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Well, good morning. I want to welcome you and wish you a happy Easter. And if you have your Bible,
and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join in John chapter 20. In John chapter 20.
As we're going into our passage this morning, as we're coming out of baptism, I want to take just
a moment and speak to how amazing God is and how amazing we see God working in the life of our church.
I shared this number in a meeting the other day and was strongly encouraged to say this.
With all humility, we're not boasting in what we are doing, because we know that we are
incapable of saving anyone. That it is Jesus Christ who saves, and it is our job to celebrate
and worship Him and all that He is doing. But if you go back and you look since February,
between our two services, our English and Spanish services, for those who have been baptized,
and for those who are listed to be baptized soon, we have seen 30 individuals come forth
professing Christ as Lord and Savior and plan to be baptized. And so we join in celebrating God
in what He has done as they have responded to the person and the work of Jesus Christ in His life,
death, burial, and resurrection. And so today, on this Easter morning, just like every single day,
we gather together because of the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
And my prayer for you is just a moment we will dive into our message, is that the resurrection is not simply
an event we celebrate once a year. But the resurrection impacts our lives every day
because it sets and determines our eternity. Would you join me as we pray?
God, as we come to you this morning, as we open your word in John chapter 20,
Lord, I pray that much would be made of you. Lord, that men and women and children would be drawn to you.
God, I pray that I would be faithful to your word and that all that I say would be of you.
And Lord, if any of this is of me, Lord, remove it and work and move for your name and your glory.
And it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Before we read, I would like to share at the very end of the service, we will be partaking in the Lord's Supper together.
I hope you were able to get some of the elements as you came in.
If you were not, right now is a wonderful time. You can get up and move during the message
so that you can get those. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, whether you call Willow Ridge Church
at home or not, we want to invite you to participate in the Lord's Supper with us at the very end.
Well, Pastor Dave opened our time of worship by reading, beginning in John chapter 20 and reading
through verse 18. And I would like to pick up this morning in reading in John 20, this time starting
in verse 19. So would you join me? God's word says, "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week,
the doors being locked where the disciples were for fears of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them
and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' When he had said this, he showed them his hands in his side,
and then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. And Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you,
as the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.' And when he said this, he breathed on them and said to
them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you withhold
forgiveness from any, it is withheld.'" Today, we gather to talk about, to celebrate, to sing about,
and to witness the effecting work of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But I want us to look at it and ask
a question. What does this all mean? What does this all mean? From that very first Easter morning,
when those came to the tomb expecting to prepare a body that they would think would be in a tomb dead,
to find it empty, to find people hiding, and now Jesus appears, what does the resurrection mean? And
how does the resurrection ring true from that day to today in its implication?
I think we can begin to see, following the resurrection, some things in this passage of what Jesus did and
what Jesus will say in this interaction with the disciples. So, number one, let's look at what
Jesus did. What Jesus did. Number one, the first thing of what Jesus did in this encounter in John 20,
starting in verse 19, is Jesus went where no one else could go. Jesus went where no one else could go.
We find the disciples hidden and locked away, the Bible tells us, in a room. In a room made of clay and stone,
in a room with a thick wooden door, which has been locked so that no one from the outside could come in.
And as they are gathered in that space, the Bible tells us that Jesus comes to them,
and he stood among them. He didn't knock on the door. He didn't break through the wall.
But just as you and I are here, Jesus came to them. He didn't appear as a vision. He didn't appear as
spirit. But he came fully in flesh, doing what no one else could do.
Jesus steps into a space that literally no one else could. And what does that mean for us today?
What does that mean for you and I as we wrestle with, as we contemplate on, as we think about the
truth of the gospel and the power of the resurrection and what that means? And what it means for us is
Jesus desires to step into the space in your life and in mine where no one else can step,
where no one else can go. Jesus desires to step into the spaces of your heart and your life
where no pastor, no spouse, no friend, no therapist, where not even yourself can go.
He wants to step into the area that you try to hide, that you try to ignore, that you try to push to
the side, that you try to reject, that you try to deny. Jesus wants to step into the space
where no one else can go. The second thing is Jesus steps into the space. Jesus steps into the mess.
Jesus steps into the mess. Jesus doesn't step into a critical meeting of disciples
ready to charge the world with the message of the gospel. Jesus doesn't step into a prayer time where
where they're praying through. Lord, how will you use us to talk about your life, death, burial, and
resurrection? Jesus steps into the mess of their doubt and of their anxiety because the Bible tells us
that they were hiding because they were afraid. They were more concerned with their life than they were
the life that Christ had called them to. You see, the cross and the resurrection should not be
a surprise for them. As Christ had shared, this is what must take place repeatedly over and over and
over again. And Jesus steps into the mess of that situation. And just as Jesus Christ stepped into the
mess of that situation, Jesus desires to step into the mess of my life and yours. You see, you and I,
now we're, we're, we're incapable of cleaning ourselves up. There's not enough self-help and self-therapy
to get us through what we need. And so Jesus comes in, steps into that space, steps into our sin, our
stress, our anxiety, our rebellion, because that's who he is. And as Jesus steps into the space, steps into the mess,
the Bible says that he presents himself to them. He comes to them, showing them, revealing to them,
this is who I am. Jesus doesn't come into the room with a pep talk. Jesus doesn't come into the room
with a new mindset. Jesus doesn't come into the room with a new perspective.
And if we're being honest, that's not what you and I need. What you and I need is the power of the gospel.
What you and I need is the work of the gospel. And what you and I need is the person of the gospel.
And the person of the gospel is Jesus Christ. And Jesus on that day, he steps into the space where no
one can go. He steps into the mess. And Jesus offers himself.
The challenge for you, the message for you this morning, is that's exactly what Jesus is offering you today.
Now, but Jesus doesn't just come in and stand there. The Bible tells us that Jesus speaks. So let's look
at what Jesus said. Threefold again, we see three different things that Jesus speaks to. Number one,
Jesus spoke peace. Jesus spoke peace. Now remember, they're afraid. They're terrified. Rome's just killed
Jesus. Will it kill us now? And Jesus steps in and he says, peace be with you.
What type of peace is Jesus talking about? Is Jesus talking about a simple peace of mind?
Is Jesus talking of a peace of situation? What we see Jesus speaking to in this moment is the peace of
salvation. The ultimate work of the cross. That when Jesus came and gave his life and died on the
cross, what he's offering you and I is an opportunity. As we just talked about several weeks ago in here on
Sunday morning, Jesus is reconciling us to God. He's taking enemies of God, objects of wrath and
turning them into, praise God, sons and daughters of the living God.
That's the beauty of the peace that he offers us. A peace that is bought and purchased, not with our works,
but with his blood. So he speaks peace. But then the second thing is that Jesus speaks power.
That the Bible tells us that Jesus breathes on them as he says, receive the Holy Spirit.
You see, the life of a person who comes to faith in Christ. They come to faith in Christ through
acknowledging who he is and what he's done. And then the beauty of the work of the gospel is the life
that they will live going forward is once again founded in the work that God is doing in them and
through them through the very spirit of God who lives in them. You see, it's faith upon faith and upon faith.
It's faith that we come to salvation and it's faith that God calls us to obedience as we trust him in
our lives. So Jesus spoke with peace, Jesus spoke with power, but we also see that Jesus speaks with purpose.
Jesus speaks with purpose. What we find here in this room with the disciples is not just a calling for the
disciples, but it will be a calling for all who put their faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ as
Lord and Savior. We see it play out in Matthew 28 as the great commission. Jesus says, I receive the power
power because just as I have been sent, I am sending you. In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us that we're salt and
light, that we're to be missionaries, that the story of God is not just how God has saved us, but the story
of God is here, how God has saved me. So let me share with you how God delights and desires to share you as
well. You see, the message of the gospel is not a consume and it becomes mine, but the message of the gospel
is what is for me so that I can share with others. So Jesus steps into this first moment with these
disciples as he appears to them. He does the impossible as he goes where no one else could, as he steps into
the mess of their life, as he offers himself to them. But he speaks with peace, with power, and with
purpose. And the question I have for you this morning, whether this is the first time you've ever been to
church, or whether you've been to church your entire life is what will you do? What will you do not with a concept
of Jesus, not just a teaching of Jesus, with not just the cross of Jesus, but what will you do in the fullness
purpose with the resurrected Jesus? Because just as Jesus stepped onto the
cross, Jesus stepped out of the tomb. He steps into your life and he offers you the peace of salvation,
the power of the Holy Spirit, and the purpose of living in obedience to him.
What will you do?
Maybe you're thinking to yourself right now,
you know, but the answer to that question
would be a lot easier for me
if I was there that day. One of the things that I love to do as I'm reading, especially the gospels,
is to take the story and impose myself just as, what would it have felt like to be there in the
moment? Right, right, to be there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. To be there as Jesus sat with
the woman by the well. To be there when Jesus instructed the scribes and the Pharisees on the
parable of the Good Samaritan. What would have been like to be there in that moment?
It'd be a lot easier to believe and to trust Jesus
if I could have been there in that moment. It would help me with deciding what to do.
Well, it's interesting because there was a disciple at the time, a guy by the name of Thomas.
And Thomas had been with Jesus. He had been following Jesus for years.
But in this account, what we see in this gathering space, in this room with the disciples,
Thomas is missing. Thomas is not found. So let's keep reading because maybe as you're kind of looking
like, well, here's where I'm at when I wish I would have been there, then maybe you could be a little
bit like Thomas. So join me in verse 24 through 25. It says, "Now Thomas, one of the twelve called the twin,
was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord.'
But he said to them, 'Unless I see his hands in the marks of the nails and place my finger into the mark
of the nails and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.'" That's pretty descriptive.
That's an exact account. There's a guy who's like, well, listen, it is great that you guys got this,
but here's what I need. I need to see it. I need to see him. I don't need a picture. I don't need a story.
What I need before I come to faith, what I need is to see and I need to touch Jesus. He says, "I need to put my finger
in the holes on his hands and I need to place my hand into his side."
What will you do? What will you do? As the testimony of these seven individuals
has come forth today to tell you he's alive, he's alive, he's alive.
As the message of the songs that we have sung this morning testified to the truth that he's alive,
that he's alive, that he's alive. As the teaching of God's word this morning tells you that he's alive,
he's alive, he's alive. What will you do with the resurrected Jesus?
It's interesting with Thomas and it's important with Thomas that Thomas isn't new to the scene.
As we shared, Thomas has been someone who's walked with, who's heard from, who's eaten with,
who's prayed with, who's had his own feet washed by Jesus.
See, Thomas is not ignorant of the teachings of Christ. He's an early disciple of Jesus. He isn't
new to the crowd. Thomas would have heard Jesus repeatedly say over and over and over again that
Jesus would die and rise again. Thomas, in fact, had displayed a depth of loyalty to Jesus that in John
chapter 11, verse 16, that Thomas pledges that he himself is willing to die with Jesus.
Like, this is not a man who's just finding out at the very beginning. In John chapter 14, it's Thomas's
question. As Jesus talks about the eternal work of what Jesus is going in the preparation of heaven and
what Jesus will do, it is Thomas who says, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the
way?" Which leads to Jesus answering his question. If you're confused, Thomas, I know you've been with
me, man, for years, but let me give some clarity. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
But when Thomas hears the testimony of others, when Thomas hears what they have said, Thomas says, "Listen,
I'll believe, but on my terms. I'll believe, but on my terms." And church, here's where I feel like our
world has been and where our world is. I think it's a testimony that rings true in John chapter 20,
and it's a testimony that rings true today, that there are millions upon millions upon millions
of people who say, "That's fine. I'll come to Jesus, but it's on my terms. It's on my terms. I'll
come to Jesus, but let me find myself first. I'll come to Jesus, but let me figure some things out first.
I'll come to Jesus, but let me experience life a little bit more. I'll come to Jesus, but let me
clean myself up a little bit. I'll come to Jesus, but let me solve a few more of my problems. I'll come
to Jesus, but let me kick that habit first. I'll come to Jesus, but let me work through some emotions.
I'll come to Jesus, but let me work through my hurt that has been created by the church. I'll come to
Jesus, but let me work through what I'm blaming God right now for in my life. I'll come to Jesus,
Jesus, but first I need a deeper level of understanding, and if that's you today, folks, you are Thomas.
It's Jesus. But Thomas said, "But this is what I need. But this is what I need. But this is what I need."
Now jump with me to verse 26.
Thomas laid his terms out. I'll give him credit. He's honest.
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them, and although
the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them
and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas,
"Put your finger here and see my hands and put out your your hand and place it in my side.
Do not disbelieve, but believe."
Thomas answered him, "My Lord, my God."
And Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
If you're here and you have not put your faith, hope, and trust in Jesus Christ,
I know you're probably working through your terms in your mind.
This is what I need. This is what I need. This is what I need.
But my challenge for you this morning is would you come to Jesus Christ?
Not because of some outside influence that has brought you to a point,
but out of simple faith and profession of what Jesus has done and who Jesus is.
Look, Thomas had terms. He said, "I need to see and I need to touch."
And what does Jesus do? What does Jesus do? He reveals himself to Thomas. And this is interesting.
I read this this week, like coming through there. I was reading a pastor who preached about this passage,
and this just stood out in the realness and the freshness of the truth of God's word.
Jesus reveals himself to Thomas the same way that he reveals himself to the other disciples.
He stepped into the room. He offers peace. Just as Jesus is revealing himself to you this morning through his word.
Jesus reveals through the power of the gospel, "Peace be with you."
Jesus reveals himself. And then Jesus comes to Thomas.
And he says, "Touch." He says, "What you need, buddy? Touch it. Touch it. Touch the side. Touch the side."
Now notice this. Notice this. This blew my mind this week when I read this.
Thomas never touched him. Thomas never touched him.
I believe if Thomas would have touched him, the Bible would have told us that Thomas touched him.
Thomas never touched him.
In that moment, when Jesus revealed himself to Thomas, the revelation of Christ was all that Thomas needed.
The revelation of Christ that he offers to you today is the revelation of Christ that he offered to Thomas.
That was absolutely all he needed. And then in this, the beauty of Thomas, the beauty of doubting Thomas, the beauty of Thomas that we pick on all the time, the beauty of Thomas is that in the revelation of Christ, what does he say?
He says, "My Lord, my God. My Lord, my God. My Lord, my God."
In these two titles, Thomas says, "You're my master. You're my savior."
See, Thomas was no longer on his terms.
Thomas says, "Jesus, I'm on your terms."
Folks, whose terms are you on?
Don't wait for tomorrow for what God desires to do with you and to do in you today.
Put your faith, your hope, and your trust in the person and in the work of Christ.
I'm going to ask the praise team and the prayer team, if the praise team will come up on stage, if the prayer team will make their way to the sides of the auditorium.
Earlier, we talked about your terms.
But here's the gospel's terms.
The apostle Paul writes in Romans 10, verses 9 through 10.
It says, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."
If you're here today and you're not a follower of Jesus Christ,
it's not about you getting it right because he's gotten it right.
It's not about what you need to do because he's already done it.
It's about declaring, "My Lord, my God."
In the light of what the gospel demands, would you be willing to come forth today, number one,
and admitting that you're a sinner?
You see, it's the reality of the mess that we find ourselves in.
You're a sinner, I'm a sinner.
We're all sinners.
Jesus didn't come to save non-sinners because there's no such thing.
And so in order to recognize that we need to be saved, we have to recognize that we need to be saved from something.
And we need to be saved from ourself and our sin.
Would you come today and admit that you're a sinner?
The second thing, would you believe?
Would you believe?
Would you put your faith in Jesus Christ, that he died on the cross for your sin,
that he was buried in the tomb, and that three days later, while we are gathered in here today,
he rose again?
Would you believe in the person and the work of Jesus Christ, that he came to save you?
And then lastly, would you confess?
Would you confess?
When we think of confessing, we think of confessing like, oh, shucks, well, I guess I gotta admit that.
But that's not what the word confess means in the Bible.
The word confess means to proclaim, to announce, to tell truth.
Would you admit?
Would you believe?
And would you confess?
Jesus Christ, as Lord of your today, your tomorrow, and your eternity.
Would you join in the profession of Thomas?
My Lord, my God.
Would you pray with me?
God, work and move as only you can.
for your name, for your renown.
And it's in Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
That's it for this week's message.
Be sure to check back next week for a new episode.
And in the meantime, you can visit us online at willowridgechurch.org,
or by searching for Willow Ridge Church on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Thanks again for listening.