After Jesus was raised he appeared among the 11 and Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing” ( John 20:27-29).

Do you request a sign, a supernatural event like the religious leaders did to believe or do you accept the sign Jesus said he would give, by faith?

Luke 11:29-30 He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. “For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.” Matthew further explains, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Mt.12:40).

Do you identify with the death of Jesus or both the death and resurrection?

This is the full gospel 1 Cor 15:1-5: “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: 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 by Cephas, then by the twelve.”

Jesus is the only man raised from the dead (resurrected) that is now living eternally never to die again. 1 Cor 15:20-23 “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. “

Because of Jesus, we who believe will also participate in the same resurrection that He experienced. The reality of mans history from Adam onward has all been changed by this one event. Now mankind has the hope of living forever, in an eternal body (Romans 8:21, 1 Cor.15:42, 51-52).

He (Jesus) is given a place of prominence that no other man, king, prophet or apostle has been given,

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name”(Phil 2:8-9). He sits at the right hand of the Father- Mark 16:19: “He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” This was done after “He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Heb 1:3) “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, (Heb 10:12) also (Lk.20:42; Acts 5:31, 7:55 Eph.1:20; Heb. 1:3, 8:1, 10:12,12:2; 1 Pt.3:2; Rev.3:21)

Acts 2:32-33 “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father…”

Notice they were witnesses as Paul states in 1 Cor. 15: 1-5, even 500 at one time (v.6). “To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs (Acts 1:3)

Rom. 8:34 “and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” 1 Tim. 2:5: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus”

(also Heb. 8:6, 9:15). He is the mediator for all believers today, as the one who is still a man, an eternal man, never to die again who occupies an eternal priesthood (Rev.1:18).

Luke 24:25-27 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! “Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Vv. 32-34 “And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”

Their burning hearts was not a witness to the book of Mormon but to the truth contained in the Bible, but of the words of Jesus that we have contained in the Scripture.

Every section of the Old Testament bears witness to his deity. The Torah, the prophets and the writings.

Luke 24:27”And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Vv.43-44 “And He took it and ate in their presence. Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

Thomas was one of the last disciples to believe Jesus has been raised from the dead. Jesus had already appeared to the Disciples several times (at least 5 Mark 16:1; Matthew 28:1, 9-10; Mark 16:12,13; Luke 24:13-32; Luke 24:33-35; 1 Corinthians 15:5; Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25; John 20:26-31; I Corinthians 15:5).

So we have Thomas’ reaction to Jesus’ invitation to his scars left over from the crucifixion John 20:28-29”And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:28 Thomas was wholly convinced and did not hesitate to address the Risen Christ as Lord and God. And Jesus accepts the words and praises Thomas for so doing. (from Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament). Literally in Greek the You are personally My Lord and My God.

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” How do we believe? By faith, by believing in the word of God that is based on the facts, history and eyewitnesses; we receive the promise. Are you blessed? Do you have the assurance of eternal life because you have accepted who Jesus is, what He did –dying for YOUR sin, and raising from the dead and are willing to surrender your life to Him and follow Him.

Luke 24:47-49 “and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. “And you are witnesses of these things. “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12)

This is the gospel. That He died for sin and rose from the dead, that His name is proclaimed to the nations to be saved from their sin. What was said in Jerusalem to the Jews to be saved was said to the Gentiles everywhere- the same gospel for all. It is for this reason He sent them the Holy Spirit, so that they can be bold witnesses having wisdom and understanding of the things they learned and speak. Without being filled with the Spirit of God one cannot be an effective witness and carry this message.