another point of view, one in which the lost and the found meet up. So can we be faithless believing over all the issues we face today. Then again, when God calls you better to simply trust him than to go. To me it is clear that something shifted. Something's different, something's happened which never was this way before. Perhaps that is why Heaven's view is needed to see all we really missed before. What's been holding you back, keeping you bound, has you too scared and stuck, hoping against hope that the situation will change. As in .... Sent to preach deliverance to them that are bound, God has come to your life and mine today.