The Messiah’s Secret – The Doors were Shut
Below an “Upper Room” at Jerusalem
Below an “Upper Room” at Jerusalem
The disciples were in fear of being arrested by either the Jews or the Romans following the crucifixion of Jesus. We can imagine a similar situation today where Christians in Iraq and Syria no doubt know the fear of someone coming to arrest them, for being followers of Jesus and in this terrible situation we hope and pray, that they are being upheld by the presence of Jesus in their hearts.
The disciples were fearful because of the Jews threats against Jesus in their association with him. We have evidence in John 11: 8, 16 where the disciples had agreed to go with Jesus to Bethany, but they knew that there was a risk of Jesus being stoned by the Jews in Judea.“Thomas, called the twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us go, that we may die with him.” So they went to Bethany and that’s why they kept the doors shut.
So when on the evening of the Day of the Resurrection Jesus came and stood among them. He was alive, yes it really was Jesus. God had raised him from the dead.
He said to them, “Peace be with you.” Their first reaction perhaps stunned at what they saw. Jesus repeated his words, which must have reached into the depths of their being, giving them God’s peace.
Shalom.
Shalom is the peace coming from God that passes all understanding. Peace its ripples of contentment flow out touching every sphere of a Christian’s life. It’s the fruit of God’s Spirit: love, joy and peace. Galatians 5: 22
John experienced along with those present Jesus breathing on them saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” Jesus the word of life, his words spirit and life, fulfilling John the Baptist’s words, The Messiah would baptise them with the Holy Spirit and fire, everything stemming from our creator God.
Some decades later
John the Apostle wrote in his first letter in connection with the resurrection, that Jesus was manifested to them in his eternal body.
”That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen, with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life, the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us.”
John looking back remembered what he saw, he and the others were eye witnesses they had looked upon and touched the risen Jesus with their hands. 1 John 1: 1, 2.
John for a period of time led the church at Ephesus he witnessed through his letter defending the resurrection from the sceptics of his day.
Oxford dictionary
A sceptic is a person inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions.
Thomas was sceptical when he heard of Jesus’ resurrection.
Thomas, the same man who earlier had said, “Let us go, that we may die with him.”
He fled from the Garden when Jesus was arrested, and Thomas was not with the others in the house on the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection.
We read he was sceptical he would not believe the testimony from the other disciples. He would not believe until he saw where the nails that had pierced his flesh and the sword his side.
Today Christian testimonies don’t seem to register with sceptics. People want evidence they want to experience something of God before they will commit themselves to believe in Jesus.
Thomas found out the truth when he saw and touched his risen Lord, he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God.” He recognised Jesus as both his Lord, his teacher, his friend, his leader and his God He recognised that Jesus was God.
So now he had found the way that Jesus had spoken about in an earlier conversation with him. Jesus had said, “You know the way to where I am going.” Thomas replied, “Lord, we do not know the way to where you are going.”
Thomas had looked upon, he had touched eternal life God manifested in Jesus, he found the way to eternal life it was through having faith in Jesus.
Jesus said to Thomas,” Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.
Our country is now teeming with people who are sceptical of the Christ’s resurrection and who Jesus is.
I can only speak from my own experience, over the last few months I’ve had several conversations with people most acknowledge that there is a God, but they are sceptical about Jesus’ place in that context of being both Messiah and God.
“How do you know that Jesus is who he says he is? The answer is to find out for ourselves.
One way is by taking the words from the Bible and talk to God and say a prayer, you talk to God as you would a friend.
The other week I was asked, ‘Did Jesus exist at all?’ I replied, that a highly regarded historian Josephus wrote about Jesus and of the claim of his followers to the resurrection of Jesus.
Another common assumption is that all religions believe in the same God. This is not true. Other religions put God on a higher plane, on a pedestal, out of reach of humanity.
Whereas, the Christian faith we know that Jesus has made it possible for us to know God like Thomas that Jesus is both our Lord and our God, and its through faith we have been blessed we who haven’t seen but believe.
Prayer
Lord, may anyone here this morning who have doubts about the resurrection come to you in faith and by God’s grace may they find their Lord and God removing any doubts they may have.
In Jesus name.