Weekly Devotional 8-8-22 An Interview with Thomas
This week’s devotional is a fictional interview between a Jewish news reporter and Thomas, one of Jesus’ apostles. While the interview is fictional several miracles of Jesus are mentioned which were not fictional. I pray that you will find the interview interesting and thought provoking.
Jerusalem Chronicle
Daily News / April-May A.D. 30
Yesterday I interviewed Thomas; a man truly transformed by the death burial and supposed resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. I say supposed because even though many have claimed to have seen him alive, including Thomas, not having not seen Him myself at the time of the interview I was skeptical about such reports. But as just stated, Thomas seemed to be a truly transformed man. This interview was lengthy, but I want to present what was said by Thomas accurately, and as much as I can, without bias.
Reporter, Thomas, before we discuss the present would you be so kind as to tell me about yourself. Who you are, what is your occupation, and how did you become a follower of this man, Jesus?
Thomas, Like most of the Lord’s apostles I was born in Galilee. I have a twin and that is why I am also called Didymus, but my twin has no relevancy to what you want to know. I am a tradesman and have worked for many of the local businesses in and around Galilee for several years. Many years ago when still a young boy, I was in Jerusalem and I overheard a man named Simeon, a just and devout man, proclaim, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).You see, Jesus had been brought into the temple at Jerusalem to satisfy the Law of Moses. He had been circumcised just a few days earlier and on this day his parents brought Him to the temple to present Him before the Lord. Upon seeing Jesus Simeon took Him into his arms and spoke those words. On that same day Anna, one of our Jewish prophetesses, you know of her, also began giving thanks unto the Lord in the same manner and began speaking to many of the people who were hungering for redemption. I took notice but being a young boy I did not really understand what they were saying. Several years later this boy, Jesus, had grown into adulthood and like John the Baptist was going about preaching that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Well, like many others, I began following Jesus because of many of the things He was doing that had no rational explanation. On one occasion, at a family wedding, He changed water into wine. And later (on a different day) He did something even more phenomenal, He healed a friend’s mother by rebuking the fever that had taken her over. But there were others He went through the region healing person after person by laying His hands on them. I also witnessed His casting demons out of many people who were possessed.
His message was so gripping that I soon found myself farming out most of my business obligations to other’s skilled in the trades and began following Him. On a certain day, several months after I began following Him, He took several of us up into a mountain and after He had spent several hours in solitude and prayer called twelve of us to himself and named us as his apostles. There was Simon whom He renamed Peter, Andrew, Peter’s brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon a.k.a. Zelotes, Judas the brother of James, Judas Iscariot, and me. As we came down out of the mountain, He was quickly surrounded by people who were vexed with one disease or another and He healed them all. By this time we apostles knew that we were in the presence of somebody different than anyone we had ever met before.
Somewhere along the line He began referring to himself as “The Son of God,” not just a son of God but the Son of God. This caused great consternation in all of us; was He delusional, something that had earlier crossed our minds? Yet many of the blind had received back their sight, many had been healed of serious diseases and He raised a few people from the dead. On one occasion, out on the Sea of Galilee a violent storm had come up and we all feared that because of the raging of the storm we would be tossed into the water and be drowned. But Jesus, after we woke Him from sleep, stood in the middle of the boat and commanded the sea to be calm. Who could do these things, but God? Still, many of us doubted, me especially. A man the son of God, how could that be?
But then this, He was executed, was buried and after three days He rose from the dead. I, myself, have seen him, have touched his wounds, have talked, and ate with him and watched him ascend into the heavens. No, my friend, this was no ordinary man but was and is who he said He was, the Son of God.
Reporter, A few days later I was talking with a colleague about my interview with Thomas and he said he had interviewed several of the other apostles, and to the man, they testified of these same things.
This ends my account of my interview with Thomas and the testimony of my colleague, but before I close, let me ask, what are your thoughts about Jesus? Do you believe that He was the Son of God, or do you believe that He was just another man? When I began my interview, and before I talked with my colleague I seriously doubted, but I am now convinced He was God in human flesh. And because of this, I now trust Him to bring me into the very presence of God. I would be amiss if I did not close with these two passages.
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).
And
“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).
Steve
Stevelampman.com
Transforming power; the Work of God on Behalf of Man