Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 31:1–14

“Then Moses answered, ‘But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’’ The Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said, ‘A staff.’ And he said, ‘Throw it on the ground.’ So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. But the Lord said to Moses, ‘Put out your hand and catch it by the tail’—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— ‘that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.’ Again, the Lord said to him, ‘Put your hand inside your cloak.’ And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. Then God said, ‘Put your hand back inside your cloak.’ So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. ‘If they will not believe you,’ God said, ‘or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.’” (Exodus 4:1–9, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 20:30-31

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 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.” (John 20:30–31, ESV)

Introduction

I think I have made reference to this passage more than any other in John’s Gospel throughout the course of this series. In fact the introductory sermon to the series came to focus upon this text. It was strange to begin near the end, but it was helpful, I think. For it is here at the end of his Gospel that John states with clarity his reason for writing. So we began with this text, and I also made mention of it over and over again as the series progressed. I did this to help us keep our bearings. John has a lot to say in his Gospel. It would be easy to get lost in it. This purpose statement helps the reader to stay on track as he or she progresses through the Gospel. We might wonder, why did John choose to tell this story or that? The answer is given here in 20:30-31. He wrote this and that “so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing… have life in his name.”

I’ve made reference to this passage so often that the thought occurred to me, should I even devote a sermon to it now that we are here? The temptation was to move past it quickly, or to skip over it completely. But I thought that unwise for two reasons. One, we really have not devoted an adequate amount of time to this important text. It has been referenced many times, but often in passing. And two, this text takes on a new level of significance as we come to it in order, as the author intended, having now studied all that precedes it in John’s Gospel.

So let us now carefully consider John 20:30-31.

John Has Not Told Us Everything

The first thing to notice is that John admits he has not told us everything. Look at verse 20 where John writes, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book…” Later we will read these words which make the same point: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25, ESV)

The point is that John carefully selected only a few things from the life of Christ to highlight. He presented some of Jesus’ teachings, and some of his deeds, but not all. I find this to be fascinating. It gives us a great deal of insight into the mind of the Apostle as he wrote. His objective was not to set before us an exhaustive and thorough history of Jesus of Nazareth. His motive was something other than to give us all of the details. He wrote for another purpose, which we will come to in a moment.

Notice that John refers to the miracles that Jesus preformed as “signs”. “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book…” This is significant in that it helps us to understand the purpose of the miracles that Jesus preformed. They functioned as “signs”. The ultimate purpose of a sign is not to draw attention to itself, but to direct one’s attention  elsewhere. When you are driving down the freeway and you see an In-N-Out sign shining brightly in the night the purpose is to draw you, not to the sign, but to the thing signified – namely the double-double with regular unions and chopped chillies.

The miracles that Jesus preformed in his earthly ministry – the turning of water to wine; the healing of the officials son; the healing of the invalid on the Sabbath; the feeding of the five thousand; Jesus’ walking on water; the healing of the blind man; the raising of Lazarus from the dead – these are called “signs”. Their purpose, then, was to direct out attention away from the miraculous event itself and to  point to some other thing – some other reality or truth.

I read the passage from Exodus 4 in order to illustrate this principle. Moses was called by God to go to Pharaoh and to demand the release of the Hebrews. He was also to go to the Hebrews and announce the coming deliverance. “Then Moses answered, ‘But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.” (Exodus 4:1) It was a legitimate fear. Why would the Hebrews believe Moses’ word? Why would they accept his claim that God had sent him? It was then that God gave Moses the ability to preform “signs”. His staff would turn into a snake; his hand would turn leprous and then be healed when as he took it in and out of his cloak; water would turn to blood. These things were signs. And what were they signs of? Well, among other things, of the fact that God was with Moses – that Moses was indeed sent by God Almighty.

The same is true of the miracles that Christ preformed. The same can also be said of the miracles that were preformed by the Apostles of Christ – those who were eyewitness to his life and ministry, his death and resurrection. These would be sent out into the world to testify concerning the Christ. Some of them, it is reported, preformed miracles.

But these miracles were not the norm from the days of Moses onward. They were present in the days when that great act of redemption from Egypt was accomplished, and shortly thereafter, as a testimony to the fact that God was on the move, accomplishing redemption.

The same can be said about the miracles in the days of Christ, and shortly thereafter. Miracles were not the norm in the days after the Apostles. They are not the norm today, nor should they be expected. They were present in the life of Christ and in the ministry of the Apostles – those directly commissioned by Christ – as a testimony to the fact that God had accomplishing redemption, this time, not from Egypt, but from the evil one himself. He brought defeat, not to Pharaoh, but to sin, sickness, and the serpent himself. The miracles that Jesus preformed were “signs” which pointed to this reality.

I will not take the time here to show how each of the miracles in John signify something specific about the redemption accomplished by Christ – I’ve done that in the past and I don’t have time to repeat it here – but the principle is important. When Jesus healed the blind man, for example, it was not just about Jesus having compassion on a man blind from birth (though it was not less than that). No, it was a sign which pointed, first of all, to the fact that Jesus was from God just as he claimed. And, secondly, that he has the power to open, not only physical eyes, but also spiritual. He is the remedy to our spiritual blindness.

John calls these miracles “signs” so that we might not make to much of the miracles themselves. They were associated with Jesus’ ministry, and the ministry of those who were eyewitnesses – his Apostles. And they were preformed for the purpose of directing our attention away from the miracle itself on to the thing that the miracle signified, namely Jesus, his person and his work.

What a strange sight it is to see those who name the name of Christ fixate upon miracles.

They assume that miracles should be the norm today. The scriptures reveal otherwise. Miracles have happened in the world. And God is indeed able to act in miraculous ways even today. But miracles have been concentrated in times associated with God’s intrusion into human history as he has accomplished great acts of redemption. Brothers and sisters, our redemption has been accomplished. Only the consummation remains.

Some imagine that Christ came to preform miracles. He did not. He came to accomplish redemption for his people. The miracles that he preformed were signs which pointed to him, confirmed his claims, and signified things that were true his person and work. Those who obsess over miracles have made a tangential thing the main thing. They have failed to recognize the role that signs play in relation to the thing signified.

Next time you go to In-N-Out I dare you to go to the sign out on the street corner and facing it. Talk to it. Place your order there. And wait. I think you will be disappointed at the result. The sign has no substance in itself. It cannot feed you. It is there to point you to the substance and the food. Christ is the food. The good news about his work of redemption is the food. The miracles he preformed were meant to draw our attention to him.

Jesus preformed many signs in his time on earth. John has only told us about a few of them.

What He Has Said, He Has Said That We Might Believe

And notice, secondly, his reason for telling us these things. What he has said, he has said that we might believe.

To believe something is to understand it and to confess that it is true.

I was taught from a young age that one plus one equals two. I understand the claim. I understand the equation. And, on top of that, I have also come to believe that the equation is true. I believe it.

The same is required to believe in Jesus. We must first of all understand the claims – who he claimed to be and what he claimed to accomplish. And after that we must also come to confess that his claims are indeed true. It is only then that we can say that we believe.

And what are the claims of Christ concerning himself? What does the word of God teach us about him? The scriptures present Jesus to us as the Christ, the Son of God. John wrote what he did in his gospel that we “may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God…” (John 20:31, ESV).

What does it mean that Jesus is the Christ?

It means that he is the anointed one that God promised to send long ago. He is the one who would save his people from their sins. He is the seed of the woman who God promised would crush the head of the serpent. He is the seed of Abraham through whom all the people of the earth would be blessed. He is the Prophet like Moses to whom we are to listen. He is the Priest in the order of Melchizedek who has made atonement for our sins, once for all. He is the King, the son of David, who has conquered all of his and our enemies, who has subdued even our own hearts, bringing us to call him Lord. In short, he is the promised one spoken of in the law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. He is the Christ – the Messiah.     

And what does it mean that he is the Son of God?

When this phrase is applied to Jesus it is a clear reference to his divine and human natures. He is the Messiah, it is true. He is a man – the Son of Man – born of woman. But more than, he is of God and from God. He is God with us – Immanuel. He proceeds from the Father.

John’s Gospel has insisted upon the divinity of Christ from beginning to end. He is the eternal word of God, the one who existed in the beginning – who was with God, and who was God (John 1:1) This is the one – the second person go the Trinity, the eternal Word of God – who became flesh and tabernacled amongst us.

John wrote his Gospel so that we might understand the claim that Jesus is the Christ and that he is the Son of God and agree that they are true. He wants us to believe.

Of course believing in a Biblical sense involves more than just understanding principles or facts and agreeing that they are true. To believe is also to trust.  We are to trust in, depend upon, have faith in this Jesus, who is the Christ, the Son of God. So believing really involves three things: understanding principles, agreeing that they are indeed true, and trust. We are trust in Jesus, who is the Christ. We are to see him for what he is. We are to understand what he has accomplished for us in his life, death, and resurrection. And we are to say “yes” to it all. “Yes, it is true!” And “yes, I trust in him because of who he is and what he has accomplished for us.”

It Is Through Believing That We Have Life In Jesus’ Name. 

The end goal of John’s writing is that we would have life in Jesus’ name.

Life is what we need.

Though we come into this world alive, we do not come into this world alive. We are born living in state of spiritual deadness due to the sins of our forefathers. We confirm that we are born in fallen and sinful state with our own personal sins. Though we are alive according to the flesh we are dead according to the spirit.

Adam was warned concerning that forbidden tree. He was told that “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17, ESV) He ate. And death reigned from that day forward. Paul is right to say that “[We] were dead in the trespasses and sins in which [we] once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:1–3, ESV) Though we were born into this world alive according to the flesh, we were dead according to the spirit. We were by nature children of wrath. Life is what we need.

And do you see that life is what Jesus has earned?

He rose from the grave on the third day conquering the power of death so that we might have eternal life. For you and I, and for all born of Adam, death has dominion over us. We cannot conquer it. We cannot overcome it. From the moment we are born into this world death threatens us. It looms large over us. It is forever harassing us, desiring to pull us down into it’s depths. And once we pass from this world death holds on to us with a ferociousness and strength that is far too much for us to resist. Death dominates the son’s and daughters of Adam. They are hopeless in and of themselves. But Jesus Christ, who is the lion of the tribe of Judah, was more ferocious and more powerful than death. He was given over to it so that he might devour it. He broke it’s power. “‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54–57, ESV)

Jesus has earned eternal life. For him death is not the final word. Life is. He possesses “the power of an indestructible life.” (Hebrews 7:16, ESV)

And what kind of life is it that he has earned? Did Jesus earn life as we know it now for all eternity? Is that the kind of life that he has laid ahold of? One marked by sin, suffering, sickness, and sorrow? Is that the kind of life that he secured for all eternity? I hope not. That sounds more hellish than heavenly. Thanks be to God that Christ has entered into a state of being that is undefiled, imperishable, and unfading. He has entered into glory. That is the kind of life that he has earned. It is eternal – unending. And it is glorious.

And notice that it is this kind of life that Jesus gives to those who believe in his name.

You say, well I still struggle with sin, suffering, sickness, and sorrow. What do you mean that I have this kind of life by believing in Jesus’ name? 

Brothers and sisters, we must pass from this world before we enjoy the fulness of that life that Christ has earned for us. But we have it now. We have it in that we have begun to taste it. And we have it in that it is our sure inheritance. For the Father has, “according to his great mercy… caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for [us], who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this [we] rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, [we] have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of [our] faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:3–7, ESV)

We have life by believing in Jesus’ name. It is life that is everlasting. Death is no longer the final  word for those believing in Christ Jesus. And it is a glorious life – imperishable, undefiled, unfading.

Application

Brothers and sisters, and friends who do not yet know Christ, let is consider the teachings of Christ and the signs that he (and his Apostles) preformed. Let us not grow obsessed with the miracles, as if they were preformed in order to draw or attention to them, or to set our hope in them. May they serve their function as signs which derelict our eyes to Christ, his person and his work, and to the substantial salvation that he has procured for those who believe upon him.

And once we look upon him, let us believe upon him. I pray that those who do not yet believe, would believe, and that those who say they believe now would believe to the end. Friends, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and there is life in his name. Believe that it is true, trust in him, lay down your life, so that in dying to yourself you might truly live.

And brothers and sisters, now that you are alive in Christ, let us walk in the newness of that life.

“[We] who were dead in [our] trespasses and the uncircumcision of [our] flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross… If then [we] have been raised with Christ, [let us] seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [Let us] set [our] minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For [we] have died, and [our] life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is [our] life appears, then [we] also will appear with him in glory. [Let us] put to death therefore what is earthly in [us]: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these [we] too once walked, when [we] were living in them. But now [we] must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from [our] mouth[s]. [Let us] not lie to one another, seeing that [we] have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.’” (Colossians 2:13–14; 3:1–10, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 31:1–14

“‘At that time’, declares the Lord, ‘I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people.’ Thus says the Lord: ‘The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and shall enjoy the fruit. For there shall be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim: ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ For thus says the Lord: ‘Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.’ Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’ For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more. Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 31:1–14, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 20:24-29

“Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20:24–29, ESV)

Introduction

Friends, we are rapidly approaching the end of our study of the Gospel of John. I’m a little sad about that. I’ve really enjoyed this book and there is a part of me that wishes we could linger in it longer. We will probably only be here for two or three more weeks.

Do you remember the Leon Morris quote that I shared with you in the introductory sermon to this series? I’m sure it’s fresh on your minds! Morris, in the introduction to his commentary on John noted that “John’s Gospel [is like] a pool in which a child may wade and an elephant can swim. It is both simple and profound. It is for the veriest beginner in the faith and for the mature Christian. Its appeal is immediate and never failing.” (Morris, 3) That has proven true, I think. John’s Gospel is encouraging to those young in Christ, and those mature, both in it’s simplicity and depth.

There is much that can be said about chapters 20 and 21 of John’s Gospel. It is here that we are introduced to the risen Lord. We see him in a state of glory. He is alive, but not in the same way that he was alive before. He, through his obedient life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection has earned a higher form of life than you and I experience. In fact, he has earned a higher form of life than Adam and Eve enjoyed in the garden paradise of God. They enjoyed a perfect life, but theirs was mutable. Sin was a possibility. Death threatened. Not so with Christ who is the second Adam. He rose, not to a fallen state like ours. He rose, not to a perfect but mutable state like pre-fall Adam. No, he rose from the grave to a state of glory.  What the first Adam was offered but forfeited, the second Adam has earned.

We should pay careful attention to what we see here. This forty day period where the risen Lord appeared to his disciples in the flesh of his resurrection was utterly unique in this history of the world. Steven would see the risen Lord after his ascension to the Father, but by way of heavenly vision. “He said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’” (Acts 7:56, ESV) Paul also saw the risen Lord after the ascension, but it too was a bit different from the resurrection appearances contained within this forty day period. “As [Paul, who was then called Saul] went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’” (Acts 9:3–6, ESV) These resemble heavenly visions. They differ a bit from the appearances of the risen Lord which preceded his ascension to the Father. For forty days the risen Lord presented himself alive in the flesh to his disciples before ascending to the right hand of God.

I’ve labored to demonstrate the significance of these appearances.

Christ appeared to his his disciples to prove that he was, in fact, alive.

He also appeared to show what kind of life he had risen to. It was a physical existence that he enjoyed – one that corresponded somehow to his previous life. But it was a glorified existence – one that far surpassed the natural order of things in regard to glory. Remember how Paul explains all of this in 1 Corinthians 15 with the illustration of a seed and the plant that comes from it. The seed represents the natural man, the plant represents the glorified man. The seed and the plant correspond to one another – they are not altogether different – they are made up of the same stuff. But the plant far surpasses the seed in regard to glory. So it is with the relationship between Christ’s natural body and his resurrection body. So it will be for those who are united to Christ by faith. This is one thing that Jesus sought to demonstrate to his disciples in that forty day period as he walked among them in his resurrection – he showed what kind of life he had been raised to.

And remember that he also appeared to them in order to encourage them, teach them, and commission them so that they would be well prepared for the journey ahead. Christ rose from the grave and would ascend, but his disciples would continue in this fallen world. They were to continue his work. They needed instruction. Christ provided it.

The Risen Christ Walks In The Midst Of His People

Today I would like to step back from these detailed observations concerning the significance of Christ’s post-resurrection and pre-ascension appearances to make a general observation.

Notice this simple fact: The risen Christ walks in the midst of his people. He meets with them. He communes with them. He instructs and encourages them. He is present with them in this world. That is the general truth which binds all of these post resurrection appearance together. The glorified Christ walks in the midst of his people.

You say, well that must have been nice for them! Those original disciples enjoyed three or so years with Christ in his earthly ministry, and they also enjoyed forty days with him in his resurrection. Nice for them!

Brothers and sisters, the point I am making is that Christ walked in the midst of his disciples in his resurrection, and he walks in the midst of us too! That forty day period was unique in that Christ appeared in the flesh before his ascension – we do not expect him to appear to us in the flesh (except for at the consummation) – but it was also prototypical. It was during those forty days that Christ demonstrated to his disciples that he would indeed be with them though he was glorified. He would still common with them. He would still be in the midst of them even though a new era had begun. The post resurrection appearance of Christ had the effect of ensuring his followers that he would indeed go with them, and remain with them, throughout their wilderness wanderings. Of course after the ascension, he would be with them, not in the flesh, but by the Spirit.

This was not the first time in the history of redemption that God offered special support and assurance to his people concerning his continued presences with them as a new era or dispensation was being ushered in.

Remember how God accomplished redemption for the people of Israel from Egypt. He brought them out with “great power and a mighty hand” (Ex. 32:11). They were freed from Egypt by the ten plagues and by passing through the Red Sea. God accomplished a kind of redemption of them. But they were fearful of going it alone. Moses spoke to God, saying, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.” (Exodus 33:15, ESV) It was in response to this request that God said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” (Exodus 33:19, ESV) God offered special support and assurance to Moses, and to the people of Israel through him, by showing Moses his glory and goodness. We might also mention the pillar of fire and the glory cloud, both of which were a manifestation of the glory of God and a kind of guarantee that the presence of God was with the people of God.

The appearances of Christ in his glory serve the same purpose. Christ had accomplished redemption by his death, burial, and resurrection, and then he appeared to disciples, manifesting his glory to them for forty days to assuring them that his presence would be with them as they wandered in this world as pilgrims and sojourners.

Brothers and sisters, the risen Christ walks in the midst of his people.

He is present with us by the agency of the Holy Spirit whom he has sent. Remember Jesus’ words:

“‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’” (John 14:15–23, ESV)

He is particularly present with his people as they gather together in local churches.

Remember the opening vision in the book of Revelation where John (The same John that wrote this Gospel)

“…turned to see the voice that was speaking to [him], and on turning… saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When [he] saw him, [he] fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on [him], saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:12–20, ESV)

This vision communicates the very thing that has already been stated – Christ walks in the midst of his people, and particularly in the midst of his churches, not in the flesh as he did in the days prior to the ascension, but by the agency of the Spirit whom he has sent.

Brothers and sisters, this ought to encourage you greatly. Christ has not left you alone in this world. And his appearance to the disciples in his resurrection body is an assurance of these things.

The Risen Christ Sustains The Faith Of His People

In particular I want you to notice how Christ drew near to those disciples of his who were struggling. Notice that he pursued “doubting Thomas”, and, as we will see, he pursued “denying Peter”. The important thing to see is that Jesus does not abandon those who belong to him. Though they my stumble, the risen Christ purses them, the end result being that he loses none of those given to him by the Father (see John 17:12). See how the risen Christ sustains the faith of his people.

Notice that everything comes to focus on Thomas in this passage. His fellow disciples had testified to him concerning the bodily resurrection of Christ. They had, with one voice, given testimony to the resurrection. Thomas should have believed on the basis of their word. He himself would go on to testify concerning the risen Christ. He would ask others to believe upon Jesus through his testimony, and the word of his fellow Apostles, but he himself did not believe their word. Instead he responded to them saying, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25, ESV) He was skeptical. In all fairness the others did have the advantage of seeing the risen Lord. They too were skeptical and confused.

But do you see that Thomas belonged to Christ? He was one of Jesus’ chosen one’s. He was one of those given to him by the Father. And so although Thomas was indeed skeptical, Christ pursued him and provided him with all that he needed to believe, and to go on believing.

“Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’” (John 20:26, ESV) This was a repeat of what had happened on the previous Sunday. The disciples were gathered together again. Again they were meeting with the doors closed and locked, presumably for fear of the Jews. And again Christ appeared to them, urging them to be at peace. The difference is that Thomas was with them this time.

So Jesus turned to Thomas, reached out his hands to him, and said, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” (John 20:27, ESV)

Thomas has said, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” And what did Christ do except present Thomas with the marks in his hands and in his side.

Thank God that it is he who sustains us in the faith and not we who sustain ourselves.

That is not to say that we have no responsibility in the matter. We do indeed have obligations. The scriptures compel us to abide in Christ, to persevere in the means of grace that God has prescribed for us – the fellowship, the sacraments, the word of God, and prayer. We are warned to “Take care… lest there be in any of [us] an evil, unbelieving heart, leading [us] to fall away from the living God. But [we are to] exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none…may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:12–13, ESV) Similarly we are warned, “not [to neglect] to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24–25, ESV)

Thomas was indeed negligent in these things. He failed to persevere. He allowed an evil, unbelieving heart to settle in. He neglected the fellowship. For this he was guilty. But do you see this wonderfully encouraging truth, that it is Christ who pursues us? He is the one who sustains the faith of those who belong to him, praise be to God.  Take courage, brothers and sisters, “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6, ESV)

The Risen Christ Brings Glory To His Name Through His People

Thirdly, and lastly, notice that the risen Christ brings glory to his name through those who belong to him. Thankfully he manages to use us to bring glory to his name despite our weaknesses and our many blunders.

Thomas was doubting, it is true. And it was wrong from him to doubt. He should have persevered in the faith. But do you see how Christ turned this evil into good? For it was from the lips of “doubting Thomas” that Christ received the highest praise. It was from the lips of “doubting Thomas” that we encounter the pinnacle profession of faith. When “doubting Thomas” saw the pierces hands, and the pierced side of Christ, and when he heard his words, “‘Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:27–28, ESV) Thomas was the first of Jesus’ disciples to explicitly confess that Jesus was divine – that he was indeed “God”. He confessed that he was both “Lord and God”.

Let’s analyze Thomas’ personality for a moment, and let’s say something positive about him.

He seems to be a straight shooter – a no nonsense kind of guy. We encountered him in John 11:16 were, in response to Jesus’ word that he would go up to see Lazarus, “said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’” (John 11:16, ESV) It was in 14:5 that Thomas responded to Jesus’ words abut knowing the way to where he was going that Thomas said, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5, ESV) He seems to me to be a straight shooter. I like that. And when it came to the resurrection, it was too much for him to believe.

But our brother came to the right conclusion. He was skeptical at first, but upon seeing the risen Lord he could do nothing except confess that Jesus Christ was his Lord and his God.

His confession plays a very significant role in John’s Gospel. In the introduction we were told about who Jesus was. He was the eternal word of God – the one who was with God in the beginning, indeed the one who was God – who took on flesh ad dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14). John wrote, we are told in 20:31, “that [we[ may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing [we] may have life in his name.” (John 20:31, ESV) And Thomas is the one who confesses these thinking with the greatest clarity as he responded to Jesus, saying “My Lord and my God!”

Notice that Jesus received Thomas’ confession. He did not rebuke him or deny it. If Jesus were not God, then he would have been wrong to accept such high praise. But he was God come in the flesh, therefore he received.

Notice also that Jesus rebuked Thomas slightly, saying, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29, ESV) Thomas should had believed the testimony of his brothers. The day was rapidly approaching where those who would believe upon Christ would have to believe, not because they would see the risen Lord, but through the testimony of the Apostles of Christ. Blessed are those who “have not seen and yet have believed.” That refers to all who have believed ever since the ascension, including you and me.

Thomas was used by God to bring glory to his name. He glorified God through this pinnacle profession. And he would glorify God in the days to come through his faithful witness.

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, Christ is in the midst of us when we gather.

Thanks be to God that he is the one who sustains us in the faith! Were it not for his gracious intervention we would not come to faith nor would we remain in it. But he has promised to keep those given to him by the Father, the end result being that he looses not one

Let us, therefore, bring glory to his name by giving him the praise he deserves and by testifying concerning his goodness. Some have allowed sins of the past to restrain that. We should repent of our sins, allow the Lord to restore us, and serve him faithfully to the glory of his name.