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20514 Man in Mirror

“Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27b–28) I see belief as movement toward something, while unbelief is movement away from something. In the verses preceding the ones quoted above, the resurrected Jesus confronted Thomas with evidence less of an unbeliever and more of a believer.” You can see Thomas’ movement, for he went from requiring evidence of Jesus’ resurrection to recognizing Jesus’ identity. He responded, “My Lord and my God.” This was an important theological implied that Thomas intended to submit to Jesus and follow Him. Beyond that, frankly, Caesar required people to call him Lord. The disciples were persecuted because they refused to say, “Caesar is Lord.” They declined, because Jesus is Lord. He’s the One they followed. Then Thomas added, “... and my God.” He understood that Jesus is not just a mere man. He’s God—the one who created the universe. Clearly Thomas moved toward belief as the result of this experience.  WEEK Week 5 34 Wednesday—November 8•Moving from Unbelief to Belief His friend needed to move forward in faith. Then Jesus basically invited Thomas to “become statement. People in Thomas’ culture would have called their rabbi “Lord.” This would have In your faith relationship with Jesus, are you moving toward Him or away from Him? Explain your answer. Daily Reading: Ezekiel 18:1–19:14, Hebrews 9:1–10, Psalm 106:32–48, Proverbs 27:10 Thursday—November 9•21st Century Friends Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) Jesus offered Thomas the physical evidence he needed to believe in the resurrection. But He also gave a blessing to those who believe, even without that kind of evidence. That would include those of us who count ourselves among Jesus’ 21st century friends. We didn’t walk with Him personally, and it’s quite rare to meet someone in our century who has encountered the resurrected Jesus. Yet the reality is, we can trust in His faithfulness. Jesus will keep showing up. When your relationships are falling apart, you may feel alone, but you’re not. When you lose your job, or you have problems with your kids, you may experience loneliness, but I can assure you that you are not alone. Jesus is faithful to His friends, regardless of the time and place where we live. His interaction with Thomas demonstrates a heart that is willing to meet people in their challenges and draw them deeper into a trusting relationship as they learn the faithfulness of His character and His response to life’s difficult situations.  WEEK Week 5 Think of someone you believe is a strong follower of Jesus. Ask that person to relate a dark time in his or her life, when Jesus demonstrated His presence in a recognizable way. Or recall a time in your own life when you felt Jesus’ presence in a unique way. How does that testimony, or that recollection, build your faith? Daily Reading: Ezekiel 20:1–49, Hebrews 9:11–28, Psalm 107:1–43, Proverbs 27:11


20514 Man in Mirror
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