Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ.
Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. Welcome back to Easter weekend as we think about the resurrection of Jesus, an interesting story that's familiar about one of Jesus's disciples named Thomas. And we're going to read this passage and just give you a couple of principles from God's Word, just to give some perspective of what Easter means to us as believers. John chapter 20 and beginning in verse 24. The Bible says this, Jesus came. What had happened here is that Jesus had been crucified.
He had been buried in, of course, three days, three nights. He was in the tomb, and then the Bible says he rose again from the grave. But there were many that didn't believe that even when they had found out as Jesus appeared to different people, the Bible says that he appeared to his disciples. But Thomas wasn't there. And of course, when they told Thomas this, he was unbelieving, and that's why he was literally been called. Thomas, an unbelieving person or doubting Thomas. And this passage, by the way, says that Thomas, his surname was Didymus. This word Didymus and even the name Thomas literally means twin. Now we do not know if Thomas was a twin. There are so many speculations out there and we just don't, the Bible just hasn't made it totally clear that Thomas was a twin and if so, who his twin was. There are some that believe that Thomas had a twin and his twin was Judas.
I have no idea about any of that. I don't think that's biblical, I don't know. And if God wanted us to know specifically, maybe he would have told us. But anything that somebody will claim will simply be because they've taken some scripture, assumed some things and tried to put it all together.
But however, it could have been that he was given the nickname Didymus because he looked like an individual and so they said that he was a twin of somebody, we just don't know. But the Bible says here that Thomas was not with them when Jesus came. Verse 25 says this, the other disciples therefore said unto him, we have seen the Lord.
What a wonderful statement. And I would ask you today, have you seen the Lord? You say, well, you know, preacher, I don't, you know, he's not standing here, I don't see him in my living room and dear friend, you're not gonna see him in your living room, but have you seen him spiritually? Have you put your faith and trust in him? And may I say this, that I don't necessarily see him physically, but I feel him spiritually.
He's in my heart, he lives inside of me because I've put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ. And as the disciples, as Thomas came back, we don't know why he wasn't there, but as he came back and they said, we have seen the Lord, this is what verse 25 says, 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. Now, the title of our message today in a sense is if you look at this passage, the first phrase that Thomas says and the last phrase that he says, as we put those two things together, he said this, except I shall see, I will not believe.
Except I shall see, first thing he said, I will not believe, last thing he said. Verse 26 says, 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. Then sayeth he to Thomas. Now imagine as Thomas had said these things and now Jesus is in this room with them, the doors were shut, imagine what was going through Thomas's mind when he sees Jesus alive and in flesh, literally, as the God-man. The Bible says that as soon as they were in that room that Jesus literally turned right to Thomas. Imagine that and this is what he said, then he sayeth 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 and Thomas answered and said unto him, my Lord and my God. Interesting story here. I would say this, let's not be too hard on Thomas, probably you and I in the same situation would have doubted and questioned also.
But it's an amazing story here. I want us to pray and then we're gonna dig into this thing, except I shall see, I will not believe. On resurrection Sunday, are you doubting?
Let's pray, Lord, I love you, thank you for all that you've done. Lord, you would bless your word as you always do, in Jesus' name we pray, amen. Interesting thing here is that we believe and many believe in Zechariah chapter 13, Zechariah being a prophetic book and of course, even about the crucifixion and the resurrection and things, Zechariah had much prophecy to read about in that. But in Zechariah chapter 13, verse six, many believe that right here, we're told about this instance that would happen with Thomas. This is what the verse says, and one shall say unto him, and as prophecy was given about Jesus in chapter 13, and one shall say unto him, what are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. May I say something about the scars that Thomas saw, and by the way, I've often heard the statement that the only man-made thing in heaven is the scars, the nail prints on the hands of Jesus and the spear pierced side and the nail prints on his hands. The only man-made thing in heaven. I believe with all my heart that when you and I get to heaven, we will still see the nail prints in Jesus' hands and feet.
It will still be as fresh as if it just happened. Amazing, you know, and I think as even as a young person and I would have my thoughts of heaven, the things that were told me and how you just, your imagination runs wild and all the things that you think of in heaven. One thing that I very rarely pictured or thought about was to think about being in heaven and getting to see those wounds in the hands of Jesus. Interesting, what do those scars tell us? What do those scars, what did they tell Thomas that day? He said, unless I see, except I'll see, I will not believe. So when seeing those nail-pierced hands and that spear-pierced side, Jesus literally said, touch them, feel them, and believe.
What did they tell Thomas? Number one, I want you to see this morning that the scars tell us that Jesus suffered. The scars are proof that Jesus suffered. Jesus was the God-man. Isaiah nine, verse six teaches us that it was God in human flesh. The Bible says unto us, a child is born. This speaks of Jesus' humanity. Then the Bible says unto us, a son is given. This speaks of Jesus' deity. He was a child, but he was the son of God. Unto us, a child is born, unto us, a son is given.
Now this is Easter, but at Christmas is a time that we celebrate Jesus' birth. But what we should always remember is the reason for the birth was his eventual death on the cross that brother Jimmy and Miss Ashley sang so powerfully about today, to pay the penalty for our sins. And yet the victory would come in reconciliation when Jesus would rise from the dead. The scars tell us that Jesus suffered for us. God in human flesh suffered.
You know what the Bible says? The Bible says he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquity. The chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes, we are healed. The scars tell us that Jesus suffered. And by the way, may I say something, Jesus still suffers. You say, preacher, but crucifixion is done. He's raised from the dead. He's victorious and absolutely, yes he is. But he still suffers.
You say, what do you mean? Well, Ephesians teaches us that he suffers when we grieve the Holy Spirit. That's suffering when you're grieved. And that's what we do to God through our sin.
The Bible even says this, that Christ is the head of the church. We're the body. When the body hurts, the head hurts. When we suffer, he suffers. You see, the fact that we are in Christ when we hurt, he hurts.
It literally means that Jesus still suffers even when we suffer because he feels our pain. Can I give you a passage of scripture this morning if you've never thought about it in this way? In Acts chapter nine, we have and find the story of the conversion of Saul into who we would obviously know as Paul. And the Bible says that Saul was a person that persecuted Christians. But look what God said to Paul in Acts chapter nine, verse four. The Bible says, and he fell or Paul fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou? What did God say?
Me. God did not say, Saul, why persecutest thou them? God was saying that as you persecute my children, you persecute me. When it hurts them, it hurts me. And dear friend, I want you to know that when we hurt, Jesus hurts.
The Bible says we have a high priest that is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. We are the bride. The Bible says Jesus is the bridegroom. If a bride is unfaithful to the groom, the groom grieves. When the church is unfaithful to Jesus, he suffers. He grieves. The scars tell us that Jesus suffered. Second thing I want you to see this morning according to this passage, as Thomas looks and he sees the scars that Jesus had. Secondly this, I want you to know, the scars tell us that Jesus sympathizes. That Jesus sympathizes. The scars don't just tell us that he suffered, but it tells us that he sympathizes. Jesus has been there. He has felt.
He understands our pain more than we even do. I wanna read you a couple of passages as we've alluded to them already this morning. Hebrews chapter two, verse 17.
Listen to these words. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. And as that verse is up there, notice that. That he may be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful high priest. That means that he knows what we're going through.
He feels it, he knows it. Notice verse 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them or comfort or sympathize with them that are tempted. The scars in Jesus' hand tells us and shows us that Jesus sympathizes.
He comforts us because he knows what it feels like. Hebrews chapter four, as we mentioned here just recently, I wanna read these verses to you so you can see them. Verse 15 says, for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.
But listen to this. But was in all points tempted like we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of what? Grace. Those scars show that Jesus sympathizes with us that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. The scars tell us that Jesus not only suffered but that he sympathizes with us.
It's amazing when you've been through something that somebody else goes through, you can sympathize with them. When Jesus bore our sin on the cross, he literally felt everything that we would ever feel in life. Do you know that pain has a protecting purpose? Pain lets you know that something is not good for you. Pain has a unifying purpose.
It means we share something. Pain has a correcting purpose. When I have a pain, I go to the doctor.
And the doctor needs to know what my pain is so he can know what needs to be done to eliminate it. Pain helps me correct things that are wrong that I didn't know were wrong until I felt the pain. The scars tell us that Jesus sympathizes us.
Number three. The scars tell us, number three, that Jesus saves. Not just that Jesus suffered, not just that Jesus sympathizes, but the scars tell us and remind us that Jesus saves. Can I read you a verse this morning?
It'll be there on your screens. Hebrews chapter nine, verse 22. And almost all things are by the law, purged with blood and without shedding of blood.
There is no remission. The scars are proof of the blood that Jesus shed. And without that blood, there would be no remission of sins.
Those scars remind us that Jesus saves. May I tell you this morning, Jesus did not have to suffer. He could have refused the cross. But he chose to suffer in our place. John chapter 10, verse 18 tells us.
Those nails did not hold Jesus to the cross, dear friend. His love for us held him there on the cross. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For by grace are ye saved through faith.
Isaiah 53, verse five, I want you to see this verse. The Bible says, as I alluded to before, the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes, with his suffering, we are healed. With his suffering, he saved us. The scars not only tell us that Jesus suffered, that he sympathizes, but that he saves. Last this morning, may I remind you that the scars tell us that Jesus survived. When Thomas saw those scars, that wasn't just a sign that Jesus suffered. It wasn't just a sign in the future that Jesus would sympathize. It wasn't just a reminder to Thomas that our savior had saved, he had risen from the grave so that he could save us, but those scars were proof to Thomas that he did resurrect from the grave, that he had survived. Look at verse 28 there in your Bibles and even on the screen, notice what the Bible says, and Thomas answered and said unto him, my Lord and my God, you are my Lord, you are my God, which means you, Jesus, who I saw before the crucifixion are the same Jesus I'm seeing after the crucifixion. It was proof that Jesus was alive, he survived.
I wanna read you another verse, 1 Corinthians 15 verse 20. But now as Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept, for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. Listen to this, for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. The scars prove to us that Jesus is alive, that he survived, and dear friend, may I remind you the fact that Jesus survived means that you will survive. It means that I will survive. The fact that Jesus resurrected is a reminder that we will be resurrected.
The scars tell us that he survived. Wow, I'm from Florida originally. I was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but I spent a lot of years, my high school years, and my mom and dad had residents in Florida for a number of years. And years ago, I remember hearing a story there in Florida. I would not know how to trace it. I don't know if it's true, if it's not true.
I would have absolutely no idea. But I will tell you this, from being in Florida, it sounds as if this is something that absolutely could have happened, but I wouldn't wanna say definitely that this did happen. But I did hear stories of this when I was even high school there as a senior in high school down in Florida. And you have to understand, if you're from Florida, there's many, many parts of Florida that alligators are everywhere. I couldn't tell you how many times I used to do a lot of bass fishing in Florida and things, and I can't tell you how many times I would come across alligators while I was fishing. You would always have to be careful of that. A lot of my family lived down in Miami near the Everglades, and my grandmother one time years ago was in the Everglades Park that my dad often shared with me one time, and she sat right there by an alligator, and that alligator moved and scared her half to death.
They're everywhere down there. And when you fish in a lake, I mean, you know you've heard the stories of even this tragedy near Disney, and just one of the lakes, one of the man-made lakes there at Disney, alligators end up there and killed a two-year-old child. Well, the story was told there near the Tampa area, and I don't know if it's true, but that's the area where I kinda, we lived, and I remember this very, very well, and I don't remember if I heard it on the news, but this story was told to this young boy there that oftentimes people will live in houses right there by a canal or a river or a lake, and he was playing there in the backyard, and his mom was watching, and boy, before she even knew it that quickly, an alligator had planted himself right there at the base of that body of water in that river, and that boy was playing, and that gator came right out and grabbed, and literally, oftentimes gators don't just attack, but they're scared by something, and they'll attack literally out of self-defense often, and this alligator came and grabbed that young boy by the lake and began, as alligators will do, began to pull him back into that water, and that mom saw as that alligator attacked as he screamed, and that mom took off off that back porch and ran down, and that gator, that boy was fighting with everything, and that gator had him by the lake. Of course, he was bleeding already, and the gator's teeth was kinda tearing up his leg, and that mom ran down and grabbed that boy, and she was pulling that boy right there at the waterfront, and she was trying to hold the boy and trying to beat on the gator and everything she could do, and as she was holding that boy and that gator grabbed on, she just kept pulling and kicking and fighting, and finally, those powerful jaws of a gator that you couldn't open if you wanted to, it let loose of that boy, and that gator went into the water, and that mother grabbed that young man and ran to a car and rushed her son to the hospital, and he had some surgeries on the leg and different things, but was able to keep use of that leg, and they were kind of interviewing the mom and the son, and they're from the hospital after they knew he was okay, and about this scary incident there, and as a reporter was talking to him, they kinda showed the reporter, and of course, they didn't show on TV, but kinda showed the scars that were all over that young man's leg where that gator had ripped flesh apart and different things, and the reporter was talking about, boy, how painful that must have been, and I've shared this with folks here at Kerwin some years ago, and she just talked, the reporter said, oh, it must have been painful, it must have been horrible, and that young boy was just talking about how scared he was, and as she looked, she saw that on his arms and on his chest, on his upper body, there was just scars, there was just lines, like literally where the flesh had just come off in little tiny strips and things, and she said, oh my goodness, look at those horrible scars there. It must have really been bad, and that young boy just looked at that reporter, he said, no, these are my good scars, and the reporter looked, she said, what do you mean? He said, well, the scars on my leg is where that gator had me, he said, but these scars up here is where my mom grabbed me, and she just wouldn't let go, and he said, they're a reminder that my mom saved me because she wouldn't let me go, and dear friend, I want you to know those scars in the hands of Jesus are a reminder that he wouldn't let us go. While they're painful and horrible in our eyes of what they did to Jesus, they're good scars to us. In this Easter Sunday, we celebrate the fact that because Thomas saw those scars, that's a reminder that he raised from the grave, that he defeated death, hell in the grave. Because of that, we have hope today. Thomas said, except I shall see, I will not believe, and Thomas saw.
And how did it all end? Thomas said, my Lord and my God. Dear friend, I would ask you today, is he your Lord? Is he your God? As I close in prayer, I want to challenge you, if you're watching today and you do not know Jesus as your savior, he died for you. He suffered for you.
He sympathizes with you. He died to save you. And he survived, and so can you, if you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. As we bow in prayer today, if you've never been saved, I'd encourage you right now, you can bow your head, and you can say, Lord, I know I'm a sinner, but I believe that you came, that you love me enough to come and die for me. I believe that you rose from the grave, and Lord, I'm asking you to save me, to come into my heart and save me today.
Dear friend, you could have an Easter like no other. The scars are a reminder of a lot of things. Dear friend, one of the greatest reminders is that because he survived, so can we. Lord, I love you today. I thank you that you never let go.
I thank you that those scars are precious to us. And God, thank you for a wonderful day, for every person watching. And Lord, I pray that you would somehow hug our hearts and let us know today how much you love us.
This is a reminder of what you've done for us. And God, I pray that you would bless and that you would work, that God, you would forgive us, that you would heal us as a nation, that you would revive us again. God, I pray that you would bless tonight, Lord, as we have a funeral right here in this building for a precious, precious family.
What a comfort it is as a pastor to be able to say, because Jesus resurrected, your loved one was resurrected too. Lord, I love you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. God bless you.
Have a good day. God bless you. These have you not strengthened, neither have you healed that which was said, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought again that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost. Therefore, all ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord, for thus saith the Lord God, behold I, even I, will both search my sheep and seek them out, and as his shepherds seeketh out his flesh, so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered. The grass was green and pastures looked so fair, and so without a thought, I wandered there. Just like the sheep, I did not know the way that I should go.
I was lost, and it seemed that no one cared. I graced upon whatever I could find, and followed every thought that came to mind. I thought I'd had my fill, and yet I hung on to my feet. I thought I'd had my fill, and yet I hungered still, but he searched and found me just in time. And the good shepherd sought me, the kind shepherd found me scattered in the darkness all along. The great shepherd bears me on shoulders of mercy where I'll rest until he takes me safely home. And the good shepherd sought me, the kind shepherd found me while I wandered in the darkness all along. And the great shepherd bears me on shoulders of mercy where I'll rest until he takes me safely home.
Where I'll rest until he takes me safely home, safely home, safely home. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kerwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you.
