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Stop Disbelieving, just Believe · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Well, let's turn to that passage now that we read in John chapter 20.
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! John chapter 20. We can read once again from verse 24.
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Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called a twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
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So the other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord.
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But he said to them, Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails,
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and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.
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Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.
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Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you.
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Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here and see my hands,
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and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.
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Thomas answered him, My Lord and my God.
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Jesus said to him, Have you believed because you have seen me?
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Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
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Isn't it telling sometimes we think of people by what we see as the negatives,
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or the things that maybe appear wrong in their lives,
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and we think of them in such a way as gives them names according to that.
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Thomas has come to be known in history as Doubting Thomas.
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Most people today would relate to that,
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because of the way that he said here, as we read,
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that he refused to believe the testimony of the other disciples,
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and would not believe unless he saw Jesus for himself.
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So he's called Doubting Thomas.
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But then he's also confessing Thomas.
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Why don't we refer to him as confessing Thomas?
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Why don't we focus on that more positive element in his life?
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Because as we'll see this evening, there is no other confession really in the New Testament,
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or even in the entire Scripture quite like it.
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It's a confession that includes not only a personal testimony to his relationship with Jesus,
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but a confession of Jesus as Lord and God.
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Within the one confession, you find that wonderful expression,
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my Lord and my God.
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That is who we should think of when we think about Thomas.
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Not that his doubting is something we just push aside as irrelevant,
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but here is somebody who came through the instruction and leading of Jesus himself
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to make this wonderful personal confession
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that is now forever for the whole process of time before us in the words of Scripture.
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And as we look at that this evening,
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we can see two things, especially just to focus on them.
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First of all, Christ's correction of Thomas,
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and then Thomas' confession of Christ.
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Christ's, first of all, Christ's correction of Thomas,
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and then Thomas' confession of Christ.
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Now, we read the previous event here from verse 19,
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where we find that the first time that Jesus came into the midst of the disciples,
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it's almost exactly the same words, and we'll refer to that in a minute,
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that Jesus came and stood amongst them,
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even with the doors being locked.
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We shouldn't wonder about that.
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This is the Jesus who performs miracles that people cannot completely fathom or understand,
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and the fact that he himself is the greatest miracle
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through his coming into the world as the Son of God,
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taking our human nature to himself and living a sinless life.
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In many respects, that is the great miracle.
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And where you see that great miracle,
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and where you think of this Jesus and who he is,
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and what he was able to do at other times,
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we should not be at all surprised or disbelieving
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that he actually came into the presence of the disciples here,
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even when the doors were locked.
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He is there with them and speaks to them in a way that we find recorded there.
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But Thomas was absent at that previous event.
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He didn't appear with them for whatever reason.
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Maybe he was tied up with something else.
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We're not told.
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We're just told that Thomas was not with them.
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And when Jesus came to reveal to them his hands and his side,
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and spoke to them in a way that said,
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Peace be with you.
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As the Father has sent me, even so I'm sending you.
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He breathed on them, said,
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We receive the Holy Spirit, and so on.
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Thomas was absent.
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Maybe he had good reason to be absent.
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We don't know.
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But from the whole tenor of the passage,
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it seems that he could have been there,
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but for some reason wasn't.
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And certainly when Jesus spoke to him on the second occasion,
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he didn't speak to him roughly,
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but he did speak to him critically
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for not having believed the testimony of the disciples
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who had seen him on that first occasion
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of his appearing amongst them.
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And you know, that's something that,
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in simple terms,
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but yet profoundly important,
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that you and I can say of ourselves.
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The fact that Christ has promised
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to be present in the gatherings of his people,
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the fact that Christ is present
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in the preaching of the gospel,
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the fact that faith comes by hearing,
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as Roman 10 puts it,
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and hearing by the word of God,
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or the word of Christ,
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that means that every gathering of God's people
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where Christ has promised to be present
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is important.
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It's significant.
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It's somewhere we should always intend to be.
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It's something we should always approach
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with the opinion,
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with the view,
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with the desire
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to actually meet with Jesus
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as he has promised to be
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in the midst of his people.
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That his Holy Spirit would bring us
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by his blessing,
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once again,
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to meet with Jesus spiritually.
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If we're not there,
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it's not likely to happen.
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And that's one of the sad things,
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isn't it really?
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In many ways,
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it's a tragedy,
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how few people around us
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and how few people
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even of our congregations
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regularly come
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to every occasion
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where Christ is present,
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where they can meet with Jesus,
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where Jesus can speak to them
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and show them the evidences
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of his love,
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of his death,
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of his resurrection.
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That's what the gospel
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sets out for us.
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That's why it's important
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that you're here tonight.
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Yes, you're here to worship
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along with others,
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and that worship includes
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so many things
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that are precious to us.
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But we're here to listen to God.
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You've not come here
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to listen to me,
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I hope.
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You've come here to listen
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to God speaking to you
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through his word.
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God taking the scriptures
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and opening up your mind
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and opening up the scriptures
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for your mind
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to receive them.
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This is an important occasion.
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And it's made important
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by the fact
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that you're coming into
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the presence of the King.
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that Jesus,
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through the gospel,
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is being presented
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to you once again.
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Whether it's the case
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that we've not yet come
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to trust in him,
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or whether we've been
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trusting in him
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for many years,
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we're still needy
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of meeting with Christ tonight.
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Meeting with him
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as our Savior,
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maybe for the first time,
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hopefully,
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if we've not done that yet.
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But meeting with him
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for the umpteenth time,
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perhaps.
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because we're always in need
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of being nurtured
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and guided
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and taught
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by Christ
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through his presence,
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through his Holy Spirit
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in the gatherings
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of his people.
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So he was missing.
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And he missed out
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on what had happened
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on that occasion.
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But then you see
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they come to see
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the disciples' testimony,
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verse 25,
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when he came,
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the other disciples
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told Thomas,
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who wasn't with them
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when Jesus came
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the first time,
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the other disciples
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told him,
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we have seen the Lord.
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But then he said
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to them firmly,
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unless I see
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in his hands
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the mark of the nails
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and place my finger
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into the mark of the nails
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and place my hand
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into his side,
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I will never believe.
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Now some people would say,
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well, Thomas was quite right
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surely to say that.
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He wasn't prepared
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to take anybody else's word
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for it.
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He wanted to see
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Christ for himself.
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And if Christ was really
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risen from the dead,
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was it all that wrong
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for him to say
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that he would not believe
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unless and until
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he saw him for himself?
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Yes, it was wrong.
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You can see that
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from the rebuke
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Jesus gave him.
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Don't be disbelieving,
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but believe.
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In other words,
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he should have listened
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and accepted
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the testimony
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of his fellow disciples.
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Why should they
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be unreliable?
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Why should they have
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told him other
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than the truth?
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Why should he insist
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unless he saw him
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for himself,
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he would not believe
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their testimony
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as to his resurrection
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from the dead?
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it was wrong of him
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not to accept
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their testimony.
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And we should always
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ourselves be open
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to the testimony
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of other people
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who know the Lord.
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Maybe they're from
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very different backgrounds
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to ours,
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very different churches
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to ours,
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very different congregations
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to ours.
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But those who genuinely
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sincerely know the Lord
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and present the Lord
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through their lives,
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let's not doubt
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the veracity
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of their life.
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Let's not doubt
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the genuineness
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of their testimony
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unless there are other
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things that make
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that possible.
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Here are people
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who had seen the Lord,
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who had heard the Lord,
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who had been spoken
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to by the Lord,
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who came to Thomas
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and said,
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we have seen the Lord.
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Now, I'm sure they said
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more than what you find
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there in verse 25.
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That's just as the Bible
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often does.
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It really summarizes
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what happened
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in a few words.
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You can't believe
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that it's all
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that they said
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was,
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we have seen the Lord.
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They would have undoubtedly
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explained to Thomas
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how it was
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they had seen him,
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what they had actually
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witnessed,
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what he had said
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to them.
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They wouldn't have just
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left it at,
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we have seen the Lord.
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That's not their way.
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But for all of that,
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Thomas refused
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their testimony.
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Thomas did not believe.
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Thomas insisted
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that he would have
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to prove this
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for himself
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despite the testimony
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of his fellow believers.
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And so what happened?
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Well, verses 26 and 27,
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what you find essentially
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is Jesus recreating
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the event.
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It's the same emphasis
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in different ways,
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same emphasis in many ways,
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though there are differences,
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where you find
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in verse 26
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that they were again
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together
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eight days later
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and Thomas
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was with them.
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That's emphasized.
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And
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though the doors
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were locked,
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same as previously,
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Jesus came
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and stood among them
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and said,
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peace be with you,
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just as he had done before.
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And then he turned
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and spoke to Thomas.
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And when he's saying here,
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peace be with you,
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we're not going to go
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into that,
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but it is important
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and it's important
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that Jesus re-emphasized that
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as we'll see probably
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for Thomas' benefit
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as well as the others
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because they had heard it before.
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When he says,
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peace be with you,
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he's really speaking
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about what he has himself
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done in order to bring
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peace between themselves
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and God.
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It's the peace
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of reconciliation,
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the peace that he has
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effected through the cross
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and through his resurrection
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from the dead.
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He has provided them
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with the ground
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of their acceptance
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with God in himself.
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And that's why he's able
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to say,
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peace be with you.
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May this peace
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be your experience.
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And what an important point
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that is for us tonight
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as well.
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Isn't that what
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the Lord is saying
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to you and to me
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through the gospel tonight?
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Isn't he addressing you
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and addressing me
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with these same terms,
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with these same words,
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peace be to you?
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Isn't he emphasizing
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through the gospel
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what he has done,
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why he has done it,
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who it's for,
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and how it's important
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for us to receive it?
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Peace be with you.
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The peace of God,
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the peace of Christ,
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the peace that has come
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to be given to his people
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instead of condemnation.
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There is therefore,
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as Paul said to the Romans,
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no condemnation
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to those who are
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in Christ Jesus
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there is no condemnation
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to them.
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In other words,
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there's peace for them.
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They are at peace with God.
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They're in a relationship
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with God
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where peace is the central
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facet of it,
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where the previous
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relationship
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has been replaced,
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and where there is now
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no condemnation.
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They are forgiven their sins.
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There's peace
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between them
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and their God.
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But moving on from that,
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it's important to notice
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that this event
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was recreated,
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as we've put it,
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specifically for the benefit
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of Thomas.
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The Lord came
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into this gathering,
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and it's emphasizing
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that Thomas
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was there at the time,
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and then after Jesus
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had said,
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peace be to you,
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peace be with you,
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he turned to Thomas
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and said,
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put your finger here
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and see my hands,
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and put out your hand
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and place it in my side,
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and don't be disbelieving,
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but believe.
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In other words,
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Jesus had specifically
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arranged this meeting
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for whatever benefit
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the other disciples
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got out of it,
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I'm sure they did,
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but it was specifically
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for Thomas.
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His target was Thomas.
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He aimed his words
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at Thomas.
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It was for Thomas' benefit
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especially
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that he came to re-emphasize
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his resurrection
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from the dead
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and the peace with God
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that he mentioned.
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Now, isn't that interesting?
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Isn't that significant?
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Jesus didn't say
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about this Thomas
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like we might have said,
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well, you've had your chance, boy.
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You've had your chance.
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We were here before.
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Jesus came here previously.
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You missed out on it.
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That was your fault.
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No, Jesus didn't say to him,
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you could have been here last time,
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but you missed out
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on a very important event.
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And therefore,
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I can't say anything more
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to you at this point.
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No, he didn't do that, did he?
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Because this is
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the loving, kind Jesus.
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The Jesus who takes account
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of his people's faults
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and his people's failures.
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The Jesus who's not content
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to leave us
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in our own reluctance.
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The Jesus who comes before us
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in the gospel
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and addresses us
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and says,
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don't be disbelieving,
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but believe.
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He came here
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for Thomas' benefit.
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He didn't pass him off.
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He didn't say to him,
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you've had your chance.
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And so there's nothing more
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to be said about it.
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No, he's following it up.
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And that's the same
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for everybody here tonight.
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If you've not yet come
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to accept Christ
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and believe in him
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and trust in him
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for your salvation,
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be thankful tonight
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that he's not passed you off.
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That he's not saying
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to you tonight,
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you've had previous chances,
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so I'm not going to speak
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to you again.
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You should have done this
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the last time,
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so therefore this time
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it's different.
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I have nothing else for you.
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That's not the Jesus
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we meet with in the gospel.
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Jesus has come
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through the gospel tonight,
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through his spirit
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to this place tonight
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to speak to you,
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to speak to me.
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You might have passed him away
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reluctantly to believe in him,
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reluctant to believe in him.
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You might have many times
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refused in the past
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to give your life over to him,
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to trust in him,
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to deliver your life
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over into his hands.
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But he's not left you.
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You're here tonight
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and he's speaking to you.
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And he has something
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to say to you.
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And the very fact
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that you're here means
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he's not abandoned you.
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He's not saying to you,
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your chance is gone.
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Your opportunity is past.
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Thanks be to God.
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We are a patient God.
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A patient Savior.
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A long-suffering Redeemer.
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A God who does not pass us off
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despite our failures
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or for our failures.
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Now that,
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no way does that actually
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validate the kind of thought
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that says,
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well, I'll have many
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other opportunities then.
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That's not why we're saying this.
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That's not why it's in the Bible.
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It's not here so that we can conclude,
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well, because he came back to Thomas,
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he's bound to come back to me
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if I refuse him tonight.
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He's going to come back to me.
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I'll be here next week.
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You might not be.
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And even if you are,
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you might never hear his voice again.
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Don't guarantee yourself
17:44
a hearing with Jesus
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if you turn away from him
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when he's speaking to you.
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He came here for Thomas' benefit.
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He's here in the Gospel tonight
17:54
for your benefit.
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And he's addressing you
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as he did Thomas.
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Oh, the kindness of Jesus,
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friends,
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is so amazing, isn't it?
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He is so much
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above ourselves
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and different to ourselves.
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How patient are we
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with our fellow human beings?
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How patient are we
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even with our pets?
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We get annoyed.
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We're easily put off.
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But Christ comes back
18:28
for Thomas' benefit.
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And that's what's emphasized
18:34
for you tonight as well
18:35
through the Gospel.
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So what does he say?
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Jesus, first of all,
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you see, he knew
18:39
what Thomas had said
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or thought.
18:43
Thomas had said
18:44
before Jesus came in
18:45
the second time,
18:47
there was Thomas
18:47
with the other disciples
18:48
and Thomas saying to him,
18:51
unless I actually see
18:53
for myself
18:53
the mark of the nails
18:54
in his hands
18:55
and so on,
18:56
I will never believe.
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Now, Jesus wasn't
18:59
physically present with them.
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He came moments after that
19:02
into their company,
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but he knew
19:04
what he had said.
19:06
He knew what Thomas'
19:07
mind had thought.
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And he addressed him
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exactly in accordance
19:12
with Thomas'
19:13
own words.
19:15
It was Thomas'
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reluctance and refusal
19:17
to accept the testimony
19:19
of the disciples.
19:20
This is what he said.
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Thomas,
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put your finger here
19:27
and see my hands
19:29
and put your hand out
19:30
and place it in my sight.
19:32
These were the terms
19:33
that Thomas had refused him on,
19:34
refused the testimony on.
19:36
He said,
19:36
unless I see in his hands
19:37
the mark of the nails,
19:39
put my finger
19:39
into the mark of the nails,
19:40
place my hand into his side,
19:42
I will never believe.
19:43
And here is Jesus saying to him,
19:44
I heard you.
19:45
I heard what you said.
19:47
I know what you said.
19:49
And here I am.
19:51
And I am now commanding you
19:53
to do this.
19:55
You refuse to accept
19:57
the testimony
19:58
of your brother's disciples
20:00
on the previous occasion.
20:03
And you said,
20:04
well,
20:04
unless I happen to see his hand,
20:06
the mark of the nails,
20:07
I will never believe.
20:08
Well,
20:08
Thomas,
20:09
now you're seeing it.
20:11
What are you going to do now?
20:12
You see,
20:13
Jesus addresses exactly
20:16
the situation
20:17
Thomas himself
20:18
had brought about,
20:19
the words
20:20
that Thomas
20:21
had actually spoken of.
20:23
It's a marvelous thing
20:24
in the Bible,
20:24
isn't it,
20:25
to realize,
20:27
as it often says,
20:28
that nothing of our lives
20:30
is hidden from God.
20:33
None of our words
20:35
are hidden from God.
20:37
God,
20:38
whatever you're thinking
20:40
in your mind tonight
20:41
as this message goes forth,
20:44
God knows what you're thinking.
20:47
God knows your conclusions.
20:50
God knows what you're saying,
20:52
what you're thinking to yourself.
20:54
Nobody else knows it.
20:56
Nobody else sees
20:57
your words floating
20:58
above your head.
21:00
But God knows it.
21:01
Christ knows it.
21:03
He knows it exactly.
21:04
And while that,
21:06
in some ways,
21:07
might be disturbing to us,
21:08
and indeed,
21:09
there's a reason why
21:10
it should be disturbing to us
21:11
that God sees into our hearts
21:13
and sees the very processes
21:14
of our mind
21:15
and the words that we're using,
21:17
it's also immensely comforting,
21:18
isn't it,
21:19
when you come to actually
21:20
see your need
21:21
and express your need to God,
21:23
you're not coming to a God
21:24
who is ignorant
21:26
of your situation.
21:27
You're not coming to God
21:28
as one who has not read
21:30
your situation
21:30
and who needs to be told
21:32
by you what it's about.
21:35
He's ahead of you there.
21:38
And because He's ahead of you there,
21:40
He's more than able
21:41
to deal with the situation
21:42
you're in
21:43
and the condition of your soul.
21:45
Remember the woman
21:46
who had the hemorrhage of blood
21:47
in the Gospels,
21:49
Matthew chapter 5,
21:50
one version of it,
21:51
Matthew chapter 5,
21:52
verse 30.
21:54
She reached out
21:55
and she said to herself,
21:56
if I just touch the hem
21:57
of His garment,
21:58
I will be healed.
22:01
And so she reached out
22:02
and there was a huge crowd
22:03
jostling around
22:05
trying to see Jesus
22:06
and she reached out
22:07
amongst that crowd
22:08
and she touched
22:09
the hem of His garment
22:10
and immediately
22:12
she was cured
22:13
of the hemorrhage.
22:14
She knew in herself
22:15
that the hemorrhage of blood
22:16
had been cured,
22:18
had been stemmed.
22:20
And then remarkably,
22:22
Jesus said,
22:23
who touched me?
22:25
His disciples were amazed.
22:27
They saw the crowd around Him
22:30
and yet there He is asking,
22:32
who touched you?
22:33
Who touched me?
22:34
Well, the disciples
22:35
could have said to Him,
22:36
what do you mean
22:37
who touched you?
22:38
There are dozens of people
22:39
here who would have touched you.
22:40
Why do you want to know
22:41
who touched you?
22:42
Most of the people here
22:43
might have touched you,
22:44
those around you.
22:45
But Jesus, you see,
22:45
was thinking of
22:46
the one specific touch
22:49
that had touched Him
22:51
in a way no other touch
22:52
had at that moment.
22:53
the touch of faith,
22:56
the touch of trusting,
22:59
the touch of looking
23:00
for an answer
23:01
to her predicament.
23:04
And Jesus felt it.
23:05
Jesus knew it.
23:07
He knew it in Himself.
23:13
And that's still the case today.
23:16
But it's also the case
23:18
on the other side of the issue.
23:21
Your unbelief touches Him as well.
23:24
He's not unaware
23:25
of that unbelief,
23:28
as it were,
23:29
touching Him
23:30
as you express that unbelief,
23:33
as you live out
23:34
an unbelief in your life,
23:36
if that's the case.
23:37
Hopefully not.
23:38
But if it is,
23:39
that's registered with Jesus.
23:41
It's not hidden from Him.
23:45
And that's one of the reasons
23:46
you can be confident
23:47
in coming to Him.
23:50
Nothing is hidden from Him.
23:51
Every aspect of our life
23:55
is known to Him.
23:58
Every part of our need,
23:59
every element of our need,
24:01
from the smallest to the greatest,
24:03
registers with Him.
24:06
Whether it's faith
24:08
or unbelief,
24:10
but it touches the Savior.
24:13
He knows it.
24:14
He's aware of it.
24:15
And He speaks accordingly.
24:20
So Christ knew
24:21
what Thomas had said
24:24
and what he had thought.
24:25
And secondly,
24:26
in this recreation of the event,
24:28
Christ commanded Thomas
24:29
to touch Him
24:31
and to touch the evidences.
24:33
That's what He said,
24:34
as we read,
24:35
Reach out your hand.
24:37
Come and put your hand
24:38
into the mark of the nails.
24:40
And see my hands
24:43
and put your hand
24:44
and place it in my side.
24:46
Do not be disbelieving,
24:47
but believe.
24:50
He commands him
24:51
to touch the evidences
24:54
of Christ's own resurrection.
24:56
This is the very person,
24:57
the very Jesus who died
24:59
and was crucified on the cross
25:01
and whose body was buried.
25:04
And now He's saying to Thomas,
25:05
These are the evidences
25:06
of my death.
25:08
The evidences now
25:09
that I am risen from the dead
25:10
because they are the marks
25:12
of the death I died.
25:15
Now reach out and touch them.
25:18
And don't be disbelieving,
25:19
but believe.
25:22
It's a wonderful thing
25:23
that God provides us
25:28
with evidence
25:29
in order that we should believe.
25:34
Don't go by the ways
25:35
of the world
25:35
or the atheistic philosophies
25:37
of the world
25:38
that says,
25:39
you know,
25:39
you're telling us
25:40
you believe in Jesus.
25:41
You've never seen Jesus.
25:42
How can you believe
25:42
in somebody you've never seen?
25:44
How can you speak to somebody
25:45
and yet you've never seen Him
25:47
with your own eyes?
25:50
How can you trust in somebody
25:52
and trust your life to somebody
25:54
when you don't even know
25:55
that He exists physically?
25:56
You've never seen Him.
25:57
Well, we do see Him.
26:05
We do see the evidences
26:06
because the Bible
26:09
recreates them for us.
26:12
And because the Bible
26:13
is the Bible
26:14
and the Bible
26:14
is God's Word,
26:16
as you read this passage
26:17
and every other passage
26:19
in the Word of God
26:20
and every other passage
26:21
that gives you
26:22
such details as this,
26:23
it's bringing you
26:24
into that occasion
26:25
and is placing you there
26:27
as surely as if you had been
26:28
physically there
26:29
on the first occasion.
26:32
And so you can see
26:33
that tonight
26:33
God is presenting you
26:35
with the evidences
26:36
because they are there
26:37
written for you
26:38
in His Word.
26:40
And the evidences
26:41
that are there
26:41
are there for our believing
26:42
so that we will reach out
26:45
and touch the evidences
26:46
if you like
26:46
through receiving
26:48
the testimony
26:49
of the Word of God itself.
26:52
God doesn't lie.
26:54
Don't go along
26:55
with the idea
26:55
that the Bible
26:57
is just far,
26:58
far too old
26:59
for you nowadays
27:00
to believe in it
27:01
when the world
27:02
has moved on
27:03
in such a long way
27:04
so many ways
27:05
from the days
27:06
of the disciples.
27:08
You know,
27:09
when you come to ask,
27:11
well,
27:11
what does the Bible
27:12
say about this?
27:12
People say to you,
27:13
what does the Bible
27:14
have to say about this?
27:15
What does the Bible
27:16
have to say about that?
27:18
And before you actually
27:19
come to that question,
27:21
there's another question
27:22
that you need to ask
27:23
before that.
27:24
What is it?
27:24
What is the Bible?
27:29
Before you even ask,
27:30
what does the Bible say?
27:31
You have to begin
27:32
by saying,
27:33
what is the Bible?
27:34
What's the nature
27:35
of this book?
27:36
Who's the author
27:36
of this book?
27:37
Who wrote it?
27:38
Whose authority
27:39
is behind it?
27:41
Is it a reliable book?
27:42
Is it a book
27:43
you can trust in?
27:45
What is the Bible?
27:46
It is the Word of God.
27:50
It is God's testimony
27:52
to himself.
27:54
Then you can ask,
27:56
well,
27:56
what does it say?
27:57
And when you begin
27:58
with what the Bible is,
28:00
and then you go to
28:01
what does it say,
28:03
you're coming to a book
28:04
then that's authoritative
28:05
in what it says to you.
28:08
And it remains authoritative.
28:11
It remains a reliable book
28:13
and always will be
28:14
to the end of time.
28:15
It is God's Word.
28:17
It's God's revelation
28:18
of himself.
28:19
And I think in this day
28:20
and generation
28:21
that we belong to,
28:22
that's where we have to begin
28:24
our testimony to the world,
28:25
not in what the Bible says
28:27
so much as what the Bible is.
28:29
And why the Bible?
28:30
Why we believe the Bible
28:31
to be what it is.
28:32
The world's not going to
28:33
accept that testimony
28:34
without the blessing of God,
28:36
without hearts being open
28:37
to receive it,
28:38
but you can't leave that
28:39
out of it.
28:41
Well, here is tonight
28:43
what we're looking at
28:44
in this passage.
28:47
It is recreating it for us
28:48
and the Bible is reliable
28:50
in doing that.
28:52
And it's just as if
28:53
you are standing there
28:54
with the disciples
28:55
and with Thomas,
28:56
with the Lord before you
28:58
and the Lord speaking to you
29:01
and the Lord addressing you
29:03
and taking you out
29:05
from amongst the other disciples
29:06
and saying,
29:07
this is what I have to say to you.
29:11
And what did he say to him?
29:14
He said,
29:15
don't be disbelieving,
29:18
but believe.
29:20
Now, literally,
29:22
in the language that's used
29:23
in the New Testament,
29:25
literally we could translate
29:26
that as stop disbelieving
29:28
and believe.
29:32
In other words,
29:32
Jesus was instructing Thomas,
29:35
commanding Thomas,
29:36
to stop what he was doing,
29:37
which was disbelieving,
29:39
not accepting the truth
29:41
of what he had been presented
29:42
with by the disciples.
29:43
Stop disbelieving
29:45
and believe.
29:48
He said to him,
29:49
you have the testimony,
29:50
you see my side,
29:51
you've touched my side,
29:54
you see the marks
29:54
of my suffering,
29:56
my death,
29:56
the evidence of my resurrection,
29:57
I'm here myself.
29:59
Stop disbelieving.
30:01
are you here tonight unsaved?
30:08
Are you here tonight
30:09
and you've not yet accepted Christ?
30:13
Are you here tonight
30:14
and you're still lost,
30:16
as you were
30:17
when you came into the world?
30:20
Are you here tonight saying,
30:21
if only I had more evidence?
30:23
If only I had more to go on.
30:27
If only Jesus
30:28
were actually physically present
30:30
in front of me.
30:32
He is,
30:33
in a sense,
30:35
in the words of the Bible.
30:37
Because they're recreating for you
30:39
the very occasion
30:40
in which he spoke
30:42
these words to Thomas.
30:43
you have the evidences.
30:48
You have the evidence
30:49
of his resurrection.
30:50
The Bible
30:50
produces it for you.
30:54
And if you haven't come
30:56
to believe,
30:57
to believe trustingly
30:59
and savingly in Christ,
31:01
he is gently
31:02
but firmly
31:03
saying to you tonight,
31:05
stop disbelieving.
31:08
Stop what you're doing.
31:10
The evidence is there.
31:13
Why should you go on
31:14
disbelieving?
31:16
Why should you go on
31:17
not trusting in me?
31:20
Why should you not come
31:21
to give yourself over to me?
31:24
To be your Savior?
31:29
That's how he spoke to Thomas.
31:31
And for us,
31:32
the evidence is all laid out
31:33
for us in Scripture,
31:34
as we've said.
31:37
And so here is
31:37
his wonderful instruction
31:39
to us tonight as well.
31:41
And
31:42
he's not just speaking
31:44
to people who have not
31:45
yet come to trust in him
31:46
who are still unsaved.
31:48
He's speaking to you
31:49
and to me
31:49
as Christian believers.
31:52
Because there are many times
31:53
in our life
31:54
when we're guilty
31:54
of disbelieving
31:55
or reluctantly
31:56
accepting his word.
31:59
And he's saying to us as well,
32:01
stop disbelieving.
32:03
Trust me.
32:04
Trust in my word.
32:06
Trust what I'm saying to you.
32:07
And move on.
32:11
Don't stop where you are.
32:14
Don't stop as if there's nothing else
32:16
but just to stand there
32:18
questioning
32:18
and wondering.
32:23
Stop disbelieving
32:23
and believe.
32:26
And it's the same.
32:27
You're coming to have
32:27
another communion.
32:29
God willing,
32:30
next Lord's Day.
32:30
And as I've mentioned
32:34
many times
32:35
from this pulpit
32:36
and elsewhere,
32:37
we find many people saying,
32:39
as I said myself
32:40
at one time,
32:41
if only I had more evidence.
32:44
If only I had more
32:45
to go on.
32:47
If only I were living
32:49
back in the days
32:49
of the disciples,
32:51
it'd be much easier for me.
32:53
I could be much more
32:53
persuaded then
32:54
to come
32:55
and take my place
32:56
at the Lord's table.
32:57
It's not that I denounce him.
32:58
It's not that I don't believe
33:01
that he existed.
33:01
It's not that I refuse his word
33:03
or anything like that.
33:04
But I just wish
33:05
there was something else.
33:09
Well, what more do you want?
33:14
Don't you have him
33:15
speaking to you tonight
33:16
in the Bible?
33:18
Is that not word of Christ
33:20
in the Bible
33:20
as sure
33:22
as if he stood here
33:23
and you saw him
33:24
physically speaking to you
33:25
as he was with these disciples?
33:26
If the Bible is,
33:29
as we say it is,
33:29
the word of God,
33:31
he is speaking to you
33:32
and the word that he's
33:33
giving to you
33:34
to come and take communion
33:35
if you haven't done that before.
33:37
And I hope I'm presenting this
33:39
lovingly and not harshly.
33:42
But Jesus is saying,
33:43
here is my word to you.
33:46
Do this
33:47
in remembrance of me.
33:51
Do it.
33:53
Stop being disbelieving
33:54
and believe.
33:57
Do it
33:58
on the basis
33:59
of the truth
34:00
of my word.
34:05
So Christ knew him
34:06
and Christ commanded
34:07
and the time is gone.
34:08
But we're going to
34:09
just briefly look at
34:11
Thomas' confession of Christ.
34:12
My Lord
34:13
and my God
34:15
was his response.
34:17
Where you find
34:17
the deity of Christ
34:19
so clearly set out
34:21
and it's the clearest
34:21
as we said
34:22
really in the New Testament.
34:23
The lordship
34:25
that's confessed
34:26
there by Thomas
34:27
is a lordship
34:28
using these two words
34:29
my Lord
34:30
and my God.
34:33
Words that express
34:34
the way in which
34:35
God is
34:36
God,
34:36
the creator,
34:37
the sustainer
34:38
of the whole universe
34:39
but also the Lord,
34:41
the covenant Lord
34:41
of his people.
34:43
My Lord
34:43
and my God.
34:47
It is the complete
34:49
absolute lordship
34:50
lordship of Christ.
34:54
And how thankful
34:56
you and I should be
34:56
for that tonight.
34:59
That our saviour
34:59
is the master
35:00
of the whole universe.
35:02
That our saviour
35:03
is the Lord,
35:04
the God of his people,
35:06
the Lord of his people.
35:08
What does that mean?
35:08
It means
35:09
that there's no one else
35:10
that can look after
35:11
your life
35:11
the way he does.
35:14
And that's
35:15
for example
35:16
how Samuel Rutherford
35:17
put it at one time
35:18
one of Scotland's
35:20
greatest theologians.
35:22
When he was answering
35:23
in so many of his letters
35:24
the ways in which
35:27
people were asking
35:28
for advice
35:28
and so on
35:29
and confounded
35:31
sometimes
35:31
by what was happening
35:32
in the country.
35:33
He said
35:34
my faith
35:35
has no other bed
35:37
to rest upon
35:38
than omnipotence.
35:42
God the almighty,
35:44
the power,
35:45
the authority of God.
35:46
my faith
35:47
has no other bed
35:48
to rest upon
35:50
than omnipotence.
35:56
And isn't that
35:57
how it is
35:58
for you and I tonight?
35:59
Where is your faith
36:00
going to rest?
36:02
In omnipotence.
36:04
In the mastery
36:05
of Christ.
36:07
In the lordship
36:08
of Christ.
36:09
In the person
36:09
of Jesus
36:10
as Lord
36:11
and God.
36:12
and
36:14
you see
36:15
how personal
36:16
this is as well
36:17
to Thomas.
36:18
My lord
36:18
and my God.
36:21
It's personal
36:22
because
36:23
this Jesus
36:24
belongs
36:25
to Thomas
36:26
through the faith
36:27
that Thomas
36:27
is placing in him
36:29
and has placed
36:30
in him before now
36:31
but is now
36:31
being once again
36:33
registering with him
36:35
as a believer
36:35
where he says
36:38
my lord
36:38
and my God.
36:39
that possessive
36:42
pronoun
36:42
is so important.
36:44
My lord
36:44
and my God.
36:47
And how important
36:47
that is
36:48
for you
36:49
as well
36:49
as for me
36:50
tonight.
36:51
It's not just
36:52
that we believe
36:52
in the lordship
36:53
of Christ
36:54
in a general sense.
36:55
It's not just
36:56
that we believe
36:56
that Jesus
36:57
is lord
36:58
over the whole
36:59
universe
36:59
because that's
37:00
what the bible
37:01
says.
37:02
That's going
37:03
quite far
37:04
in the extent
37:05
of what you believe.
37:06
but it's further
37:09
and it's more
37:10
precious to say
37:11
my lord
37:13
and my God.
37:18
Can you say
37:19
that tonight?
37:21
Is he your lord?
37:24
Is he your god?
37:26
Does he belong
37:28
to you
37:28
as god
37:30
and lord
37:31
in your life?
37:31
Can you use
37:34
this expression
37:35
meaningfully
37:36
tonight of him?
37:38
My lord
37:39
and my God.
37:43
How precious
37:44
that is
37:45
that we can
37:46
see
37:47
of this
37:48
great
37:48
gigantic
37:49
enormous
37:50
authoritative
37:53
omniscient
37:55
all knowing
37:56
all powerful
37:56
God
37:57
lord
37:58
tonight
37:59
I'm thankful
38:00
I can say
38:01
you are
38:02
my god
38:03
you are
38:05
my lord
38:06
I possess
38:09
you by
38:09
faith
38:10
I've availed
38:13
myself of all
38:13
that is in you
38:14
and brought it
38:15
home to myself
38:16
it belongs
38:17
to me
38:17
as the song
38:18
of Solomon
38:19
puts it
38:19
where the
38:21
expression is
38:22
so often used
38:22
or was used
38:23
certainly in the
38:24
past
38:24
my beloved
38:26
is mine
38:27
and I
38:29
am his
38:31
and every
38:33
believer
38:33
tonight
38:33
can say
38:34
that
38:34
my beloved
38:36
is mine
38:37
Jesus
38:37
belongs
38:38
to me
38:38
and I
38:41
am his
38:42
I belong
38:44
to him
38:45
and
38:48
the passage
38:49
ends by
38:50
Thomas saying
38:51
my lord
38:52
my god
38:52
Jesus said
38:52
have you
38:53
believed
38:53
because you
38:54
have seen
38:54
me
38:54
blessed
38:55
are those
38:56
who have
38:56
not seen
38:56
and yet
38:57
believed
38:58
who are
39:00
they
39:00
who are
39:01
these people
39:02
Jesus refers
39:03
to as
39:04
those who
39:05
have not
39:06
seen
39:06
and yet
39:07
have believed
39:08
and so
39:08
are blessed
39:09
well they
39:09
are
39:10
everybody
39:11
who's
39:11
come to
39:12
believe
39:12
and trust
39:13
in him
39:13
from the
39:14
time that
39:14
he went
39:15
back to
39:15
heaven
39:15
to this
39:16
present
39:16
day
39:16
blessed
39:19
are those
39:19
who have
39:20
not seen
39:21
who have
39:22
not laid
39:22
physical
39:23
eyes
39:24
upon
39:24
Christ
39:25
but yet
39:26
believe
39:26
and Jesus
39:28
says
39:28
blessed
39:29
are they
39:30
they're
39:32
blessed
39:32
because
39:33
they've
39:33
come
39:33
to
39:34
trust
39:34
in me
39:35
they've
39:36
never
39:36
seen
39:37
me
39:37
physically
39:38
but they
39:39
know me
39:40
and I
39:40
know them
39:41
they are
39:42
my sheep
39:42
I am
39:43
their shepherd
39:44
and there's
39:47
a sense
39:48
in which
39:48
that's being
39:49
recreated
39:50
now here
39:50
in this
39:51
building
39:51
tonight
39:52
where
39:54
through
39:54
the gospel
39:55
Jesus
39:56
is addressing
39:56
us of
39:57
our need
39:58
to trust
39:59
in him
39:59
and
40:01
emphasizing
40:02
his own
40:03
qualities
40:03
for us
40:04
to do
40:04
that
40:05
and where
40:08
we are
40:08
here
40:09
in this
40:10
room
40:10
with
40:11
Thomas
40:11
as this
40:13
scene is
40:13
created
40:14
for us
40:14
the risen
40:17
Jesus
40:18
is standing
40:19
before us
40:20
in the words
40:20
of scripture
40:21
he's real
40:23
what is
40:26
our response
40:27
are you
40:29
tonight
40:29
saying
40:30
my
40:31
Lord
40:32
and my
40:34
God
40:34
let's
40:36
pray
40:36
Lord our
40:39
God
40:39
we give
40:39
thanks for
40:40
the gospel
40:40
and we give
40:42
thanks for
40:43
the gospel
40:43
and its
40:43
contents
40:44
and we
40:45
thank you
40:46
for especially
40:46
the way
40:47
it provides
40:48
us
40:48
with these
40:49
wonderful
40:49
truths
40:50
about
40:50
yourself
40:51
about
40:52
your
40:52
relationship
40:53
with your
40:53
people
40:53
the privileges
40:55
that they
40:56
have
40:56
the blessing
40:57
that is
40:58
theirs
40:58
even now
40:59
and the
41:00
blessings
41:00
that are
41:01
laid up
41:01
in store
41:02
for them
41:02
in the
41:03
heaven
41:03
that is
41:04
awaiting
41:04
them
41:04
we thank
41:06
you Lord
41:06
tonight
41:06
for all
41:07
that that
41:08
means
41:08
to your
41:08
people
41:09
we pray
41:10
for everyone
41:10
in this
41:11
building
41:11
tonight
41:11
oh Lord
41:12
you know
41:13
every heart
41:13
here
41:14
you know
41:14
the thoughts
41:15
of every
41:16
soul
41:16
you know
41:17
our relationship
41:18
with you
41:19
you know
41:19
our need
41:19
and we pray
41:21
that each of us
41:22
may come to
41:22
leave this place
41:24
tonight
41:24
trusting in the
41:26
Lord and
41:26
thankful
41:27
for the trust
41:28
that you have
41:28
given us
41:29
receive us
41:30
in our worship
41:31
cleanse us
41:31
from our sin
41:32
for Jesus
41:33
sake
41:34
Amen
41:34
our closing
41:40
psalm tonight
41:40
is psalm
41:41
145
41:42
the second
41:43
version of
41:44
psalm 145
41:45
page
41:46
444
41:48
we'll sing
41:51
verses 1
41:52
to 6
41:53
O Lord
41:55
thou art
41:56
my God
41:56
and King
41:57
thee will
41:58
I magnify
41:59
and praise
41:59
I will
42:01
they bless
42:01
and gladly
42:02
sing
42:02
unto
42:03
thy holy
42:04
name
42:04
always
42:05
psalm 145
42:07
on page
42:08
444
42:09
and these
42:10
verses 1
42:11
to 6
42:11
O Lord
42:12
thou art
42:13
my God
42:14
and King
42:14
O Lord
42:20
thou art
42:21
my God
42:23
and King
42:24
they will
42:26
magnify
42:29
and praise
42:32
who have
42:33
!
42:33
!
42:33
!
42:46
Each day I rise, I will be blessed, and praise thy name, thy will come, dare to be praised, and great for this.
43:09
His greatness, dark and complete end.
43:17
Great shall thy words face unto race, the mighty act sure done by thee.
43:32
I will speak of thy glorious grace, and honor of thy majesty.
43:46
Thy wondrous works I will report, I let the light shall be extol.
44:04
Of all thy dreadful acts, O Lord, and I thy greatness will unfold.
44:21
If you could kindly let me get to the main door, please, after the benediction.
44:25
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore.
44:34
Amen.
44:54
Amen.