My Lord and My God
“My Lord and My God”
John 20: 28
The Apostle Thomas
As we are learning, all of the Apostles had very distinct ministries. The Office of the Apostle is a commissioned ministry. I am of the belief that all Ministries are commissioned by God Himself. This is because it is the only way I know. It is the way of those men and women of Faith throughout the Bible who were used by the Lord for His eternal Kingdom purposes. There are different levels of commissioning, just as there are distinct levels of ministry gifts.
This past week the Lord continued to direct me in this study. I heard one word in the Spirit, “Thomas”.
His Call and Commission: This Apostle’s calling is made sure. John 20:27: “Then said He to Thomas.” After His resurrection, Jesus comes to the disciples a second time specifically to deal with Thomas.
First visitation: John 20:14-29: (V.21-29) “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: Yes my Father has sent me, even so send I you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, “Receive you the Holy Ghost: Who so ever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose so ever sins you retain, they are retained. But Thomas one of the twelve called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples said unto him, we have seen the Lord. Thomas 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.
Here is the wonderful privilege of serving under Christ’s commission. Phase 1 of Jesus’ commission was to atone for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). Those receiving the Holy Ghost may join with Him in Phase 11 of His same commission to bring His atonement to individuals. Christians are empowered to tell all who receive Christ that their sins are forgiven. Those refusing Christ may be told their sins are retained.
Thomas: The other disciples do their best to convince Thomas that Jesus Christ is risen. Honest, intellectual, truth-loving skeptic that he is, he stands his ground. He states the terms under which he will believe Jesus has risen. Since the Lord has already said “None is lost except the son of perdition”, we can expect him to rescue Thomas from his doubting condition.
What is it Thomas doubts? His problems seems to be opposite of Mary Magdalene’s. She acknowledged His resurrection to cling to His human body. She had to touch Him by faith. Thomas on the other hand couldn’t believe Jesus had actually risen in the same body as the Lord. He insists on seeing the very nail scars and side wound.
In Verse 27, Jesus has immediate knowledge of Thomas’s attitude. Thomas has a destiny and a future to spearhead along with the other Apostles the Lord’s Church and Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven. With loving irony, Jesus accepts Thomas’ demands. Thomas’s faith bursts into bloom with an explosive declaration, “My Lord and My God”!!! Jesus says his Faith was settled by what he saw. The Lord is here revealing the Faith to be imparted at Pentecost. Christians will believe without having seen the Lord. The next forty days will prepare the disciples for the transition of believing without seeing. 1 Peter 1:8: “Whom having not seen, you love; in who, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
His Calling and Choosing: Luke 6:12-16: “And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus went out into a mountain top ray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples, and of then he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; … (V15) Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon called Zelotes.”
As we know, Thomas received the commission to go to the Jews and then the great commission to “go you in to the whole world and preach the gospel”. Legend has it that he was sent to India. There are extensive legends in the Catholic Church and other writings of his ministry. We can be assured the same Lord and Savior who made his calling and election sure by a personal visitation to Thomas guaranteed this Apostle’s fulfillment of the Great Commission. It is wisdom that no one knows for sure where these apostles were buried, because men would go to those sites and worship. We are not to worship the saints of the Lord or the Holy Angels. We are to Worship the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 3:1 “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who has built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by some man; but he that built all things is God.”
“The day is close at hand when we will behold the glory of the Lord as He displays it in majesty through His Church. He will grace His true, ecumenical church with the living reality of His resurrection. Much of the Church will flow in some degree in this dynamic grace. Yet some saints will spearhead this great move: those who are clothed in majesty, authority, and power and in whom the virtues of love and humility fill their souls.” (Nita (LaFond) Johnson, Melchizedek, the New Millennium Priesthood, Desktop Publishing: By: Gary Grubbs.)
Matthew 28:18: “All power in heaven and in earth has been given to Jesus Christ.”
We can say he has all executive authority in heaven and earth. I believe the church is being prepared for the governmental structure that God is about to release. The Lord will again place his authority on vessels of His choice to bring in the harvest. These ones like the Apostles of the Lamb will have their sinful natures crucified. The devil and even death will bow in subjection. These men and women will be clothed in humility, and robed in Glory and Love. We will experience the wonder and splendor as the Church enters into the apostolic age.
Romans 8:30: “Whom He did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
In John 14: 1-5, we have Jesus speaking to the disciples about whom he is and where he is going.
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you maybe also. And whiter I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said unto him, Lord, we know not where you go, and how can we know the way?
The disciples do not fathom anything of what Jesus is saying. The Lord answers Thomas by saying the way to God is not some kind of a road (religious process), but a person---Himself! Those who learn to recognize Jesus for Who he really is have at the same time come to recognize the Father, for the Father indwells the Son. He is telling them just as His Father indwells Him, as He stands before their eyes, so will he indwell them when he returns in the Holy Spirit. Not until they are actually indwelt by His spirit will they understand these words.
Many today would like to discover God apart from Christ. They prefer some other form of revelation rather than His incarnation as the Carpenter. Jesus taught that He was the only revelation of Deity, that we are not look for anything or anyone beyond Himself. He reveals the complete personality of the Godhead.
God is Spirit (John 4:24). No one has ever seen the invisible God. When He put on the body of the carpenter, His personality was projected. Thus the Word of Jesus is the Word of God. The love of Jesus is the love of God. The mercy of Jesus is the mercy of God.
Col. 2: 9-12 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful to every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”
The Lord is and has been preparing the End-Time Apostles. Be assured those who have been called and chosen will be prepared and equipped to administer the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ for the Kingdom purposes of the earth.
We have spent nearly two thousand years believing the Lord for another Pentecost. There are those who have never experienced the First Pentecost, but the Holy Ghost has been here for them to experience. Let us not look backward, but forward to the Glory of the Lord will cover the whole earth and the End-Time Apostles and Prophets usher in the Glory as the Lord directs. This last-days government is a wonderful gift that our God is graciously reserving for his end-time army.
Thomas was present on the Day of Pentecost with the other Apostles. We don’t know of the exploits He did for the Lord, but we can have confidence he fulfilled his calling and commission.
“How will we know in the days ahead if an Apostle is commissioned by God? There are several indicators. First, he/she will see the face of Jesus Christ. Second, he will flow in signs and wonders, which are his/her badge of authority. Third, he/she will flow in revelational gifting, word of knowledge, wisdom and prophecy. Fourth, he/she will bear the seven Spirits of God. Fifth, he/she will have the capacity to birth churches, ministries, cities, etc. Finally, the Lord will send him/her out to establish or build foundations. The Apostle Paul said he never worked on another man’s foundation, but always established his own (Rom. 15:20). Scripture adds that the Church is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles (Eph. 2:20).
Both of these offices are foundational ministries.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
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