Lord and God
Jesus Christ accepted worship as God, demonstrating His divine nature.
Selwyn Hughes delves into the profound moment when Thomas declared 'My Lord and my God!' upon seeing Jesus after His resurrection, highlighting the disciples' struggle to fully comprehend the divinity of Christ. Despite their Jewish upbringing and belief in one God, the disciples found it challenging to grasp the concept of Jesus being both man and God. Thomas, often labeled as a doubter, boldly acknowledged the deity of Jesus, affirming Him as Lord and God. Hughes emphasizes that Jesus accepted worship as God Himself, reinforcing the truth of His divine nature and the importance of recognizing and honoring Him as such.
Text
"Thomas said to him, ' My Lord and my God!' " (v. 28)
For reading & meditation:
John 20:24-31
Jesus Christ accepted worship as God. What other person in his right mind has ever made such a claim? Earlier Simon Peter had made the confession "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16), which was a profound and powerful statement. Some Bible scholars believe Peter did not perceive the complete significance of the words when he uttered them, but came to see their full meaning later. The twelve disciples, we must remember, were Jews to a man. They had been steeped in their high and ancient faith, and the belief in one God was firmly embedded in their minds. "Hear O Israel," they had said a thousand times, "the Lord our God is one Lord." They were sure the Messiah, the Promised One, would come, but they hardly expected God to come Himself, in Person, and in the garb of a working man. It was difficult for the disciples to grasp the doctrine of Christ as we know it today, or even the truth of the Trinity. They glimpsed it but did not fully understand it. It was Thomas the doubter, as we call him, who stepped nearer to the truth in the Upper Room after Christ had come back from the grave. If Jesus was a good man but not God then when Thomas said, "My Lord and my God," He should have turned to Thomas and told him: "You can admire Me but you must not worship Me. I am not God.' He didn't because He is God, and thus the right recipient of worship.
Lord Jesus, I stand in awe and almost dumbfounded wonder at the fact that You being God came to this world as a working man. My heart echoes Thomas's cry: "My Lord and my God." And in worshipping You, Lord Jesus, I know I am worshipping God. Amen.
Sermon Outline
- Jesus Christ accepted worship as God
- The significance of Thomas's confession
- The disciples' understanding of Christ
- The doctrine of Christ as God
- The truth of the Trinity
Key Quotes
“My Lord and my God” — Selwyn Hughes
“You being God came to this world as a working man” — Selwyn Hughes
“My heart echoes Thomas''s cry: ''My Lord and my God.''” — Selwyn Hughes
Application Points
- Recognize Jesus as God and the right recipient of worship.
- Understand the significance of Thomas's confession and its implications for our faith.
- Grasp the doctrine of Christ as God and the truth of the Trinity.