30th Mar 26 | 13:54
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Luke 24 9-12 MEETING THE RISEN LORD 09 16Mar2022 Luke 24 11 Meet Thomas
📖 Luke 24:9-12
09 – 16Mar2022 – Meet Thomas - Luke 24:09-12 - MEETING THE RISEN LORD - Bible reading: John 20:24-25
“Thank you, Lord Jesus. Your concern for us is our faith in You. You came reaching for us that we will not be unbelieving but believing. Forgive us Lord that every time we disobey You, we are demonstrating unbelief in You. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your love for us. In Your precious name, we pray. Amen.”
The response of the disciples to the message of the women that Jesus had risen from the dead was unbelief.
Luke 24:11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.
We see how Mary Magdalene told the disciples that Jesus had risen, for this was her commission. How did the disciples respond to Mary?
Mark 16:9-11 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. (10) She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. (11) And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
The disciples were mourning and weeping for they had expected the Messiah to set up His kingdom. In their understanding, everything was shattered. Jesus was crucified, He died, He was buried and now the women were saying that He had risen from the dead. They were full of unbelief. Their unbelief led them to their grief and disappointment.
Though this was the response of the disciples, we know how powerfully these same grieving, doubting, faithless disciples turned to become mighty instruments in the hands of God, to change history. They moved from unbelief to belief .
Let us look at an example of their transformation. This incident took place as these same, once, unbelieving disciples stood before the Jewish council, the highest legislative body of the Jews.
Acts 5:30-32 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. (31) Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (32) And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."
How did this astonishing change happen? They moved from unbelief to belief.
The Lord’s desire for us is that we will come to the state, where these disciples had come, to be fearless, bringing the kingdom rule of God on earth.
Look carefully at this message that they gave the Jewish council. They had been hoping that Jesus would set up His kingdom. Now, they knew that the Lord has truly inaugurated His kingdom. They understood His crucifixion, death, burial and HIS RESURRECTION.
“…Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins…” They were able to connect the kingdom of God to man’s personal salvation. They understood the core Gospel message of repentance and forgiveness of our sins.
They affirmed that they were bold and articulate witnesses to the Gospel because of the Holy Spirit. They also established their obedience, to their faith.
Faith leads to obedience and obedience is the demonstration of our love for God.
The core Gospel message is the place where man begins to journey with God. After explaining the core Gospel message in I Corinthians 15:1-4, Apostle Paul goes on to speak of meeting the risen Lord, as the basis for his commitment to the Gospel message.
The core Gospel message is clear but the Gospel message to transform the world comes from the lives of those who believe and are committed to the core Gospel message. These are those who are saying, “I am not living in this world to save my life, for I know that whoever seeks to save his life will lose it but he who loses his life for Christ and the gospel will save it.” Losing our life for Christ and Gospel happens when we have reckoned the resurrection of Jesus.
I Corinthians 15:5-8 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. (6) After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. (7) After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. (8) Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
Resurrection is the vital connection to bring the Gospel message to reality. It was the resurrection message that caused the Gospel message to take off and soar. For all of this to happen, the disciples had to move from the state of unbelief to belief.
THE LORD’S ENCOUNTER WITH THOMAS.
John 20:24-25 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. (25) The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
Take a step back, friends, and consider the words of Thomas. These are the words of a hard-hearted man. How could anyone say that he wants to put his finger into the nail prints and his hand into the side of Jesus, where He was pierced? Can you see the hardness of his heart? Meet Thomas .
This hardness was caused by unbelief.
We will look at Thomas, how he moved from unbelief to belief and what it meant for all of us, and especially for those of us from India.
Thought to ponder
The church, to a large extent, is still in the state of unbelief.