“Humility, which is a virtue, is always fruitful in good works”
“I won’t believe until I see it” No, these are not the words of a 10 year old who was promised a new PlayStation by his father. These are the words of one of the person who was called by Jesus to be his disciple. The disciple known as the ‘doubter’. From our Sunday school ages we are shown the side of Thomas the apostle which doubted the saviour’s resurrection. But maybe it is about time we cut him some slack. Sure, he doubted, you know what that makes him? A human being! Everyone doubts at least once in their life.
Thomas came to the southern part of India, landed in the shores of Kochi and travelled around sharing the good news. History says he travelled to Tamil Nadu and he went around preaching the gospel to the Brahmins and every person in those areas and he healed people and many people in those area met Christ.
“At no time did Jesus force the disciples to go with him. There were no demands made.Jesus never forced them, At any point along the way the disciples could have spoken up and have refused to go. It was precisely at that moment that we meet Thomas. Fully realizing the danger of returning to Judea, Thomas spoke up and said to the other disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Another version says “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”
What a statement! What an affirmation of faith! It was clearly an expression of love for Jesus. In essence, he was saying, “If the people take up stones and kill Jesus, let us die with him. If he is cast into prison, let us go to prison also.” These are powerful words; words that should cause us to remember something that Jesus said on another occasion: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for a friend”
This statement took great courage of the part of Thomas. No one had to spell it out for Thomas. He realized that if he went to Judea with Jesus, there was a high probability that he would die also. Humanly speaking, it would be impossible for 13 men to stand against an angry mob armed with stones. But Thomas was willing to take the risk. Why? Because he loved Jesus with all his heart. And that’s what led him to India”
The martyrdom of Thomas, however, took place not on western coast of India, he was killed by angry religious fanatics. It is believed that while he was praying, he was murdered. Thomas the workman was buried, but the work still goes on. The land he fell is now land to one some of the greatest revivals. Thousands of men and women from India go around, proclaiming the love of God. The legacy that one man left behind.
He laid down his life for his friend so a nation could be friends with his friend!