Where’s our faith?

 9/30/2022

Union Gospel

Where’s our faith?

John 20:24 – 29

Jesus Appears to Thomas

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.”

Introduction:

If stranded in an Island, what 2 books (persons - pronoun) in the bible you’ll take with you? More general – what two things?

-          Jesu will take us! Conclusion

Our decision to take someone or something with us is based on whether we gain value from that person, books, or things.

Why would I take Peter? He was never nice to me

Why would I take John? He is lazy, we will both starve to death

Why would I take this book? I won’t learn anything from it

It takes a certain level leap of faith that this thing, this person will add value to our lives. They help us survive life in the Island.

V. 24 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.” 

Thomas: Jesus is dead, and he is no value to me! Uhhh! uhmmm!  

Thomas never seen anyone resurrected.

It was the prevailing belief in those days, once we are dead, we done!

Why would Thomas believe the other Disciples?

Why would I go to church? There’s nothing in there for me.

Why would I listen to the preacher? There is nothing there for me.

Why would I take that Job? There’s not enough money there for me.

Why would I hang on to my wife? She left me

All of these tough conditions, it takes faith without experiencing their values to leap on!  

We live in an age that requires us to be skeptical about everything

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Topic:     Where is our faith?

Two types of faith:

1.      Faith that required physical proof: Quantifiable Faith (Process Oriented)

2.      Faith that does not required physical proof: non-quantifiable Faith (Result Oriented) 

When Jesus revealed that he will be crucified, Thomas and Simon Peter were the staunch Disciples that stood up and “lets fight for Jesus, we will die with you, Jesus! These are the disciples that their faither were tested afterward.

Nevertheless, notice here in verse 26, Jesus came    

He specifically came to seek out Thomas: what a wonderful savior we have

1.      He knew that Thomas doubted His resurrection, but He came anyway

2.      He knew that Thomas faith is not at the level to believe, but He came anyway

3.      He knew that we have wondered into the way of the world, but He came anyway

4.      He knew that we are sinner (Roman 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this While we were still sinners Christ died for us)

5.      He knew that we are going to reject Him, but He came any way

Oh! Yeah! He knew we are dirty

6.      He stooped down and washed our feet – He came anyway

What a wonderful savior we have!

Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side”

A Savior that is Human enough that we can see His scars

A Savior that is Human enough that we can see the blood dripped down to our hand

A Savior that is Human enough that he can feel our pain

A Savior that is Human enough to understand our disbelief

A Savior that is human enough not to hide his agony  

A Savior that is human enough to walk down the road of homelessness with us

              Mathew 8:20 "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

Yet, He is God that defeated death in Calvary  

He is God that has sufficient Grace and Mercy to save us regardless of where we’re at

“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

1.      Faith that required physical proof

2.      Faith that does not required physical proof

Has God been Human enough that we’ve witness his agony on the cross to make us believe?

Has God been God enough that we’ve witness his resurrection to make us believe?

My personal testimony: God have done certain things in my life that has saved me from self-destruction.

God has halted a career move  

God has brought me to the point of brokenness

There has been health condition

Many rough day

Roman 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Faith is the foundational (Root)  word for believes, look at:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”

Believe is the currency of Heaven:

In order to get into heaven, you MUST Believes

-          Not being a good person

-          Not the riches person

-          Not attending church every day

-          Not preaching

We MUST believe

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes

(rich, do good work, preach, help thy neighbor, volunteer, No! It is Whoever Believes)

in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”

Conclusion

Simon Peter walking on Water – keep you eyes on Jesus 

Peter was a disciple and a fisherman by trade. One day he was out on his out sea as usual and came upon an unexpected storm. Seeing the rough waves, Peter and other disciples were now rocked with fear.

Then all of a sudden they noticed what had seemed to be a spirit, but then Jesus replied to them saying “Don’t be afraid, it is just me.” However, Peter being a little skeptical said, "Okay God if that is really you, ask me to come out on the water with you," which Jesus then replied, "Come."
 
Peter got out and was walking on the water, but when he felt the raging waves, he got distracted, which tampered with his faith, and so he began to sink.

 

I can’t do this,

I am weak,

I have nothing,

I don’t have a car

 

While he was sinking, he cried out to God for help, in which God stretched his hands to save him and said, "Your faith is so small, you stepped out without fear and was near to me, so where did this doubt come from?" And when they went back inside the boat they realized that He was truly the son of God.

Faith is not measured in degree but we understand it in quantity. Faith is either in Christ or not in-Christ. Faith in Christ the unquantifiable Faith. Faith in other things is measured in degree because is based on visible quantity

Let our faith be Unquantifiable as it is infinite, immeasurable, omnipotent, everlasting and eternal.  

Dear Father, while we are sinking, we cry out to you. You’ve spoken to us today that blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. God, you came, he became human so we can understand yet you are fully God so we may have Hope. For those of us that has NOT made the decision to accept You as our Lord and Savior. Move our hearts and change our minds in Christ Amen.