THOMAS
By Rev. Dr. Jerry Schmoyer jerry@schmoyer.net
http://india.christiantrainingonline.org/
INTRODUCTION
Hello! My name is THOMAS, better known as DOUBTING Thomas.
I’m here to tell you about the resurrection of Jesus
I want to pick up the story where Barabbas left
After the light came back on, earthquake, veil torn and graves opened
Spear in Jesus’ side proving He was dead
DEATH TO BURIAL (Friday, Day 1)
Nicodemus & Joseph of Arimathea (rich, influential Jews who lost it all by taking a stand for Jesus) got body and buried it
Rest of Jeru sitting down to PASSOVER
SABBATH/PASSOVER (sundown Fri – Sat, Day 2)
WE stayed hidden, scattered throughout city
no work, etc – grief & mourning
confusion and fear
NO PEACE, lonely, turmoil
FEAR opposite of PEACE (elaborate on this)
RELIGIOUS RULERS only ones remembered claim to rise in day 3
-Roman seal on tomb
NOT to hold shut (20 men to move)
BUT Roman authority, show if moved
-Roman soldiers stationed to guard
Top fighting men in world, highly disciplined
death penalty for failing assignment
SATURDAY EVENING (start Day 3)
GATHER at last place were together – Upper Room
BUY spices, etc, for early start in morning
Body decay, stink – cover with spices
NO PEACE – look at circumstances
FORGOT PROMISES “With you always”
“Never leave you ro forsake you”
“Perfect love casts out all fear”
FORGOT prophecy to rise on 3rd day (7x said “on” not “after” 3rd day rise)
SUNDAY MORNING
BEFORE DAWN SUNDAY MORNING
ANGELS appear, move stone so show empty tomb (Jesus already gone)
white, glory, power, purity – Gabriel!
Why? Let others in (not let Jesus out)
Moved stone Uphill – impossible!
Deliver message to women
Scare soldiers away (safe for Women) – Local earthquake, remind of cruci!
GUARDS panic, paralyzed to ground (Geth.)
Flee, report what happened
Bribed $.5 million to lie
Executed by Rome if told truth
RELIGIOUS RULERS have clear proof of res – no excuse
WOMEN START BEFORE SUNRISE, while still dark
Mary Magd, Mary, mo of James Less, Salome
I left, too – to mope, pity-party alone
Women anxious, go as early as possible
(told me about this LATER)
AT THE TOMB…
Notice stone gone, rush in, body gone!
Confused – thought body stolen
First Jesus dead – now even body gone!
SIGNIFICANCE OF RESURRECTION
1. Promise of more to come shown (above)
2. Person of Christ settled (He is GOD)
3. Preciousness of Jesus’ death signaled
(seal of approval, showing it happened)
death = greatest fear many people have, now gone
PEACE available it believe
4. Priority of live over death sealed
(enemy, death, defeated)
5. Proof of Word of God strengthened (Bi true)
6. Preeminence of Jesus secured (Glory)
7. Present work of Jesus started (HS, Int, Med
Church, gifts, etc) HS gives peace
ANGELS’ MESSAGE
Women missed all this!
eyes down, swollen from tears, numb
2 angels inside, 1 outside tomb
(Gabriel, Michael, etc.)
Women startled, scared, confused
“Don’t be Afraid. He’s not here, He’s risen just as He said!” gentle rebuke/reminder
RESUSCITATION: back to old body/life die later
RESURRECTION: new eternal glorified body
Caterpillar to butterfly
Bulb to flower
Corn seed to plant
The women at the tomb didn’t believe it, either
Women confused, unsure, going by emotions
Still think body stolen!
PETER & JOHN GO TO TOMB
Women go back to Upper Room, Peter & John there
“Someone stole the body!”
JOHN outran Peter (younger) stopped outside, looked
PETER rushed inside, confused, not know what think
JOHN entered, saw linen “cocoon” & head covering!
didn’t remember res proph, but thought alive!
Back to Upper Room
MARY MAGDALENE TO TOMB
Leader of women, single, $, 7 demons
Followed Peter & John, but slower
Cried out of control, alone & all pours out
Emotional, drained, exhausted, etc.
Saw 2 angels inside “Why crying?”
“Taken my Lord, don’t know where!”
Jesus: “Why crying?”
Gardener: “I’ll get body – where?”
“Mary” – fell on knees, hugged them
“Don’t – tell brothers I’m returning”
Body: perfect res body
OTHER WOMEN ARRIVE
Concerned @ Mary
Same thing – see Jesus
Tell men – don’t believe
PETER SEES JESUS
Don’t know when, where, what said, etc – private
Jesus came to Peter to forgive, restore
CLEOPAS & MARY
Cleopas (bro of Joseph)
Mary (mo of James Less & Joseph)
(cousin of Mary, at cross, etc.)
ROAD TO EMMAUS – confused, hurt, etc.
Man catches up, asks why sad, tell @ cruc.
EXPLAINED OT PROPH @ MESSIAH
Invited home to eat, then recognized & disappeared
MANY DISCIPLES IN UPPER ROOM
10 disc (no Thomas), Nic & Jo Arim, Marys, Laz/Marth/Mary, Mark & fam, Cleop/Mary,
All disciples –
fearful – afraid arrested and killed, too
ME hiding so not arrested (& self-pity)
doubting – heard Jesus alive, disbelieve
emotional – sad, hopeless, depressed, helpless
thought Jesus Messiah, set up kingdom,
confused about circumstances
Jesus dead, awful death, why allow it?
now not even have body!
JESUS – All of a sudden there!
All fearful – ghost!
“Peace be with you.”
PROOF: look, think (see marks in hands, feet)
touch (remove doubt, no ghost)
more proof: eat with them (not need food)
PEACE: “Peace be with you!”
Believe Jesus in control = PEACE!
COMMISSIONED: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (work to do for Him)
BREATHED ON DISC “Receive Holy Spirit”
only way have POWER to have peace – by HS
PEACE – fruit of HS, can’t counterfeit, make own!
DISCIPLES REJOICED Jesus is alive!
Superior, eternal body of Glory
See, touch, talk with Him
Reunited, eat & talk together
Commissioned to spread good news! HS given to enable/power for all this
… but for those not there – all that missing!
THOMAS’ DOUBTS
Handled fear, depression, confusion WITHDRAWAL
self pity, pity party – NO PEACE!
Always miss a blessing when not with God’s people!
“Do NOT forsake the assembling of yourselves”
Thomas STILL like they were BEFORE
no more doubting, they all doubted
One week (7 days) pass – JOY for others
MISERY for Thomas (no peace without presence of Jesus!)
hate seeing others in peace, tried to spoil theirs
THOMAS SEES, BELIEVES
One week later, over self-pity
Mind open, not emotions controlling
Jesus appeared again! – same as before – GRACE
“Peace be unto you!” – for Thomas!
PROOF: see, touch, fingers in hand/side
“Stop doubting & believe!”
Life-time advice for me & all, then & now!
“MY LORD & MY GOD”
LORD: master, deliverer, provider
GOD: sovereign ruler of universe
“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
THOMAS’ FAITH is great – Others, who believe without touching, greater! YOU!
We saw Him about a dozen times over the next 40 days, -individually or in group (500) -mainly in Galilee, as He said
Then back in Jerusalem, Mt of Olives, farewell & ASCENDED
Never – only to believers and followers
Rel Rulers had enough evidence (Roman soldiers) but chose to reject
Nothing would change their mind
Made up some wild stories to explain away Res!
EXCUSES SO NOT HAVE TO BELIEVE!
PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION
1. EVIDENCE OF THE EMPTY TOMB
None of the false theories explains it
2. ROMAN GUARDS TESTIFY TO RESURRECTION
Tell rel rulers the truth, so must be bribed
3. APPEARANCES OF CHRIST
10 appearances, 40 days, 500+ people
4. CHARACTER OF THE WITNESSES
Very reluctant to believe
5. ASCENSION OF CHRIST shows alive again
6. APPEARANCES AFTER ASCENSION
Stephen as being martyred
Paul: Damascus Rd, Arabia, Temple, prison
John: Patmos
7. CHANGE IN DISCIPLES, Peter, etc.
8. GOD’S POWER SHOWN THRU DISCIPLES
miracles, tongues, healing, sp gifts
9. DAY OF PENTECOST – HS, 3000+ saved
10. PAUL’S CONVERSION – sudden, complete change
11. SUNDAY REPLACES SABBATH – why Jews do it?
12. LORD’S SUPPER – why start in memory of living S
13. BAPTISM – show death & RES
14. RESURRECTION OBSERVANCE (Easter)
based on new life of Jesus
15. TESTIMONY OF ANCIENT WRITERS
Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, Thallus, Josephus
Clement of Rome, Ignatius, etc.
16. EARLY CHURCH GROWTH despite martyrdom
17. MARTYRDOM faced triumphantly, willingly
18. CONVINCING & CONVERTING power OF GOSPEL – faith
in dead man NO save
19. TESTIMONY OF CHRISTIANS for 2,000 yrs
20. WITNESS OF HS WITHIN each of us
Is it true? What says HS within?
RESURRECTION shows GOD’S POWER
Knowing HE is in control brings peace
Trusting sovereign God = nothing to fear!
Followed rest of life, never doubted (but tempted often)
Persia, martyred (sword in Edessa)
Lessons I learned to keep His peace instead of fear, panic, hopelessness:
PEACE COMES FROM THE PRESENCE OF JESUS
-by knowing He is alive (and we will live forever)
-by remembering He keeps His promises
-by not going by emotions (fear, hopelessness,
-by being in HIS PRESENCE – reading Bible
=relying on power of Holy Spirit
CONCLUSION
Do YOU have that peace?
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
PEACE COMES FROM JESUS – being in His presence – then, and now
Peace STILL comes from His Presence!
He IS alive . . .
That’s right, its up to each of us to decide.
I had my decision to make and believed?
What about you?
Do you believe Jesus came back to life?
Have you accepted Him as Savior?
Do you find peace in His presence/Word?
If no peace – don’t believe He is alive/soverign
CLOSING PRAYER . . .
(OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS TO STAND, SHARE WHAT JESUS MEANS TO THEM)