Devotion for Thursday, 28 April 2011 Anno Domini

Devotion for Thursday, 28 April 2011 Anno Domini
24 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. 30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. John 20:24-31

The text today regards one called Doubting Thomas. He doubted for only hours, but the reputation has adhered across the centuries. One remarkable indiscretion or doubt by a child of God can have an impact for longer than we desire to think. Thomas seems to have been quite encouraging and bold back before Christ raised Lazarus. When Christ announced that Lazarus was dead and that he must go to him, Thomas said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16) This act of courage we dismiss from our memories and only recall specifically his doubts.
If any man tells me that he has never had doubts, I must question his honesty. We all are confronted with doubts and worries. When we have done what we consider to be the biblical approach to preaching and teaching, doubts may nonetheless arise when there seems to be no response among those to whom we have preached. It is at such times that we must recall that we only plant the seeds in the soil. It then becomes the role of the Holy Spirit to cause those seeds of Truth to germinate in darkness. One day, perhaps when we have moved on, the plant may burst forth into the glorious sunlight despite our former doubts.
Perhaps to Thomas, the reports of Christ’s resurrection were so full of the potential for joy that he feared to believe lest the reports were false and his disappointment too enormous to bear? We cannot say because only God can see into the depths of another’s heart. “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.” It is most likely that Thomas was not altogether truthful here for it seems that when Christ appeared in the midst, Thomas did not consider it necessary to delve his fingers into the nail prints, or to thrust his hand into His pierced side. He believed on appearance! “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.” Christ knows the heart without words. He knew of Thomas’ doubts and was willing to satisfy them. “ 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.” This must have been a most painful rebuke to Thomas. There is no record of further doubts in the life of Thomas. If we were so faithful after a single doubt, we would be strong in faith, indeed.
Without further delay, Thomas immediately believed: “My Lord and my God,” he proclaimed to Christ. He presumably did so without further investigation. Too many of us need visual, instead of spiritual, proof of God’s dealing with us.
“Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Thus Jesus describes the faith of our present generation, but also the myriads of people who lived in the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! I call to record two witnesses: “Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.” (Luke 20:37-38), and: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.” (John 8:56). The faith of Abraham must surpass the faith of us all in that Abraham looked forward to the coming of Christ by faith! We, today, on the other hand, look back upon the accomplished historical fact! But the issue remains that belief and faith is a condition of the heart and not visual science. Christ tells us of Abraham’s response to the rich man in hell when he conversed with poor Lazarus: “And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” (Luke 16:31)
If we do not believe Moses and the prophets, as well as all that is recorded in the Gospels and Epistles, neither shall WE believe though One (Jesus Christ) rose from the dead. The modern and casual Christian seeks signs and wonders – something beyond the biblical account! How sad. The hearts of such false professors are blinded by the stony deposits which have accumulated as a covering over their hearts. They cannot believe because they WILL not believe.
The admonition of Christ rings loud and clear: “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matt 12:39-40) That is it! You need no more proof for faith than that. Christ died for our sins, and He rose again according to the Scriptures. This truly is an evil and adulterous generation, so be satisfied with the faith of Abraham and all the Apostles! Are you?