Chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10, verse 2. We're just reading three verses. Matthew 10, verse 2. Now, the names of the 12 apostles
are these, the first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew,
his brother, James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother,
Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, the publican, James, the son of Alphaeus, and
Libaeus, whose surname was Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, and Judas
Iscariot, who also betrayed him. In those three verses, we read
the names of the 12 men who were among the disciples, and Jesus
named these 12 apostles, which means sent ones. He said in the gospel of John
chapter 6 verse 70, have not I chosen you 12 and one of you is a devil. Of
course, we know that was referenced to Judas Iscariot. Our Lord chose
11 sheep and one goat and named them apostles. We brought a message
a few years ago on why Christ chose Judas Iscariot. It was very interesting to me
and the Lord gave me several things about it, but that's not
our emphasis this morning. But of the 11 sheep, one of these
men has the unfortunate reputation or nickname of being a black
sheep. It is a wrong judgment on men's
part. A good man whose name is hardly
mentioned apart from the thought of unbelief and doubt. Doubting Thomas, they call him.
Everybody knows about that. I prefer to call him Believing
Thomas. And I've enjoyed studying about
this man. I'm telling you, it makes a lot
of difference when you study the scriptures
instead of just taking everybody else's word for stuff. It really
does. And I like what one writer, Herbert
Lockyer, said about this. He said, for the most part, Adverse
criticisms of the Apostle Thomas are mere echoes of one another.
Following a beaten track simply because it is beaten and totally
unwarranted by scripture. I agree with that wholeheartedly.
Most criticism, most to the time when people are cussing
somebody, most of them are doing it just because somebody else
did it. But God's word is the authority. The scriptures say
very little in words about this man, Thomas. But in scripture,
as in life, sometimes the little bit that's said says so very
much. And such as the case. So using
the testimony of the scriptures alone concerning this man named
Thomas, I want this follow his life and, and, uh, mentions in
the new Testament here for a few minutes and follow this thought
chosen and convinced, chosen and convinced. And I want to
say about six things about Thomas, the first being that he was chosen
and the last being that he was convinced. Blessed, blessed story. First chosen, chosen. As we've read here in Matthew
10, Thomas is on the list. of the apostles. In Mark chapter
three, Thomas is on the list. In Luke six, Thomas is on the
list. In Acts chapter one, Thomas is
on the list. He just keeps showing up on the
list. The effect that the Lord Jesus
Christ had on this man did not wear off. when the music stopped, when the lights went out. I remember the Apostle Paul wrote
to the Thessalonians in the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians. He
said there in the fourth verse, knowing, brethren beloved, your
election of God. And he gave several reasons how
he knew. And it all centered around the
Result and the lasting effect that the gospel of Jesus Christ
had on them and so Thomas after following
the Lord Jesus for three and a half years and Along with the Lord Jesus
having no place to lay his head Sleeping under the stars Eating
whenever and whatever was provided associated with Christ along
the way in his reproach and in his rejection by good religious
folks, Thomas was there experiencing the fear of Christ leaving in
that night of the betrayal. Thomas was scattered with the
others. Of course, you know, that story, Jesus was crucified,
buried, risen and ascended back into the glory. And in Acts 1.13,
Thomas is still on the list. He keeps showing up. He's genuine. I think of the many I've known
along my pilgrim journey who have seemingly cashed in their
faith that they profess to have and
said, there's nothing to it. after starting out so well. And
I'm talking about people seemingly, I thought, far better people
than myself and stronger than myself. And yet we look in the mirror
every day and say, thank you, Lord, for that measure of desire
that you've put in my heart to still want to hear from you,
to still want to be in thy presence, to still want to join in the
assembly of the saints. I've seen praises to you and
worship you. I thank God daily. You see, it's
not a matter of how many times you felt like quitting. I couldn't
count those. It's not a matter of how many
times you foolishly said, it's no use, I'll just give up. The blessed thing is that years
come and years go. And you find yourself just keeping
on showing up, hoping to hear a word from Him, praying to hear
a word from Him. So that's the first thing I like
about Thomas. He keeps on showing up. It's
a calling he can't walk away from. How blessed that is. Number two, in this man, I see
a character that is becoming of God's elect. And you and I
should measure our lives and our hearts this morning on the
things we're talking about here. He was chosen and then secondly,
a character that is becoming of God's elect. In reading the list of these
12 men, both here in Matthew and in Mark and in Luke, the
Holy Spirit in the inspired record pairs them up, two and two. And he does it according to character
and according to like nature. Men who are somewhat compatible
with each other. For example, there's the brothers,
Peter and Andrew. That's their common bond spoken
of together here and other places. And then there's the sons of
Zebedee. James and John, also brothers, both kind of fiery
in nature and temperament called the sons of thunder, but they're
put together. Then Philip and Bartholomew are
paired off together. And then we read Thomas and Matthew,
the publican. Now, where we've read here, this
is the gospel of Matthew. Matthew is the penman here. Inspired of the Holy Spirit,
of course, but he is the penman. And he politely puts Thomas before
himself. Notice it said in verse 3, Thomas
and Matthew the publican. Well, in Mark chapter 3, it's
Matthew and Thomas. In Luke 6, it's Matthew and Thomas. But here in Matthew, it's Thomas
and Matthew. This man, Matthew, I can believe, felt like himself, and of course,
I guess everybody else would have felt like it, that he was
the least likely candidate to ever be named an apostle. He
was a tax collector. He was considered a traitor.
to his own people, cooperating with Roman authorities to collect
taxes, oftentimes undue and unjust taxes from the Jews. But Christ had called him. In
the ninth chapter, the ninth verse, the Lord had said, follow
me. And of course, that being a divine call, an effectual call,
Matthew obeyed and followed the Lord. But he, above all, could
feel unworthy and abundantly blessed to be among this number
named apostles. And Thomas is paired up with
Matthew. Thomas and Matthew, the publican. I believe Thomas has the spirit
of Matthew unworthy. And so unlikely he thinks and
feels to ever be in that number. We have no record of Thomas personal
calling or any background about him. Like we do the others, Peter
and Andrew and James and John. Well, because of that alone,
that would give the devil ammunition. to talk to Thomas just like he
does to you. And say, well, you didn't have
their experience, so you're not genuine. You're just going along. You'll fall out after a while.
You'll perish in the end. But you see, there was something
in Thomas' heart that wanted to be genuine. And that was not
of him, that was of the Lord. And that something in the heart
is worth more than anybody else's experience or testimony or what
anybody thought. So we seize a man of character.
The third thought, and I'm going to be brief this morning, but
I'm asking you again to consider all these six things in our own
hearts and lives. Number three, a commitment that
is second to none. In John chapter 11, if you'd
like to turn with me, John chapter 11. I want to look at a verse
or two. Here in John 11, Mary and Martha
have sent word to Jesus that Lazarus, their brother, is sick. And of course, by this time he's
died. And Jesus said here in chapter 11 and verse 7, Then after that, saith he to
his disciples, let us go into Judea again. In verse 8, his
disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone
thee, and goest thou thither again? Master, you know how those
Jews have been acting lately. The water was pretty hot when
we left there last time. Are you sure about going back?
Well, he was sure. And he said in verse 15, the latter part, nevertheless,
let us go unto him. Now look at verse 16. Then said
Thomas, this is the man we're studying about. which is called
Didymus. Thomas' speech. Nobody else says
this, just Thomas. Then said Thomas, which is called
Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, let us also go, that we may die
with him. They're all convinced the Jews
was going to kill him. But only Thomas says, let's just
go with him. and die with him. To me, this
is one of the most profound statements of faith in the New Testament.
Thomas is saying, I'd rather die with him than to live without
him. That's commitment. That is commitment. I'm telling you, folks, you don't
have to be famous in religious circles as some great Christian. That's not it. It's that steadfastness
through the years that speaks volumes. I'm talking about commitment. I'm talking about commitment.
I've done seen more than my share of 90-day wonders. These fellows
are going to set the woods on fire. So I say this morning,
phooey on your talents to entertain. Phooey on your personality to
sway. fully on your money to buy, give
me that believer that's anxious in the heart, week in and week
out, year in and year out, to walk through those doors, join
in the singing praise to God and soak in the Word of God.
That's what it's about. That's what it's about. I'm telling
you folks, this thing of commitment, commitment, commitment is serious. It's serious. And when I look
at the average so-called believer or Christian in this day and
hour, I want to tell you, it's not going to surprise me one
bit for the Lord God of heaven to slap the vast majority of
them in hell and be done with it. Anybody can wear a sign around
the neck. I'm a Christian. Anybody can
wear a bumper sticker. Anybody can run all over the
country to religious entertainment. But if God Almighty has done
a regenerating work in your heart, He has put you somewhere under
the preaching of His Word. And if it's here, you need to
be here. Not just when it's convenient. There needs to be some priorities.
There needs to be some commitment. And this is what lives on. This
is what will be worth something in the long run. I'm talking
to us about commitment. I went through a funeral this
week. I hardly ever go to one unless I have to be involved
in it. But I went to a funeral on Thursday night, Brother Ray
Coates up at Hooper's Creek. He went to be with the Lord earlier
this week. And I have never in my lifetime
attended a memorial service of all the ones I've ever been to.
Preachers, godly old grandmas, grandpas, all the rest, children. I've never been to a service
that I felt the Lord honored like he did that one. Brother Ray wasn't a preacher.
but his life preached. He wasn't an outspoken person,
but his life spoke volumes. I'm talking about years. And it wasn't so much what the
speakers said about him. They said good things. And it wasn't so much the songs,
they were good. But I'm going to tell you what
it was. It was that still, small voice that sent a charge continuously
in my heart saying, he's one of mine. He's one of mine. He's one of mine. It was God
talking. It was God talking. More people
than I've ever seen at a country church. It's a large building.
Many of you know where it's at, over at Herpers Creek. They got
a pretty big building, balcony, probably seat four or five hundred
people. It was packed. And there was
as many didn't get in the building as did. When I got there for
the visitation, the line was plumb out the long church aisle,
down the steps, plumb across the big parking lot. And when
I got in line, I was standing beside the stop sign, way out
at the street, 100 yards from the family. Never seen nothing like it. Just a simple man, working man. Raising the garden. Cuts hay. Has a cow or two. Retired a few years ago from
Lowe's. A mystery to the world. What was all this crowd of people
about? What was his life all about? It was about commitment to God, to his family and to
his church. Such a blessing. I want to tell you something.
I'm fixing the metal a little bit. He didn't have that testimony
and that influence. by running off on a two or three
month pouting spell every time the preacher crossed him. One of the things Brother Lawrence
Rhodes, the pastor, been there 42 years, here's what he said. Through the years, when the waters
got rough and the sky got dark, this man didn't run off and leave
me. His wife and daughters stood
up at the end of the service, seated right here at the front
seat, faced the casket, stood at attention, and sung
Amazing Grace in tribute to their dad. And their singing had some
fire in it. They didn't get that by Daddy
cussing the preacher around the supper table every night. They didn't get that by Daddy
dragging them off to the lake or the mountains every other
Sunday. They got that because Daddy was committed to God. He was first of all a man, then
he was a Christian. You say, well, you make a man
sound like an angel. No, far from it. Far from it. I'm talking
about the long haul. What's it worth? What's it worth?
Three children, five grandchildren, one on the way. Here's the deal. Some of that crowd will be worshiping
God right there, 50 years from now, if the Lord don't come. That's what I'm talking about. Commitment. Commitment. Thomas said to the rest of them,
I'd rather die with him than to live without him. What about
you today? What's the Lord worth to you?
What's your influence on your family? children and grandchildren,
all these other young ones around here. What's it worth? What's
your price? Thomas was committed. He was committed. Number four, and this is nothing
to be ashamed of, sometimes Thomas was confused. In John 14, Jesus had said, I'm
going away. And it's not that I'm just going
away from you, I'm going away for you. You need to read this in the
14th chapter of John. I'm going to prepare a place
for you. Not geographically, as in a mansion,
but a place of acceptance with my father, that where I am, there you may
be also." This is not a reference to heaven. So the issue is not
a mansion or a little cabin over in the corner. No, this is a direct reference to
Calvary. He's saying on the cross, I'll
secure a place for you. I'll secure your approval with
the Father, that where I'm at in His favor, you'll be right
there with me in His favor. That's what he's saying. He went
on to say in verse 4 of John 14, and whether I go, you know,
and the way you know. Well, all the apostles are sitting
there nodding their heads. Yes. Amen. True, Master. Yes. Religious. Not Thomas. Not Thomas. He speaks up. He speaks up in verse five. Whoa,
whoa, whoa, Lord, wait a minute. You've lost me. We're confused. We don't know where you're going.
And we sure don't know the way. Thomas is the only one that expresses
an interest in what the Lord's talking about. And he says, I
want to know, I want to know the way. He's confused thinking
about geographical directions to get to where Jesus is going.
He's confused, but he's conscious. He's not drunk on religion. He's
conscious. He's confused, but he's committed. He's confused, but he's crying.
Lord, make it clear. I want to know. I want to know the way if nobody
else does. And Jesus says to in verse six,
look at it. Verse six, not unto them, but
unto him, unto him. This is personal folks. Jesus
said unto him, Thomas, I am the way. the truth and the life. No man cometh unto
the Father, but by me. I'm not talking to you about
getting to heaven, Thomas. I'm talking to you about getting
to the Father. Oh my, he's confused, but he
gets some help. Thank God, a chosen man. A man of character, a man of
commitment, sometimes a man of confusion. And that's all right. I'm going to have to back up
a notch to that commitment again. Y'all like that's a good. I could stand here today and
I could name men. I could name men that God has
graciously put in this church to be leaders, to be men, to be influential,
not only over their own family and children and grandchildren,
but others. And they walked away. Some of them are already in the
graveyard. Others just as well to be. And good men, I'd say could have been leaders and help
their little ones on to God. What precious, precious privilege
given by the Lord. And I'll say to you men here
this morning, every one of you. You don't have to be talented. You don't have to be a genius. You don't have to be rich, but to ever see God working in
your life and ever have any influence, you've got to be committed. You've
got to be committed. And if you'd crawl off somewhere,
and talk to the Lord. And you can only do it if it's
in your heart. Lord, I want to be everything
you'd have me be for your glory as long as I live. I believe this morning if just
five men sitting here would do that, there's absolutely
no telling what God would do around this place. Oh, it wouldn't be a hurrah circus
like you'd see everywhere else. But I'm talking about having
some power with God. I'm talking about when the doctor
says there's nothing more we can do, we could come together
as a family and talk to our father about it. something would happen. Our children wouldn't be able
to run off out yonder and join the drinking and the doping crowd
and the smoking crowd and the cussing crowd and us have to
wonder and worry and cry as to whether they'll ever be back. Because our God is able to put
something in here that wouldn't let them stay out there. Wouldn't
let them stay out there. I'm talking to you about serious
things, and y'all are really amending me on this. But you
want to, you want to, because you know it's right. You know
it's right. But this is what it's about, folks. This is what
it's about. God would do things, even if
your preacher is not worth a flip, even if you can't carry a tune
in a bucket, that's beside the point. God does His best work
with nobodies like us. But He does it when we're desperate. When folks start going to that
prayer closet and crying out, Lord, we need you. Lord, we need
you. You remember the Lord came to
Moses there at the bush. He said, I'm here on business,
Moses. I've seen the afflictions of my people. And I've heard their cries. I've
heard their cries. He's still listening. But is
anybody crying? Talking about commitment. Commitment.
Thomas was committed. All right, number five. Thomas arrived at a conclusion. John
chapter 20. And here's where they named him
Doughton Thomas. But here's where I see that his faith is so genuine. After the resurrection, you know
the story, gathered in a certain place with the doors shut, the
others had seen the Lord. He appears in their midst on
the first day of the week. Sunday he wasn't us. They were
the the apostles wasn't seventh-day Adventist First day of the week
Sunday the Lord's Day And Thomas is absent This is where they cuss him.
Oh, he laid out church on that first very first Sunday After the resurrection, when
he saw the crucifixion, he knows Jesus died and was buried. And
I see it like this. Thomas is not interested in going
to church. If the Lord's not going to be
there and he don't believe he's going
to be, so he don't go. There's a lot of people sitting
around this community like that this morning. The others come running back
to him and said, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas. We've seen him. We've seen him. And here's where people condemn
Thomas and I praise him. He simply said, I will not take
your word for it. We need some more of that. I
will not take your word for it. Except I see in his hands, the
print of the nails and put my fingers into the print of the
nails and thrust my hand into his side. I will not believe. What does he say? He is saying
the only one who will make a believer out of me is him. Thomas really wasn't asking to
see anything more than the rest of it already seen. But he's honest. And he says,
my trust is going to take more than your talk. Now, this conclusion on Thomas'
part was not a bad thing. If I don't see him, I'm through.
That's what he said. That was really faith. And then a final thing, number
six, Thomas is convinced. The Lord came again the next
Sunday, this assembled, and Thomas came. On the Lord's day again, first
day of the week. The Lord showed Thomas all he'd
showed the others. By the way, the Lord heard Thomas'
words. Disciples went and told him and
the Lord gave Thomas the privilege to do what he demanded to do
He said go ahead thrust your finger in my hands and thrust
your hands into my side That's what you need go for it But Thomas
didn't need it. It wasn't necessary and he cries
out my Lord and my God You're both, you're my Lord and you're
my God. He's convinced. Are you convinced
today? Chosen and convinced. God's choosing is the beginning
work and it works all the way to God's convincing work. It's
a long road. It's not an overnight trip. It's a lifetime of experience.
The road begins with God's choosing. But after the choosing, there's
a work in character and there's a work in commitment. And there's
even a work in confusion. And a work even in our own conclusion. As Thomas concluded. Thank God,
there's the work of convincing. And to be chosen of God. will
consummate in having been convinced and conformed to the image of
his son. I like Thomas, and I don't call
him Doubting Thomas. All I got to do to look for a
worse fellow than him is look in the mirror. But two I've chosen. and convinced. Let's stand together.