Campmeeting 2023 | Ptr. Mark Turberville | Following Christ Thru Paul

Let me ask you a question: if they came up to you and said, "Sir, can you show me Jesus?" would you be able to show him to them? He's been gone now for over 2,000 years. There are no pictures of what he looks like. Can you take your Bible and give them a glimpse of him? Everyone who's ever tried to paint a picture of Jesus has miserably failed in their endeavors. After the crucifixion was over, and Jesus was laid in the tomb and it was sealed up, everybody went home. They were defeated, they were depressed, they were discouraged, they were down in the dumps. Three days later—not just three days later, several days later—ten of the eleven apostles were meeting, or rather, ten of the apostles were in the upper room, and Jesus Christ appeared to them. He said unto them, "Peace be unto you." And he showed them his hands and his side; and they were glad. They had fellowship; their Master was alive again, and they were comforted because they could see Jesus. Not only could they see him, he commissioned them.

But Thomas wasn't with them. John chapter 20 and verse 24: "But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord." Thomas, why didn't you come? Why weren't you here? We saw Jesus! He spoke with us. Mary told us that she saw him and spoke with him. In fact, Cleopas and the other disciples talked with him on the road to Emmaus, and they told us that they had a Bible study with him. And he said, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Thomas said, "I saw him die. I watched them bury him. My heart was broken, and I wanted to be by myself. He's dead! And you say you've seen him? 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, they were together again. This time, Thomas was with him. "Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you." And the first person he looked at was Thomas, and he said, "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." Verse 28 says, "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." Jesus said unto him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed." Give somebody a glimpse of Jesus. At the end of this verse, "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." That's how you and I and everyone else can get a glimpse of Jesus. This is the picture of him that we see from the Bible:

Though the cover is worn and the pages torn, Though places bear traces of tears, Yet more precious than gold is this book, worn and old, That can shatter and scatter my fears.

This book is my guide, it's a friend by my side, It will brighten and lighten my way; And each promise I find soothes and gladdens my mind, As I read it and heed it each day.

Campmeeting 2023 | Ptr. Mark Turberville

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