WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:05.200 Hi, I'm Pastor Creighton, and thank you for tuning into Newsong Churches Podcast. 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:16.079 We're a biblically faithful, gospel-centered Anglican church in Port Perry, Ontario, proclaiming the true and life-giving word of Jesus as we love and serve our neighbors. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:20.239 You can learn more about us at newsongportperry.ca. 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:24.239 May God bless you today through his life-giving word. 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:31.760 This is the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:34.479 Glory to you, Lord Christ. 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:48.560 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, Peace be with you. 00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:53.039 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his sides. 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:57.200 Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:01.600 Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:07.519 As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:16.400 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:20.719 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:25.200 If you withhold the forgiveness of any, it is withheld. 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:36.000 So the other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord. 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:51.439 But he said to them, Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nail, and place my finger into the mark of the nail, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe. 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:58.079 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:05.920 Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:15.280 Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here and see my hands, and put out your hand and place it in my side. 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:18.879 Do not disbelieve, but believe. 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:36.000 Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:42.159 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book. 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:52.800 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:55.199 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:58.080 Praise to you, Lord Christ. 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:05.680 As we have this opportunity to enter into your word, the living word of God. 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:07.360 God, we need your help. 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:09.439 Lord, there's so much in this passage. 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:18.560 And as we think about Thomas this morning, Lord, that he would not believe until he could touch the nail print in Jesus' hand. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:22.719 Until he could put his hand into Jesus' side, the wound in his side. 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:26.479 Lord, may we learn from the truth. 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:29.680 May we not be skeptical or doubtful. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:35.840 But Lord, help us, Lord, to just believe and know that you are Jesus. 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:39.120 You are our Messiah, our God, our King. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:40.560 Lord, thank you for your word. 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:43.039 Open it up to our hearts this morning. 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:44.800 Lead us by your Holy Spirit. 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:48.080 May all that I say, Lord, bring you honor and glory. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:49.680 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:50.639 Amen. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:56.319 So if you have your Bibles open, I would encourage you to uh open your Bibles, take your Bibles. 00:03:56.479 --> 00:03:58.800 They know there's so many churches now. 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:04.159 I mean, for years it's been, I've got my phone, Pastor, and uh that's all I need. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:05.120 I don't need a Bible. 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:06.960 But if you have a Bible, let me encourage you. 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:10.400 You can uh mark it up and do things with it. 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:14.479 And uh it's just so good to have God's word with us. 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:17.600 But it's also in your bulletin, so you can follow along. 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:24.079 So this morning's message, uh I called it what did it take, but that's the short version of it. 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:29.680 The long version of what did it take is what did it take for you to believe? 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:33.759 So that's the reflective question I want all of you to be working on this morning. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:36.879 What did it take for you to believe? 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:42.720 Now, some of us, like myself, grew up in church, baptized as a baby, grew up, I've always been in church all my life. 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:50.959 Through the good times and the bad times, and the places where I probably shouldn't have been in church, I was, and and yet I've always been in church. 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:55.600 But that going to church didn't make me a Christian. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:58.079 Okay, so that's kind of a big thing. 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:02.480 Like Thomas is at this point here where he's he's doubting. 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:06.800 And and for any of us, it's like, what did it take? 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:08.560 So I want you to think about that. 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:16.319 If you're here this this morning and um you're not a believer, the question would be, what will it take? 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:20.879 What will it take for you to be a believer in Jesus Christ? 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:26.399 So the message comes out of the dialogue between uh uh Thomas and Jesus. 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:35.600 So in verse 25, you're gonna see, you're gonna see the other disciples says, state to Thomas, we have seen the Lord. 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:46.079 But then Thomas said, Unless I see the nail prints, marks in his hands, and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:48.160 So that's where we're coming from. 00:05:48.319 --> 00:06:00.800 And then in verse 27, Jesus comes, stands in their midst, says, Peace be with you, and then he says to Thomas, like he wasn't there when Thomas said this, but it's like he heard Thomas's words. 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:02.240 Jesus can do that. 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:11.199 He said, Put your finger here, see my hands, reach out your hand, put it into my side, stop doubting and believe. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:24.240 So, and then of course, in verse 29, 28, the great confession of Thomas, my Lord and my God, and then Jesus responds, Because you've seen me, you believe. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:30.720 Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed, which would be us. 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:33.040 We weren't back there 2,000 years ago. 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:33.920 Here we are. 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:37.680 We have not seen and yet we believed. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:40.959 So consider this passage with me. 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:47.839 Um and and and think about the core that we're dealing with when it comes to Christianity. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:50.480 At the heart of Christianity is faith. 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:51.120 Right? 00:06:51.680 --> 00:07:05.279 We need to believe in who Jesus is, what he has said, what he has done, how he has lived, and and we need to put that faith into how we live our lives, needs to change our lives. 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:10.480 So Christianity is about having faith, putting your belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:23.759 So as I was looking through scripture, you know, starting way back in Genesis, Genesis chapter 15, Abraham believed, and when Abraham believed, God credited to him as righteousness. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:29.279 So way back we know that it's belief, it's it's faith. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:36.399 Uh in the beginning of this gospel, John chapter 1, uh, Jesus uh comes in the flesh. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:38.800 He becomes one part of us. 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:45.199 And then he comes unto his own, it says in John chapter 1, verse 10, to his own Jewish people. 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:47.120 And they didn't believe. 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:57.680 But then it goes on to say in verse 11, but to those who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, to them he gave the right to become children of God. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:00.399 So belief is critical. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:03.920 John 3, 16, for God so loved the world, you can say it with me. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:13.519 Uh for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:15.360 It's it's throughout the scriptures. 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:17.040 Romans 9 and 10. 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:25.279 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, if you believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:43.679 Uh great passage in Acts chapter 16, where Paul and Silas have been chained in a jail, in the in the dungeon of the jail, and then the earthquakes, and then they get freed, and uh the jailer is afraid that all the prisoners are going to be freed, and he wants to take his life. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:55.919 And in Acts chapter 16, verses uh 16 to 31, roughly, uh he's ready to take his life, and then all of a sudden he cries out, What to Paul and Silas, what must I do to be saved? 00:08:56.159 --> 00:09:00.720 And they say, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:03.360 So we know at the core uh my ties. 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:05.279 So some of you notice that I have these ties. 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:09.440 So it there was a person in my church who just wanted to give me a tie every Christmas. 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:11.200 So I do have a lot of these ties. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:16.879 Um, but this one here, uh, for by grace you are you've been saved through what? 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:17.360 Through faith. 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:17.919 Faith. 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:18.639 Through faith. 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:19.919 It's faith, faith, faith. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:33.919 So just just so that we're all on the same page, and I think we all are, yeah, faith is critical uh to having a belief and to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior by faith, by faith, by faith. 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:38.000 I I really appreciated um astronaut Glover. 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:46.159 So some of you were watching Art Temus uh two, and he gave it an Easter message, and I only heard part of it, and I wished I'd heard all of it. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:54.080 But somewhere in his message, he said this faith isn't outdated, it's the fuel for greatness. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:54.879 Isn't that good? 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:55.759 Victor Gruvel. 00:09:56.080 --> 00:10:03.919 And he also says a little later on, he says, uh, there are no atheists like this, there are no atheists on top of rockets. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:05.440 So there you go. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:07.120 There he was, there he was. 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:11.200 And so faith, it's so critical to who we are. 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:17.600 So Jesus said to Thomas, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:19.440 So we're gonna keep coming back to that. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:24.159 And then we're I'm gonna keep coming back to so what did it take for you to believe? 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:34.799 And as you're thinking through that line, think with me about who was it, where was it, how old. 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:44.080 Now, I have a lot of people like myself and others who've grown up in the church and would say, Well, I don't really have a date, I don't really have a per a specific time. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:45.120 That's okay. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:49.279 But but you probably do have somebody in your life. 00:10:49.519 --> 00:11:16.559 It might have been a mom or a dad, it could have been an aunt or uncle, it could have been a grandparent, it could have been a friend, it could have been the pastor, it could have been a Sunday school teacher, where somewhere you're thinking through life, you're thinking, and you this could be like you're seven, eight, it could be like when you're in your twenties or thirties or older, um, where you came to that place where you said, Yes, this is the answer. 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:22.240 The answer for me, the answer for my life, I'm gonna put my faith in Jesus. 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:30.399 So just enjoy those moments in your reflection this morning, because I'm sure you all have have that somewhere in your life. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:31.600 Somewhere. 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:33.440 So let's dive into the passage. 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:37.200 It's John chapter 20, it's the resurrection passage. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:39.679 Um, it's still Resurrection Sunday. 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:43.519 There's a lot of excitement, but there's a lot of confusion going on. 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:47.039 Uh, news is spreading that Jesus' body's gone from the tomb. 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:48.639 Yes, the tomb is empty. 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:49.840 The Lord is risen. 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:51.919 The Lord has risen indeed. 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:52.559 Amen. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:54.320 So just to pull that back. 00:11:54.559 --> 00:12:00.480 And from the chapter, we know that Mary Magdalene has been there to the tomb early in the morning. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:02.480 The stone was rolled away. 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:12.559 We also know that uh Mary goes back to the tomb after she goes quickly to tell John and Peter, but then she goes back to the tomb after John and Peter. 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:19.919 She sees the two angels in the tomb, she speaks, and then she goes into the garden and she gets to speak with Jesus. 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:22.559 So just imagine what a morning Mary had. 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:26.960 And then Peter and John, I love this story because John's the faster runner. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:32.159 He gets to the tomb first, but then he politely lets Peter go in first. 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:33.840 That's a whole story. 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:46.000 Uh, but inside the tomb, they see the gravecloths, okay, on the stone, and then the handkerchief and that had been around his head, nicely folded and put right beside it. 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:46.960 Very interesting. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:49.519 But they got to see it, okay? 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:55.360 And and we read at that moment that John saw this and he believed. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:56.879 Like that did it for him. 00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:58.960 He he had the evidence, the folded. 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:00.879 Jesus isn't here. 00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:02.960 But there's still fear, right? 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:06.080 They're still upset, they're still uncertain about so many things. 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:12.480 So in verse 19, we find the disciples locked in a room, afraid of what the Jewish leaders may say. 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:15.600 They may accuse them of stealing the body. 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:22.399 And we know how how nasty, how horrible, how wicked these leaders are. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:25.440 They're the ones that made sure Jesus was crucified. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:30.399 And the last thing that they would want is for people to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:39.919 In Matthew's gospel, chapter 28, we read that these elders bribed the soldiers, gave them money to lie that someone stole the body. 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:42.320 So we know how far they will go. 00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:46.960 So they're in this room, locked door, Jesus walks in. 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:48.240 Love the picture. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:53.600 Miraculously, he stands in their midst, says, peace be with you. 00:13:53.919 --> 00:14:00.559 And then he looks at the disciples, living in their fear and doubt, and he brings this message of peace, right? 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:01.679 Peace be with you. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:08.799 What a comfort for them to hear his voice, to see him, to so that they could see the wounds. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:11.919 And they were overwhelmed, I'm sure. 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:13.679 Uh, but wouldn't you be overwhelmed? 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:14.879 Wouldn't I be overwhelmed? 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:19.120 We just we just had Jesus crucified, and here he is living. 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:22.960 And and this did change everything for the disciples. 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:32.960 Uh their fear turns to joy, and all of a sudden they have this new courage, and uh, he gives them their marching orders, as I was sent, so send I you. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:34.879 And then he breathes on them. 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:36.720 And now this is an interesting passage, right? 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:42.000 Because we've got Kent Pentecost coming, where the full the Holy Spirit comes. 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:47.919 But in this passage, there's almost like this uh early deposit of the Holy Spirit into the disciples. 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:58.399 He breathes on them, they receive the Holy Spirit, it says, the passage says, and then he commissions them to be representatives of forgiveness. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:00.080 How beautiful that is. 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:03.279 Um what changed? 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:04.720 What did it take? 00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:14.559 Their fear is replaced by faith, they're persuaded, they see Jesus, they're now equipped by the Holy Spirit to go, and and they're ready. 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:20.799 So herein is the key to overcoming the fear that many of us have. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:27.519 Um there's where there's uncertainties, like is Jesus real? 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:29.759 And there's this opening of the heart. 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:37.360 There is this unlocking, uh, believing, changing a hard heart to a soft heart to receive Jesus. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:46.480 So that has obviously happened in your heart in your lives, where Jesus came and spoke to you and you received him. 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:57.440 But it's a prayer we also all have, probably for those loved ones in our lives, brothers, sisters, moms, dads who don't know Jesus, and we're praying that their hearts would be softened. 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:00.320 Now look at Thomas in verse 24. 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:02.000 One of the twelve. 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:07.120 He wasn't with the disciples on that first resurrection night when Jesus came. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:11.440 And the disciples tell him, We have seen the Lord. 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:18.000 So, and then for some reason he wasn't there, and he heard that Jesus appeared. 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:21.919 His response is not, would not be hard for us to imagine. 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:23.840 Well, I wasn't there and I don't believe. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:25.519 I I can't believe you. 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:27.200 And uh this is too much. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:35.200 He he wants, uh he still has all this fears, all this confusion, his doubts, and and he wants proof. 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:41.279 Unless I see, unless I can touch, uh, I can't believe. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:43.840 And so come back to that line. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:45.840 What what did it take for you? 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:46.879 What did it take? 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:49.519 What was going on in your life? 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:53.200 Because let's remember who Thomas is for a moment. 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:55.279 Thomas is one of the disciples. 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:57.679 Thomas, uh, Thomas has been there. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:01.120 Thomas saw the raising of Lazarus just a few days ago. 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:03.919 Okay, Thomas was the feeding of the 5,000. 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:06.799 Thomas was on the boat when Jesus calms the water. 00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:08.720 He sees Jesus walking on water. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:12.640 Just imagine all the amazing things that Thomas has already seen. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:15.839 But nope, I I can't believe this. 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:18.000 Like I just know I want proof. 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:19.440 I want evidence. 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:23.039 I want to see it with my own eyes. 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:26.079 Thomas didn't want to merely see the wounds either. 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:26.799 It's interesting. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:28.160 He wanted to touch them. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:32.000 And and there is a quite a famous painting by Cravagio. 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:38.400 I it's a little gory, so I didn't want to, but it's it's a typical rambrandish kind of like darkness. 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:47.039 Everybody's leaning in and looking at Jesus, and and and Thomas has like his hand right into the wound, like he's lifting the skin. 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:48.799 So I thought, uh, it's okay. 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:50.000 We don't need to see it. 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:53.279 But it's just that inquisitiveness. 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:55.839 I mean, he he just wants to see. 00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:59.680 He he can't get past it until he touches Jesus. 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:01.519 So that's that's where he's at. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:04.160 So so let me get back to a book. 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:10.400 One of the books that Pastor mentioned last week was one by Lee Strobel, the case for resurrection, I think you had. 00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:15.599 This is just what another one of them is is um his book, Is God Real? 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:18.880 So I just wanted to give you what does it take? 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:20.000 What did it take for you? 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:21.119 Keep thinking about that. 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:22.960 What did it take for Lee Strobel? 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:26.000 So just a little quick history if you don't know who Lee Strobel is. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:29.759 Lee Strobel is uh an investigative journalist from Chicago. 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:33.599 He won all kinds of awards for being an amazing journalist. 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:41.759 Uh he's the guy who goes to the scene of a crime or a scene of whatever's been going on, and he gets all the evidence and he writes about it and he wins all these awards. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:43.119 That's Lee Strobel. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:50.480 Hard-hearted atheist, angry at anybody, stupid, like how can you believe in God? 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:52.640 And then his wife becomes a believer. 00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:54.000 Oh, is he angry? 00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:57.839 So now he's really angry, and now he can't believe it. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:07.599 And then, and then it goes on that for for the next almost two years, it says 21 months, he starts to investigate, particularly the resurrection. 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:18.880 I'm gonna talk to everybody who knows anything in scripture about the life of Jesus, the death of Jesus, after 21 months, he becomes a believer. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:20.240 Praise God. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:22.640 And he's got an amazing mind. 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:26.400 He's written at least 15 books, millions of copies. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:27.519 Case for Christ. 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:28.559 So that's a movie. 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:31.519 The Case for Christ, if you want to check it out, I think it's on YouTube. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:35.519 The Case for Christ, there's the The Case for Christmas, the Case for Faith. 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:37.359 This one here is God real. 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:40.720 He's just written all these books and he's an amazing writer. 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:41.519 What did it take? 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:49.920 Well, for 21 months, this investigative journalist investigates every possible angle of Jesus' life. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:52.480 I can't believe until someone tells me different. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:54.960 I can't believe unless they can prove how this happened. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:56.240 I can't, I won't believe. 00:19:56.400 --> 00:20:02.000 And then at the end of that, all this evidence, he came and then things were going on in his life. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:09.599 Him and his wife struggling, his health was struggling, he had a hard issue in his life, and there was a lot of love that was missing. 00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:12.480 And God um God just touched his life. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:18.480 All of a sudden, the love of God poured into his heart, and he knew that this God had to be real. 00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:25.680 So, like everybody, I think I can say everybody goes through something. 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:31.839 You know, maybe not at the moment of okay, when we're baptized as babies, I mean, we're not thinking about anything. 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:44.400 And uh then we're getting older, and then as we get, you know, thinking about stuff, probably, you know, when we get 10, 12, 14, we start questioning parents, questioning this, questioning that. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:21:04.480 So somewhere in in your life, there came that time when you were convinced, you were sure, whether it was proof, whether it was the life of a parent or a life of an uncle or somebody, a Sunday school teacher, and God uh revealed himself to you. 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:07.359 Well, look at verse 26 with me. 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:17.440 A week later, his disciples were in the house, and Thomas was with them, and though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them, and he says, Okay, Thomas, here I am. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:26.640 Put your finger here, see my hands, the wounds, reach your hand into my side, stop doubting and believe. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:29.119 Stop doubting and believe. 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:36.160 Jesus challenges Thomas to touch him, basically saying, Here's the evidence that you've been demanding. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:38.960 Here's what you've been waiting for, here it is. 00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:44.000 And so Thomas was saying, I need to see for myself to touch. 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:47.279 So Jesus now goes straight to him and he says, and you know what? 00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:51.920 As I was reading it, I'm surprised he didn't say something like, Oh, ye of little faith. 00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:54.160 I mean, that happens over and over again in scripture, right? 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:59.759 I mean they're in a boat, and Jesus has to calm the waters and they're all afraid, and he says, Oh, you have little faith, and you know, they couldn't. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.279 Heal this one little boy. 00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:05.440 Oh, you've so I'm surprised he didn't say to Thomas, Oh, you little faith. 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:10.799 But he does say, stop doubting and believe. 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:13.839 And then this beautiful confession. 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:20.079 So this is the confession of Thomas in verse 28, my Lord and my God. 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:21.680 Just think about that. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:24.079 My Lord and my God. 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:30.240 This statement really is a high point of the gospel when you think about these words. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:39.359 Skeptical Thomas, confronted by evidence that Jesus rose from the dead, is now convinced this is what it took. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:41.680 He had to see to believe. 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:47.440 And then in awestruck wonder, he says, My Lord and my God. 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:51.119 Now, does that ring a bell for you anywhere else in Scripture? 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:54.720 Like, so let me take you back to Matthew chapter 16. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:59.119 And Jesus is saying to the disciples, Okay, who do people say that I am? 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:03.039 Oh, some people say you're Elijah, some people say you're a prophet, right? 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:06.319 And then Peter says, You are the Lord. 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:11.200 You are you are the Lord, the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God. 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:13.920 So when you think about that, similar confession. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:20.240 And on to Peter, he said, on this rock, on this confession, I'm gonna build my church. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:26.319 And so here we have Thomas saying, My Lord and my God. 00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:34.160 He's saying, My Lord, my Christ, my Messiah, and my God, deity, Son of God. 00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:38.400 So just see the power of that confession. 00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:41.519 So let's just think through this chapter together. 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:45.359 All the characters that have been mentioned here in John chapter 20. 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:50.880 Uh, Peter and John saw the empty tomb, they saw the grave clothes, folded away. 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:57.680 Mary, she was in the tomb, she spoke to the angels, she even speaks to Jesus in the garden. 00:23:57.839 --> 00:23:59.680 She saw, heard. 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:02.240 The disciples in a locked room. 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:07.920 Jesus walks through the wall, sees them, they see him, they see his wounds, they're convinced. 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:10.240 Now Thomas has his proof. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:17.119 He has touched Jesus' hands and sighed, and he makes this great confession. 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:18.720 So, how about us? 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:20.480 Where does that put us? 00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:22.000 Okay, here we are. 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:25.759 We have not seen a freshly empty tomb. 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:37.759 We have not seen grave clothes folded away, we've not heard his voice audibly, and I'm I'm kind of generalizing here because some people have had great experiences with Jesus, but most of us haven't heard an audible voice. 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:41.839 We've not seen him, we've not touched his wounds like Thomas. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:54.240 We have heard reports, I'm gonna say we here in the church, uh we have heard uh maybe eyewitnesses and and and and are still challenged to believe. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:25:02.000 And and yes, we have the gospel, so we have the Bible to help us believe, okay, and people through the centuries. 00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:02.799 But what? 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:04.079 What does it take? 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:08.720 Let's look again at verse 20 uh 29. 00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:13.839 He says, Because you have seen me, you have believed. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:26.960 But then he says to us, that's us, blessed are those, hear those in New Song in 2026, who have not seen, and yet we have believed. 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:29.920 We we are blessed. 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:33.920 And just just take that, I want to say take that to the bank. 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.519 We are blessed. 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:36.160 Okay. 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:39.599 We we we've been given the scriptures. 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:42.400 We we here we are 2,000 years later. 00:25:43.039 --> 00:25:49.279 We're we're we know that Jesus lived, we trust God's word, and we are blessed because of it. 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:50.319 We are blessed. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:56.400 Now, a passage of scripture that just fits so beautifully is 1 Peter 1, 8 and 9. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:58.640 So let me just read 1 Peter 1. 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:03.440 Though you have not seen him, Peter writes, you love him. 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:14.000 And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:21.039 For you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:21.759 Don't you love it? 00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:22.880 I'm gonna read this again. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:26.319 Though you have not seen him, you love him. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:42.400 And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:43.359 Praise God. 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:44.000 Praise God. 00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:44.960 Beautiful verse. 00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:48.160 You and I are called to trust, aren't we? 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:50.720 We're called to trust in God's word. 00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:57.200 We're called to trust in what we've heard about who Jesus is and how he lived his life. 00:26:57.440 --> 00:27:03.119 We are called to trust that he lived, that he died, that he was buried, and that he rose again. 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:05.519 We're called to trust in all of these things. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:10.720 We are called to trust that when he overcame death, he overcame sin and hell in the grave. 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:13.920 We're to trust Jesus with our life. 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:16.880 So look at verse 30 and 31. 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:23.680 It says, Jesus performs many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in the book. 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:26.960 That's how many things he did, how many miraculous things he did. 00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:42.319 But verse 31 says, but these are written, these are recorded, that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you may have life. 00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:46.559 Audrey and I put this to a rap about 30 years ago. 00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:50.640 So we had our whole group of kids learn just verse 31 in a wrap. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:54.640 And I'm not gonna wrap it for you, but you can imagine it's pretty awesome. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:55.440 It is. 00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:56.319 It is. 00:27:56.559 --> 00:27:59.359 You will believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. 00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.240 Anyway, sorry. 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:02.160 That's something Jonathan could do. 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:04.799 Uh but it's so good for us to see that. 00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:06.240 These are all recorded. 00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:06.720 Why? 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:08.880 So that you will believe what? 00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:17.200 That Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him, you will have life in his name. 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:18.079 It's belief. 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:19.039 It's believing. 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:22.799 So let me summarize like this doubt no longer. 00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:28.319 If you're here this morning with any concerns, you're not, you say, well, I'm not a believer yet. 00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:30.160 Doubt no longer. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:37.359 Peace will come to you as it came to the disciples when they saw and believed. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:38.960 He saw and believed. 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:47.200 They believe that Jesus' hands and feet were nailed to a cross, and that he sacrificed his life for our sins. 00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:55.440 They believe that Jesus' side was pierced, that blood and water flowed out to wash away our guilt. 00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:01.759 They believe that Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over sin and death, as our redeemer. 00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:06.319 Payment was made for sin. 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:12.559 And Jesus freed us from the slavery of sin, and in him we are forgiven. 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:13.440 Forgiven. 00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:16.640 And he wants us to take that message of forgiveness. 00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:21.119 Be rec be message, the ambassadors of reconciliation, it says in 2 Corinthians 5. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:23.279 But it's like to take the message. 00:29:23.359 --> 00:29:28.000 So let me ask you in closing to remember today. 00:29:28.480 --> 00:29:31.359 What did it take for you to believe? 00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:33.200 What did it take for you to believe? 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:36.880 Remember and be thankful. 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:38.240 Be thankful. 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:38.960 All right. 00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:50.880 There's a lot of people in the world, your friends and mine, family members and mine, who do not want to believe, who refuse to believe, who, for whatever personal reasons, they just can't believe. 00:29:51.039 --> 00:29:52.240 Okay, so there's those. 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:54.960 So be thankful and remember. 00:29:55.039 --> 00:30:00.319 And then, of course, take the same marching orders that Jesus gave to the disciples. 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:09.839 He says, remember, then go and tell someone the good news that you have received, that there is peace in Christ. 00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:13.119 Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word to us today. 00:30:13.599 --> 00:30:15.279 God, it's an awesome word. 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:33.839 We know it continues to change people's lives, children's lives, grown-up's lives, because this is the truth. 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:52.559 And this truth continues to the billions that are already believing, praise the Lord, but for the billions who refuse, or the billions who haven't heard yet, Lord, may your word continue to go forth that people will know about Jesus and believe in him. 00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:55.039 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:56.000 Amen. 00:30:57.599 --> 00:31:00.160 We hope that you've been blessed by God's word today. 00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:05.839 If you live in the area, we hope that you'll come and worship with us in person on Sunday at 10 a.m. 00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:10.079 If you'd like to learn more about Newsong Church, we'd love to connect with you. 00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:15.599