“TOM TERRIFIC: THE MAN WHO DIED FOR JESUS”

When it came to things he could see, touch, and understand, few men had more courage than Thomas the Twin (which is what Didymus means in the Greek). When Jesus told his followers that he was going to Judea because Lazarus needed him, they were frightened because they were nearly stoned when they left Judea. “We can't go to Lazarus because the Jewish leaders will kill us.” This is what the disciples thought and it was a distinct possibility... but Thomas said, "Let's go and die with him!" And that was terrific. Also, according to Christian tradition, Thomas traveled to India after the first Pentecost, where he preached "Christ crucified and risen" and ministered in His name... until he was martyred himself in the year 72AD. He was run through with a spear because he wouldn't bow to an idol, and that was surely terrific. Tom could give his life for things he could see, touch, feel, and understand, but he wasn’t comfortable with things that he didn’t understand. When Jesus said, "I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be also (and) you know the way to the place where I’m going," his disciples were silent. If they didn’t understand what their teacher had said, they were afraid to say so… but Thomas spoke up. "Master," he said, "we don't know where you're going. How can we possibly know the way?" It was an honest question and it led to one of the best known verses in the Bible, "I am the truth and the life and the way," and that is terrific! We could know Thomas as "Courageous Tom," but we don't. We know him as "Doubting Thomas," with an inference that he's sort of second-rate, and here's why. On the evening of Easter Sunday- the disciples were hiding behind closed doors, and Jesus appeared to them! "Shalom, alakem," he said. "Peace to you," and he showed them his hands and his side, which filled them with joy. Then he gave them the Holy Spirit and the power to liberate others by forgiving them. They were empowered and Spirit-filled... but Thomas wasn't with them! He was out doing something else. Maybe he was more afraid that the others, maybe he just wanted to be alone. We don't know, but when he showed up, the others told him that they had seen the Lord... and Thomas couldn’t believe them. He wasn't able to take a leap of faith. So he asked to see the very things that the others had already seen- the wounds in Jesus' hands and sides... and rather than ignoring or judging him, Jesus responded... by showing up again, on the first Sunday after Easter. Thomas, he said, if you need to... reach out and touch my wounds. Put your hands in my side... and believe... and Thomas believed. His doubt gave way to the boldest confession of faith in the entire Bible. He cried out, "My Lord and My God!" This passage is filled with sermon material, but today I will say only this: 1) Doubt is not the opposite of belief- so don't give up or throw in the towel if you find yourself doubting! Indeed, your doubt may lead to greater faith, just as it did for Thomas; 2) There is a big difference between someone who doubts and a doubter, just as there is a big difference between someone who drinks alcohol and an alcoholic. So don’t let your doubts have their way with you- use them to grow your faith. Study, read, join a Bible study, ask questions, pray; 3) Jesus appears to us IN THE MIDST OF our doubts and our fears. We may feel God’s presence when we’re feeling great ourselves, but God is always present! There is nothing that God can't do; there's no one too lost or too far gone for God; there is no barrier that's strong enough to keep God out. When you're brokenhearted, fearful, doubting, scared to death... claim your faith and turn to God because these things will never keep God out; 4) Thomas is just like all the others, he wanted proof. And many of us are in the same boat. We long for proof. We strive for greater faith and we honestly hope for it, even while we're crying for something tangible, that we can get a hold of and measure. If we would only have seen Jesus ourselves, heard him teach, witnessed a miracle, saw his face, and touched his wounds; if only we had stood at the bottom of his cross, or at least, had a Damascus Road experience like Paul did... then we would believe. Surely we would, but these things will not be part of our journey… which is why Jesus said that those who believe without seeing our the most blessed of all! Amen.