"Proof" 4-7-24

Overview

Proof: Believing the Risen Christ

Some events are so extraordinary we say, "I had to see it to believe it." That same instinct meets us in the Easter accounts. The women who came to the tomb expecting a corpse instead found it empty and heard the angels' announcement that Jesus was alive. When they reported this to the apostles, Luke 24:11 tells us "these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them." Peter and John ran to see for themselves John 20:3-8, and that evening Jesus appeared in the locked room, showing the disciples his hands and side John 20:19-20. Every one of them needed empirical evidence before they rejoiced.

Thomas was no different—only louder about it. Absent that first evening, he declared, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe" John 20:25. His demand exposes the pride that lurks in unbelief: setting our own terms for God, requiring him to prove himself on our conditions—"I must be healed, I must be happy, I must understand." We resemble Thomas more often than we'd like to admit. Yet when Jesus returned a week later, he did not crush Thomas; he met him exactly where he was, offering his wounds and inviting, "Do not doubt, but believe" John 20:27. Thomas responded with the church's great confession: "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus left no wiggle room for doubt among the eyewitnesses, because their pure testimony would carry the gospel forward. In Luke 24:39 he says, "Touch me and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." John would later write, "We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands" 1 John 1:1. On the strength of that witness, the church has believed for two thousand years. Jesus' final beatitude in this chapter is for us: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" John 20:29. Peter writes the same to scattered believers: "Though you have not seen him, you love him… you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory" 1 Peter 1:8.

This shapes how we live as witnesses today. The disciples could not argue Thomas into faith—only the risen Christ could do that—and we cannot argue anyone into the kingdom either. That is not our job. Our calling is to tell what we have received: that Christ died, is risen, and meets sinners with peace. The Spirit creates faith through that word, and the Lord proves himself faithful in his own time. Meanwhile, though we cannot place our fingers in his hands, Christ gives himself to us tangibly each week through word and sacrament—real proof for ordinary disciples that he is victorious over sin, death, and the devil, and that he has called us as his own.

Transcript

A few years ago, there was a woman in Canada who was skydiving. 3s

She was 5,000 feet in the air and she jumped out of the airplane and she began plummeting 9s

to the earth. 16s

Her first parachute didn't open. 19s

On lookers were very nervous as they thought she was getting too close to the ground 23s

without the shoot opening and they watched in disbelief. 29s

Her backup shoot did not deploy. 34s

She fell skydiving, 5,000 feet from the ground and she survived. 38s

She survived. 49s

Unbelievable, those who saw it wouldn't have believed it if they hadn't seen it for themselves. 51s

Sports, there are all sorts of amazing plays. 59s

For instance, there was a baseball game between the Cubs in the pirate. 64s

As I was telling my husband about this, he said, who was playing? 68s

What were they doing? 72s

Which player was it? 72s

I said, I have no idea. 73s

No clue. 75s

So don't ask me the details, but I know it was the Cubs in the pirate. 77s

The Cubs batter was in a showdown where the first basement was. 80s

Coming into him, he ran back toward home. 88s

The home plate or the catcher was so involved watching this that he catches the ball. 92s

He's ready to tag this batter out. 97s

Meanwhile, the person on third base comes sliding in, gets a run. 100s

As the first basement and the catcher can consume with this person who just crossed 106s

home, that batter who was in that showdown raises forward tags first and proceeds to steal 113s

second base. 120s

They wouldn't believe it if they had not seen it. 123s

Tomorrow we are all going to witness complete darkness for about four to seven minutes. 131s

Complete darkness in the middle of the day. 141s

We have to see it to believe it. 147s

We have to see it to believe it. 151s

If there were not witnesses to these accounts, if there were not eye witnesses to tell what 154s

they saw, none of us would ever believe what we hear. 162s

But we know what we see, we can go back and watch the video of that baseball game. 168s

We can go back and talk to the woman herself who fell from that skydiving accident. 177s

We can experience tomorrow and compare notes of the solar eclipse. 186s

We will see or communicate with those who have seen in order to believe it. 193s

We have empirical evidence. 203s

That means that there is absolutely no way it did not happen or yeah, did not happen. 206s

We have complete group of these crazy incidents. 212s

The first Easter morning, you may recall that there were some women that headed to the 218s

tomb. 224s

They were fully expecting to find the body of Jesus in the tomb. 224s

They had seen with their own eyes, his body on the cross, him die. 229s

They had witnessed with their own eyes, men take the body down and lay it in the tomb. 237s

They had witnessed with their own eyes, all hope lost because Jesus, the one in whom 244s

they placed all their hope was dead. 254s

So these women head to the tomb, expecting, expecting to find his body. 258s

Instead, they found the empty tomb and the angels proclaimed to them that Jesus was 265s

alive. 274s

Luke tells us that the women returned from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven 276s

and to all the rest, now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the 281s

other women with them who told this to the apostles. 287s

But these words seemed to them an idle tale and they did not believe them. 290s

The eleven had also witnessed the death of Jesus with their own eyes, so to have these 299s

women coming to them and telling them that Jesus is risen, no, it's an idle tale we can't 308s

believe these women. 318s

Peter and John race to the tomb in disbelief. 320s

They race to the tomb, it's a Simon Peter in the Gospel of John chapter 20, it's a 324s

Simon Peter came and went into the tomb, he saw the linen wrappings lying there and the 330s

cloth that had been on Jesus head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a 335s

place by itself. 340s

Then the other disciple also went in and he saw and he believed. 342s

They had to see for themselves the empty tomb, they could not take the word of the witnesses. 349s

They had to see for themselves before they could believe. 360s

Later that same day, Easter day, the disciples were all in an upper room in verse 19 of chapter 20. 366s

It says, when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week and the doors of the house 374s

where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 378s

peace be with you. 384s

After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. 386s

Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 390s

They were so happy to be eyewitnesses of the Lord, but notice they rejoiced only when they saw 398s

Jesus. 411s

They had to see Him. 412s

They had to have that empirical evidence right in front of them. 414s

In Luke's account, we hear of the disciples who met the Lord on the way to amayas. 420s

We hear how they raced back to Jerusalem to share with the other disciples and those disciples 426s

shared with these two that Peter had had an encounter with the Lord and they had eyewitnesses 433s

that Jesus was no longer dead. 441s

They had proof, proof that He had indeed conquered the graves. 444s

Then we get to our text for today. 455s

If you would please open to the gospel of John the 20th chapter, if you're using a 460s

testament, we're in John chapter 20. 470s

So all of a sudden, Easter evening, the disciple, most of the disciples, have proof that the 478s

Lord Jesus has indeed conquered the grave and they are thrilled. 486s

Look with me, please, at verse 24, but Thomas, who was called the twin, one of the 12, 493s

was not with them when Jesus came. 501s

So the other disciples told him, we have seen the Lord, but He said to them, 503s

unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand 510s

in His side, I will not believe. I want proof. I've got to see it to believe it from the very first 519s

Easter morning. Disciples have had the opportunity to witness and to proclaim the good news 538s

that Jesus Christ is risen to the unbeliever in their midst. Here, Thomas is with these disciples, 548s

He himself being a disciple and yet He is the unbeliever in their midst. And they are trying to convince 559s

him the Greek gives that connotation that they are trying really hard laboring to convince Thomas 568s

of what they had witnessed, what they had seen, but He didn't believe it. It was not just that 576s

He was doubting. He specifically point blank says, I don't believe you. I don't believe. 585s

He had to have empirical evidence before He would believe anything that they said to him. 596s

Here we find ourselves face to face, face to face with that great sin of pride. Thomas is filled with pride. 607s

We're finishing up the sermon series today on resemblance where we've taken this 624s

sentence and what is it? Letton Holy Week and Easter time these seasons to see ourselves 631s

within the stories of scripture. How we resemble the very people of whom we read and study. 641s

And we want so badly to resemble the disciples here that are trying to convince the 651s

unbeliever of what we know, trying to convince the unbeliever of what we have seen, 661s

what we have experienced and we do resemble them. But remember these same disciples who are laboring 670s

so hard to convince Thomas of what they have seen, they had not believed themselves 679s

until they saw for themselves the risen Christ. And we resemble Thomas. We do resemble Thomas 687s

where we want to set believing on our own terms. We want proof and we want to demand 699s

how we receive proof or what proof we receive. And we demand from the Lord that He proves 711s

himself to us. Consider the demands that Thomas places upon God. He says, I want to see the marks, 720s

but not only do I want to see it, I want to put my finger in the marks. I want to put my hand 732s

where he was pierced with a sword. And when we really think about this, it's very jarring. 739s

It's very jarring thinking of what exactly Thomas is demanding, but think of your own demands. 747s

Think of your turn terms. What conditions do you place upon the Lord for Him to prove who He is 757s

and to prove the salvation that He has secured for you? I must be healed, Lord. I must be happy, 769s

Lord. I must be able to understand everything, Lord. I must fill in the blank. 786s

And if we're honest with ourselves and if we're honest with the Lord, we all can fill in that blank. 803s

We can all demand or place conditions upon our faith and upon the Lord proving to us who He is. 813s

But by doing so, the unbeliever places Him or herself in a superior position where they have to be answered to, 829s

their demands have to be met. Let's look here at verse 26. A week later, his disciples were again 839s

in the house and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them 848s

and said, peace be with you. Then He said to Thomas, put your finger here and see my hands. 855s

Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt. But believe. 864s

Jesus came in the exact same manner as He had a week before to the other disciple. 875s

He comes through lockstores. He comes bearing peace. But He directs his attention to Thomas. 883s

He directs his attention to Thomas and He knew exactly what the demands that Thomas had made were. 896s

And instead of coming ready to smite Thomas ready to knock him down a notch instead, 906s

he comes to Thomas and he meets Thomas where Thomas was in his sin, where he was in his doubt, 913s

where he was in his unbelief. And Jesus meets Thomas meets his demands to the letter. 925s

Look at my hands. Put your finger in the marks in my hands. Put your hand in the side in my side. 939s

He did not leave any wiggle room for Thomas. He did not leave any wiggle room for any of his 948s

disciples. He made sure that each and every one of them had the empirical evidence. The complete 957s

proof that he indeed had died and was risen. Jesus was not only handled or offering his hand 968s

and his side to Thomas. But in the gospel of Luke, we find out that he had given the same 985s

empirical evidence to all of his disciples. In the 24th chapter, it says, while they were talking 995s

about this, that is about his appearance to Peter and the two disciples on the road to a mayace, 1002s

it says that Jesus stood among them and said to them, peace be with you. They were startled and 1008s

terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, why are you frightened and why 1014s

you doubts a rise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet see that it is I myself touch 1019s

me and see for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. The gospel of 1025s

the sink John writes about this in his first letter, the reading that we had earlier, he says, 1035s

we declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, 1042s

what we have looked at and touched with our hands. All the disciples had the empirical proof, 1049s

Jesus made sure that all of them saw him, that all of them touched him, that all of them without 1061s

any doubt could proclaim exactly what they had seen and felt with their own eyes and hands. 1072s

He had to have them handle him. He had to have them realize that he was alive because no 1083s

wiggle room could be left for doubt. If there was little wiggle room left for doubt, the witness, 1092s

the testimony would be marred and it would never be pure. The Christian church would be lost 1100s

without the empirical witness, the empirical evidence that the apostles and the disciples had. 1108s

And Thomas, when confronted with the living Lord, he responded in the only possible way that he could. 1118s

If you would please look with me at verse 28, Thomas answered him, my Lord and my God, 1125s

my Lord and my God, this great proclamation of belief upon the lips of Thomas, he knew exactly, 1134s

who Jesus is. He knew exactly that it was the victorious lamb who stood before him, the one who was 1144s

playing and is now living. This, this is the proclamation that Thomas made that evening and from then, 1152s

on because he knew exactly who his Lord was. He knew exactly the Savior that stood before him and 1166s

he knew exactly the victory that he had in Christ Himself. Jesus, looking at verse 29, 1175s

Jesus said to him, have you believed because you have seen me, blessed are those who have not seen, 1186s

and yet have come to believe. Jesus isn't admonishing. Thomas here, he's not 1193s

faulted. Thomas isn't faulted for believing after he saw all of the disciples believed after they saw. 1203s

But Jesus, Jesus is speaking of the disciples to come. The disciples who would not be able to see him 1215s

with their eyes, put their fingers in the marks of his hand, their hand in the pierced side. He was speaking, 1224s

he was speaking of those who would come to know Jesus and believe in him, 1234s

through the witness that Thomas and the other disciples would bring. 1242s

My brothers and sisters, you are the disciples to come. You are reaping the benefit 1249s

of the disciples who got to see, to believe, but each and every single one of us that is here today, 1259s

we are here because of the eyewitnesses that shared with others, and they shared with others. 1269s

First Peter, chapter 1 says, although you have not seen him, you loved him. And even though you do not 1281s

see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy. By the grace 1289s

of God, you have heard the witness. You have heard the testimony of these first eyewitnesses 1299s

that passed down through the ages of the church, you have heard the witness of those who saw 1309s

the empirical evidence of the death of Christ upon the cross, thinking that he had died for 1317s

all time and eternity only to find a few days later that he indeed has risen, 1325s

victorious over death itself. This is the witness, the testimony to which we cling, 1332s

and it is this witness that we bring in our day and age, based on what we have been given. 1341s

The spirit has worked in each and every single one of you to create a faith that can hold on 1353s

to the witness that can hold on to the promise that we have been given of the living Christ. 1361s

And although we can't put our fingers in his hand and we can't put our hand in his side, 1368s

we are given Christ in a very tangible manner through word and sacrament each and every single 1379s

week. The disciples that first Easter, the disciples were unable to convince Thomas 1387s

of what they had seen and what they knew was true, but that wasn't their job. 1396s

That wasn't their job. Their job was to tell. Their job was to proclaim what they had seen. 1405s

And it was God Himself who brought Thomas into belief. It was God Himself who put the very words 1416s

that Thomas could proclaim that Christ was His Lord, His God. 1429s

You are not going to be able to convince the unbeliever. You're not going to be able to convince 1438s

the unbeliever of anything, but that's not your job. That's not your job. You are called to be 1446s

race has given to you and God will prove Himself to the unbeliever. God will work 1465s

through His word will work by His Spirit in those who he calls through His word. 1475s

And He will prove Himself to be exactly who He says He is. 1483s

God who is victorious over sin, death and the devil, God who is merciful and gracious, 1490s

God who has forgiven your sins and called you to be His very own. 1500s

Of this we are witnesses and of this we have proofs. 1507s