Scripture: John 20:24-29; Matthew 6:9-13 Series: 2021
A collection of future sermon notes gathering two patristic quotations rather than a developed sermon. The first, from Gregory the Great, reflects on Doubting Thomas (John 20:24-29): God’s mercy used the disbelieving disciple’s touching of Christ’s wounds to heal our own unbelief, making Thomas a witness to the resurrection. The second, from Augustine, concerns prayer and the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13): all the petitions of Scripture are contained in the Lord’s Prayer, so in prayer we may use different words but not say different things.
Illustrations: gregory-great-doubting-thomas, augustine-lords-prayer-petitions
Future sermon notes
On Thomas
In a marvellous way God’s mercy arranged that the disbelieving disciple, in touching the wounds of his master’s body, should heal our wounds of disbelief. The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples. As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is strengthened. So the disciple who doubted, then felt Christ’s wounds, becomes a witness to the reality of the resurrection. - Gregory the Great
Prayer
If you study every word of the petitions of Scripture, you will find, I think, nothing that is not contained and included in the Lord’s Prayer. When we pray, then, we may use different words to say the same things, but we may not say different things. - Augustine