Sermon and Worship Resources

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Drama

... : But Lord, what does that mean! I do not like speculation; I do not like supposition nor conjecture. I have to see in order to believe. Narrator: How well I know, Thomas. Thomas: Forgive my pessimism, Lord, my lack of faith. I am what I am. I pray that some day I may better understand. Narrator: And you will, Thomas. For it is written that the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Peter: What's the Master doing? John: (Surprise in his voice) He's pouring water into the ...

2. John 20:19-31

John 20:19-23

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... suggests more of a jab than a delicate touch) the marks of the crucifixion nails and postmortem spear thrust. Only when those criterion are met will Thomas affirm that a true “resurrection” of Jesus’ body has taken place. In v.26 it is once again the first day of the week, “eight days later,” when the disciples are again gathered in the house. This time Thomas is present. Again the doors are “shut.” But notice that this time the doors are not closed out of “fear.” The closed doors enable ...

3. Sermons

Sermon

John R. Bodo

... has lent respectability to man's inhumanity to man, retarded the progress of human betterment, kept the human spirit in a prolonged, unlovely infancy. But to every generation God grants a few men and women who will not believe just because it is the thing to do: men and women who will question and probe and search. Thomas would not believe on anyone's say-so, even Jesus', but he was capable of faith. For faith is personal trust, with unflinching honesty, and courage to accept not only the best but the worst ...

4. Fleeced

Judges 6:1-40, John 20:24-31

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... real danger and real grief, the kind that can be reassured by God’s presence. This is part of what prayer is all about. Just as God is patient and gentle with Gideon, Jesus is also patient and gentle with Thomas. They are God’s servants, about to be sent on a dangerous mission. But “I will be with you,” God says. “I will be with you to the end of the age,” says Jesus. Each of us has a time in our lives when we are filled with fear, ridden with doubt. Perhaps it’s a time when a loved one has ...

5. Daring Thomas

John 11:1-16

Sermon

King Duncan

... there to be with him. At this, one of his disciples stepped forward and challenged the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” It was our friend Thomas who spoke out with so much boldness. This is the very same Thomas who would later get the reputation as a doubter. And yet, in this passage Thomas was willing to die for Christ and this was before he and the other disciples were even certain who Christ was. “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Why do we insist on ...

6. Afraid of Hope

John 20:19-31

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... gory, unbelieving -- set a materialistic three-step test: He said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands (step 1), put my finger in the mark of the nails (step 2), and my hand in his side (step 3), I will not believe" (v. 25). Please understand, Thomas was no atheist. He was a momentary agnostic. He was, I suspect, thinking, "I saw Jesus' body, lifeless and limp, on that cross. I watched him buried in a tomb. I saw the stone rolled across the opening. I just cannot believe it. Dead people ...

7. Convinced Beyond A Doubt

John 20:24-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... refused to believe. "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." Thomas was willing to give his life for Jesus, but he could not believe in Christ's resurrection. Many people are in Thomas' company. Some refuse even to believe in God. No matter how compelling the evidence might be to the rest of us--even in the face of the magnificence of creation--some people refuse to believe there is a Creator. An atheist was ...

8. EPISODE 5: THE FIFTH WEEK IN LENT

Drama

Robert Clausen

... all. JUDAS: It’s where he does belong. MARY MAGDALENE: No. He belongs in a quiet room where people can sit down and listen to him. Where he can speak to them directly and tell them the things they need to know about themselves and God. What do you think, Thomas? Am I wrong? THOMAS: I think the world needs him everywhere. MARY MAGDALENE: Oh, Thomas, how will things turn out? THOMAS: I don’t know. MARY MAGDALENE: He must win all men over, mustn’t he? They must see how good he is and let him have his way ...

9. When Thomas Doubted

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

... . So, we don’t enjoy that “freeing up” to be the whole person God intended us to be -- ever. We could go on and on: The pure in heart are blessed.The peace-makers are happy.The meek will inherit. But we don’t try for a completely pure heart, or a peacemaker, or a meek spirit. So we limp along like Thomas did for a while, never knowing for sure or realizing fully the alive God with us. Paul said about some of his members that “they were neither hot nor cold” and that made him want to throw up ...

10. Thomas

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Brett Blair

... greatest intellects but not many people know that he rejected the notion of miracles. When he approached the scriptures he could not tolerate those passages, which dealt with the supernatural. So what did he do? He wrote his own bible. In the Thomas Jefferson Bible you will find only the moral teachings and historical events of Jesus' life. No virgin birth. No healing of Jairus' daughter. No walking on water. And, no resurrection. Here is how his bible ends: "There laid they Jesus and rolled a great stone ...

11. Disillusioned Thomas

John 20:24-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... and wrapped himself in gloom and despair. Who would have blamed him? Why should he have to listen to a fairy tale about his dead friend being raised from the dead? “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands,” Thomas said adamantly, “and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” But still he went to be with the other disciples. He still went to church. I see it happen all the time. A person goes through a difficult time when they feel God has let them ...

12. EPISODE 2: THE SECOND WEEK IN LENT

Drama

Robert Clausen

... : What’ll I do with it now? JESUS: Give your wife a ride. She’s earned it. MAN: That’s right. That’s what we’ll do. Sit down, Jenny. Let me push you home. WOMAN: [Seating herself] Say, this will be a treat. MAN: Thanks again, mister. Off we go. [They exit] THOMAS: A good work, Lord. FIRST CLERGYMAN: Infamous! People must learn to bear their burdens. JUDAS: A waste of time. How can you make a kingdom out of these? JESUS: By loving them. MARY MAGDALENE: [Entering] Lord! JESUS: Mary Magdalene! FIRST ...

13. No Doubt about It

John 20:24-29

Sermon

James Merritt

... were saying to him, 'We have seen the Lord!' But he said to them, 'Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.'" (John 20:25, NASB) This was not the first time that Thomas had communicated his doubt. In Chapter 14 of John, Jesus talked about heaven for the first time to His disciples. He gave those famous words that read like this, "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me ...

14. Jesus Appears to Thomas

John 20:24-31

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... God himself (cf. Jesus’ prophetic words in 8:28, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be”). Jesus’ response to this last great confession of John’s Gospel is much like his response to all the other confessions. He accepts it, but with no special words of commendation (cf., e.g., 1:50; 6:70; 16:31–32). Instead of pronouncing a beatitude on Thomas as he does in Matthew’s Gospel on Simon Peter (“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,” Matt. 16 ...

15. Found Of God

John 20:24-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... that is not shaken by life's storms. We are able to make other hard decisions with the knowledge that however they come out, they will turn out all right. We may never have the absolute knowledge that Thomas had, but we will have something more precious: We will have a mature faith that grows as it is tested under fire in the laboratory of life. It will not be easy, but it will be real. A college student, who was home from school, came to his pastor for counseling. As he sat down in the minister's office ...

16. The Second Appearance and Its Sequel

John 20:19-23, John 20:24-31

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... of Jesus’ message to the world. The first part of Jesus’ statement has a parallel in a similar resurrection context in Luke’s Gospel: “And repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). 20:24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve: See note on 11:16. Thomas was actually introduced more abruptly in his first appearance in the Gospel than he is here. The designation of him as one of the Twelve is supplied here to ...

17. Doubting Thomas

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Richard A. Jensen

... be at work wherever and whenever the story of Jesus is told. Let me say that one more time. The life, the breath, the Spirit of God will be present and working wherever and whenever the story of Jesus is told. So come along, Melvin and Jeanie and Arnie and Gert. Come along, you doubters, all. Come along with Thomas, doubting Thomas. Come along to Jesus. Come along to Jesus and bring all your doubts with you. Jesus is present, receiving doubters wherever his story is told. So come along as friends share the ...

18. Hey! I Want To Believe!

John 20:24-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... and laid in a borrowed tomb. It was too much to ask him to believe that this same Lord was now alive and appearing to his disciples and friends. It would take more than their wishful assurances to heal Thomas' broken heart. "Unless I see for myself the mark in his hand and place my fingers in his side, I will not believe." Who among us would condemn him? Woody Allen once asked, "If God does exist, why doesn't He give me some signlike depositing a million dollars in my name in a Swiss bank?" In spite of the ...

19. Believing Thomas

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... rubes at the County fair, walking around with eyes wide open to the wonders and with wallets hanging out of their pockets. They don’t want to be gullible, and so they are skeptical. “Unless I see, I will not believe,” is their credo. But it is a normal reaction. You or I might have felt as Thomas did. Actually, doubt is not a bad thing. There can be no true faith without it. In late-19th century Denver there was a preacher named Myron Reed. I came across this excellent epigram from brother Reed: “A ...

20. Jesus the Hope of the World

Drama

Curt M. Joseph

... thanks. Peter: Come on, things aren’t that bad. There are still a lot of people around who believed in him. There is still work to be done. We’ve got to carry on what he started. John: Peter’s right. In a few days this will all die down and we can get back to work, just like old times. Thomas: It’s over; admit it. We gave it a shot and we failed. Now it’s over; so let’s forget it and get out. Peter: No, wait. We’ll get everyone together Matthew, James, Judas, all of them, and ...

21. Holy Goat!

Leviticus 16:1-34, John 20:24-31

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness. The Atonement of Thomas Now Thomas (also known as Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So, the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see ...

22. Saturday Night And Sunday Morning

Drama

Pamela Urfer

... : That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, if you would all just be quiet long enough to listen. Magdalena: Go on. We’re listening. Thomas: The authorities have put up notices all over town that they’ll give a huge reward to anyone who will turn us in. Any of us. Maria: Even Mary? Thomas: (Darkly.) Especially Mary. Nicodemus: Oh why, oh why did this have to happen? Just when things were going so well! Joseph: I’m sure I don’t know. Nicodemus: I thought he had everything under control. I was ...

23. Braveheart

John 20:24-29

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... such a 100% guy flick that most women don't like it or get it but it touches everything in men. That sense of adventure, a battle for noble reasons, camaraderie and honor. I think we find all of those, at least in part, in the life and faith of Thomas. A lot of us old timers will remember the old TV show Dragnet? I think you can still see reruns on TVLand on cable and satellite. The main character, Sergeant Joe Friday used to tell the folks, "Just the facts, please, just the facts?" I think ...

24. Let Me See Your Hands

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Robert Allen

... fell to the ground and said, "My Lord and my God." Sometimes, you have to discard your doubts and act on faith. You may have some lingering doubts. You may have some unanswered questions. You may have some things which will remain a mystery. But, like Thomas, we sometimes reach that point where we need to translate our doubts into acts of faith. Several years ago, my wife made me a little banner. It was a short little phrase that I like. Whenever I am facing a difficult situation or wondering which way ...

25. The Death of Lazarus

John 11:1-16, John 11:17-37

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... ideal of faithful discipleship (12:26; cf. 6:52–58), yet it has about it something of the rashness of Peter’s claim after the last supper that “I will lay down my life for you” (13:37). If Jesus had asked Thomas as he asked Peter, “Will you really lay down your life for me?” (13:38), the answer would have to have been no. Thomas and the others were not ready, then or later, yet their aspiration was an authentic one. They were beginning to move, and in the right direction. A question that ...

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