John 20: 19-31
I've got a long list of questions to ask the Lord when I get to heaven, things that puzzle me about the way He runs the world and things in the Bible or not in it! and as I read the story of Thomas... more questions to add to the list:
why was Thomas missing from the meeting place with others? Why Jesus waited seven days to meet with Thomas? What was Thomas thinking about during that week? what else did the disciples tell him about meeting Jesus? what else did he say to them?
and you could probably add others ...
Thomas is so much like us:
Jesus had risen from the dead and He has appeared to Mary -
His disciples have watched Him die at hands of Romans.. orchestrated by the Jews.. who refused to accept Jesus as God's chose one.
These men were known as His followers, His closest friends.
What now might happen to them?
with Jesus as their leader they had courage... without Him they crumbled with fear, kept heads low - locked themselves away, hoping no-one knew where they were.. knees knocking.. teeth chattering.. hearts pumping fast... they kept close together.. "there's safety in numbers" was their motto - listening for every step on the stairs.. every knock at the door... Men of courage and faith now blaketed in fear, lest the messengers of Sanhedrin come to arrest them too.
Can you imagine how they must have felt?
What's the most fearsome moment you have known?
Fear gripped them - paralysed them.
Then out of the blue... quite unexpectedly.. Jesus was there with them. One moment they are alone.. the next they are aware of Him.. standing there and how the mood suddenly changes.. eyes pop.. mouths gape wide open.. hearts beating fast from fear beat even faster.. they look at each other.. pinch themselves to make sure they aren't dremaing.. and no-one dares utter a word.
First He has a greeting and a gift:
"Peace be to you"... may God give you every good thing - what an antidote for the fear that had gripped them and with that He shows them His hands and HIs side - prrof if they needed it - that it was Him - fear now turns to ecstasy.
Then He has a mission for them - "as the Father sent Me, so I send you". They are to be His feet.. His hands.. His mouth - what an awesome responsibility - how will they manage? So He breathes on them and says "receive the Holy Spirit" at creation God breathed His breath into man.. now a time of new creation God breathing new life into His servants. Imagine the excitement.. the wonder.. the ecstasy.
For some reason Thomas isn't there, so when others catch up with him, tell him the startling news, he isn't a happy man [So they told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But Thomas said, "First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. I won't believe unless I do this!" (John 20:25)] and he states his position strongly, forthrightly.
At home, I often tape a TV programme to watch at a more suitable time, if I set the VCR to the printed programme times, sometimes it misses the end of a show, it is OK to miss the beginning... missing the ending is pretty critical, vital action, words, results, I feel cheated, angry, that's how Thomas must have felt, missing the most important part, anger, extreme disappointment.
We need information, the facts, because we are a "cause & effect" generation, that's what keeps media going, facts, evidence, or perception of it; an event; a new initiative; a leader; about anything and everything, answering the questions people are asking, or might ask.
Askings questions is vital to children, young people, When I worked as a chaplain in a High School, students often asked "who made God?", "prove that Jesus lived", and so many more. Working with adults, the same questions are still there, but they didnt come to the surface very often, unless folk were hit by: disaster; disappointment; or a death, then the questions would come: "where is God?", "is He really a loving God?", "why has He allowed this to happen to me?".
Thomas too had experienced a disappointment, a death, a disaster and he is devastated, without proof, he is nothing.
We often talk these days of needing "time out", in a world where everything seems to be controlled by clock and calendar.
It's an ages of "instant" everything, but try that when you plant a seed or bake a cake and it doesnt work.
Everything worthwhile takes time (an embryo takes 9 months or so to grow into a healthy child).
While living in the South East, I learned about the pine forests which produce timber for house construction. Tiny cuttings planted out takes 13 months to become a sapling, planted out takes 40 years to grow mature timber. Growth of Christian character takes time too, look at:
life of Moses - 40 years in exileand we need only look at our own lives, how long from the first seed of faith til feeling that it all makes sense?
Israelites - 40 years in wilderness
Jeremiah - young & inexperienced when God called him
Simon Peter - many mistakes - leader in Church
So no wonder Thomas needed time, time to sit, and think and wonder, broken-hearted he wanted to be alone with his grief. Thomas needed time to mull over what he had seen and experienced in his time with the Lord. The beauty of the story is that Jesus gave him the time he needed, no pestering, no pursuing, no patronising, and that is the way He treats us, when we need time to think things through. Thomas needed time but he made one huge mistake, he withdrew from company, he sought loneliness rather than togetherness and because he wasn't with the others, he missed seeing Jesus. We too may need time to sort ourselves out, but we need each other to encourage, to support, and in the company of others we meet the Lord.
[A week later the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. Jesus came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted his disciples and said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!" Thomas replied, "You are my Lord and my God!" (John 20:26-28)]
Whatever the reasons, whatever his questions, Thomas was there with the others that following Sunday, He had taken "time out", done his thinking, convinced that with the proof, he could believe. No way anyone could accuse him of being a waster the opposite is true, Thomas had been exceptionally loyal to the Master. When Jesus first spoke of dying, Thomas had said to the others "let's all go and die with him", and when Jesus spoke of home He was preparing beyond this life, thomas voiced thoughts of others "Lord, we don't know where You are going, so how can we know the way?". Then Jesus looks at him, offers the evidence he has been asking for [and said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!" (John 20:27)] He says in effect "Thomas, I heard what you said to the others, that's ok, they had their proof, you can have yours too. Touch my wounds, see for yourself, don't doubt anymore, believe". HIs words are tender, caring, strong and Thomas recognises the qualities which drew him to Jesus in the first place, uncontrollably he exclaims "My Lord and my God". For Thomas there was overflowing joy.
The conviction of men and women down through the years who have experienced disappointment, disaster, death and also the reality of the risen Christ:
a public servant, treated extremely poorly in hi work situation, who could have been forgiven for being cynical or even give up, who siad "I'm convinced nothing can separate me from God's love", not just quoting scripture, but speaking from personal experience.
or a couple facing the sale of their Riverland fruit block when market was low, prepared to go into bankruptcy, believing God would be with them, God is looking for convinced witnesses not just puppets who mouth high sounding words so his charge to Thomas, and to us [Jesus said, "Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!" (John 20:29)]
Once convinced there was no stopping him! We haven't had the privilege of seeing the risen Christ in bodily form, but if He is real to us, have met Him, handed our lives to HIs control, know His loving care, and have experienced His power to keep us, then like Thomas we can say "My Lord and My God"
What proof do you need?
How much time do you need?
Are you ready to confess your faith in the Lord?
tell someone today..
Leigh Wilson
18th April 2004