Talk about an ancient Book being honest! The New Testament, divinely inspired, certainly is!

Doubt regarding the Resurrection of Jesus is, surprisingly, a feature of every Gospel!

Matthew 28:16-17 … Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

Mark 16:14… Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Luke 24:10-11 …  It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

Luke 24:25-26 … Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

Luke 24:37-41 … But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

Yes, as all Christians know, JESUS IS ALIVE! And so did most of those doubters come to believe as well!

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Compare John 1:1 with John 20:28. Verses at the beginning and near the end of this fourth Gospel!

John 1:1 … In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 20:28 … And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

So, from the first verse in John until nearly the last verse … JESUS IS DIVINE, JESUS IS GOD! That Truth is the very foundation of the Christian faith, by the way!

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Thomas had seen Jesus raise 3 people from the dead!

And he had heard Jesus’ (at least) 3 Predictions of Death, Burial and Resurrection!

Surely, his Hebrews 12:1 sin was doubt!

What is your besetting sin?

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Domitian, the reigning Caesar between 81 and 96 (when the Gospel of John was written) … demanded that he be addressed (both orally and in writing) as “the lord and the god of me!”

Thus, Thomas’ gave a great countercultural confession of faith, applying correctly to Jesus what was then politically correct to apply to Caesar!

We’re proud of you, Thomas!

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Here’s the proper psychology of dealing with backsliders … show them how much Jesus loves them! That’s exactly what Jesus did with Thomas!

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Now, may I invite you to watch the class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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