Sunday,
April 8, 2018
Good
Doubting
Today we
turn to that familiar story of Doubting Thomas from the gospel of John. In John
Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb of Jesus alone. The only one. She sees that the
tomb is empty and panics. Where did the body of Jesus go. She goes and tells
Peter and another disciple what she’s seen. They go to the tomb and find it
empty as well. They take off, but Mary stays. Two angels talk with her and asks
why she is weeping. She tells them that someone has stolen the body of Jesus.
She feels someone standing behind her and turns around to see a man she thinks
is the gardener. But, then the man says to her, “Mary!” And she immediately
recognizes his voice and falls down to worship him. She then runs and tells the disciples what
she’s experienced.
Where were
the disciples? Where did they go. It says in John’s account that they went
home. Yes. They heard the good news and they went home. But then we hear that they locked themselves
in a room. Locked themselves in a room to protect themselves from the Jews.
From the Jewish authorities who they feared would find them and then execute
them like Jesus due to their association with Jesus.
What do you
think the disciples were feeling? Were thinking? Were experiencing right after
the death of Jesus? After Mary, Peter and the other disciple found the tomb
empty? Feelings of sadness- they had lost their teacher, their mentor, their
Savior, their leader. Sad, just sad. At the same time, they were getting
nervous about their futures. What would the future bring? What would happen to them? And, there were shaking in their
sandals. What would happen to them now?
Would they be arrested, put on trial, nailed to a cross just like Jesus. Where
is Thomas? What is Thomas doing? We
don’t know, but he is not with the disciples.
Let’s jump from
that world of Mary and the disciples to us here at Cross this morning… The
disciples closed and locked the door to protect themselves from the Jews. Take
a look at your life right now.. Who or what are you trying to keep out of your
life? Who are what have you locked the
door on? Perhaps, you’ve locked out a
good friend who hurt you or spoke ill of you. Perhaps, you’ve locked out or
closed the door on your spouse or one of your children. (out of painful or tough issues to be talked
about). Or, perhaps there is a co-worker whose words and actions have led you
to lock him or her out. And, dare I ask
if you’ve locked out the Holy Spirit’s presence and power? Even though it’s
real and there for you….
Back to the
story. Back to Thomas the doubter. I like Thomas because he is a realist. He
asks the hard questions. He is honest. He doesn’t sugar coat his feelings,
beliefs or insights. Even though the
disciples tell him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” Thomas holds back. He is reserved
and calculating. Unless I see Jesus I won’t believe. Unless I see the marks of
the nails and put my finger in those nails. Unless I see the wound in his side
and place my hand in the wound of his side, I will not believe.
In a
previous call of mine I went out to visit a couple who had just had a
baby. I went out to congratulate them
and to speak with them about getting their child baptized. After
a nice conversation I raised the subject of baptism…and then there was a pause.
Long pause. Finally, the father cleared his throat….and said this, “Pastor, I
can’t do this because I have to see before I can believe. You are talking a lot
about Jesus. Well, I can believe in Jesus because I can’t see him!” And, I don’t want my child baptized in the name of
Jesus, because I don’t know if he is real or not!”
You may find
yourself entertaining doubts. Did God
really raise Jesus from the dead? How
can we know for sure with so many different accounts of the resurrection and so
many resurrection appearances. And, will
God really raise us from the dead? And, what about those who have already
passed or died, will they be raised from the dead? And,
what about us? Can we really trust that one day we will be raised in the
resurrection with Jesus?
The apostle
Paul helps us with these hard questions. First, in our 1 Thessalonians reading. There were those Paul was writing to who were
worried about the fate of their loved ones who had died. Paul assures them that
because God raised Jesus from the dead, that their loved ones in Christ will
also be raised, first. And then those who are alive in Christ will be raised. At the last trumpet, at the call of the
archangels the dead will be raised.
And, then in
this letter to the Christians in Corinth, Paul makes the same argument. Because God raised Jesus from the dead, we will also be raised and will be given a
new body in Christ, a new heavenly body, a new spiritual body. A body that will
last forever!
Back to our
story from John. Most importantly this morning I want to draw our attention to
Jesus. Our resurrected Lord, on the very
first day of his resurrection He appears to the 10 disciples who are hiding
behind their locked door- walks right through the door. And the first thing he
says to them as their jaws drop to the floor and eyes expand wide open… “Peace
be with you!” Peace be with you! He
then breathes on them the Holy Spirit and sends them out with message of
forgiveness. Thomas is absent. But one week later Jesus returns to them and
Thomas is there. Again, Jesus brings a message of peace and the Holy Spirit. He
turns to Thomas and patiently tells him to put his finger in the mark of the
nails in his hands and to put his hand in his side. Believe Thomas!
My
friends, our Lord Jesus is raised and
has shown up right here at Cross and right in our hearts. Jesus says, “Peace be
with you! I love you. And, I am now sending you out with the good news of
Jesus. I have given you the Holy Spirit
and am sending you out in the power of the Holy Spirit.
