If Ye Then Be Risen With Christ, Seek Those Things Which Are Above - Part 1520

"And the angel answered and said unto the women, "Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. he is not here for He is risen; as He said, "Come, see the place where the Lord lay." And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead: and, behold, He goes before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you." And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word." (Matthew 28:1-8)

After Jesus died and rose again, there was a period of time whereby Jesus appeared unto His disciples. (Acts 1:2-3) Not just the original twelve disciples but to other disciples who had decided to follow Jesus during His earthly ministry. Apostle Paul, who was last to see Jesus, as a disciple born out of due time, describes Jesus' appearance as the risen Christ to the faithful in this manner.

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according tot the scriptures, and that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve; after that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep; after that He was seen of James, then of all the apostles, and last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time." (I Corinthians 15:1-8)

As we also understand from Matthew's account, Jesus met the women --- Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary -- saying, "All hail." Therein, the two came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him. Then said Jesus unto them, "Be not afraid: go tell My brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me." (Matthew 28:10; John 20:17)

But as we know from Mark's account, there were those who did not believe that Jesus was alive, or that He had been seen by Mary Magdalene first, (out of whom He had cast seven devils) and the other Mary. (Mark 16:11; Luke 24:13-35) Interestingly, Jesus appeared in "another form" unto two of those who did not believe as they walked into the country. The scripture notes: "And they went and told [it] unto the residue; neither believed they them." (Mark 16:13)

In this context, John describes another unbeliever as one of the disciples -- Thomas called Didymus, dubbed doubting Thomas by so many today. Just prior, John describes how Mary Magdalene is telling the disciples she has seen the Lord and that He had spoken these thing unto her. "Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren, and say unto them, "I ascend unto My Father, and your Father, and [to] My God, and your God." (John 20:17; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 2:11; John 16:28; Ephesians 1:17)

This same evening, being the first of the week, the disciples were assembled in a place with the doors shut, because these were afraid of the Jews. Jesus stands in the midst of them showing them the piercings both in His hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. He then said to them, "Peace [be] unto you, as [My] Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." (John 20:20-21)

Jesus then breathes on them, saying, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained." (John 20:22-23; Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18)

But Thomas was not in the room when Jesus came. Of course the other disciples are telling Thomas that they have seen the Lord, and they are glad. But Thomas, unbelieving, responds by saying, "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." (John 20:24-25)

How many of us have been exactly where Thomas was? Here are the rest of the apostles [ten at least] saying that they have seen Jesus, but still don't believe. He is risen from the dead, but we need to see Jesus risen for ourselves. The presence of numerous witnesses standing in agreement, in one accord, and yet we still do not receive His Word gladly in our hearts. Because ... we need absolute proof.

Perhaps, for totality, we should be aware that just before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Thomas had said unto his fellow disciples, "Let us also go that we may die with him." (John 11:16) A strange comment in light of the circumstance, and that Jesus was about to call Lazarus back to life from death but very telling of the state of Thomas' heart. He simply did not believe that Jesus was who He claimed to be.

Now, after Jesus' death on the cross, here is Thomas and he was not going to be swayed until he himself saw Jesus firsthand. Jesus must have known Thomas' stance because here was Jesus (eight days later) standing in a room with the disciples -- the doors again being deliberately shut to the outside world. In the midst is Jesus, who begins by saying, "Peace [be] unto you."

Then said Jesus 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." (John 20:26-27; I John 1:1; Mark 16:14)

As Thomas thrust his hand in Jesus' side, I can only imagine what he was thinking. How his heart must have been jumping with excitement over seeing the Lord Jesus, but also knowing that He whom He touched was indeed the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Word of life. Here was Jesus standing before Thomas so that Thomas himself would come to understand, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jesus was who He said He was.

What was Thomas' response?

" ... my Lord and my God!" (John 20:28)

Thomas now knew that the risen Christ which stood before Him was indeed God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) The Lord having come forward as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6) And that after His kindness and love, God willingly became our Saviour on the cross. (Titus 3:4-7) Thomas may have even recognized what David the psalmist had previously wrote, "For dogs have compassed Me; the assembly of the wicked have i/enclosed Me; they pierced My hands and My feet. I may tell all My bones: they look and stare upon Me. They part My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture." (Psalm 22:16-18)

Somewhere along the way, Thomas may have heard the prophecy from Zechariah who wrote: "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn." (Zechariah 12:10; Joel 2:28-29; John 19:34, 37; Revelation 1:7)

Or, maybe Thomas related to the Word of the Lord speaking through Zechariah: "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." (Zechariah 13:6)

Regardless of how he got to this moment, we can rest assured that Thomas now understood that Jesus was indeed his Lord and his God. And as such, when we are risen with Christ, our hearts and minds turn, so that we desire to seek those things which are above. That we -- as believers in Jesus by faith -- can be confident that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, and that He can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; because He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. This is why we boldly come unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

That we can see Jesus, just like Thomas did, "who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings, for both He that sanctifies and they who are sanctified all of one; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." (Hebrews 2:1-18)

Thomas recognized Jesus as both his Lord and God. So how did Jesus respond?

"Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:29; I Peter 1:8)

Even then, Jesus was thinking of you and I in the here and now so that we too might believe and have life through His Name. (John 20:31; Luke 1:4, 35; I John 5:1; Luke 2:11; John 3:15-16; John 5:24)

And just like the disciples, when Jesus appeared unto the eleven and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen, we need to arise to the purpose that He placed in their heart.

Why? Because when we do, Jesus can also implant His very same purpose into our day to day. That is, that this same Jesus whom ye once crucified is both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36-47)

Stand in the offering plate.