Mensa Otabil - Jesus Is Lord and God (10/22/2025)
John chapter 20 verse 28, and Thomas answered and said to him, «My Lord and my God.» That’s a profound declaration. Thomas is the first person in the New Testament to call Jesus Christ both Lord and God.
The doubting Thomas, who couldn’t believe the resurrection, now encounters the risen Lord. Jesus asked him to examine his wounds, and he came to a firm conclusion: a deep realization that the person standing in front of him is the same person he had known, is the same person who had died, is the same person who was risen, and there was no way an ordinary human being could be that. He called Jesus, «My Lord and my God.» It’s a giant leap of faith for Thomas, a giant leap of faith from a person who couldn’t fathom the possibility of a resurrection, now coming to terms with it and the reality of it.
Thomas’s proclamation that Jesus is Lord and God is radical, and it is at the foundation of the Christian faith. It is the foundation for Christians; it is a stumbling block for non- Christians. This statement is where people balk at- that Jesus is Lord and God-because many people who are acquainted with the Gospels read them, and the character of Jesus is a compelling one. He’s a generous person, a loving person, a great teacher, a great example, and people see him as somebody who can be emulated. His radical teachings on love include loving all people, even your enemies.
As simple as that thought is to us now, in the days of Jesus, it was a difficult concept for people to accept that you could love all people because people loved their groups. If you were a Jew, you loved Jews; if you were a Roman, you loved Romans; if you were Greek, you loved Greeks. You didn’t love the other people. But Jesus said you should love people who are not like you, including people who hate you and don’t like you. That’s a radical thought. So people read that about Jesus and say, «Oh, what a profound person!»
Some go to the extent of calling Jesus a prophet of God; some call him an ascended master; some call him a divine messenger. But all of these, as well and good as they sound, are not sufficient. They are not sufficient grounds for faith. What Thomas said is the grounds of faith: Jesus is not just a good teacher, a nice guy, a loving person-he is Lord and God. It is at this point that believers are separated from non-believers.
So true Christians accept Jesus Christ as God. He’s the Son of God, equal with the Father, equal to the Holy Spirit, part of the Godhead. And that was Thomas’s proclamation: that this man is more than what I thought he was. But Thomas’s proclamation is also personal. He said, «My Lord and my God.» He didn’t say he is the Lord and the God, but «my Lord and my God.» He owned it for himself.
So faith in God is one thing, but personalizing it is another. In Christianity, we personalize our faith in Christ Jesus; we call him, «My Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer.» Until you know him at the personal level, your faith may be nice. It can be a universal faith that all people have, but that faith must have a personal application. It is at the personal level that salvation takes place, and I hope that you will come to the same conclusion as Thomas and know Jesus Christ as your Lord and your God.
Let us pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, you have revealed yourself in your Son. Help me to know you personally. In Jesus' name, amen and amen. I’ll catch you again tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.