Message
This chapter is one of the longest and most profound in the Bible. At the beginning, Jesus has just miraculously fed 5,000 men, so that means there were probably at least 7 to 10 thousand people fed. At my school opening ceremony, we give them Odango and my job with another teacher was to pass out these packaged Odango to 240 students. It took us 20 to 30 minutes and they were in these nice little boxes. I can’t imagine 7 to 10 thousand people. Some interpret this feeding as a metaphor (I don’t), while others believe Jesus tapped into people's generosity (I don’t), prompting them to share. It's miraculous to shift people from selfishness to generosity. Try doing that to yourself let alone a large crowd of people. What we know is something profound happened, and even after Jesus withdrew from the crowd, put his disciples in boats, and crossed the lake, the people sought him out for more. These people witnessed something so compelling that they hungered for more of Jesus. Yet, they desired the wrong thing, similar to those who wanted Jesus to be merely an earthly king rather than their messiah. They craved a spectacle, wanted a show. They were screaming encore., encore. They were impressed by Jesus cooking of bread and fish because lets be honest it must have tasted amazing. “What do you want for dinner honey?” “You know what I am craving. I’m craving that bread and fish that that carpenter made for us.” Meanwhile, in the midst of feeding the multitude, Jesus urged his disciples into the boat rather forcibly. Why? I believe it's because they were being swayed by popular of the crowds. It seductive. I read a story by a famous actor that was talking about fame. He said, the only thing worse than being flocked for autographs and pictures when he went out to restaurants was when he went out and no one noticed him. (That will never be my problem). They finally had their platform, like to today's influencers. Today, 5,000; tomorrow, perhaps 10,000 and the day after? Jesus recognized the allure and temptation on this guys on popularity. So he put them in the boat and shoved them off and he went on a hillside to pray. The story unfolds with the disciples battling a storm throughout the night. In the midst of the wind and waves, a figure approaches them walking on water, leading to the famous account of Jesus walking on water. Personally, I dislike the title "Jesus walking on water" It is in the realm of my faith that Jesus can walk on water what surprises me and still surprises me is that through our connection to Jesus we too can walk on water as Peter steps out of the boat and walks toward Jesus. And you can too? If Jesus calls you he will equip you. But to follow Jesus we need to be strong and courageous. Today's message is not on Peter and the boat but that happened right before today’s main text. And after getting in the boat Jesus speaks to the waves and they listen to him. This is not just a teacher. This is not just a fish and bread multiplier this is the Son of God. Now on the other side the crowds catch up to Jesus and the disciples. After catching up they ask a simple question, "How did you get here?" However, Jesus doesn't tell them he simply changes the topic. It was not for them that he calmed the sea it was for his disciples. There are moments in life when we must address questions and issues, but there are also times when those questions serve as distractions. Jesus changes the topic by simply saying “Very truly”. When Jesus says “Very truly” pay attention because it is important. It's like me telling my students that this page or question will be on the test. So, pay attention. Jesus wants to draw people to look at their motivation at our motivation. Why are you here today? It's not to hear from me I know that. We all like different aspects of the service some like the prayer time more or the worship music time some the sermon. But our motivation should be to draw closer to the living Lord. (Period) These people are looking at their stomach and wanting a show. Jesus delves into the issue of motivation: Why are you here today? Jesus knows that the people's motives are misguided. They aren't seeking him to deepen their spiritual connection with the Father or to nurture a deeper relationship with the Creator of the universe. They want a king again not a messiah. Oh people do not like their motivations challenged. It is a question I ask myself every time I preach. (Why am I doing this?). It's similar to the Beatles' song "With a Little Help from My Friends," where they question “What would you do if I sang out of tune would you stand up and walk out on me?” The answer is yes. Jesus was the first person to lose a mega-church. Instead of being the social media influencer they took the road jack and did not want to come back no more no more no more no more. Jesus challenges them to look their priorities, questioning why they invest so much time, energy, and concern into pursuits that are fleeting. Personally, I employ a rule to control my spending: whenever I purchase a new item of clothing, I discard an old one. And if I am unwilling to throw something away I do not need another shirt. Many of us are enslaved by the trappings of the world. Much like the rich young ruler whom Jesus instructed him to let go of the thing that was possessing him. It is okay to have possessions. It is not okay to be possessed by our possessions. Why do you chase earthly things so hard and totally neglect the things that will last forever. Here lies the difficulty: God designed us with fundamental needs such as food, water, and rest, we trick ourselves into believing that these are all there is. Our Lord says that our hierarchy of needs is upside down especially if you are concerned about eternity. If today is all you want, live it up. If we acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Teacher, he reveals that our hierarchy of needs is inverted. This notion is most clearly seen in Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4; she yearned for living water why so that she did not have to walk up the hill to get the water not because she wanted to draw closer to God. Eventually, I think she got it. During my childhood, my pastor once instructed us to bring the oldest food item in our homes to church. I recall the pastor consuming a pack of ramen noodles that had expired over a decade ago. We fix an expiration date on food products to know if it is safe to eat. It is the way that the government certifies that something is safe. Similarly, God has certified “Placed his SEAL” his Son. Just as Jesus provided nourishment to those people, he offers us so much more if we put our faith in him. While many regard Jesus as a wise teacher and apply his teachings to their live. If you do unto others as you would like done for you not only your life will be better but the people around you will benefit. You you do not worry about tomorrow you will live a much more productive and happy life. Jesus is a GREAT TEACHER but he is so much more than that. However, merely accepting Jesus as a teacher while refusing to acknowledge him as Lord and Savior is like to accepting the bread and fish but rejecting the bread of life or refusing the living water. They ask, "What must we do to perform the works God requires?" Jesus' response challenges the notion that faith alone is simplistic (mambi pampi). People often yearn for tangible tasks, such as feeding the poor or constructing hospitals or schools, and dismiss faith as trivial. Jesus says the WORK that is required is one of faith. By saying work is is not saying that it is unpleasant, but he is saying it takes effort. More effort than the tangle tasks. I work for the church (supposedly 10 hours a week) I give a tithe of my work by spending at least an hour a week in quite praying for the church. My mind wanders but I remind myself that this is work. It requires effort the same as typing a sermon or doing pastoral care. Of course I need actions to go along with the work of faith as the Book of James teaches because faith without works is dead but work without faith is futile. Our primary task (work) is to believe in the one whom God has sent—Jesus. Yet, the people respond similarly to those who encountered John the Baptist; they boast of their lineage, claiming descent from Abraham. Similarly, they boast of their ancestors eating manna in the wilderness, boasting of their Jewish heritage. However, Jesus corrects their flawed theology. He tells them Moses didn't give you manna from heaven; it was God who provided this bread. Moses would freak out if someone said that he provided the bread. Let's briefly look at manna. Fleeing Egypt with almost no provisions, the Israelites ate unleavened bread, hastily prepared as the angel of the Lord passed over their homes on what we call PASSOVER. The angel saw or smelt the blood of the lamb spread on their doorpost and passed over. But after getting free of the Egyptians, they complained in the wilderness. The opposite of worship is complaining. “We have nothing to eat”. To this God provided manna, a flaky white substance—bread from heaven. Interestingly, manna had a shelf life of one day, except on the day before the Sabbath, when it would last for two days. This allowed the people to consume it daily as they journeyed through the wilderness. If manna was not consumed that day or a person tried to save it, it became rancid. Interestingly, a portion of manna was preserved in a jar and placed in the Ark of the Covenant. Manna connected to worship and the sacred, what would otherwise spoil remains fresh. How do we maintain our spiritual freshness in a world intent on corrupting us? It is through worship and praise. If your faith seems dry do not read your bible more instead praise the lord in song. Moses one of the greatest prophets and leaders did not provide manna it was God. And here God’s son does the same. And yet more than the bread and fish he gave he is ready to provide Manna from heaven to the people and yet they want the fish. Similarly, God has now sent the bread of life from heaven. Unlike manna, which sustained for a day, Jesus—the bread of life—nourishes our souls eternally, like the manna near the Ark ensuring freshness indefinitely. They yearn for this bread, demanding, "Give it to us!" Yet, Jesus startles them by proclaiming, "I am the bread of life." It is me. Whoever partakes of this bread—by putting their faith in Jesus—will never hunger. For Jesus descended from heaven not to pursue his own agenda but to fulfill the Father's will, because the father and son are one. For those who believe in him, Jesus himself will raise them up on the last day, for he will not lose any sheep who entrust their love and hearts to the Lord. Are you prepared to undertake the task the Lord has assigned to receive this gift? If so, put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the waters. Put your hand in the hand of the man that calmed the sea. Take a look at yourself and you will see others differently. Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee. Let’s pray. Psalm 91 People: He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Leader: Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. People: He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Leader: I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” People: He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Leader: Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly poisons. People: He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Leader: He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. People: Under our Lord’s wings we will find refuge.
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Firstly, I'm a Canadian, not a person from New Zealand like some of the past shepherds of KUC. Just so you know, in Greek, "ποιμήν" (poimen) is for Shepherd and also Pastor. So, I will interchange them a bit during this sermon. When you hear me say shepherd, think of pastor, and vice versa. Being from Canada, I know a lot more about ice hockey than rugby, and a lot more about chickens (having worked in a chicken plant) than I know about sheep.
The most common analogy in scriptures of the people of God is as sheep. I'm sure you've seen Sadao Watanabe's Last Supper where Jesus is passing out sushi and sake for bread and wine. Scripture says that Jesus saw the people like sheep without a shepherd. I'm not sure that would work, as Jesus saying he saw them as chickens without a farmer. So, I say this, that you might come to me with facts about sheep that I am not familiar with, but I know a little about human sheep because I have looked at myself first and have walked with other sheep. So, here goes something that I do not know a lot about. But first, a story. The Christian writer, Lynn Anderson, tells a story of a tour that he was on to the Holy Land (Israel). In the story, he tells of this tour guide that was leading a bus tour, and because they saw a lot of sheep, the guide started talking about how the Middle Eastern shepherds do not drive the sheep like the Australians do, but who use dogs to scare the sheep into compliance with the shepherd's will. He talked about how the ancient shepherd had a loving relationship with the sheep, he talked about how the shepherd would care for his sheep and provide for his sheep. He talked about how the shepherd did not need to be harsh with his sheep because they knew his voice and smell. When all of a sudden, the tour guide lost interest in the group as they saw a man with a stick hitting the sheep, screaming at the sheep, and totally intimidating the sheep. The tour guide stopped the bus and went up to this shepherd and asked him what he was doing. The man turned to him and said, “Friend, you misunderstand me, I am not a shepherd. I am the butcher”. Just for your information, being called a sheep is not a compliment. Sheep have no natural sense of direction, they have very few natural defenses if in danger. Their choices are to run or to run, but they are by no means the fastest of God’s creatures. Actually, sheep fight each other. (I did not know that). They will fight and kick each other, but if a wolf or dog comes, they stand no chance. Just to let you know, we are good at fighting each other (forgive us, Lord) but not against our real enemy. We always have to remember our fight is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. NOT AGAINST FLESH and BLOOD but against Principalities and powers. Against these, we stand no chance on our own. We can kick and scream, but we will not win. What we need is the shepherd. Fight a demon either from the outside or from your own making, fighting it on your own power, and you stand a better chance against Mike Tyson or Manny Pacquiao. When in trouble, call on the name of Jesus because at his name, every knee will bow and tongue confess that he is Lord. In the Old Testament, before David became a king, he raised his father’s sheep, and when the predators came, he stood his ground because he loved his sheep. We do not need a (Small a) shepherd in times of trouble; we need THE GOOD SHEPHERD in times of trouble. I have often prayed, “God, I am your sheep, and you are my shepherd. I need your help. I need you to lead me. I need you to protect me, especially against myself. God forgive me when I forced you to look for me when I willfully did not follow you.” Sheep are also emotional creatures, and they can work themselves into a panic easily. Did you know that sheep do not like to drink from running water because it scares them? It is why in Psalm 23; the Psalmist says he leads me beside still waters. Our shepherd does not want to frighten us. Sheep do not deal well with burdens Mt 11:28~29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Our faith needs to be life-giving because that is how God designed it. When it becomes a list of does and don’ts instead of a relationship, it becomes really heavy and we need the good shepherd to sheer us. When I walk by faith not by sight, I follow along after my master’s voice that not only knows my name but knows all the names of all of his sheep. I just got a list of 400 new students, and it takes me a semester to remember their names, but Jesus does not have that problem. With all these deficiencies, why does God call us sheep throughout the Bible? One is they sheep are valued. Sheep was how you measured your wealth in the bible. You are valuable and valued by God. When Jesus was starting his ministry, he was going from town-to-town teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When a crowd came, he had compassion on them (WHY?) because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matt 9:35-36) As KUC starts the process of a pastoral search, you are really looking for an under-shepherd to follow THE GOOD Shepherd. (That job is taken). Interestingly, the under-shepherd is also a sheep. (Be careful of any pastor that does not know that reality). Interesting we look at the characteristics of The Good Shepherd and as Christians, we should look for these characteristics in an under-shepherd. The first characteristic of the shepherd from v.11 is that the good shepherd lays his life down for his sheep. It is called sacrificial love. A love not of the results but of the processes. We all like winning. Every football player I have ever had likes winning more than losing. But not many people like the process of getting to the win. (The Grind). Jesus of course paid the ultimate price on the cross for the sins of the world. Not many pastors are asked to pay that price. Some have, but that is not a burden most pastors (Shepherds are called to pay) but will they pray for their people, will they love them, will they fast and pray for them? Most days a hired hand will do a good job, but there are times when the crap hits the fan and the pastor is called to stand in the gap for the people of the church. A friend of mine in Toledo had the crap hit the fan. It is a nasty image because the poop goes everywhere. Anyway, his church was going right along when his treasurer stole the money of the church. The pastor had a wife and kids and responsibilities, and he had to get a job outside the church and worked for the church for a year without any pay. They actually could pay him but would have to lay off the part-time youth pastor and secretary. So he worked and through that outside work, he stood in the gap for his people. If the paycheck was all he wanted (if he was a hired hand) he would have left for a bigger church. It was not only him but him and his wife that committed themselves to the sheep as an under shepherd. Secondly, a good shepherd knows his sheep by name. Not just their name but knows them. A while ago at my school an older teacher had to replace a homeroom teacher because of trouble. The class was chaotic before their homeroom teacher left and then more chaotic as he left. This older soft-spoken teacher came in and I thought they would tear him apart. I, like the other teachers, was almost having to shout over the students (it really was chaos), but I walked by his class and saw the class calmly studying. I had an open period, and I went in, and when the kids got noisy, he got quiet. He fought their chaos with calm and love. Slowly, slowly as he got to know the students, it became one of the most well-behaved classes in the school. It was a miracle like turning water into wine. Well, maybe not. Well, our gentle and good shepherd knows you. Loves you. You have only one task to know and love him back. And once you know that love nothing. NOTHING can separate you from that love. Paul said, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. [No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Rom 8:34-37 Compared to the good shepherd, the hired man. Let’s be honest on good days. On days when there are no real problems, a hired man will do. No, they will not go above and beyond, but generally, they will do their job. They will not wake up in the middle of the night and feel the need to lift up the congregation in prayer. When things do not go perfectly, they will not risk upsetting the apple cart. They do their job, get their pay that they worked for, and then they go home. If big problems come (and they do for all of us) they just move on. They do not have a passion for or really care that much about what they are doing but they do their job. I’ve known pastors like these guys and generally they are professional pastors and that is not bad but there is better. Compared to a bad shepherd, a hired man is so much better. The difficulty with the bad shepherd is at first, it is difficult to distinguish the bad shepherd from a good shepherd. Remember we are talking about under-shepherds. Ezekiel 34 is the account of a prophet in exile. In Ezekiel 33, he hears the terrible news that Jerusalem has fallen (He prophesied it but did not want it) the temple had been sacked and destroyed. Then in Ezekiel 34, he prophesies against the bad shepherds. God says this through him. “Is it not enough for you shepherds to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?” Where the good shepherd brings peace and stability, the bad shepherd brings division and strife. They are passionate and often articulate, but they are pointing in a direction that is opposite to where God is leading the people. Remember sheep are poor at directions; that is why when they get lost, they have a hard time finding their way home. That is why Jesus tells the story of the 100 sheep; when one is lost, he goes out and searches for it because it is not capable of finding its way back. The bad shepherds scatter the flock with their fine words. They eat first, but that is not their worst characteristic; after they eat, they then trample on the grasses, so it is difficult for the sheep to feed themselves. Thus making the sheep more dependent on them. Another characteristic of a bad shepherd is that they muddy the waters. Oh, they drink. But after they drink, they wade into the pools and stir up all the mud and silt at the bottom so the other sheep can’t drink or can’t enjoy drinking. And bad shepherds take the life out of church or try to. How do bad pastors do this? Number one, they make the ministry about themselves instead of the people. These are people who will not ask for forgiveness while making all the problems of the church about the sheep. Often they have terrible theology. Health and wealth gospels are one of them. These are pastors that fly around on private jets. Forget business class or first class; it has to be a private jet. They live well above the station of the people. Another way they trick the people is they use big words and big ideas not to draw people up but to make themselves look good. They appear humble, but they are just wolves in sheep’s clothing. Where the hired hand does his job and goes home, the bad shepherd will never go home because they are afraid of losing their control of the people. How did our Lord teach? He taught us in a way that a small child could understand. Because he wanted us to understand and grow. To have life and have it in its fullness because our good shepherd wants us to grow. When Jesus says I AM the GOOD SHEPHERD believe him. Trust him. Don’t run away from him. Let’s pray. Message
During my high school days, there was this buddy from my neighborhood who always talked big, you know the type. "I caught a fish this big," he'd say, or "I can jump this high." One day, he approached a group of us and claimed he had a date with the cutest girl in our school. We all dismissed it, thinking he was either pulling our leg or just plain lying. We told him, "There's no way she's going out with you." Despite our skepticism, he persisted in his assertion. Then, one of the girls who was friends with the girl he mentioned confirmed it. Not only was it true, but she had actually invited him to the movies. It seemed unbelievable, but it turned out to be true. He never let us forget that he wasn't lying about her going out with a goofy guy like him. Today, we're discussing something even more unbelievable than a girl asking my friend out on a date. We know on Good Friday that Jesus was brutally murdered, whipped, and beaten, with nails driven into his hands and feet. Then, after hanging on the cross and dying, he had a spear rammed into his side. About 20 years ago, I watched Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of the Christ." Moviegoers complained about how brutal the crucifixion scenes were; it was hard to watch. The theaters even struggled to sell popcorn and snacks because it was too intense to eat while watching. Yet, the movie simply depicted a level of violence that our Lord endured. Jesus' body would have been severely battered. People wonder why Mary Magdalene (whom I briefly mentioned on Easter) couldn't recognize Jesus at first, and one of the reasons might be was the violence inflicted upon him. It puts into context Isaiah 53:5, "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." Amen. Thomas knew what happened to Jesus; he knew that one does not come back from brutality like that. So, when the ten disciples claimed that Jesus was alive, it was beyond "I caught a fish this big," or beyond a normal guy getting a date with a cute girl. It wasn't just in the realm of improbability; it was in the realm of impossibility. No way! Thomas might have wondered if these guys were playing a prank on him. If they were, it would have been way beyond bad taste to claim that their master, teacher, and friend was walking around when Thomas knew he was dead. Or maybe Thomas thought they were having some kind of group hysteria driven mad by their grief. But whatever the issue was, Thomas wasn't going to fall for it. So, after hearing about the encounter (Thomas thinks "fake news"), he famously says, "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." A week later, all eleven are together again. Once more, the doors are locked. Why would eleven men in a house need to lock the doors? It's because they were living in fear – fear of the Romans, fear of the Jewish leaders, fear of the world. Maybe the ten who had met Jesus on that first night started doubting what they had seen a week before. I don't know what they were fearful about. It's okay to be afraid, but it's not okay to be controlled by your fear. When we make our fears greater than our faith in God, and then we're really in trouble. Like I have said before, when Liew, and the search committee asked me to consider coming as a support pastor here at KUC, I was afraid. (I did not know how afraid I really should be but I was afraid) I won't list all the things I was afraid of. Yet, as I heard God say to me Isaiah 41:10, "Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Lets say that as a community. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah knows his history: when the Israelites were fighting a battle and Moses would lift up his hands in praise of God, the Israelites could not be beaten. However, battles are not quick, and his arms would grow tired and when he lowered them, the Israelites would lose. So, he needed men to help hold up his arms (Exodus 17) to support him. It's good to have brothers and sisters who will hold up our arms when we are in the midst of battles, so that we can continue to praise God, regardless. Remember, our battles are not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:12). But even when we don't have brothers or sisters to hold up our arms, Isaiah 41 tells us that He himself (GOD!!!!) will hold us up by his righteous right hand, because if God is with us, who can be against us? So, the disciples are huddled in their room, windows shut, doors locked, like an earthly purgatory. And I'm not sure if you've ever been in a room with eleven men in close confinement; it might not have smelled very good. And suddenly, Jesus is standing in their midst, greeting them with "Shalom be with you." Because if you're living in fear (no judgment), pray for God’s peace. I'll say it again because it's so important: if you're living with fear, pray for God’s peace, God’s shalom.
Jesus with the ten other guys there goes straight to Thomas. He doesn't belittle him; he simply, matter-of-factly, addresses the man who wants facts. He says, "Put your fingers here; see my hands. Put your hand on my side. Stop doubting and believe." It wasn't not an accusation; it's a matter of fact. You saw what has happened to me on the cross. You saw the price I had to pay for your sins. You see the reality of this world: that the world killed the Son of God, and YET God raised him from the dead. Jesus isn't telling us to turn off our thinking caps. Jesus doesn't tell us to turn off our feelings. Most people process the world through their thinking or feelings. And having faith doesn't reject our rational brains or our feelings, and yet there is something much more powerful than just our rational understanding of the world, or our feelings, and that is faith. That is our faith in God the Father. Thomas could see. Thomas could feel our master's wounds. Thomas got his physical proof. However, Jesus says to Thomas and all other Thomases through the ages, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." These words aren't just for Thomas but for all of us who walk the path of faith. Jesus acknowledges that there will be times when we won't have the luxury of physical proof, times when we must rely solely on faith. Belief without seeing is the essence of faith. It's what sets apart mere followers of Jesus from true disciples. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. It's about trusting in the promises of God even when circumstances seem bleak, holding onto hope when everything around us points to despair. But how do we cultivate such faith? How do we believe without seeing? It begins with a personal encounter with the risen Christ. When we allow Jesus into our hearts, when we experience His love and grace, our faith becomes more than just a set of doctrines or beliefs. It becomes a living, breathing relationship with the living God. We know that in Mark 8:27-29, when Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" The disciples were willing to say, "Some say you are a teacher; others say you are a prophet, others even say Jesus was John the Baptist come back to live." But Jesus says, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter says, "You are the Christ!" "You are the Messiah!" Here, Thomas goes one step further. He says to Jesus, "My Lord and my God!” Not just a tool of God, which is what a messiah is, but Jesus, you are one with the Father. You are the only one worth worshiping. You are the only one worth following. You are the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, the first and the last. Jesus, you are GOD. This is Thomas’ burning bush moment. This is Thomas’ Isaiah 6 moment when he was taken up into God’s kingdom and Isaiah says, “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Now Thomas has seen the Lord God face to face. That is what he is saying. That is who Jesus is. Let’s pray. |
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