John 20:19-31

Fear and Doubt

(1Jn 4:18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

I. The paralyzed by fear

A. Over coming fear by the SCRIPTURE

(Joh 20:19) Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (Joh 20:20) And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. (Joh 20:21) Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

(Psa 31:14) But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. (Psa 31:13) For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. (Psa 31:14) But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God. (Psa 31:15) My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

B. Over coming fear by the Spirit

(Joh 20:22) And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: (Joh 20:23) Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

(2Ti 1:7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

(1Jn 3:24) And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. (Rom 8:16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

C. Over coming fear by the SENSE OF DUTY

(Joh 20:21) Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you… (Joh 20:23) Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

(1Ti 2:5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

(Joh 15:26) But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (Joh 15:27) And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

(Joh 15:26-27) But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. (Joh 17:18) As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

The piercing grip of doubt The paralyzed by fear The piercing grip of doubt

A. The focus of his SIBLING

(Joh 20:24) But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. (Joh 20:25) The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. 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.

(Eph 4:23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (Eph 4:22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (Eph 4:23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (Eph 4:24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

B. Enduring in a SEASON of doubt

(Joh 20:26) 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.

(Joh 1:29) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

(Mat 11:2) Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, (Mat 11:3) And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

(Rom 1:17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

C. Christ wants was to STUDY evidence

(Joh 20:28) And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. (Joh 20:27) Then saith he 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. (Joh 20:28) And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. (Joh 20:29) Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

(Mat 11:4) Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: (Mat 11:5) The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

(Rom 10:17) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

(1Co 15:1-6) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 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 to 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.