When God Becomes Your God :: 7/11/12 PM

“When God Becomes Your God”

John 20:28  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Intro: Today, I began to ponder this passage.  I found it unusual.

1. It was unusual because of the Source.

It was not a Gentile, or an outsider, or a person that had just been healed, or raised from the dead.

This was coming from a man that had walked with Christ for 3 ½ years.

2. It was unusual because of the Situation.

Jesus hadn’t just performed some great miracle, or demonstrated some great power.

He simply walked into the room, came and stood in their midst.

3. It was unusual because of the Statement.

This wasn’t a long, drawn out testimony; or a message, or even a prayer.

This wasn’t an apology, or an excuse, or a demand for an explanation, or even a question.

This was a simple, profound statement that came from the lips of one of Jesus’ closest companions and disciples.

This statement is more than an OBSERVATION; it was a CONVICTION; it was a CONFESSION; it was a

I. Notice Thomas’ Discipleship – Matt. 10:1, 2

A. Thomas was Called – vs. 1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples…

B. Thomas was Commissioned – vs. 1, 5 These twelve Jesus sent forth…

C. Thomas was Commanded – vs. 5; 11:1 We have no record of Thomas ever disobeying the Lord

D. Thomas was Committed – he started out with Jesus and never walked away, when many others did

I want us to understand something: Thomas wasn’t a loser!  He was a dedicated, committed disciple of Christ.

He heard every message, saw every miracle, heard every parable, spent every day with Christ; walking with Him.

He saw thousands of people introduced to Christ and saw their lives changed.

He told thousands of people that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and that he was the Son of God.

He wasn’t sitting on the fence; he followed Him; left everything and everybody to follow Christ.

He didn’t bail out when there wasn’t any place to sleep, or live, or when other disciples forsook them.

He was with Jesus Christ through the thick and the thin.

We can’t criticize Thomas for being a quitter, or a deadbeat, or a troublemaker.

But something was missing…He had ONE fault.

II. Notice Thomas’ Doubt

NOTE: Their witness of Christ was unanimous – WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD 

ILLUSTRATION: How many times have we heard people share with us what God has done for them, and we doubt it.

How many times have we read God’s Word, and yet fail to believe that it is available for us?

A. Thomas’ doubt was NOT A SECRET – vs. 25 …but he said unto them, Except…

B. Thomas’ doubt was STUBBORN – vs. 25 …Except…I WILL NOT BELIEVE

C. Thomas’ doubt was SENSUAL – I have to see it and I have to feel it for myself before I will believe it

The problem with most Christian’s faith is it is based on PERSONAL EXPERIENCES – NOT SCRIPTURE.

We limit ourselves because we limit God.

III. Notice Thomas’ Discovery – vs. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

What took Thomas so long to say this?  He had followed Christ for 3 ½ years, but God had never been HIS God.

A. His discovery was because of a Realization – vs. 26 …and Thomas with them.

He realized that maybe he was wrong.

He realized that maybe he had been missing something all these years.

He realized that maybe there was more to Christ than he had discovered in almost 4 years of following Him.

He realized that maybe he should have been a little more patient and a little less dogmatic about his doubt.

B. His Discovery was because of a Revelation – vs. 27 …behold my hands

One glance at Jesus’ hands and one major truth hit him square in the face:

GOD IS GOING TO BE GOD – REGARDLESS OF WHETHER I EVER RECOGNIZE IT OR NOT!

His being God is not contingent on MY BELIEVING it!

JESUS HAD BEEN BUSY BEING GOD – BUT NOT TO HIM!

The problem is He can’t be GOD TO ME; IN MY LIFE – until I let Him be God to me!

QUESTION: How long are you going to serve Him, follow Him, labor for Him, work for Him, without realizing HE IS GOD!!

C. His Discovery was because of a Rebuke – vs. 27b …be not faithless, but believing

Sometimes we fail to recognize the magnitude of our doubt and its effect on us.

God wasn’t angry at Thomas for doubting; he just didn’t want him to live his entire life in stubborn doubt!

Jesus went OUT OF HIS WAY to help Thomas believe.

What will it take for you to believe God?

What will it take for GOD TO BECOME YOUR GOD?

Conclusion: Psalms 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.