Characteristics of the Resurrection Body

Transcript

GR 418
10/25/1981
Characteristics of the Resurrection Body
JOHN 20:24-31
Gil Rugh

John chapter 20 in your Bibles. John's gospel, the 20th chapter. We come down to the closing part of the chapter in our consideration together today. Back in verse 19 Jesus had made an appearance to His disciples while they were closed in an upper room. We saw something of the fear and confusion that characterized them in those days. The fear of the Jews, the uncertainty about their own direction and destiny. The tremendous turmoil that they must have been experiencing as their Lord and Savior had suffered execution just days earlier. Now the rumor that He had been raised from the dead, and now as they are gathered in this room behind locked doors, Jesus Himself appears in their midst and greets them with the statement at the end of verse 19, "Peace be with you." And He presented the proof that it was Him—His body, the scars in His hands, the wound in His side. To assure them that indeed it was He. He had been raised from the dead. Then He greets them again in verse 21, "Peace be with you" and commissions them, "As the Father sent Me, I also send you." He had come not just to give them security, not to give them assurance alone, but to give them the security and assurance of His finished work, of their relationship with Him so that they could go and be His representatives, sent by Him with His authority with the Father's authority, even as He had been sent by the Father to be representative of the Father, to witness to the Father, to reveal the Father. We noted the importance of that statement, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." That we as believers are sent forth by Jesus Christ with a message to proclaim. That message being that the Son of God has come to earth, has died to pay the penalty for sins, and has been raised the victor over death because He has secured redemption for those who believe in Him. And the provision for them, in verse 22, is the Holy Spirit. "He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit."' Some take this to be a temporary provision of the Spirit until His permanent coming at Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. I noted that I think it probably refers here to Acts chapter 2, as it anticipates the coming of the Spirit in Acts chapter 2, "When they shall receive power." In Acts chapter 1 Jesus told them to tarry at Jerusalem and that they would receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon them. The power for the ministry that we have thrust forth to proclaim that message comes from the Spirit of God. We have the authority of God behind it, the authority to declare sins forgiven. To declare sins retained, based upon how people respond to the authoritative proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now that's giving to individuals the right to take away sins. We looked at the emphasis in the New Testament, that as we proclaim the message, the response to the message gives us the authority to declare them either forgiven or unforgiven, because anyone who does not believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died for them is still bound in their sin and destined for hell.

We come to verse 24 and we come to a presentation of Christ to Thomas. Thomas was absent from the previous revelation of Christ to the disciples. Now Christ is going to appear again and present Himself for Thomas' benefit that he too might have that security and confidence. I just want to review with you some of the emphasis and characteristics of the resurrection body of Jesus Christ. We'll see some of it again as He presents Himself to Thomas. Just to present in one package some of the material that Scripture says about the glorified body of Christ. We looked at some of these last week.

The strong emphasis on the fact that it is the same body that is crucified, the same body that is buried, that is raised again from the dead. Sometimes the question comes, why does God want to raise this physical body? I don't know that I have all the answers or the complete answers to that. But it is sufficient for us to know that God intends for us to know that this physical body be eternal. When He created Adam and Eve in the garden, He did not create them with the intention that they would experience death. That was part of His plan that He would, but they were not created to die. They were created to live in a fellowship relationship with Him. So God intends to raise this physical body back to life. In the verses we will consider, we've already seen in verse 20 of chapter 20, that He shows them both His hands and His side. The marks are there. This is the same body that was on the cross. Down in verse 25 and 26, He will present Himself to Thomas. Verse 27, again "Look at My hands. Look at My side. It’s Me." It's the same body that was crucified, that was buried. It's also supported by the fact that the disciples recognize Him after His resurrection. I realize there are times that they do not know it is Him, when they have questions whether or not it's Him. But basically, after He makes it known, there is no problem in recognizing Him. They know it's Him, it's the same person, recognizable.

We noted also it is a body that has material substance. Look back in Luke 24, verses 41-43. Verse 42, "They gave Him a piece of broiled fish; and He took it and ate it in their sight." He's not just a spirit, so when we receive our resurrected, glorified body, it won't be just a spiritual body. It will be a spiritual body, but not a spirit body as we think of spirits. It will have material substance to it. And here in His glorified body, Christ is able to eat physical food. In verse 39 of Luke 24, "See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." I am tangible, I can be held on to, I can be grasped. It has substance to it. The body can be felt, can be handled. We noted here a spirit does not have flesh and bone. First Corinthians 15 says that "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." Some of those who deny a literal bodily resurrection today take 1 Corinthians 15 to mean this physical body will not be what is raised. It is important to note here that this resurrection body has flesh and bone—flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and evidently the resurrected body will not be sustained by blood as this physical body is. In this present physical body, the life of the body is in the blood. The resurrected body has flesh and bone. Evidently not blood as the sustaining force in that glorified body.

So it's material substance, material in its nature, it can be handled, it has flesh and bone. Also while you’re in Luke 24, verse 36, "While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst." It's not bound by physical limitations. Even though it has material substance, the resurrection body is not bound by physical limitations. The resurrection body of Christ is not, and I take it our resurrection body will not either.

Back in verse 31 of Luke 24, "Their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight." Again, it comes and goes at will. Back in John chapter 20 and verse 19, we saw the same thing. He appears while they're behind locked doors. This will be the case in verse 26 of John chapter 20 as well. The resurrection body is able to appear and disappear at will. Evidently it is able to be transported from one place to another without the limitations of time and space. So it is a body that in effect functions in both worlds. The spirit and the physical, and it is able to move from one dimension of the world to the other without restriction.

Now Christ's resurrection body, even after His resurrection as He appears to the disciples during these days before the ascension in Acts chapter 1, has something of its innate glory veiled. After Acts chapter 1, any time Christ appears, it is always with overwhelming display of glory. Look over in Acts 7, verse 55. Here we are at the stoning of Stephen. And in verse 55, "But being full of the Holy Spirit, He gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, 'Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'" The presence of glory that is overwhelming.

In Acts chapter 9, as Paul confronts Christ on the Damascus Road, he is overwhelmed with the brilliance of His presence. Verse 3, "And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ’Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' And he said, ’Who are You, Lord?’
And He said, ’I am Jesus whom you are persecuting..."' Again, the brilliance, the display of His presence.

The fullest presentation is over in Revelation chapter 1, verse 12. John turns to see the voice speaking to him, and in verse 13, "In the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breasts with a golden girdle. And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. And in His right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man...” So something of the innate glory that belongs to Jesus Christ as the Son of God is still restrained and veiled during these resurrection appearances, up until Acts chapter 1, to enable Him to carry on a continued ministry with the disciples. After Acts chapter 1, the full display of that glory is always present.

Turn back to Philippians chapter 3. It is important for us to make the connection here that we are going to have a glorified, resurrected body just like Jesus Christ has. It’s interesting to study the resurrection body to find out what He was like after His resurrection. But it takes on an added dimension when I realize I am studying what I am going to be like after my bodily resurrection. Philippians chapter 3, verse 20, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20 and 21. He'll transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory by the exertion of His power. So that's what we're destined for...that's what 1 John 3 says, that when we see Him we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. I anticipate having this very physical body resurrected, transformed, either at the rapture of the Church or resurrected from the grave at the rapture of the Church. It will be this same body, resurrected in a glorified state, without its physical limitations and restrictions. But nonetheless the same physical body. I take it we will recognize one another in the resurrection. We'll know our loved ones. We'll be able to grasp on to one another, to enjoy that relationship to the fullest. But we also will transcend the limitations of the physical body. That may have something to do with our functioning in the millennial kingdom, when we shall have access both to the New Jerusalem and to the physical earth, to be part of the administering of the kingdom of Christ on earth. And have the freedom to come and go without restraint and without restrictions. I always like it when the kids study this area because they let their minds go crazy, and they're always thinking about what planets they're going to go to, and the kinds of things they're going to do! And it is going to be exciting! The glorified body is going to be a body of glory, suited for God's presence in glory and to serve Him in the fullest possible way.

When we come back to John chapter 20, this is the body that Christ is presenting to the disciples. It would not have been the same reassurance to them to have the Spirit present Himself. We noted the disciples are believers in the supernatural. They had no problem thinking that a spirit had presented Himself. They are overwhelmed by the fact that it is the resurrected Jesus Christ that is presenting Himself.

In verse 24 of John 20, "But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came." For whatever reason, Thomas the twin is absent. Didymus—twin. He wasn't present at this meeting with the disciples. Perhaps he is discouraged, he's disheartened. Perhaps he's off by himself, a little bit disconsolate about what has happened. His life is shattered. The disciples in verse 25 were therefore "saying to him, 'We have seen the Lord!"' Now wouldn't that make an impression? If ten of your closest friends that you had toiled with the last three years now told you that they had seen Jesus Christ after the resurrection that had to brighten Thomas' life. Bring some sunshine into the gloom. Not Thomas. "But he said to them, 'Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."' Now there is a tough nut! I don't care what you say. I don't care that all ten of you agree. Unless I personally, first-hand, not only see but touch, I don't believe!

We've seen Thomas a couple of other times in John. Back up to John 11. I found it interesting to study a little bit about Thomas this week. It's been a little bit reinforcing. Verse 16 of John 11. What has happened is that Lazarus has died, and Jesus says, Now let's go. At the end of verse 15, "Let us go to him." In verse 16, "Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go...'" Now there's real courage! Real courage. I mean, you can't fault this man who is called the Twin for a lack of courage! But He is a courageous pessimist! He's not saying "Let us go with Him! Charge!!" No, "Let us go with Him that we may die with Him." There is a certain pessimism that characterizes Thomas. He has the ability to perceive the gloom in the brightest situations. You know, Thomas has many descendants today. No matter what the Lord does, you can be overwhelmed with what God is doing and there are some Christians who have the ability to perceive the gloom that you would have never thought of! Here’s Thomas. He's got all the courage to charge ahead, but he's a pessimist. "I'm willing to follow Him even to death." No confidence in the Lord. If he could have just stopped with "Let us go also!" But no, "...that we may die with Him."

Look over in chapter 14. Jesus had just given some of the most exciting material that a disciple could hear. "Don’t let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; and you know what? I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come and get you again to receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going..." That's exciting material. Here comes Thomas. Thomas says, "Lord, we don't know where you're going; and we don't know how to get there." You know, "Lord, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have any idea where you're going and I don't know how to get there anyway." There's just a certain gloom that surrounds Thomas. Just hard to get away from. You get over to chapter 20 and here he is again. He's not with the twelve. Perhaps that says something. Perhaps he should have been with them rather than off by himself. One of things, it increases your gloom as a believer when you get cut off from other believers. And now here he is confronted not by the testimony of just Mary Magdalene, not by just the testimony of Peter or John, but the testimony of all the disciples. He says, "No, not me. Not unless I see it myself. Not unless I can touch, not unless I can handle will I believe. You're not going to make a believer out of me." Ever share with a believer all the great things God has done in your life and been doing, and no that doesn't make any difference. That doesn't mean that He'll do it now. That doesn't mean that this will happen. You almost have to stay away from them for a while because it seems they walk under a cloud. And if I'm with them too long, I feel myself getting wet. There's just something about them. We as believers need to be careful of that. God hasn’t called us to be gloom. Some Christians have that character. Prophets of doom, gloom. We have a victorious Lord, all-powerful Savior. Now here Thomas, "I won't believe." Eight days go by. Probably here including both Sundays. That we’re again the following Sunday. Most are agreed on that. "The disciples were inside and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut." Verse 26. Strikes me here as interesting. Back in verse 19, a week earlier the disciples had been locked in a room for fear of the Jews. Now Jesus comes and presents Himself with irrefutable proof and evidence, that I have been raised from the dead. And they are turned to joy and peace, confidence in Him. But they haven’t put it all together yet, because a week later we still find them locked up behind closed doors. What's the reason? I take it it's the same reason in verse 19—the fear of the Jews. They haven't put two and two together, so to speak. Yes, we have a resurrected Lord. Yes, He is alive. Maybe this is why Thomas didn't believe. And yes, we're afraid of the Jews—lock the door! Wait a minute. He's been raised? Yes. Is He alive? Yes. Does that mean He has conquered death and sin? Yes. Does that mean He has defeated the Jews' intention? Yes. Now lock the doors before they get us! Doesn't that do something to your testimony? I mean, everything you say is somewhat muted by quick of the door lock. Sure I believe He's alive! Sure I believe He's the victor! Sure I believe He's been raised! Now would you lock the door before the Jews get me? There's something not together yet. That that victory is all encompassing, that they are safe and secure as those who belong to a risen Lord. There they are locked in a room again. Christ comes and He greets them as He stands in their midst with the same greeting, "Peace to you." We looked at this somewhat last week. The emphasis of the result of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is possible for a person to have peace with God and the peace of God. That's a growing, building thing. The disciples have peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. But they are going to be growing in the experiencing in the peace of God. As we move into the Book of Acts, rather than finding them locked behind closed doors, we’re going to find them standing up with confidence and courage to the Jews leaders, and saying "We must obey God rather than men. This is what you must hear about our risen Savior." Not dropping secret notes out of closed windows. Out there boldly presenting the message of Christ. "Peace to you.”

And then He addresses Thomas. "Then He said to Thomas, ’Reach here your finger and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.”’ The series of commands given to Thomas, and you note here that the risen, resurrected Christ is totally, absolutely, completely aware of all that Thomas has said. He does not have to come and say ’Thomas, have you had doubts?' "Thomas, you said something about the nail prints in My hands; about the wound in My side. About needing to touch the very places, to insert your finger to be convinced. Now do it, so that your lack of faith can be turned into true faith." A reminder that the sovereign, resurrected Lord is aware of all that is happening.

Why did there need to be fear? Why did there need to be worry? Christ is aware. He is there. He knows everything that is going on. "Thomas, it's Me. You need evidence. My hands? Put forth your finger. Here, touch the nail prints. Here, put your hands into My side, the wound. Be convinced." I take the scars in the resurrected body of Christ are there for the specific purpose of demonstrating that it is Him, and also to be a reminder of the purchase price of redemption. That they serve that specific, special purpose. One thing you have to say about Thomas. We know him as Doubting Thomas. I think perhaps it might be just as well to call him Pessimistic Thomas. But he is turned around. When Thomas confronts the evidence, he submits. Different than some who don’t believe today. In the face of overwhelming evidence, they are unmoved. They are not just unbelievers, they are fools. Thomas is not a fool. And he comes out with as strong a statement of faith as you have in the entire gospel—the only person through the entire Gospel of John who acknowledges directly the deity of Jesus Christ: "My Lord and My God!" He calls Him his Lord and his God. No doubt in Thomas’ mind that this is indeed Jesus Christ. With all of his doubts, even though the testimony of the other ten disciples didn’t make an impact, there is no doubt left in Thomas. This is the One who is my Lord and my God! Clear statement here of the deity of Jesus Christ. We sometimes have questions on the deity—Jehovah Witnesses have questions regarding the deity of Jesus Christ. And we talked here in Open Forum the last couple of weeks that in John chapter 1, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." Some make a point that the definite article "the" does not appear before God, so it ought not to be The God. But it does appear here in verse 28. Literally, it says "the Lord of me and the God of me." And you have a real problem if this is just the overwhelming emotion of the moment that Thomas addresses Jesus Christ as God, but it is just an emotional overflow. A Jew would not make that mistake, and furthermore, Jesus Christ is an imposture if He accepts it, even in the emotion of the moment.

Look over in the Book of Revelation, chapter 19. John is overwhelmed as he might be in the emotion of the moment with this tremendous revelation he has been given. And in chapter 19, verse 10, he falls at the feet of an angel to worship him, "And he said to me, 'Do not do that; I am a fellow-servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'" John is rebuked even in the emotion of the moment for falling down to worship before an angel.

Look over in chapter 22 of Revelation, verse 8. "And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. And he said to me, 'Do not do that; I am a fellow-servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book; worship God.'" But back in John chapter 20, verse 28, Thomas falls down before Christ and says, "My Lord and my God!" and there is no rebuke. But rather, blessing. So a clear statement of the deity of Christ, and He accepts this acclamation of deity as truth. And it is something that all, even those who do not see Him personally, face to face, must come to believe if they are to experience the blessing of God.

In verse 29 Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed." Special blessing here. You've seen and believed, but "Blessed are they who don't have this privilege and believe." They have to believe on the basis of the evidence presented. On the basis of testimony of those who have seen, such as Thomas! "Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet believed." You note what the goal is. To believe. Believe what? That Jesus is the Lord. He is God! To believe that He is the resurrected Lord, the risen Savior. Thomas believes. This is the Lord and God who has been raised from the dead! That's what you must come to believe. That's the blessing pronounced on those who do.

Look at John chapter 17. Jesus in His prayer, verse 20, "I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word...." The these there are the disciples and apostles. "...that they may be one; even as You, Father, art in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that You sent Me." We are those who have come to believe through the word of the apostles. We believe because of the testimony of these men who saw, who recorded their testimony under the inspiration of the Spirit. We are those who Christ was praying for there. We are those that Jesus is talking about when He says, "Blessed are those who do not see, but believe." I've never seen the resurrected Jesus Christ, but I have believed in Him. I believe He is the Son of God who died for me. I believe He arose from the dead. I've never seen Him. I take it this blessing is for me, for you, for all who believe.

Look over in 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 6, "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls." Haven't seen Him in the past, don't see Him today. But we believe in Him. We give special attention today to those who claim to have special visions of Christ. They are spurious. They're not genuine. But even if they were, there is special blessing credited and accorded to those who have believed without seeing. I would prefer to be one of those who are among the specially blessed.

Come back to John chapter 20. This causes John to draw to a point the whole purpose of his gospel. In many ways verses 30 and 31 of John 20 form the climax or the conclusion to the book. This has caused some to believe that John chapter 21 was a later addition. I don't think that's so. I think rather the testimony of Thomas and the words of Christ caused John to draw in now, that this has been my whole purpose in writing to you. To you who have not seen. Verse 30, "Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book..." John says, "I've just taken a sampling of the miracles Christ did." Miracles are called signs, remember, because they reveal or demonstrate something. They reveal that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel, the Savior of the world. At least eight specific signs that we enumerated in John—water turned to wine in John chapter 2; the nobleman's son in John chapter 4; the sick man healed in John chapter 5; the feeding of the five thousand in John chapter 6; walking on the water in John chapter 6; the man born blind who was given in sight in John chapter 9; Lazarus raised from the dead in John chapter 11; and then the resurrection of Christ in John chapter 20. There are other evidences and demonstrations, but those specific miracles clearly present who Jesus Christ indeed is. "He did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which we have witnessed and seen. I haven't written them, but these have been written." Why? "...in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God..." Written so that you may believe. Look back in chapter 19, verse 35. "He who has seen has borne witness, and his witness is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe." There is the expression of purpose. I've written this, I've testified to this so that you may believe.

Now over in chapter 20, verse 31, "I've written these things so that you may believe.." What do you believe? "...that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed One, the Messiah." He is the Son of God. I take it that ties to Thomas' declaration—My Lord and My God! To say that He was the Son of God, to the Jewish mind meant that He was of the same nature and essence and being. You remember earlier in the Gospel of John the Jews wanted to stone him for blasphemy because He said He was the Son of God, and they understood that to be a declaration of deity. So here, you must come to believe that He is the Messiah. He is God's Son, deity in the flesh! "And that believing, you may have life in His name." Two purposes here:
that you may believe, and that you may have life. One is built on the other. I want you to believe, written so that you might believe; so that by believing you might have life. I want you to believe—why? So that you might have the life that He came to bring. Two key words in the Gospel of John—believe (remember John uses it 98 times, always as a verb); and have life. John uses this 35 times in his gospel. That’s it. Inseparably linked together are belief in the Christ, the Son of God and life in His name. By believing in Him. His name stands for all that He is, and that’s where life is found—in the person and work of this One who is the Son of God.

This has been a repeated emphasis through the Gospel of John, that He is the Son of God. You must believe in Him, and when you believe in Him, you will have life.

Back in John chapter 1, John the Baptist gives his testimony at the very beginning of the ministry of Christ. In verse 34, "I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God." Over in chapter 1, verse 49, Nathanael answered Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel."
Two things that John brings together—you might believe He is the Christ, the Son of God. You are the Son of God, You are the King of Israel.

Mary over in chapter 11 declared the same thing that she believes that He is the Son of God. Chapter 3 of John, verse 18, "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." For those who do not believe in Him, they are under judgment, under condemnation because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God and life is in His name. Life involves forgiveness of sins, being brought into a personal relationship with God Himself.

"That you may have life." You remember back in John chapter 1, John began by saying, "In Him was life..." And in verse 12 of chapter 1, "But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name." Life in His name by faith.

This is the message that is proclaimed as you move on into the Book of Acts.
Just look over in the Book of Acts, chapter 10, verse 43, "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him has received forgiveness of sins." Received forgiveness of sins is to become the recipient of the life, eternal life, a relationship with God which is eternal. Until we believe in Him and have forgiveness of sins, we do not have life. We are separated from God, the enemies of God, under the judgment and condemnation of God. Christ came to change all of that. It is changed through faith in His finished work.

Look over in 1 John, verse 15 of chapter 4. "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." A recognition of who Jesus Christ is. Chapter 5, verse 1. "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him." Verse 10, "The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness that God has borne concerning His Son. And the witness is this that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life." Life is the possession of those who believe in Jesus Christ.

What John has done is present the evidence. Here is the proof, the demonstration. You're not asked to believe in a vacuum. You're not asked to believe without evidence and proof. But you are asked to consider the evidence, and the evidence drives you to no other conclusion but that this One, Jesus the Nazarene, is the Christ, the Messiah of Israel. He is the Son of God, and for all who would believe in Him there is life.

One other passage, back in John chapter 5, verse 39. "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me..." The Scriptures, they testify to who Jesus Christ is. Note the tragedy of verse 40, "...and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life." All the evidence offers, all that the Son of God Himself has done, and then we come to a stubborn and obstinate people who are unwilling to come to Him that they may have life. Oh, they’re willing to be religious. They’re willing to work hard. They’re willing to join churches and religious movements. They’re willing to give money, to give time. They’re willing to do a lot of things, but they are unwilling to come to Him that they may have life. That's all that God demands. "He that hath the Son hath life; He that does not have the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on Him."

The evidence is irrefutable. It's clear. Have you come to believe in Him? Have you recognized that this One we’ve been studying about is indeed the Son of God? He paid the penalty for your sins and that if you will believe in Him, you will have complete forgiveness and cleansing? You will have life beginning now, and going for all eternity. Let's pray together.

Father, how we praise you today for the Savior that we have. Lord, we thank you for the revelation given in this book, the evidence presented that this is indeed the Christ, the Son of God. Thank you, Father, for the privilege of believing in Him. We pray for those who may be here who have yet to recognize who He is, to believe in Him as the One who paid the penalty for their sin.

Lord, for those of us who believe, may we be manifesting His character in all that we do. Lord, may we even learn from Thomas, the pessimism and gloom that surrounded and enveloped Him. Lord, keep our eyes focused upon that One who is alive, who has been raised the victor, that we might realize and remember and life in light of the fact that we are victors in Him, for we pray in His name.