“Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). Thomas, speaking to the other disciples who had seen Jesus alive after the crucifixion, explained he would only believe by seeing the mark on the hands, feet, and side of Jesus. It is by the mark Thomas did believe (John 20:29) and it is by the mark mankind can be saved (Romans 5:9, 10). After seeing the mark on the hands of Jesus, Peter preached the first gospel sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2).
While speaking to the very Jews who had witnessed the crucifixion where the marks were made, Peter left a mark on the people listening as he explained the man Jesus who they had crucified, “God has made Him both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). The people heard this and the text says, “they were pierced to the heart” (Acts 2:37). This is the mark of the gospel, the mark which each soul should have, just as these Jews had sinned so has every man (Romans 3:23). When hearing about the marks of Jesus, as He died on the cross, was buried, and rose again (Paul calls this the gospel in I Corinthians 15:1-4), each one of us should recognize it was our sins which nailed Jesus to the cross leaving the mark in His hands. In return, we too should be left with a mark as we should be “pierced to the heart” to obey just as the Jews did on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41, 42).
Unlike Thomas, we will not see the physical mark of Jesus on this earth. Jesus told Thomas after he believed by seeing the marks, “blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:29). When a penitent sinner hears about the nailed print hands of Jesus, he/she is left with a mark on their heart, a mark which leads to obedience. A mark that causes them to be a preacher; not a preacher which stands in front of the church on Sunday mornings, but a preacher in the life which we live. Every day as Christians, we leave a mark on those around us. This mark may be one of love and tenderness. This mark may be one of hypocrisy if we claim to be Christians and yet our life does not show it. As Christians, each one of us are preachers, and are preaching to our family, friends, and strangers we come in contact with.
Ask yourself, what mark are you leaving to those around you? What sermon are you preaching to your friends? Not the sermon with your words, but the sermon with your actions. As Christians, we make up the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 5:23). As a Christian making up the spiritual body of Christ, what mark are you leaving, and what sermon are you preaching? Are you honestly putting Christ first, letting him rule your life, or do video games, sporting events, or is that special someone the rule of your life? These things are not bad but if that is how the majority of our time is spent then it is. Our lives and our actions are preaching the sermon, not the words we use when we say we are Christians. After seeing the mark on the physical body of Jesus, Thomas said, “My Lord and my God”. Begin today preaching a lesson with your actions and with your life which leaves a mark on those around you as they see Christ living in you so they too will bow before Jesus and confess Him to be “My Lord and My God”. Thomas believed by seeing the mark on the physical body of Jesus. Those around us will also believe, but first the spiritual body of Jesus, the Christian, must leave a mark, touching that person’s life and heart and thus by the mark in His hands they too can be saved.
Travis White
A good friend of mine, Jeremy Roberts, wrote a similar article “Scars” on his blog “Take 5” which I strongly recommend you read.
(Picture from “Timothy Ministries” and the idea for the title “By The Mark” came from an old bluegrass song “By The Mark” by Dailey and Vincent)
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