Life Through His Name

"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:30-31).

John is coming to the end of his Gospel. In the final two verses he tells us why this Gospel was written. After stating that many things that Jesus did on the earth were not recorded in his or any of the other Gospels, John tells us why certain things were written.

1.      First, he says “that ye might believe.” 

2.      Next, he proclaims that “Jesus is the Christ,” the Anointed One, the Messiah.

3.      Then he says that “Jesus is the Son of God,” thus indicating His Deity.

4.      Finally, he states the reason for it all: “that believing ye might have life through His name.”

In verses 19-29, you find the story of Jesus’ appearances in the Upper Room to His disciples after His resurrection. The Bible is very clear that when Jesus first appeared to His disciples, He did so without Thomas being there. We don’t know where he was, but we all know the danger of not being where you should be. You miss out on so much. After showing the other disciples His hands and feet, He commissions them with the responsibility of carrying the Gospel to the world.

When Thomas returns, the disciples state clearly to him that they had seen the Lord. Thomas says, “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.”

Eight days later, Jesus again appears to those in the Upper Room, this time with Thomas present. Again, the Bible is very plain when it states that the doors were shut. Jesus breaks the silence with those words:

“Peace be unto you.”

 Then he addresses Thomas directly and says to him: “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.”

Thomas, then embarrassed by the words he had uttered earlier, answered: “My Lord and my God.” Jesus then makes that great statement that serves as a promise to us all: “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Over the next six lessons we are going to “break down” this story in more detail. These are the six major ideas:

1.      The Calamity

2.      The Comfort

3.      The Contempt

4.      The Compassion

5.      The Conclusion

6.      The Commendation

Follow this article collection as we follow the events of the Upper Room and discover what brought Thomas from a place of doubt to believing the impossible.