6-1-2017

  Good Morning All,

          John 20:24-25;” Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”  But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

       Sometimes the Bible tells us stuff and we don’t know what to make of it.  Why are we told that Thomas was a twin?  This is the only time it is mentioned.  We are never told any other facts about the disciples.  We know James and John were brothers.  Peter and Andrew were brothers.  Peter had a mother-in-law (Mk. 1:30).  One was a zealot.  Traditions and folklore tell us more but the Bible is pretty skimpy on info about the disciples.  So why are we told that Thomas was called the Twin? 

    There are some theories.  Some think he was a big man, the size of two hence: The Twin.  Some think that he was a twin to one of the prominent women in the New Testament.  Yet there is no Scriptural evidence to back any of these up.  There is a different theory as to the meaning of “The Twin” and it is the one I would like you to think about.

    Thomas has a twin and that twin is you.  You and I are like Thomas in many ways.  Sometimes we miss important events; we are just not there.  Sometimes we tend to doubt the accounts of our closest friends and associates.  Sometimes we make brash statements without thinking.  Sometimes we doubt.  Sometimes we are just like Thomas; close enough that we could be his twin. 

     Thomas gets a bad rap when we call him Doubting Thomas.  The other disciples doubted as well; until they saw Jesus with the wounds in his hands and side.  Yet Thomas wasn’t there that first Easter eve, he was somewhere else.  He never saw Jesus.  Thomas knew what he saw on Friday.  Jesus was dead.  No one, absolutely no one survives the crucifixion.  He may have even watched as Jesus was placed in the tomb.  He knew what he saw.  He couldn’t fathom any human way that Jesus could be alive.  He had to see it for himself (are we ever like that?).  He wanted to touch the wounds to be sure it wasn’t some cruel hoax.  He only wanted the truth (how often have you said that?).

     As we look at Thomas, we could be looking in a mirror.  The same concerns and statements that Thomas made; we make them too.  So when the devil comes to you and tries to convict you of being small in faith and of having doubt; remember Thomas, your twin.  Thomas in verse 28 makes the greatest and simplest confession in the Bible.  Thomas merely says,” My Lord and My God.”  We too, can make that statement; for Jesus is “Our Lord and Our God.” The whole of the Scriptures is based on that small phrase.  We recognize that Jesus is my Lord.  All the writings of the Epistles are based on that phrase.  Luther made that the center of his catechism.  Jesus is my Lord and my God.  Thomas said this and went on to be a strong missionary.  

     We can take comfort in the fact that this doubting Thomas wasn’t thrown away but was brought back to Jesus.  We too, are brought back to Jesus.  Thomas was by sight and ours is by faith.  So as we go through life, we are just like Thomas, our twin, redeemed sinners who are declared saints by God.

 Eternal God and Father, we are often slow to recognize your powerful hand in our lives.  We are often like Thomas who needs to see to believe.  Help us to see not with our eyes by with our faith.  Bring us to you in comfort and peace that we may be your eternally.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

 God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret