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The Failings Of Man And The Triumphs With God

Lesson Two: by turtle

Today we are going to be looking at one of the least disciples and His journey to the cross. Fact little
is known of him but a few guest appearances in the gospel. However he was one of twelve disciples,
but even he had to come to place of belief. Most of us that began our journey toward God must also
come to a place of belief or unbelief. Thomas had to come to a place of belief that Jesus was the
Messiah, yet through out his journey he was willing to join Jesus based on what He knew and saw.
Let us begin by looking at Thomas and seeing that he though little said concerning him was one of the
twelve.

On the day he is listed with the disciples we see Christ sending them out two by two in the highways
and byways unto the lost sheep of Israel and not to the gentiles. Going forth has Christ instructed
would be faith. And would be taking Christ at his word on faith. The twelve were ordained to do this.
Thomas was there as one of the twelve and was an apostle that Christ appointed. Take a look at what
Jesus had commissioned His disciples to do.

Matthew 10:1-42 KJV
(1) And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean
spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
(2) 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.
(5) These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the
Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
(6) But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
(7) And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
(8) Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely
give.
(9) Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
(10) Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is
worthy of his meat.
(11) And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till
ye go thence.
(12) And when ye come into an house, salute it.
(13) And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace
return to you.
(14) And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or
city, shake off the dust of your feet.
(15) Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day
of judgment, than for that city.
(16) Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and
harmless as doves.
(17) But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in
their synagogues;
(18) And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them
and the Gentiles.
(19) But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given
you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
(20) For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
(21) And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children
shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
(22) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be
saved.
(23) But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall
not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
(24) The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
(25) It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have
called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
(26) Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that
shall not be known.
(27) What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye
upon the housetops.
(28) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which
is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
(29) Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without
your Father.
(30) But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
(31) Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
(32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father
which is in heaven.
(33) But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in
heaven.
(34) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
(35) For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother,
and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
(36) And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
(37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or
daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
(38) And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
(39) He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
(40) He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
(41) He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he
that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
(42) And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the
name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Now I have to ask if this commission Jesus gave the disciples they had to be men of faith, then why
deny Jesus was resurrected? Thomas and the apostles would of seen the miracles at God’s hands and
come forth from their own hands by the power of God. Yet Thomas would doubt Christ resurrection.
This means if you go through periods of doubt concerning faith, do not be surprise for even the
Apostle Thomas struggled with faith. Yet before that time Thomas was willing to die with Christ.
Disciples made mention of impending danger if they went to see Lazarus, this was before they
understood Lazarus to be dead. Lazarus was a dear friend of Jesus and Jesus would go to the
graveside. Thomas may of only had a one liner in this next chapter but it speaks volumes of his
commitment to Christ.

John 11:1-17 KJV
(1) Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister
Martha.
(2) (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair,
whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
(3) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
(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.
(5) Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
(6) When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where
he was.
(7) Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
(8) His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither
again?
(9) Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth
not, because he seeth the light of this world.
(10) But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
(11) These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go,
that I may awake him out of sleep.
(12) Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
(13) Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
(14) Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
(15) And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let
us go unto him.
(16) Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we
may die with him.
(17) Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

Yet Thomas commitment was will understood he still did not grasp all Christ said. And when Thomas
did not understand something he was not afraid to ask Jesus questions. We to need not to be afraid to
ask God questions. Let us take a look at what Thomas was trying to understand.

John 14:1-7 KJV
(1) 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.
(4) And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
(5) Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
(6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by
me.
(7) If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him,
and have seen him.

This event took place after the last supper with Jesus. Jesus was journeying tot he cross and Thomas
wanted to know where He was going so he could follow. Christ made it clear to Thomas that no one
could come to Father without Him. We must remember that Jesus is the very word of God. No man
has ever come to God without the word of God. The word of God is what enables man to come to
God. Right there Jesus declares to Thomas who He is. Declaring to Thomas He had seen the Father.
At this point I do not believe Thomas fully grasp what Christ said. However Thomas would learn in a
few short days the truth. We see Thomas not at the cross though he probably was there. We know he
would known of the events happening. After all Christ had died on the cross and he declared the
disciples unless he could for himself put his fingers in Jesus hands and in his side he would not
believe. Yet at the moment of Christ appearance to him in the upper room, he believed, he declared
Jesus as Lord and God.

John 20:24-31 KJV
(24) But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
(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.
(26) 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.
(28) And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
(29) Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they
that have not seen, and yet have believed.
(30) And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in
this book:
(31) 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.

This was the moment of conversion for Thomas though before this he would of laid his life down for
God. It takes faith to believe yet here before Thomas stood Jesus with the nail scarred hands as proof
and a hole in his side where the sword had drained water from his dead body. Thomas knew Christ
arose.

We see Thomas in the upper room one more time with the apostle and then no more is heard in
scripture of him.

Acts 1:13 KJV
(13) And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and
James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of
Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

Yet the apocrypha which is include in catholic teachings, speaks that Thomas went to Asia and
preached and later died in either Persia or India as a martyr. Though some say these writing are not
true, it is a peace of Christian history that is based on research done by Biblical scholars. I happen to
agree with the account, even if some of it might be legends. I do not know I was not there. However
not to continue to do the work of God after such events would be shame. Not to preach after
doubting the resurrection and having proof would be shame. Where Thomas is recorded as going he
might not of been able to come back to tell the disciples. We could assume many things as why more
is not recorded.

The path each of us take to the cross is important, what did it take for you to believe. Was it instant. I
grew up on the word of God and even had miracles in my life, but to believe has always been and
always will be at my heart. For I believed upon hearing of the word and not because of miracles in
my life. Do we come because of the miracle or because of the word. It does not matter for even in a
miracle God‘s word had to be spoken for it to happen. God‘s word brings about faith in God. No
doubt about it. Jesus being the word draws all people to him. . May God have victory in your life
today through His word, through His Son.

John 1:1 KJV
(1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 KJV
(14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of
the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.