I know He lives. He lives within
my heart, just as He does each and every one of His children.
I'd like to ask you to turn in your Bibles to the 20th chapter
of John. To be quite honest with you,
this is a continuation of our Bible study this morning, John
chapter 20. In verses 24 through the end
of the chapter of John, chapter 20, we see a man who walked with
Jesus. One who saw the miracles that
Jesus had performed. One who had heard the teachings
that Jesus gave to his disciples while he walked this earth. And at least he knew of the crucifixion. But for some reason he had not
yet returned to the group of disciples when our Lord had first
revealed himself to the disciples. You might recall that all of
the disciples departed from Jesus and left him alone. Even Peter
had to leave when the cock crowed thrice as the Lord had declared,
you will leave me. And Peter did. Well, let's begin at verse 18,
shall we? John 20, verse 18, Mary Magdalene
came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that
He had spoken these things unto her. Now, I want to take a moment
here in this verse 18 to address something. Notice that our Lord
reveals Him first to a woman. And I point this out for this
reason, that many have had a hard time with the truths of Scripture.
because they think that our Lord looks upon women as second class.
Man was formed from the dust of the earth and woman was formed
from his rib. Women are not to teach over men.
Men are to be the head of the house. Women are to be the helpmeet. Folks, our great God has given
us an order to follow. Not an order as in military, But order as in the opposite
of chaos. When a country loses its order,
loses its rule of law, we end up with chaos. And I don't have
to prove that to you folks. You all know that. You see it
going on right now in our very country. So what hurts us the
most is that we know it's so simple to stay with the order
of things that God has made them since from 200 years ago. Not all of the orders. We've
gone through some and found some to be vile. Slavery, a very vile thing. But there's still a lot of rules
that we should continue with. And we see the chaos that comes
out of it when one leaves the rule of law. The truths of God
have order to them. The head rules the body. Now
that does not make any of our members less important, does
it? They're just as important in their function as they are
right this moment. It's just the order of creation. Now look at verse 19. Then the
same day at the 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 He stood in the midst and
said unto them, Peace be unto you. I can picture a group of
men huddled around in a small room, huddled around low. Stay down,
don't let anybody look in the window and see us. One might be thinking, woe are
we, for we are known as the followers of this one that was just crucified. Just as there was a woman standing
next to the fire saying, wait a minute, aren't you one of those
guys who followed Jesus? No, no, not me. And here we have a group of men possibly
doing that very same thing. The doors closed, no one could
see in. Maybe they were feeling a little
guilty for abandoning their Christ in the time of his death. I know
I would be. Where was my faith a moment ago
when my Lord was being crucified? It was right where God wanted
it to be. See, only one person could have
gone to that cross and Christ had to do it. His followers couldn't come with
Him. They couldn't be a part of that for Christ had to do
it alone. No one else could help Him. No
one else could take the sins of many upon themselves, so Christ
had to do it alone. But in any case, even though
these men were huddled down, In any case, our great God was
compassionate to them. He said, peace unto you. Put away your troubled minds,
for it is I, saith the Lord. I cannot help but recall the
storm that arose while Jesus was asleep in the bottom of the
boat. Oh, what wonder we see when our Lord tells us, peace
be unto you. When we go through those things
that we spoke of last week that are like waves rolling over us
and we feel the peace of our Lord knowing that it is Him that
brings things about, everything about. And He does it for our
good. What a peace that brings upon
those of us who trust in Him alone. How else could we go through
those storms? Mother Nature? No. No, our only
peace is in our Savior. Peace be unto you. Put away your
troubled minds, for it is I. I have your troubles, he says. I move all things, and I do it
for your good. We may not always see the good
and what it is about us, yet our God has promised it so, and
that's good enough for me. Verse 20, and when he had so
said, he showed unto them his hands and his sides. Then were
the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. I don't want you
to overlook this because this is a very, very important point. The disciples saw the wounds
of our Lord, the wounds that he had incurred before they were
glad. Did you see that? I never noticed that. And all the times I've had this
message preached to me, it was never brought out on how the
disciples had to see the wounds before they were glad. How many
of you thought the very same thing as I did, that doubting
Thomas was the only one who had to see? Doubting Thomas was the
only one who had to put his hands in the wounds of our Lord. That's
what I used to think. But when I read this, it just
opened right up. They're all just like me. I have to see with my heart the
wounds of my Lord. Not with just the eyes. But my
Lord has to reveal these things to me just as He is doing so
with the disciples. They needed proof that they could
see before they would believe the Lord liveth. I point this
out because many think that the Apostle Thomas was the only one
who doubted. Look at verses 24-28 with me
if you would. But Thomas, one of the twelve
called Didyemus, was not with them when Jesus came. And 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.
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas
with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being
shut. And he stood in the midst and
said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach
hither thy finger and behold my hands. Reach hither thy hand
and thrust it into my side and be not faithless, but believe.'
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." You see the compassion our Lord
has on His people? This is exactly what He did to
each and every one of you, to our hearts. He came to us and
He said, look upon the holes that are in my hand. I and I
alone have taken your sins into the grave and my Father remembers
them no more. Because of what I have done,
not me, but what the Lord has done for me. Now I ask you this, was it only
the fact that he could see it plainly that made him to believe?
Mark your place here for just a moment, turn over to the 10th
chapter of this very same book. Our Lord is continuing what He
has already taught and that is this folks, God was manifest
in the flesh. God provided Himself a sacrifice
for those for whom He loved. God sees His chosen people as
righteous as His Son. And God will lose none of for
whom He died. Are you with me in verse 23 of
chapter 10? And Jesus walked in the temple
of Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about
Him and said unto Him, How long dost Thou make us to doubt? They
had that right, didn't they? Did not our Lord harden the heart
of Pharaoh? How long dost thou make us to
doubt? Is what they said. If thou be
the Christ, tell us plainly. And Jesus answered them, He says,
I told you, and you believe not the works that I do in my Father's
name. They bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye
are not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice. and I know them, and they follow
me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which
gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck
them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." Now go back to our text if you
would. Our Lord tells Peter in Matthew This very subject that
we're talking about in our Bible study right now. Blessed art
thou, Simon of Arjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it
unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. This is what our
Lord is talking about when He says, I have done many good works. He didn't do it in secret and
in hiding. He healed the guy who couldn't
walk right in front of all kinds of people. He went to Samaria,
a heathen country. And He saved one person. One person, God's lept. There
were many, many lepers in the days. But only one was saved
by God at the time of Nehemiah. Oh, I got the wrong name. Laman? Who was the leper the Lord saved,
Bill? Thank you. I was confusing it
with another name. Only one. Our Lord didn't do
anything in hiding. Everybody saw the man that was
saved. Everybody saw it. But yet only those, as we saw
in our Bible study, only those who have had it revealed to them
by the Father, which is in heaven, know who the Son of God is. They
that know who the Son of the Living God is. The true knowledge
of who this man called Jesus is can only be revealed to one's
heart by God the Spirit. It is God who speaks to the hearts
of men. Our Lord tells us in John 3.16
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. Now look at the last three verses
of John chapter 20. And many other signs truly did
Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written
in this book. Wait a minute, back up 29, last
three verses. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas,
because thou hast seen me, thou hast to believe. Blessed are
they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other
signs, truly, did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which
were not written in this book, but these are written that ye
might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that
believing ye might have life through his name. My title this
morning is that ye might have life. You don't need to turn
there, but in Romans 10-11, a very familiar scripture referred to
often, for the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him shall
not be ashamed. For there is no difference between
the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto
all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call
on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they
believe in Him in whom they have not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except
they be sent? Our Lord tells His preachers,
Comfort ye, comfort ye My people. It is My intent to share with
you a comfort that can only come from God. Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. You must believe though
as He is revealed in His Word, the Word of Truth. Too many men
and women take the Word of God and they interpret it to their
own destruction. Do you know the Bible declares
that? That's part of the thing I was
just telling you a moment ago. He doesn't hide anything. There
are many who take God's Word and interpret it to their own
destruction. You need to know the Lord Jesus Christ according
to Scripture, who He is. God in the flesh, you're not
going to know that unless God reveals it to you. You need to
know that He died for His elect and paid their sins in full,
100%. The blood of God is perfect in
every way. He washes His people perfect
in His blood. That's according to Scriptures.
He doesn't wash you of your sins and what you have done. You can't add anything to the
grace of God by doing something with Him. It's all of Him. We try hard, don't we, all the
time to add to it. Thank God that He allows us to
stumble in pits at times when we have to look, turn around
and look right back to our Lord for what we need. And be taught,
be taught that salvation is of the Lord and of the Lord alone. You must believe through, though
as He is revealed in Scripture. In our natural state, a state
of deadness and trespasses and sin, we cannot perceive the Kingdom
of Heaven. That's God's Word. We cannot
understand the things of Heaven for they are spiritual, and we
died spiritually in Adam. For one to understand the things
of God, one must be given life. One must be quickened, as it
says in Ephesians 2. In our natural state, we hide
ourselves from God. You know, that's what Adam and
Eve did, didn't they? They thought they were hiding
themselves. They thought they were hiding
themselves. The Lord said, where art thou,
Adam? Do you think the Lord asked that not knowing where Adam was?
He knew exactly where Adam was, but He wanted Adam to see where
he was. Hiding from the Lord. trying to cover himself with
his own hands, the works of his own hands, sewed fig leaves or
whatever leaf it was. Adam hid his nakedness by sewing
leaves, making himself coverings. We come into this world sewing
our own leaves of self-righteousness, a righteousness that is no better
than filthy rags, a righteousness of our own imagination. Thank
God that He clothes us with His righteousness, just as He did
Adam, making coats for him. Blood had to be shed for that
coat to be made. Turn over to the first book of
John, if you would. These things are written, it
says, that the world would see the truth. In the 17th chapter
of John, verse 17, we read our Lord speaking in His prayer to
the Father. He says, sanctify them. Our Lord is crying out to His
Father on your and my behalf. Sanctify them. Put us apart. Make us holy. Through Thy truth. Through the Word of God. Thy
Word is truth. These things are written that
ye might believe. In Ephesians 2 verse 7 we read
that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of
His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For
by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves.
It is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." Here
is comfort, especially when we're feeling the doubts of the flesh. The very doubts that Thomas had. The very doubts that even all
the disciples had before they saw Christ crucified, yet living. He who gave Himself for us shall
never leave us, we see. These are things that comfort
us. He shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people.
These are things that comfort us. All that the Father giveth
Him shall come to Him, and those that come to Him He shall in
no wise cast out. These are things that comfort
us. You see, coming to the Savior
is not a one-time thing. Yes, there was a time when the
Lord made us willing, when the Lord quickened us and gave us
life that we could see Him. But coming to the Lord is something
we have to do all the time. Something that is a continual
coming. I didn't come to the Lord. I am coming to the Lord every
minute of my life because He is bringing me to Him. We continually come again and
again and again until our time to be in His presence has come. Look to His wounds. Why did I allow myself to fall
into that same trap when I'm in a group of men Why did it allow myself to fall
into the trap of speaking as they do? So I would look to the wounds
of my Savior and say, that was put on Him, wasn't it? So that I would look to the wounds
of my Savior and see that He has paid the price for me. So that I would look to His cross
where He has put away my sins. So that I would look right now,
this very moment, to His throne where He makes intercession for
my weaknesses. Look to Christ. I can't get out of the trouble
that I'm in. A young man came to me afterwards and said, is
that any way for a preacher to talk? And that laid heavily on my heart. And I went back to that young
man and I said, no, it's not. But this is why I come to the
Lord. This is the Lord that I preach
about. The one who I can come to all the time. The one who
will take me no matter what I am. The One who has loved me despite
myself. I come to Him. Won't you? Won't you come to
Him too? Look to Christ. Are you with
me in John chapter 1? Wait a minute. Where did I go wrong? Believe it or not, this is just
according to God's will also, folks. Okay, well, let's pick it up
here. John chapter 1, verse 1. In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things
were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that
was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men,
and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended
it not. There was a man sent of God,
whose name was John. The same came for a witness to
bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe.
He was not that light, speaking of John the Baptist, but was
sent to bear witness of that light, who is Jesus Christ. That
was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the
world. And he was in the world, and the world made by him, and
the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his
own received him not. But as many as received him,
to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name. Whosoever believeth on me shall
have everlasting life." But notice what it says next in verses 13,
14, and 15. for which were born not of blood,
nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." When we are born of God, He shows us our comfort in His
Son. He gives us the power to be sons
of God, where we look to Christ for all of our needs. You know, I've completely lost
my place. I don't know if I misplaced the
page, but somehow or another I jumped from reading John all
the way to the end and I've already given you the closing statement
of my message. That's alright, you're doing
a good job of talking about the Lord Jesus. We'll not send this recording
out, okay, Daryl? Or, Garrett? Our whole point in this message
is this. Really, when it comes right down to it, folks, I think
you've already seen this, but let's repeat it, shall we? These
men, God's own disciples, men who our Lord would say in just
a moment after what we had already read, go out into the world. Go out into the world and speak
these things. Speak of who the Lord Jesus Christ
is and what He's done for His people. Those very men that our
Lord is sending out are just like the rest of us. When it comes right down to the
flesh, all they saw was a man before them. Until the Lord placed
it on their hearts. This is who I am. Put your finger
in my hole. of my hand. Put your hand in
my side. See that I have taken your sins
away and put them away forever. This is something that we look
to all the time. Every moment. Because we never
know just when that ugly flesh is going to rear up its ugly
head. But it will. As long as the Lord is pleased
to have us walk this valley of shadow of death, we will have
troubles and most of those troubles are going to be right here inside
of us. Most of our troubles are our
little faith that we have, or the sin of the flesh. And when
you go through that, that wave that splashes over your head, Will you turn to what you can
do? Or will you turn to the Lord Jesus Christ who has done it
all? Amen? Stand with me if you would, please.