Thomas

Thomas

Dis= ciple of Deep Despair and Loving Loyalty

Introduct= ion

Thomas has gotten some “bad press!”<= o:p>

= <= span class=3DGramE>“Doubting Thomas!”

= But none of the other disciples believed until they saw Jesus risen either!!!

General Information about Thomas

&= nbsp; Both of his names, Thomas & Didymus, mean twin

Nothing of his family background

Nothing of his occupation

Only that he was a Jew and probably Galilean (Acts 1:11)

Listed with the other 11 apostles

Only in 3 Passages Does Thomas Speak & Act

1. Despa= iring but Loyal (John 11:7-8, 11-16)

= ; A. = Melancholic

= <= /span>These reveal to us his melancholic nature:<= /o:p>

= D= oubt, fear, despondency, & despair

So melancholic and brooding was Th= omas that he never spoke even once until the last week of Jesus’ life.

B. = FATALISTIC

&nbs= p; Being driven by an uncontrollable fate to a bad = end

2. Griev= ing but Searching (John 14:5)

&nbs= p; A.&nbs= p; DEEPER, MORE SENSITIVE THINKER

Not satisfied with Jesus’ words about Father’s house

Questioned its reality – wanted to get to bottom

B. = ANALYTICAL, SKEPTICAL, INQUIRING MIND

Thomas wanted real answers.

He wanted complete answers.

He wanted certain answers

&= nbsp; That rang with strength and security.<= o:p>

C. DOUBTS CAN BE HEALTHY

Doubts keep us moving, searching, asking questions in order to find the answers th= at affirm our faith.

“Doubt, like a shoot, springs= round the stock of truth.”

D. THE POWER OF THOMAS’ QUESTION=

Calls forth one of the greatest and most powerful statements our Lord ever made!!! (Jo= hn 14:6)

3. Doubting Then Confident (John 20:19-29)

A. = THOMAS FELT BETRAYED

&nbs= p; So he went off alone, not with the other apostle= s.

B. = THOMAS’ E= LATION AT SEEING JESUS

A picture of what it will be for those of us who have never seen him when we = do.

“Blessed are those who have n= ot seen, and yet believe.”

1 PETER 1:6-8 =

In this you greatly rejoice, even through now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

So that the proof of your faith, b= eing more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, ma= y be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

And though you have not seen Him, = you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

Our faith will be tested again and again.

Our love and hope that will keep us going.

C. THOMAS’ CONFESSION

Called by Bible scholars the greatest confession= of Christ in the New Testament.=

Thomas is the only person in the N.T. to address the Lord Jesus as God.=

D. THOMAS LEARNS A= LESSON

= ; &n= bsp;

Certainty is most likely to come to a man in the company and fellowship of other believers.

Thomas learned that lesson and was never again absent from the company of the apostles. (See Jo= hn 21:2 & Acts 1:13)

E. = TRADITION ABOUT= THOMAS

Preached and established Christianity in Persia and southern Arabia and perhaps some eve= n east of there.

One tradition has him going on into India and China and then mar= tyred upon return to India= by high caste Hindus is doubtful.

The first tradition says he never went much east of Persia and was martyred at Edessa in Mesopotamia.