I have
often wonder, what if we could still see the amazing miracles that were
performed in the New Testament by Christ and then His disciples. To see a blind man see for the first time, to
watch the cripple from birth walk, then wouldn’t that convince people to follow
Christ? But when we begin to think about
it for just a second all the miracles that took place during the new testament didn’t really
win over the majority, the fact that Christ brought Lazarus back to life not
only did it not win people over to Christ but made those that hated Him hate
him even more. What if God never wanted
us to believe because of what we saw?
What if He wanted people to look at others who followed and had a
relationship with Him and say why are they the way they are. Then those of us who followed Christ pointed
to the bible and said we read the living word of God and it changed us. In chapter 20 of John, we see the women
finding the empty tomb, running and telling John and Peter, who went running to
the tomb to find it empty. Then they
believed in the resurrection, yet that really didn’t change much in their
lives.
You
then have Mary who stayed behind while sitting and crying a man who she doesn’t
know comes and speaks with her. Something
happens as she is speaking to this man, she begins to realize that it is Christ
she is speaking to. His words awaken her
heart which is filled with love for Him, and she also if filled with faith in
Him. It is through hearing His words
that her life is truly changed forever, not because she first saw Him but
because He spoke to her first. The word
of God is so powerful we tend to forget how much it alone can change
lives. Notice here that Mary goes out
and starts telling others about Christ, what are His disciples doing? Hiding in
a room with the door locked out of fear.
Christ then appears to them and begins to talk with them. We read verses 19 -21,”that evening, on the first day of the
week, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid
of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be
with you,” he said. As he spoke, he held
out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his side. They were filled
with joy when they saw their Lord! He
spoke to them again and said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so
I send you.” Notice that Christ comes
and give them peace, our faith in Christ is going to bring us peace in our
lives. Romans 5:1 tells us, “Therefore,
since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God
because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”
It
is our faith in God that is brought about through His word, not because we saw
some great and wonderful miracle happen.
Through our faith in God we are brought to peace with God which brings
our souls to peace. Notice that Thomas
did not believe the others when they told him what they had seen, he said I
must see for myself to believe it. Then
when he saw it he believed, then Christ told him, “You believe because you have
seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.”(verse
29) All we need to do is open up the
word of God begin to read it and allow it to work in us, to ask God show me
what you want me to see. Wiersbe
tells us this “The Lord tenderly deals
with our doubts and unbelief. We today cannot see Him or feel His wounds, but
we have the Word of God to assure us (vv. 9, 30–31). When your faith falters,
do not ask for signs. Open His Word and let Him reassure you.”[1]
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