30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 24 9-12 MEETING THE RISEN LORD 12 19Mar2022 Luke 24 11 God who is invisible
📖 Luke 24:9-12
12 – 19Mar2022 – God who is invisible - Luke 24:09-12 - MEETING THE RISEN LORD - Bible reading: I Timothy 1:17
“Thank You, Lord, that You reach out to us. Have mercy, have mercy upon us, Lord Jesus. Thank You for reaching out to Thomas because of which millions of us have turned to You. There are yet many more who are still turning to You. The work that You began in Thomas’ life continues on. We give You all the glory. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
Luke 24:11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.
We looked at how Doubting Thomas became the Determined Thomas. The Lord burst through all the resistance that Thomas had erected to cocoon himself in his unbelief. The Lord moved him from unbelief to belief.
Based on His encounter with Thomas, the Lord gave us a foundational understanding of our relationship with Him.
John 20:29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
The Lord was putting in place a vital principle in our relationship with Him. It is a relationship of belief and belief that is not dependent on visible, tangible encounters with God. This is what faith is, in its substance.
Faith is the evidence of the ‘not seen’. God is invisible.
I Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
God’s physical revelation of Himself to Thomas and to others continues to be special encounters. These are not the norm. Our relationship with Jesus is evidence of the unseen God.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Our life is continuous evidence of our faith, which in its very nature is of the unseen. The whole of the 11th chapter of Hebrews is a compendium of people of faith. Their lives are evidence of things not seen.
Moses is one who is included in the hall of fame, of faith.
Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
Throughout history, we see people of faith. They evidenced in themselves the things not seen. They always saw Him who is invisible.
Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (14) For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. (15) And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. (16) But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Our life of belief is also connected to our hope. We look forward to our heavenly habitation and we are people of faith in our God. We are rested in God even now but this time and this age are passing. A new age of a new heaven and new earth awaits those of us who live by faith in Jesus.
II Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. This is the description of the life of a child of God. Faith and sight are, therefore, opposites.
Hebrews 12:2a looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, ...
Since we are looking to Jesus, we are not moved.
Psalms 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
The Lord takes us through trials in life but these are given to increase our faith in Him.
I Peter 1:6-8 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, (7) that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, (8) whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
Faith is evidencing in our life that we are seeing God, who is invisible.
Thought to ponder
Are you living by faith or by sight?