Doubts We Have John 20:24-29 05/01/11

Sermon`5-1-2011 Thomas the doubter John 20:24-29 doubts we have

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Resurrection stories

Thomas the doubter
A great legacy
Not a very positive guy
Lets go to Jerusalem and die there with him john 11;16
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Before we are so hard on him
All of the disciples ran away
None of htem got it
They all had their doubts – did not believe the report of the women

We are not really much different
Human, broken people trying to follow God

If you don't have any doubts, you are kidding yourself. Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it alive and moving.

Better a little self doubt than to see ones self as always right
Those who do not doubt are dangerous – jim jones

Some are not honest with themselves-
Others have god is such a box that they have it all figured out
When you enter the mystery of God, the story does not add up
Human minds cannot connect the dots

Doubt is often the source of honest, humble, authentic faith.
Real relationships are grounded in clean air..brave people are not afraid to ask the hard questions.

Faith without doubt is dead. Faith without doubt is pretent.
Healthy doubt searches for more faith. Lord I believe, help my unbelief.

We have doubts about God
We have doubts about ourselves – or what we are trying to do
Last week with the pastors
I am not like them – john ortberg story
Comparing themselves with themselves they are not wise 2 cor 10:12
12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.
When you have your eyes on yourself, you will always feel bad about yourself
What would you tell a child?

We doubt our faith sometimes.......that is really what Thomas is doing
Have I really given my heart to Christ? Over and over as youth
I don't feel very faithful
I am discouraged

There are always going to be questions about life and God's world
God is bigger than our questions.

Unto disciples he said, gentlemen,
Remember the story..remember who I am
See my hands, touch my side......Consider the truth

I cant leave myself in my brain

Jesus comes into the room
It makes the story
Changes the moment
They go from hiding in fear, to being willing to give their lives


By the way, the greatest proof of the resurrection is that the disciples died for this faith
Would you be willing to die for a lie
Would you hide the body and then go die for the story
The story is true
When you contact jesus your life is different
Not perfect, but better
Christians aren’t better than other people, they are just better than they were

Is jesus in your room? The thing that I forgot is that Jesus is already in the room. He never left.
He is spacially with me always.
The problem is not that he is not there the problem is that I was so caught up with what was going on that I forgot to look. REPEAT

So how do we meet jesus – many many ways 30,000 feet on airplane
Hearing a sermon about Gods love
Hearing a song about forgiveness
A book about biblical archaeology
On a mission trip - When I do the work of God, I feel his presence
In the sunset
In the forest
In the garden – tulips, ajuga, Angelina, blue salvia, sedem, hosta, iris
In the sanctuary
In the embrace of a friend
In the scriptures
At home in prayer

Simple faith
Dr. Julius Modlenhawer confessed from his own experience that when he was a child, he knew so little that he believed the Christmas story, just as Luke tells it. Then came a time when he thought he knew so much - after studying science, biblical criticism, comparative religion and philosophy - that he could not believe the miraculous setting of the story. But now, once again, he knows so little that he believes the story just as Luke tells it.—

Adam’s altheimers story

If you don't have a faith story, then maybe today is the day for you to receive one

The power of faith is greater than the power of the human mind.

Faith is the great “yes” to God.
I invite you to hear God’s call and understand that Jesus Is already in the room. place your faith in our lord and savior Jesus Christ.