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THOMAS
(Study on the Twelve Apostles)
(MBC - Wednesday PM, May 24, 2023
In Matthew 10:2-4, recorded the names of the Apostles, who is the Apostle listed on the seventh place? ___________
Matthew 10:2-4 “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.”
In John 11:16, Thomas was also called by another name. What was the other name of Thomas? ______________
John 11:16 “Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Both the names Thomas and Didymus mean the same thing. Didymus means double or twin and Thomas also means twin. Possibly, Thomas must have his twin brother of his twin sister but the Bible is silent and did not mention about his twin. We got information only from John in the gospel of John about Thomas because some books of the Gospels do not give us any details about Thomas. In other words, the Bible does not provide us much information about this man Thomas. Four things about Thomas in the Gospel of John:
II – INSIGHT OF THOMAS IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN In the gospel of John chapter 11, we have the first mentioned of Thomas. In John 11:7, we see that the Lord Jesus has suggested to His disciples to return to Judea. John 11:7 “Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.”
The town of Lazarus with two sisters Mary and Martha was Bethany located in Judea.
John 11:1 “Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.:”
Many of the enemies of the Lord were in Jerusalem and Bethany was located right next to Jerusalem. So in overview, Jesus wants Himself and His disciples to return to Judea where Bethany was located right next to Jerusalem where the enemies of Jesus were. Did the disciples of Jesus wanted to return to the region of Judea as Jesus suggested? (John 11:8) ______________
John 11:8 “His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?”
The reason why Jesus disciples were hesitant to return to Judea because the disciples knew that in the past Jews tried to kill Jesus and probably at this time if they return to Judea, the Jews would still attempt to kill Jesus once again.
John 10:31-32, 39 “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,”
Jesus invited His disciples to go to Lazarus in John 11:15
John 11:15 “nevertheless let us go unto him.”
Name the disciples who immediately spoke fearlessly to other disciples “Let us also go”? (John 11:16).
John 11:16 “Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him."
Was Thomas feared to go? ______________
Was Thomas willing to die with his Master? __________
We see the clear evidences of the courage and loyalty of Thomas to Christ.
What is in the mind of Thomas that would happen to Jesus and to all the disciples? (John 11:16) ______________
John 11:16 “Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Here we see that the devotion of Thomas to Christ was stronger than the fear of Thomas toward death.
Thomas to look at the darker side of the situation and thinking things would turn out for the worst. Thomas taught much of the death that they would experience anytime. When Jesus with his disciples go to Bethany, not one of the disciples was killed. That is why see the wrong thinking of Thomas as opposed to reality. Thomas was gloomy person and much concern of things that in reality did not happen.
Notice the outlook of Thomas: Was Thomas has good or bad outlook? Was Thomas having a right or wrong outlook? It is right for Thomas to have an outlook concerning death? Thomas did not focus his attention so he missed what Jesus had just said. Complete the missing words on Jesus statements in John 11:15.
John 11:15 “And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may ___________; nevertheless let ______ go unto him.”
Notice Jesus did not say “to the intent ye may die” instead Jesus said “to the intent ye may believe.”
Therefore, Jesus wanted to take the disciples with him in going to Bethany to see the death of Lazarus so that they might believe and not that they may die. Jesus was not bringing His disciples for death experience but rather Jesus was bringing His disciples for wonderful experience in which the intention of the Lord Jesus God would be __________ (John 11:4).
John 11:4 “When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”
We notice that Thomas did not focus his attention to what the Lord was talking about. Sometimes we are like Thomas we did not heed exactly what God is saying to us in His Word. Sometimes, do you miss the whole point of what God is telling you? Sometimes, do you think that the purpose of God for you is something dreadful, horrible where in fact it is actually wonderful?
Are you a person like Thomas who always see the darker side of things? Are you a person like Thomas who always think that things will turn worse and worse? Are you a person like Thomas who always worry of things that actually did not happen or will never happen? Are you a person like Thomas who in the midst of the partly sunny day always see the clouds and not see the blue sky? We should never forget that God controls everything in this world, God has a perfect plan for this world and God has a wonderful purpose to all what is happening in this world. At present in His throne, God is not trying to make everything turn out horrible and frightening. God in His wisdom turn out everything for the glory of God and for the goodness of man. Notice what is the believer need to realize when God works? __________ (Romans 8:28).
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for ___________ to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
It is not all things work together for good but it is God who works together for good and not for bad.
Believer does not need to gumble (maktol), murmur, or complain and become gloomy person, but rather the Bible commanded us to do what? ________ Ephesians 5:20 and we are commanded to what? ________Philippians 4:4
Ephesians 5:20 “Giving _________ always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
Philippians 4:4 “_________ in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”
How does worriedness, not trusting God, complaining in life and loneliness affected you?
How Can a person be affected by those things physically?
How can a person be affected by those things mentally?
How can a person be affected by those things spiritually?
There are important lessons we need to learn about Thomas in the Gospel of John chapter 14.
Probably, on that moment the heart of Thomas was troubled, because it was the very night that his master the Lord Jesus would be arrested. The circumstances were not pleasant and looking good especially to Thomas who was severely affected.
What Jesus said to his disciples in John 14:1? ______________
John 14:1 “Let not your heart be _____________: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”
What was the promise Jesus had given to His disciples in John 14:3? _____________________
John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Jesus wanted to bring all His disciples that they may all go through the dark clouds in order all His disciples could see the bright skies of hope. It is really true; Jesus would leave the disciples and Jesus knew His disciples would be killed but it is also really true that Jesus would risen again after three days and promise someday to come again.
Now, Jesus is telling the disciples that he is going to heaven and His disciples know the way to get to heaven (John 14:4).
John 14:4 “And whither I go ye ___________, and the ________ ye know.
Can you name the disciple who was all confused about the spoken words of Jesus? (John 14:5) _______________
John 14:5 “Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Remarkably, Thomas once again failed to pay attention to what Jesus is talking about. Thomas missed the point that Jesus wants to teach them.
Even though Jesus had already told his disciples about His coming death and having eternal hope through His resurrection in John 14:1-3
John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
But still Thomas saw small hope. Thomas saw only the darkness inside the tunnel but not the bright shining light at the end of the tunnel.
However, Thomas honestly tell the Lord that he truly did not understand what Jesus talking all about. Jesus helped Thomas for being slow to believe and lack of understanding by providing Thomas the answer and giving him the most important Bible verses regarding salvation. Read what Jesus said to Thomas and put all the missing words in John 14:6
John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the _________, the ________, and the ________: no man ________ unto the Father, but by _________.”
Did yourself memorized this verse?
Can you explain this verse?
How can someone be saved and go to heaven?
III – INCREDULITY OF THE DOUBTING THOMAS According to John 20:19, when did the Lord appeared to His disciples? _______________________
( ) Evening sabbath, Passover
( ) Evening Easter Sunday
( ) Evening of first week
( ) Evening first day of every week
John 20:19 “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”
In John 20:20, do you believe that this appearance of the resurrected Jesus blessed the disciples? _________
John 20:20 “And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.”
Read John 20:24. Gave the name of the disciple that was absent on the gathering when the Lord appeared? _____________
John 20:24 “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.”
The Passage does not give us the reason why Thomas was not present on that occasion. Possibly, Thomas had a good reason why he was not on the gathering or maybe he did not have any understandable reason to give. One thing we know, Thomas did not attend the gathering of his fellow disciples on this first Eater Sunday evening. The result of his absence in the gathering of fellow disciples is that Thomas lost out on a real blessing. Thomas did not experience the gladness which the other disciples of the Lord had experienced (John 20:20 “the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord”). Think while his fellow disciples were rejoicing when they saw the appearance of the Lord, Thomas on the other hand, was in gloom and unbelief stage of his life for the whole week. Thomas truly lost the real blessing of being glad in the presence of the Lord. Complete the missing word in Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the _______________ of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” God had a blessing and want to bless all the believers who join the assembling of themselves together and God does not want each believer to lose out those blessings. We lose out and miss out the blessings that God intended for us when we forget, neglect and does not care for the assembling of ourselves together. When we do not have a very good reason and understandable cause it is unwise not to attend in church gatherings. Are you faithfully attending church gathering and consistent in your church attendance? Are you losing out the blessing that God has for you because of your absences in church gathering? In John 20:25, the other disciples have said something to Thomas what is it? ________________________________
John 20:25 "The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Were the other disciples lying to Thomas? ___________
Were the other disciples deceiving or fooling Thomas? __________
Were the other disciples telling the truth to Thomas? ___________
Was Thomas believed the other disciples? ____________
Notice, the reply of Thomas to the other disciples, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Did Thomas reject the testimony of his 10 faithful friends and brethren? ( ) yes ( ) no
Did Thomas refused to believe the witness of his fellow disciples ( ) yes ( ) no
What was the only thing that would convince Thomas to believe that Jesus Christ has truly risen? ___________________
Let us analyze the words of Thomas in John 20:25.
Thomas must have seen at the cross the dead body of Christ. Thomas said “I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails”
Thomas knew all about the print of the nails in Jesus hands, even the wound that Christ had caused by spears. Thomas said, “thrust my hand into his side” (John 19:34 “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.)
As a gloomy person who always think of the darker side, Thomas mind contained the dead body of Christ, lifeless body of his master as he witnessed Him hanging on the cross. When Jesus was crucified, Thomas thinks the whole world crumbled and nothing even the glad testimony of other disciples about Christ resurrection could erase that picture of wounded and lifeless dead body of Christ in Thomas mind. Thomas still looking the dark clouds that was not there even at the day when the sun was shining brightly.
What is the size of the wound of the Lord received from the spear? __________ (John 20:25; John 20:27)
John 20:25 “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
John 20:27 “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”
It was clear from these verses that the wound Jesus received from the spear must have been very large enough because a man can put his hand into it.
When did the Lord received the piercing of the spear? (John 19:33-34)
( ) before Jesus died ( ) after Jesus died ( ) Jesus was dying
John 19:33-34 “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”
Imagine that the Lord Jesus received the soldiers piercing His side by the spear when Jesus was already dead.
Notice the very gracious Lord and the very great sin of unbelief by Thomas. In spite of Thomas unbelief, the Lord Jesus was gracious to help Thomas unbelief.
Read John 20:26-27, then answer several questions:
John 20:26-27 “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”
After one week or after eight days, that was again on a Sunday evening, the disciples were gathered together and who was present with them at this time? ___ (v.26)
Who appeared to the gathered disciples that came through the closed doors? ___ (v.26)
Who was the first person that Jesus spoke to? ________ (v.27)
There is a command of Jesus for each demand of Thomas:
Even though the order in which Jesus uttered the commands is not exactly the same in which Thomas made his demands, but we notice that Christ has a command for each demand of Thomas. As we meditate John 20:25, we learned that Jesus Christ is all knowing, Jesus knows all things, Jesus Christ is omniscient. Jesus knows everything we think or everything we say. We may fool or deceive others, including ourselves but we can never deceive the Lord, that is why we need to be careful on everything we think, feel or say. Nothing is hidden from the Lord. Even though the Lord Jesus was not present bodily at the time when Thomas said something with unbelief about His resurrection, the Lord Jesus had a perfect knowledge of everything (John 20:27) that Thomas had said (John 20:25).
John 20:25 “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Read John 20:28 and complete the very words that Thomas had said about the deity of Christ.
John 20:28 “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My ________ and my ________.”
Obviously, Thomas does not need to touch anything like what he wishes “except I…put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side” (v.25). Thomas beholds the Lord Jesus (v.27) and that was enough like what other disciples told him “we have seen the Lord.” (v.25). Instantly, the doubting Thomas became the convinced Thomas. The incredulity of Thomas the doubter was no longer the same Thomas for he was now fully persuaded and Thomas never again ever doubt the fact of Christ’s resurrection. There is only five words but wonderful words “My Lord and my God” that Thomas said to Jesus. Thomas statement “My Lord and my God” was the language of amazement that full of delight, sincere repentance, strong faith, and humble adoration. It was a word of theological and doctrinal truth. Some cults wrongly defend their beliefs by saying that Thomas was shocked, surprised and therefore had just rendered a word that is not true about Jesus. According to these false religious groups and cults of today who do not believe that Jesus is truly God, Thomas did not say the right word “My God” since he was only carried away by his emotion. If Thomas was wrong, he should be corrected by the Lord Jesus by calling Him “My God.” The Lord did not rebuke Thomas and suppose should say “Thomas don’t ever call me God, I am not God, it is blasphemous, there is only One God My Father and please never call Me again God.” Thomas was not corrected by what He call Jesus, “my Lord and my God” because Jesus was truly God. Thomas knows the biblical, doctrinal truth of who Jesus was. Read John 20:29 and know according to Jesus the reason why did Thomas believe on Him? _________________
John 20:29 “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast ________ me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
Thomas should accept the testimony of his ten faithful brethren and friends who already told him a week earlier about the good news of Christ’s resurrection (John 20:25), but during that time Thomas refused to believe the report of other disciples. Eight days after, this man who are slow to believe, now this time believed that Jesus had risen only after Thomas had seen the Lord Jesus. Jesus said to Thomas “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” We are truly blessed even though we do not see Jesus bodily but by grace through faith on Jesus Christ we are saved. Amen!
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IV – IMPORTANCE OF FAITH NOT BY SIGHT LEARNED FROM THOMAS We can learn the importance of faith that is not based on sight.
In John 20:29 there are words that Jesus mentioned and there was a lesson for all of us to learn. Read it and complete the verse.
John 20:29 “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have _______ _______, and yet have ___________.
Read John 16:10, do you believe that people of today can see the resurrected Christ? ____________
John 16:10 “Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;”
People of who are living today will never be able to see the risen Christ that Thomas saw.
If a person rejected the Savior or refuses to believe on Christ until he/she sees that the Lord risen from the dead, then that person will never be saved because Jesus will no longer be resurrected for the second time. No one will see Jesus until the next life. People of today will not see the risen Lord like Thomas seen the risen Jesus, and the Lord will no longer appear as a resurrected Savior to people of today like when Jesus appeared to Thomas after his resurrection.
Read I Peter in order to know that there were people in the New Testament times who never personally saw the risen Jesus, then answer several questions:
I Peter 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”
Did these people who never saw the risen Lord love Jesus? _________
Did these people who never saw the risen Lord believe Jesus? _________
Did these people who never saw the risen Lord were blessed with an inexpressible and glorious Joy? ___________
We had the same thing that Thomas had. Like Thomas we also had the word and testimony of men who saw the risen Lord (John 20:25).
John 20:25 “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
However, Thomas refused to believe the testimony of those men who testify that they saw the risen Lord Jesus.
Among those who saw the risen Christ was Apostle John who has given us the book of the Gospel of John in which he wrote the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Do we need to believe the word of John in his book of the gospel of John? _________
Do you think that John wants to fool us or deceive us about the resurrection? ___________
Do you believe that John is a liar? _____________
About the thing that John wrote, is John’s testimony true or false? __________ (John 21:24).
John 21:24 “This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.” ________
Read II Corinthians 5:7 and complete the verse by putting the missing words.
II Corinthians 5:7 “(For we walk by __________, not by __________:)”
By faith means taking God at His Word.
In John 20:31, we can see the reason why God has given us His written Word that is that we might know about Jesus Christ and believe on Him as our Savior. Complete the verse.
John 20:31 “But these are ___________, that ye might ___________ that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that ______________ ye might have __________ through his name.”
Blessed are they who did not see Jesus physically but believe. Blessed are those who take God at His Word. Blessed are those who believe what the Bible say and make the Word of God the final authority in his life. Are you a person who say, “If God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” If God say it, it is not a suggestion, it is not a optional, let us trust and obey it.
Read Matthew 8:5-10 and know the story about a centurion and his servant.
Matthew 8:5-10 “And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”
Did the centurion believe before he sees his servant healed or believe after he saw his servant healed? _______ (v.8)
What did Jesus say about the faith of the centurion? _______________________________________________ (v.10)
Read John 4:46-54 and know the story about a certain nobleman.
John 4:46-54 “So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.”
Did the nobleman need to see his son healed first before he would believe or he believe first before he sees his son was healed? ____________ (v.50)
Put the words of what Jesus said in verse 50 “Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the __________ that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
Whosoever do not want to hear and believe the Bible, there is nothing else could convince that person. This is what happened to the rich man who died and goes to hell in Luke 16:19-31. The rich man has possibly heard the testimony of a beggar an Old Testament believer named Lazarus. The rich man is aware of the importance of the Bible in his father’s house. But refuse the Bible truth when he was still alive instead enjoy the luxury of an earthly life. The same problem happened on many people today. There are unbelieving statements made by some of people today:
1. Some people with their conditional words said that they will only believe the ark of Noah is real if they discover the ark of Noah.
2. Some people with their philosophical words said that they will only believe the resurrection of Christ if they personally see the actual piece of cloth that Jesus buried in.
3. Some people with their irrational words said that they will only believe the Bible and want to become a Christian if they will actually see the event of rapture fulfilled.
4. Some people with their skeptical words said that they will only believe the miracles in the Bible is really take place if have actually encounter one miracle or even see one of those miracles.
Read I John 5:9-12 find out what these verses teaches us about believing and not believing?
I John 5:9-12 “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
Having eternal life is not by following the Son but by believing the Son. Whosoever believeth the Son hath eternal life and whosoever believeth not the Son hath not eternal life.
V – INFORMATION ON THE LATER LIFE OF THOMAS We do not have much knowledge about the later life of Thomas. One thing we are sure, Thomas is a faithful servant of the Lord, however we do not sure where or how Thomas serve the Lord faithfully. There are some reports and based from a record of one tradition although we are not sure how true these reports are that Thomas died as martyr when his enemies killed him by spear. Some people say that Thomas labored for the Gospel of Christ in some other places including Parthia, Persia and India. But we know surely as the Bible shows us that Thomas was a loyal and faithful to his Master until the very end of his life as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 11:6 “When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.”
Thomas loyalty and faithfulness with the Lord was seen with other disciples who faithfully abode with Jesus, during the death and resurrection of Lazarus.
Let us see how God is gracious in spite of our weaknesses and failures. We see how gracious the Lord Jesus to Peter even Peter denied the Lord, and how gracious the Lord Jesus to Thomas even though Thomas refused to believe in the resurrection of Christ. This is true to all of us, in spite that all of us has our respective problems and sins, but God shows unto us that He is bigger than these problems and sins of ours. As the Lord uses the life of Peter and Thomas who were both has failures and weaknesses as disciples of Christ, likewise the Lord wants to use our lives also for His glory. By the power of God’s transforming grace, the Lord can help us to overcome whatever problems we may have, whatever weaknesses and failures as we follow and serve Him. We can still be loyal, faithful serving the Lord like Peter and Thomas in spite of our weaknesses in our flesh because our Master the Lord Jesus is faithful and gracious. Amen! |