WHAT DOES THE RESURRECTION TRULY MEAN TO US?

 

“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith would have been futile [worthless; useless; mere delusion; and your sins would not have been forgiven (1 Corinthians 15:17).

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

But, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (James 2:19).

In our human history there are different kinds of believers:

The Casual Believers – If you have a casual faith, you do not follow Christ (you are a practical atheist; you live as if there is no God).

Prior to this year’s Easter season, the Center for Missional Research wanted to find out how prevalent the belief in the physical resurrection of Christ really is among the U.S. general public. The survey question read: “The Bible and the Christian faith claim that on the first Easter Sunday, the physical body of Jesus came back to life after being dead since His crucifixion on the previous Friday. Do you believe Jesus literally rose from the dead?” It may comes as a surprise that over 65 percent of those surveyed answered, “Yes.” However, do we see 75 percent of Americans living for Jesus? No.

Another way is of that of the Convenient Believers – If you have a convenient faith, you follow Christ for what you can get out of it (no service, no giving).

“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66). The reason: It was no longer convenient to follow Jesus.

Committed Believers – If you have a committed faith, you follow Christ no matter what.

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

But what is the road to the Committed faith

Committed faith often starts with honest douts.

“But [Thomas] 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 it’” (John 20:25b).

Thomas is often called “Doubting Thomas.” But the other disciples also doubted before Jesus appeared to them. (Read John 20:3-9.) John “saw and believed”. John did not believe until he saw the empty tomb.

Thomas is mentioned two other times in John’s Gospel. It seems that Thomas had a negative, pessimistic, gloomy personality. But it’s also clear that he was extremely loyal and devoted to Christ.

John 11:16 – “Then Thomas who called the Didymus said to the rest of the disciples, ‘Let us also go; that we may die with him.’” (See 10:39; 11:8.)

John 14:5 – “Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’” (See 1-4.)

I think that Thomas wanted to believe in the resurrection but was afraid of being disappointed. So he demanded absolute proof that Jesus had risen.

Honest doubts can lead to spiritual discoveries

“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!’ 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’” (John 20:26-27).

Do you have doubts? “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Spiritual discoveries can lead to a devotion that will never be shaken.

“Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28).

Someone has said that “the most outrageous doubter of the resurrection of Jesus utters the greatest confession of the Lord who rose from the dead.”

This is the high point of John’s Gospel. The Gospel began with the statement, “The Word was God” (1:1). Now Thomas declares Him to be God. The book was written to lead others to this belief. “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (20:30-31).

Thomas has transformed his life.

It is believed that Thomas traveled all the way to India, preaching the gospel of his resurrected Lord and eventually become a martyr.

• Thomas’s faith was committed enough to die for Jesus.

• Is your belief committed enough to live for Jesus?

If not, you faith is casual or convenient.

“Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’” (John 20:29).

Jesus is not saying that subjective faith (based on feelings) is better than objective faith (based on facts). He is not talking about subjective faith (blind faith); He’s talking about satisfied faith. Satisfied faith is a faith that is satisfied with the evidence God has given us (for example, John’s Gospel) and doesn’t demand visions, miracles, or experiences.

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8).

Either we have a committed faith or we are just playing church.

Personal Response
The name “Thomas” means “twin.” We don’t know who Thomas’s twin was, but maybe you could be his twin. Maybe

you have doubts about the resurrection.

• If you have doubts about the resurrection, will you honestly seek the truth?

• If you believe in the resurrection, do you have committed faith? Are you a fully devoted follower of Christ?

 What Does the Resurrection Mean to Us?

“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

 The Road to Committed Faith

Committed faith often starts with honest.

“But [Thomas] 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 it’” (John 20:25b).

But, honest doubts can lead to spiritual elevation.

“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!’ 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’” (John 20:26-27).

 “Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’” (John 20:29).

 

My beloved, the story of Easter does not end here today with this Gospel lesson. It continues on in your life! The hope of that first Easter morning lives on in the believer’s heart, and that makes all the difference! For when you have a reason to celebrate, and you do, then that makes all the difference because you do not celebrate in vain but in true faith.

 

Amen.