Caravaggio depicts not just Thomas but also other disciples wanting to see the wounds. He also depicts Thomas touching the wound, which Keller said he never did, but instead fell to his knees and said, “My Lord and my God!” You can watch or listen to this sermon:
https://gospelinlife.com/sermons/?search=My+Lord+and+My+God
My_Lord_and_My_God (4) Transcript
On a personal note, I’m speaking tonight in the larger Milwaukee prison and would love your prayers. That I will be able to find the prison and my way back to my airport hotel, and that He will anoint me and give the women teachable hearts. Then I’m flying to Florida for a week with 29 of my 31 closest family members!
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness or the presence of God this week?
Monday: The Text
2. Read John 20:19-31
- What stands out to you upon first reading and why?
- The other disciples were going to be witnesses to Thomas, who is absent in verses 19-23. What could they tell him?
- Read verses 24-25. What does Thomas say? Why might he feel this way?
- What happens in verses 26-29?
- What may have caused Thomas to believe?
- Why did John write His gospel?
Tuesday: Why Was Thomas Skeptical?
Watch/Listen/read up to the 2nd question on page 3: How did he come to believe?
3. List the three reasons Keller gives for the skepticism of Thomas — comment on each.
4. Why was his profession of faith so amazing for Jewish man?
Wednesday: Listen to the Eyewitnesses
Listen/read up to “Number Two” on page 5.
5. What stands out to you from this section?
6. Why are names so often given in the historical accounts?
7. What does this indicate about the length of time between when the events happened and when they were recorded?
8. What percentage of things that happened in history did you see? What causes you to believe they happened?
Thursday: God is Seeking You and Glorified Wounds
Listen up “the last thing: Drop your conditions” on bottom of page 7.
9. What stands out to you from this section and why?
10. What are some of the ways it is evident that Jesus was seeking Thomas?
11. What was Keller’s point about the lions in The Horse and His Boy?
12. When you look back to your youth and childhood, what lions can you see?
13. read 2 Corinthians 4:17 and explain a glorified wound.
14. Share a glorified wound in your life. How did it drive you to God?
15. Why do you think Thomas broke down?
Friday: Drop Your Conditions
Read/Listen to the end
16. What does Keller mean by “drop your conditions?”
17. What was his point about the man who asked “If I become a Christian do I have to forgive my sister-in-law?
18. What was his point with the movie The Fisher King?
19. Are you convinced the Lord unconditionally loves you? Why or why not?
Saturday:
20. What is your take-a-way and why?
82 comments
Dee, Praying for your speaking, travel and trip to Florida. How wonderful you get to be with family. May God richly bless your time together and this special time of celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior.
Amen to Bev. May the Lord be with you, as you travel and speak, dear Dee. May the Holy Spirit be present, as you find the prison and spend quality time with women with open hearts. May the Lord give you His peace and protection and help you to get safely back to the airport hotel. Have a joyous Holy Week with your beautiful family! May our Mighty God give you a blessed Holy Week.
Amen to these prayers. What a beautiful gift to be with your family this week and may the Lord bless you richly as you have us. Praying many hearts are open and receive the Word as you speak tonight. Praising the Lord for his love for us and his gift of community here.
Thank you Bev, Patti, and Chris for your prayers. Last night went so well. The women were so very enthusiastic and open. And it looks like a good day for flying today!
Dee, Praying for smooth and on time flights and connections and stress free trip.
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness or the presence of God this week? I started PT this week for my health and have been given the sweetest sister in Christ for my therapist. She is about the age of my oldest daughter and very open with her faith and sensitive to my needs. I’ve been able to be open with her about my weaknesses and she is so compassionate. We shared prayer requests and it’s just lovely to work with her. I feel so blessed/
Chris, What a blessing to hear about your new physical therapist. Our God and Father is so very good.
That is a blessing, Chris!
What a beautiful blessing, Chris. I love how God has all the details in mind.
God made a way to make even PT more pleasant. What a blessing!
How sweet to have a Christian to work and talk! That happened to me a year or so ago as well! God may a way!
1. How have you experienced the goodness or the presence of God this week?
I have had a peace about me this past week, with respect to an uncomfortable situation at work. Thank You Lord.
Praise God for your situation and the peace that has come. That can be so stressful.
Thanking God for His peace in your heart, Laura. 🙏
I pray for continued peace in your work situation, Laura.
Monday: The Text
2. Read John 20:19-31
What stands out to you upon first reading and why? The giving of the Holy Spirit- I cannot imagine what that was like. And Thomas’ disbelief-he is so stubborn, just like us. And the Lord being so kind to give them many signs that are not written in this book, but we are given some that we may believe and have life in his name. Praise Jesus.
The other disciples were going to be witnesses to Thomas, who is absent in verses 19-23. What could they tell him? They had seen his hands and his side, they received the Holy Spirit.
Read verses 24-25. What does Thomas say? Why might he feel this way? He says he will never believe unless he sees the Lord for himself and touches his hands and side. Perhaps he felt this way as he was discouraged and did not understand Christ had to die. Others had been killed who pretended to be the messiah-maybe he thought he had been deceived?
What happens in verses 26-29? Jesus came through locked doors and greeted Thomas telling him to put his finger in his scared hands and side and commands him to believe. Thomas cries out with, “My Lord and my God!”
What may have caused Thomas to believe? He believed because he saw Jesus himself.
Why did John write His gospel? John 20:31 “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness or the presence of God this week?
—I am grateful for experiencing the presence of God everyday. It wasn’t always so in my life. Sadly for too many years I moved busily through life without an appreciation for the closeness of God. I was sporadic in my devotional times and had not learned the need for that daily time of quiet with Him. Frankly I wasn’t a very disciplined person. But now I talk with Him throughout my day. Not because I’m super spiritual but rather because of understanding my neediness in this flesh but also because I now enjoy my Lord. The warmth of having a relationship with Him blesses my life daily.
I experienced his goodness in that last week was very busy for me. We had just been home one week from our 3 months in Texas and then our four grandchildren came to stay with us for five days. Two of which are teenage boys so cooking becomes a 3 meals a day for big eaters. The girls require some help with Homeschooling and granddaughter Aerilyn needs a regular schedule of help for some of her physical Spina Bifida needs. But the boys are delightful and appreciate all that I cook for them. They love playing games so the evenings are enjoyable. Everyone stayed healthy and I just thank the Lord for a good week because of his goodness in our lives.
You are certainly fulfilling God’s calling for you as a Grandmother.
Wow, Bev. The Lord really provided for you to have the energy for all you have done for your grandkids. I pray that I can do the same going forward with our grandchildren. You set a great example for us.
Amen to Chris and Dee. So wonderful to have good energy and time to enjoy game time with your grands. You are a wonderful grandmother! Making great memories for all! Thank you Lord!
What a blessing you are to your family, Bev!
1. How have you experienced the goodness or the presence of God this week? We were having a slow day at work and everyone was leaving early. I was the last one in the building and was going to leave, but decided to put some things away that were needed for the next day’s surgeries before I left. I came across a test on one of the sets that had to be ran before the set could be used. It’s a 45 minute test and if it had been left until the next day, it would have delayed the surgery. I was thankful that God prompted me to stay and put that last load of items away. A pretty small thing, but I like to notice God in the small things.
It is such a good thing to see God in the small things. 😊
Dawn, I love that you saw God in this. This is something I try to teach my kids. Often when their plans are changed they get upset (and so do I, of course), but I try to ask them (and myself), “I wonder why God has allowed our plans to change?” -in order to help them think about the bigger picture. This is a great example of that- not being ME focused. Thanks for sharing.
I love your God hunt, Dawn! I love how the Lord brought that to your attention and you acted on it. You have such a heart for the Lord.
I hope that your flight went well. Have a blessed week with your family, Dee!
Thanks, Dawn. It did.And the prison went well.Love your God hunt.
Monday: The Text
2. Read John 20:19-31
What stands out to you upon first reading and why?
—Jesus spoke peace to them. Twice He said “Peace be with you.” What they had experienced with his crucifixion and death had left them deeply troubled and afraid. He was calming them and renewing their trust in Him and his power. Because we live in a very troubled world I need to be reminded that Jesus is my peace and brings his peace into my life.
The other disciples were going to be witnesses to Thomas, who is absent in verses 19-23. What could they tell him?
—They had seen the Lord. They knew it was him because he had shown them his wounds.
Read verses 24-25. What does Thomas say? Why might he feel this way?
—He wasn’t going to believe it unless he saw and touched those wounds as proof as well. It would seem doubt and fear had overcome him.
What happens in verses 26-29?
—A little over a week later Jesus suddenly appears to them again behind locked doors. He speaks peace to them and offers to show Thomas his wounds.
2. Read John 20:19-31
What stands out to you upon first reading and why?
A few things stand out. The first thing Jesus says after they see Him is breathe the Holy Spirit into them. Interesting.
Why wasn’t Thomas with them? And, how icky that would be to touch the wounds! Also, why was he called the “twin?” So many questions I have regarding Thomas.
The other disciples were going to be witnesses to Thomas, who is absent in verses 19-23. What could they tell him?
They say, we have seen the Lord.
Read verses 24-25. What does Thomas say? Why might he feel this way?
He says he won’t believe until he puts his fingers in the wounds. Ick!
He just saw the Lord crucified so it must have been hard to understand how they saw Him.
What happens in verses 26-29?
Jesus appears and tells Thomas to put his fingers in the wounds and believe. Thomas realizes it is Him. He calls Him “…my Lord!”
What may have caused Thomas to believe?
Seeing and touching Him.
Why did John write His gospel?
He wrote this account so everyone, everywhere would know and believe so they would have eternal life too by knowing Him.
I agree with your “ick!”, and yet I think this is where Keller’s idea of temperament makes sense. Thomas probably didn’t really need to touch his wounds and yet his heart needed to SEE this physical evidence to believe. Don’t we all at times press the Lord for things we can see and feel to make him or his wishes real to us? I can sympathize with Thomas here, and yet I would never had said I would need to touch his wounds…for me it would have been something different, like hear his voice or feel his touch maybe.
I would want to hear His voice or His touch too, Chris. I think we would know by that.
I used the free ap ChapGPT to ask why Thomas was called the twin.Apparently Thomas means twin in Greek — so he probably was a twin, but they aren’t sure! He could have looked a lot like his brother so his parent named himThomas. Keller speculated that Thomas was so upset that he went off by himself so didn’t see Jesus with the other disciples.
Tuesday: Why Was Thomas Skeptical?
Watch/Listen/read up to the 2nd question on page 3: How did he come to believe? He came to believe by the testimony of the eyewitnesses, by seeing Jesus himself, by understanding the meaning of his wounds (Christ died for HIM), and by dropping his conditions
3. List the three reasons Keller gives for the skepticism of Thomas — comment on each.
1. Temperament: a sensing personality would pay more attention to physical evidence. He would not be as persuaded by reason or opinion, but need cold hard facts. Interesting how we each see things in different ways- I like how it can add to our relationships, but definitely see how this causes division and skepticism. 2. Skepticism of the supernatural: Miracles are not explainable by science and therefore cannot happen. This world view keeps many from believing. 3. Lack of hope? He’s saying Thomas was so heartbroken over the crucifixion that he couldn’t face the possibility of Jesus actually being alive again and then having to go through losing him again. I think, I can see this reason the best. That heart ache he experienced was too great to bear.
4. Why was his profession of faith so amazing for Jewish man? I really liked this! I hadn’t thought of it before, but understanding what it meant for a Jewish person to call a man, God, was a really big deal. Not only was he just happy his friend was alive again, but he understood that his friend was his God. He now got it that Christ died for him personally and knew everything about him-even his thoughts and things said when Thomas thought he wasn’t there! Mind blowing, really. Do I get this? My heart has come a long way, yet I have a long way to go- it’s one thing to say I believe, and another to feel and understand all of it in my heart.
I liked that too, Chris.
2. Read John 20:19-31
What stands out to you upon first reading and why?
Jesus appears in their midst; the doors were shut. He gave the His peace, then showed them His hands and side, then they realized it was truly Jesus. He gave them the Holy Spirit, though it was not yet Pentecost. This was to help them on their commission, so they could forgive the sins of people. Thomas was not present. He said he would not believe unless he saw the nail imprints and felt his side. 8 days later Thomas was with the others, and Jesus appeared to them again. Thomas did not need to touch His side, he immediately called him , “My Lord, My God”. These signs were written so that we may believe.
The other disciples were going to be witnesses to Thomas, who is absent in verses 19-23. What could they tell him? They could tell Him how Jesus appeared, with all doors shut, and about His wounds being accurate. They could also tell him about the Holy Spirit being given to them.
Read verses 24-25. What does Thomas say? Why might he feel this way? Unless I see in His hands, the print of the nails and put my hand in the place of the nails and in His side, I will not believe.” It seemed so unbelievable.
What happens in verses 26-29? Jesus offered to Thomas to put His fingers in His hand and side, but Thomas recognized Jesus and no longer felt that He needed to do that.
What may have caused Thomas to believe? Perhaps, Jesus revealed Himself to Thomas’s heart. Perhaps, for Thomas, seeing was believing.
Why did John write His gospel? So that all who read this, will believe in Jesus the Son of God. Many reliable eye witnesses confirm that this was Jesus.
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness or the presence of God this week?
Dee, first of all, I said a quick prayer for your time at Milwaukee prison. I trust it went well.
Unfortunately, I have been sick with a severe sinus infection, and it has hung on since Friday of last week. Richard has been sick, too, with something similar.
We are very grateful we were not contagious as we had the Palm Sunday children’s short presentation of reading and a couple of songs. We both powered through by the grace of God and we were blessed to see so many come and worshiped with us. Nothing like a children’s program to bring family!
My health has not been very well these days, and I am getting checked on a few things. I get discouraged at times and have to remind myself of God’s truth.
I count my blessings each day to counter the dark clouds that seem to hover over me. God is good-all the time and I know He knows. Some days, tears are my relief, and I know He understands. Reminders of His passion and suffering during this week has helped a lot.
Sorry you’re sick and having to power through. Praying for healing, answers and peace. ❤️
Praying for you to feel better, dear Bing. I, too, love the reminders of His passion this week. I am so grateful we have Him!
Wednesday: Listen to the Eyewitnesses
Listen/read up to “Number Two” on page 5.
5. What stands out to you from this section? The idea that we are in the place of Thomas with regard to having to rely on eye witness accounts. I had never thought of this. I guess I appreciate the way the Lord has woven scripture in such a way as to reach everyone who seeks him. I’ve been memorizing Hebrews 11:6 this week, which says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” It is our faith that moves us to please him and our faith that moves God to reward us. It’s relationship that keeps us moving forward in our faith. I appreciate the eye witness accounts and how we still rely on this today. There is so much struggle today with false accounts on the internet regarding all kinds of information that we need to be careful of what we read and watch. Even video, which formerly was undeniable, is now faked much of the time or made to appear what it is not. The enemy corrupts everything, and so we must pray for wisdom and seek the Lord in all things. As the world has grown, it is difficult to have people we can go to for those direct witness accounts, but those are the ones we feel like we can trust and so for instance, we subscribe to World News. This is helpful to have solid Christian news to follow the events around the world.
6. Why are names so often given in the historical accounts? This was how historical accounts were authenticated.
7. What does this indicate about the length of time between when the events happened and when they were recorded? The eye witnesses of these accounts were still alive when it was written, so that people who did not believe the writing could go to them and ask personally for their testimony.
8. What percentage of things that happened in history did you see? What causes you to believe they happened? Very little, and I rely heavily on eye witness accounts.
https://youtu.be/bYVmxqznsuA?si=R-O3-Sa-E4lLONIp
I wanted to share this video of Poor Bishop Hooper singing Psalm 22. It’s beautiful, especially for Easter week.
I loved so many of the same points — esp the history one!
Chris, you have such great insights. I totally agree, even what is see these days may not be real. Love that you memorized Hebrews 11:6. I need to memorize more scripture!
I just have to share a bit about an experience I had at school yesterday! It is Holy Week and wow oh wow!
I teach a class that has juniors and seniors in it; astronomy. 3 seniors and a junior were sitting together at a lab station. I know 3 of the four because I have taught them in the past. One, the junior, is talking to the others and I hear him say, “We need to talk to a biology teacher, they would know.” These boys are auto tech kinds of kids, a rougher bunch. I walk over and they say, well, you know science, maybe you can answer (referring to me). He then says, “Why are we here? How are we here?” I say, “oh, you don’t need a biology teacher, but someone else.” We talk about philosophy and then I say, but I don’t have a problem with that question because I believe in God. He is the creator and made it all. No science can disprove that! They are a bit “stunned,” and we continue the conversation. It was amazing. The one boy I don’t know is an artist and a bit autistic as well. He draws all during class. The junior says but why? Again. I say, to the artist, why do you draw? He says because I want to. And then I say, that’s why God created too. I then quote the first line of Genesis 1. He wanted to. We then talk about the Trinity! And, then we talked about the Bible! How it’s most bought and read book every year. It has something new to learn every time you pick it up. I was truly blown away by our conversation. I don’t know if it was perfectly scripted by me but at least I pursued it, and it came kind of naturally. I let the Holy Spirit speak. It was the craziest conversation I have ever had in a class. But, it’s was awesome at the same time. I just had to share.
Praise God. This is amazing. What a great conversation to have this week of Easter. Praying for those boys to continue seeking and I pray for you to be able to continue to hear things like this and respond with the Holy Spirit as you did this time. I long to have conversation like this with someone. I stumble over my words and feel so inept at defending my faith, though I have studied the Bible for years. Thank goodness for the Holy Spirit, who helps us in times like that. I love your response to the boys.
I’m doing a little dance (in my heart), Laura.
Laura, That is so cool. I’m with Dee doing a little happy dance in my heart. 😊
Oh, Laura! This gave me such joyous heaven sent chills!! I love how the words just flowed, since they were already in your heart! 💕🙏 I pray that the seeds you planted will grow in the hearts of these students! Lord, water these beautiful seeds we pray!
Ooh la la, Laura! That is very cool! I love it, and thank you for sharing. May the seeds of the gospel planted in their hearts grow. Yes, happy dance here, too!
Tuesday: Why Was Thomas Skeptical?
Watch/Listen/read up to the 2nd question on page 3: How did he come to believe?
—When he actually saw Jesus for himself. And saw the wounds that proved it was Jesus and he was alive.
3. List the three reasons Keller gives for the skepticism of Thomas — comment on each.
—1. Perhaps Thomas was skeptical because of his temperament.
Some people operate more on the cold hard facts than supposition. Keller described people as more sensing or more intuitive. (From the Meyer-Briggs personality test)
—2. Perhaps he was skeptical of the supernatural.
This wouldn’t seem likely for Thomas and his experiences as a disciple of Jesus but it certainly is entrenched in modern day thinking.
—3. Perhaps it was for heart reasons. His emotional devastation was keeping him from being drawn in to believing Jesus was alive only to be horribly disappointed if it weren’t for really true.
I identify most with this attitude of fear in getting my hopes up.
4. Why was his profession of faith so amazing for Jewish man?
—Thomas acknowledged Jesus as God. Jewish thinking had no frame of reference for the possibility of God being a man of actual flesh. He was so holy and “other” in their minds they didn’t even speak or spell his name completely.
Watch/Listen/read up to the 2nd question on page
3: How did he come to believe? He saw the living Jesus
3. List the three reasons Keller gives for the skepticism of Thomas — comment on each.
1) It could be because of Thomas’s temperament.
2) it was difficult for him to believe in the supernatural
3) He did not want to get his hopes up
4. Why was his profession of faith so amazing for Jewish man?
Watch/Listen/read up to the 2nd question on page 3:
2. How did he come to believe? He saw the risen Jesus, the second time He appeared to the disciples
3. List the three reasons Keller gives for the skepticism of Thomas — comment on each.
1. It could have been Thomas’s temperament. He may not have been very intuitive, according to Keller. I know that I so often need to see something to totally understand.
2. It was difficult for him to trust in and believe the supernatural. His expectations may have been that Jesus would avoid death on the cross. I have been hesitant to mention things that I felt were miracles, (except to a believing friend) because people may think me weird. 3. The loss of Jesus was so hard, he did not want to get his hopes up. I remember going through this when my husband was getting weaker and more forgetful. It was like a roller coaster of emotions.
4. Why was his profession of faith so amazing for a Jewish man? It is the highest confession of faith. He went from the greatest doubter to the greatest believer. It reminds me a bit of Josh McDowell and Lee Strobel. It is amazing how powerful the testimonies of unbelievers are to others. You are unlikely to doubter a “doubter’ who becomes s believer!
Unlikely to doubt a doubter who becomes a believer! So true. Thought of Paul. Was meditating this morning how many of the greatest sinners became the greatest saints: Paul, Peter, David….
Monday: The Text
2. Read John 20:19-31
What stands out to you upon first reading and why?
I realize there was no mention of Thomas putting his finger where the nails were, putting his hand on Jesus’ side, and seeing the nail marks on Jesus before he exclaimed,” My Lord and my God!”
What Jesus asked Thomas to do made the latter realize that Jesus knew what Thomas was not sure about; therefore, Thomas need not actually do it to believe.
The other disciples were going to be witnesses to Thomas, who is absent in verses 19-23. What could they tell him?
That they have seen the Lord.
Read verses 24-25. What does Thomas say? Why might he feel this way?
He was depending on his senses to believe. Don’t we all?
What happens in verses 26-29?
Jesus showed Himself to the disciples, with Thomas being present.
What may have caused Thomas to believe?
Jesus knew Thomas’s faith level. Thomas wanted evidence, and Jesus showed it to Him. (The doors were locked, and Jesus just showed up and stood before them.) See my answer to A.
Why did John write His gospel?
That might we believe it? Jesus meets us at a personal level. Faith of a mustard seed.
I could tell Keller was preaching these sermons whenthe Meyers Briggs test was the rage — -still propular, but he was really tapping innto the culture.
Tuesday: Why Was Thomas Skeptical?
Watch/Listen/read up to the 2nd question on page 3: How did he come to believe?
3. List the three reasons Keller gives for the skepticism of Thomas — comment on each.
I love Keller’s take on this! And I did not realize that I am a sensing person like Thomas as well to start with. And part of it is being a teacher and having students lie to me, perhaps unintentionally. When I found out about it later, it feeds my skepticism. And I believe it has translated to how I view God’s truth at times. I know God will provide something for me; and yet, I am sometimes surprised by the grace and magnitude of His answers.
Thomas has been a modern man born out of time. As many of us are. It is hard to comprehend a miracle. I have a friend who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given a poor prognosis. But God healed her! Sure, many would say that it was caught early on, etc, but we also read statistics that pancreatic cancer has a high rate of mortality.
Doubt comes from the head. Don’t get my hopes up. There is fear to hope.
4. Why was his profession of faith so amazing for Jewish man?
To say to another human being, “Your are my Lord and my God” is amazing for a Jewish man.
I read this from a website on Jewish traditional belief of who the Messiah should be: Traditional Judaism (Orthodox and Conservative) never viewed the Messiah as a God-Man, but only a man with unusual power from God who will manifest the qualities of a prophet, priest, and king in Israel.
Modern Judaism (Reform) has reinterpreted the messianic hope. Instead of a “personal Messiah” , there will come a messianic age which is brought about through the humanist progression of world leaders negotiating for peace. When universal peace, righteousness and justice are established in the world, then Israel will enjoy peace in tier land forever.
Throughout their long history, the Jewish people have renewed the messianic hope during times of persecution and suffering, but that hope becomes dim when Jewish people live in peace and security. by David Levy
Based on this, Thomas acknowledged that Jesus is God.
Such great thoughtful questions, Dee, that has made me think of Thomas’s faith instead of his doubt.
I, too, agree that the questions have turned the focus to Thomas’s faith. He does do a strong turn from saying he would never believe until…and then professing, my Lord and my God. Wow. It does make me think more about how personality plays a part, however. For instance, I always say my husband never does anything halfway. He always goes above and beyond. This includes his verbal commitments to anything. He won’t commit until he is sure of all the implications and then when he is committed, there is no backing out. Seems like Thomas is this sort of person. I love that the Lord came back to give him what he needed to believe. Reminds me of the scripture about the one lamb that strayed. He cares for each one of us.
I love that about your husband. I was raised that way. My dad would say, “You don’t have appointments, you have commitments.” When he took a job fresh out of Northwestern as the assistant to the president of the West Bend company they told him they were grooming him to succeed that president but he had to make a lifetime commitment, and he did. And kept it, though they were bought out by Dart Industries when he was in his middle fifties so he took early retirement and became a history professor.
Interesting about your dad-this isn’t seen much anymore. My husband has been with the same company for 35 years now and this is not common. My husband is blessed to work for a Christian employer that encourages their workers to put God first. I think if my husband could retire early, he would love to teach history, as well! He will give a mini lesson to anyone who will listen. Haha.
Love this entire post, Bing! This has helped me see Thomas’s faith in a new way. And I love your great comments Chris and Dee.
Wednesday: Listen to the Eyewitnesses
Listen/read up to “Number Two” on page 5.
5. What stands out to you from this section?
—This reminds me of Sean McDowel’s book “Evidence That Demands a Verdict “. Keller reiterates here the credibility and power of so many eyewitness who actually saw Jesus after his resurrection.
6. Why are names so often given in the historical accounts?
—There is credibility to the events having happened based on who is giving their account of what they saw. And how many saw it. They are the ones who verify an event actually happened. The disciples who walked closely with Jesus along with a large group of others speak to the truth of what took place. They were real verifiable people.
I think we see in the Gospel accounts four different voices because they build on and give credibility to what actually happened with Jesus. We have four witnesses telling us what they saw and heard. We don’t just have one man’s experiences recorded.
7. What does this indicate about the length of time between when the events happened and when they were recorded?
—Those people writing the accounts about the resurrection of Jesus along with a whole host of others were still alive when they recorded the facts and wrote them down. It wasn’t hearsay.
8. What percentage of things that happened in history did you see? What causes you to believe they happened?
—It is an incredibly small percentage of history that I have actually been an eyewitness to. But what I do know and accept as historically true is based on what the eyewitness who were there have written down and preserved those accounts from the past.
I do think we live in an unusual era of history as it happens in today’s world in that we now have many actual video accounts of events that were and are being recorded as they happen that allow us to be eye witnesses so to speak after the fact.
True about the video accounts, though we know they can be altered. But I love that point about how many have you actually witnessed but you believe?
3. List the three reasons Keller gives for the skepticism of Thomas — comment on each.
1 – Thomas was a sensing person. He needed to touch and feel and have evidence of the event to believe.
2 – He didn’t believe that dead people could rise, or the supernatural.
3 – Be had already wrapped his head around Jesus’ death, so he didn’t want his hopes raised again.
4. Why was his profession of faith so amazing for Jewish man?
He believed in a human as his Lord and God.
Listen/read up to “Number Two” on page 5.
5. What stands out to you from this section?
Verse 29, he says, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. The Bible needs to be read and seen as history that has been passed down to us from the apostles.
6. Why are names so often given in the historical accounts?
Because they were eyewitnesses and could tell you what happened, their names are like stamps on the truthfulness of the event.
7. What does this indicate about the length of time between when the events happened and when they were recorded?
Some of the eyewitnesses were still alive to prove that the events happened.
8. What percentage of things that happened in history did you see? What causes you to believe they happened?
Not very much. The writing of eyewitnesses caused me to believe they happened. I think of the book The Hiding Place or Bonhoeffer.
5. What stands out to you from this section?
Keller brings up a good point about how many historical events we have seen. We rely on eyewitness accounts and recordings, just like in the Bible. I find that interesting for sure.
6. Why are names so often given in the historical accounts?
These were the eyewitnesses. They were the people to go to, to ask questions and receive the actual information.
7. What does this indicate about the length of time between when the events happened and when they were recorded?
The recording was right after the event. Keller says that Paul tells his readers to go ask the people who were still alive what they remember.
8. What percentage of things that happened in history did you see? What causes you to believe they happened?
None! Eyewitness accounts. Someone saw and reported it.
Good morning and Good Friday!
I’m blessed to be at a beautiful VRBO with 25 of my family: children, spouses, grandchildren, and one great grandchild. We are going over various resurrection appearances each day. Appreciate prayer. We have one man who is not yet a believer but is open. Thank you!
Praying for an open heart and ears to hear the gospel and receive it, for your family member.
Dee, what a beautiful opportunity to come together and have one person to present the gospel to! I’m praying for an open heart and mind.
Dear Dee, What a blessing to have your family together. I will pray for an open heart and for God to be very present. May the love of Jesus fill this man’s heart to overflowing. Have a blessed Resurrection Weekend.
Glad you can be with your family!
Thursday & Friday
—As I finished the sermons by Keller and considered his points of teaching about Thomas I am blessed by the reality that God is always seeking me and those of us who are his, and those who will be his. He seeks us first for the salvation he brings but he continues to seek us and is always present at all times in all things. And Keller reminds us that God uses our wounds and actually glorifies them.
I do think that sometimes the pain of wounds can have the effect of masking the truth about the glory that is to come.
2 Corinthians 4:17 is slow to bring comfort when it calls our sufferings light and momentary and the pain is screaming and hinders us from hearing the rest of the verse that says glory is coming and it will be a complete consolation.
A weight of glory will result from the suffering.
Last night some of our closest friends came over and shared their broken hearts with us for their only grandson a little 8 year old boy with some handicaps who has hard struggles at school and the parents are exhausted and at their wits end. These are all believing people but hurting deeply. Our good friend who is a retired pastor said I know God loves my wife and I and loves our daughter and her husband and loves our grandson but this is all so hard we just feel completely overwhelmed. The future looks bleak for them and the load is heavy. But as we prayed over them and called on our God to intervene where possible and glorify Himself we all had to remind our selves that our hope is in Jesus alone.
This lesson from Keller is poignant in talking about glorified wounds. To be reminded that the wounds drive us to God and our lives are richer for that. Wounds are a preparation for a much greater glory. He points out as with Jesus his wounds brought salvation. Instead of ruining his life and ours those wounds resulted in glory for Him and us. Lastly Keller shows us that the greatest terrible things that have happened to us will only make our eventual glory and joy greater. The love behind the suffering will overcome.
The ending point of the lesson is we have to drop our conditions of doubt and believe in and embrace the unconditional love of our God and Savior.
In answer to the last question
19. Are you convinced the Lord unconditionally loves you? Why or why not?
—Yes I am convinced but I was a long time (like Thomas) coming to that understanding. And it was through suffering that I found Him faithful in his unconditional love for me. He promises to never leave or forsake us and he never does and never will which will result in a weight of glory.
Awe, Bev. I love your conclusion about the Keller message and my heart aches for your friend’s family and grandson. Prayers for them to see God’s glory in their heartache. I’m sure you are a great comfort to them.
I love your points about God always seeking us, especially in the pain. What a blessing for your friends to be able to share the problems of their dear grandson with you. It lightens our burden hearts to have trusted friends who will pray with us and for us. I pray that God will give them His grace, direction and peace, as they walk through this journey.
I’m sorry to hear of the friends struggles with their son. We also have an 8 year old (Grace) who is struggling in school with her behavior. We are trying to remind her of the fruits of the Spirit. We are also at our wits end. It’s SO HARD. I get it. We have used everything we could to help her. I don’t know of the handicaps of your friends child, so that may be different. I think Grace is struggling because of missing her parents. Her issues are emotional. I have found this website somewhat helpful, however it does cost money. It’s called “A Fine Parent Academy.” I am right there with them in the struggle. I will pray for their situation.
Thursday: God is Seeking You and Glorified Wounds
Listen up “the last thing: Drop your conditions” on bottom of page 7.
9. What stands out to you from this section and why? Keller’s point about Aslan seeking Shasta and how in our own lives, if we look back, we can see he was calling us. I have memories of very few things from my childhood, but one event I remember was going along with someone to an AWANA club meeting when I was very young. The only thing I remember from that meeting is singing, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” That song has stuck with me all these years. I also remember going with neighborhood kids to a VBS and learning there was a heaven and a hell and how I asked my mom when I got home if that was real, and she answered, “If you believe it.” I remember praying, I believe. I recall going to church at least once as a family at Easter and with my grandma at least once. A catholic friend inviting me to church in the fifth grade. Then years later, a friend inviting me to Young Life and attending a summer camp where I accepted Christ, which really I had done at a young age, but this was when the Lord revealed more to me and I began studying the Bible on my own. Truly, this was Him trying to find me.
10. What are some of the ways it is evident that Jesus was seeking Thomas? I love that the Lord knows what Thomas said about needing to touch his wounds. He was meeting the needs of Thomas-this wasn’t for the Lord, but for him.
11. What was Keller’s point about the lions in The Horse and His Boy? All the lions were Aslan.
12. When you look back to your youth and childhood, what lions can you see? See above.
13. read 2 Corinthians 4:17 and explain a glorified wound. A glorified wound is one that points us to the gospel. It’s one that we can say, Christ is bigger than this thing that happened and because of Him, I am healed eternally. In a book called “Beauty Marks”, Linda Barrick says that our scars are beauty marks when we use them to glorify God and share the gospel. When we can say this horrible thing happened and left me scarred, but God used it to draw me closer to him and show me more of who he is-and because of it, I’m telling YOU who he is. It’s what makes our testimony.
14. Share a glorified wound in your life. How did it drive you to God? There are so many. The first and probably biggest is the car accident which changed our lives. I was in the fifth grade and it was just before Easter (wow, I never thought about the impact of that before just now), I had stayed a friends house overnight and my whole family was hit head on by a drunk driver and were all in the hospital (my dad with a closed head injury, requiring surgery to decrease swelling and not sure he would live.) This of course changed all of us and the direction of our lives. I remember thinking while alone at my grandmas, I should be crying or praying or something, but I didn’t know how to respond to this tragedy. I didn’t know the implications in that moment, but life as I knew it would never be the same. So from that moment, I began to question why was I spared the accident? And yet, I wasn’t. That accident impacted the rest of my life by way of the change in our family. So many changes and all of my siblings finding the Lord in their own way and individually as my mom did not seek the Lord, but to this day says she believes but will have a lot of questions for him when she gets there (heaven). I would say this one event pushed all of us to seek Him and without this event its possible that none of us would have sought him. I need to talk to my brother and sister about this. Interesting, but we have never been close and have not ever talked about the impact of the accident in our individual lives. In some ways, this event is still working in my life as a wound that will not be healed until I go home. It will always be drawing me back to him.
15. Why do you think Thomas broke down? He realized that the Lord had received his wounds for him.
Such a story, Chris. Lord, I pray for continued healing and if discussion between siblings would be helpful, I pray that will happen.
Thanks, Dee. I’m so curious and kind of excited to open a discussion about our faith by discussing our common glorified wound. Since each of us were impacted so differently by the one car accident, I’m wondering how they each feel about it and the impact in their lives. I was hoping to hear your story, Dee, about when you were burned as a child. I have the children’s story book with your little dog that came to find you at the hospital. It is one of my son’s favorite books. I imagine that must be a glorified wound of yours.
Wow! That accident! Amazing story. I also have learned so much in children’s programs (VBS) even as an adult! Thank you for being so open about the accident. It helps me to understand the God searching for us idea.
10. What are some of the ways it is evident that Jesus was seeking Thomas?
He knew that Thomas had said he wouldn’t believe until he saw and put his fingers in the wounds but, He wasn’t present when Thomas said that. He already knew.
He showed up later (a week) to make sure Thomas saw.
11. What was Keller’s point about the lions in The Horse and His Boy?
The boy thought it was different lions pursuing him but it really was just one The One, Aslan.
12. When you look back to your youth and childhood, what lions can you see?
I don’t really see this or understand.
I’m not sure. I do know that I have always been taken care of though. I’ve always had a job, a roof, food, etc. There was a time when I have thought something was missing in my life then I went to church. In the lowest times I have had things happen that were unusual and sometimes helpful. I guess that is what is meant by pursuing me?
13. read 2 Corinthians 4:17 and explain a glorified wound.
It is a wound that makes us suffer in the present, however, in the end we will reap joy and happiness. I think of our son, John. Oh how hard he was as a teen! I struggled so much. I learned so much. I begged for God, He came to me. It was an AWFUL time that I don’t want to relive. However, John is an awesome man today. I am happy he has “made it.” There are some imperfections still, but he is kind and that’s a good thing.
14. Share a glorified wound in your life. How did it drive you to God?
See above! 👆
15. Why do you think Thomas broke down?
He knew he was wrong, and maybe relieved that it was true.
16. What does Keller mean by “drop your conditions?”
You love God for Himself, not if He does this or that for you.
17. What was his point about the man who asked “If I become a Christian do I have to forgive my sister-in-law?
Same as above…yes, you have to love, regardless of whom it is! You are a Christian!
Thank you all for your prayers. We’re having amazing discussions and he is definitely open. It’s a blessing to all of us. We’re flying kites because He rose from the dead. Please continue your prayers. I feel so blessed to have 25 of my 29 all together loving each other.
Sounds like a joyful and refreshing time.
My takeaway:
Again, in true TK style, he brought things from the passage I had not seen before. Two that most stood out to me were: 1. His wounds were glorified wounds. And how else can we not be like Him? Paul’s words echoed, ” for our light afflictions are nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in us….” When I can look at my “wounds” as experiencing Jesus, they can become my source of joy and not pain. And when I allow my pain and the pain of others that I bear with them to take on a perspective of the image of Son being conformed in us, then I can welcome them just as Jesus did. ” who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross…” 2. Drop your conditions, I have had “ifs” conversations with Jesus before, and I am praying they will be less and less as the days go by, and more about just saying, yes, Lord.