"Believe It or Not!"
Sermon Presented April 3, 2005
John 20:19-31
Several years ago, I took my grandsons to Branson, MO where our first stop was Ripley's Believe It or Not. This museum contains unusual phenomenon such as a two-headed calf. If someone were to tell a child that there was a two-headed calf out in the field, the reaction would be: "Yeah, sure! That, I have to see to believe!" But when you enter the building and see that there is such a beast - preserved by a taxidermist - you become a believer. The boys enjoyed this attraction more than any show that we saw in Branson.
Our text this morning is the story of one of Jesus' disciples who insisted that he must see Jesus in order to believe what the other disciples told him was true. His reaction to their report of seeing Jesus alive after his death was: "Yeah, sure! That I have to see to believe!" This text has a degree of familiarity that often breeds indifference because it is the gospel text every year for the Sunday after Easter. Hopefully you will hear something new this morning, because in reality, Thomas' story is our story! John 20:19-31 (read text)
It's difficult to believe something we haven't experienced with our senses - touch, taste, sight, hearing or smell, and yet we are asked to believe many things that we can't prove ourselves. The gospel writer says that he wrote this gospel so that his readers will believe what he says is true - without any sensual verification - just faith that he speaks the truth.
When we consider Jesus' resurrection, one thing to keep in mind is that his resurrection body isn't the same as before his death. He suddenly appears in a locked room - passing through solid materials. Those who know him best don't recognize him at first. Those who experience his presence following the resurrection believe he is alive, but have a tough time convincing others. In our rational world, we can understand their reluctance to believe.
Let's review the story as John presents it. God resurrects Jesus, and when Mary Magdalene goes to anoint his body, she sees an empty tomb. She runs to tell the disciples. Peter and the "other disciple" go to the tomb to verify the report. When they see that the body is missing, they go home. Then Mary Magdalene sees Jesus and talks to him. She runs back to the disciples to relay the information. In fear, the disciples lock themselves in a room. When Jesus appears to the disciples later that evening - entering through a locked door - his disciples believe that he is alive. However, Thomas, one of the disciples is absent.
What did Thomas miss? He missed seeing Jesus, receiving the blessing of peace, being commissioned to do what God sent Jesus to do, and receiving the Holy Spirit. That's a lot to miss! Jesus' purpose in appearing was to convince his followers that he was alive and then to send them out to do what they had seen him do. According to John, Jesus accomplished his purpose.
A week later Jesus appears again and this time Thomas is present. He sticks around just in case he has an opportunity to see what the others saw. Again the doors are locked when Jesus suddenly appears in the room. When Thomas sees, he believes. He needed the same proof as Mary and the other disciples. He needed to see the risen Lord.
This chapter concludes with the writer's stated purpose for writing the gospel: that his readers might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing, they may have life in his name. Knowing how difficult it is to believe something we don't experience, John gives an eyewitness report so others will believe.
I don't stand here as a pastor solely because of what's written here. I stand here as your pastor because of my personal experience with the Living Lord. Oh, I've never seen him with my eyes, heard him with my ears or touched him with my hands. At times, I have experienced him differently than I do now, and sometimes I've doubted that I'm a Christian. Like Thomas, I have experienced many doubts, as do those who spend time contemplating their faith. Because we are all different, the Holy Spirit works with us individually. Some come to faith with greater difficulty than others, and some have greater difficulty maintaining their faith when faith crises hit.
I believe it's more difficult to be a pastor or a person of faith now than it was 20 or 30 years ago. Our world is more rational and people don't easily accept what others tell us or what we read. For this reason, I am amazed that people accept political claims as easily as they do without checking them out. With faith issues, people want to see for themselves, but unlike Thomas, many don't stick around people of faith long enough to find their own faith.
Our faith isn't built on the Ten Commandments. It can't be built on a literal interpretation of the Scriptures. It can't be appropriated from our father or mother or pastor or Sunday school teacher. Our faith must become a personal relationship with God through Christ and not a factual treatise.
On the first page of John Irving's novel A Prayer for Owen Meany, he quotes Frederick Buechner as saying: "Not the least of my problems is that I can hardly even imagine what kind of an experience a genuine, self-authenticating religious experience would be. Without somehow destroying me in the process, how could God reveal himself in a way that would leave no room for doubt? If there is no room for doubt, there would be no room for me."
I love that statement! We don't have - nor will we ever have perfect knowledge of God or Jesus. God can't be measured by an inventory. The faith of 20 centuries can't be limited to my experience or understanding or to yours.
When it comes to faith, we are works in progress! The blessing of John 20 is for us! "Blessed are those who haven't seen and yet believe!" When we are humble - and vulnerable - God can teach us and use us! And just as Jesus used his scars as identifying marks when he met the disciples, our scars are significant to our life's story. In our wounded-ness and marginalization, we not only experience the risen Christ but we also find opportunities to share him with others.
A little over a year ago I had thyroid surgery, resulting in an unsightly scar on my neck. I chose to wear turtleneck sweaters that winter and shirts that covered it last summer. Now I don't think about it because the scar has faded. Oh, I can still see it, but it isn't noticeable. I also have scars on my heart. But as Christ touches my wounds, those scars also diminish over time. I still recognize the scars, but I live with them and they have become identifying marks whereby I can minister more effectively to others who experience the same kinds of wounds.
Jesus came to the disciples in an atmosphere of fear and skepticism. And when he came, he offered peace and healing and the presence of the Holy Spirit. He then commissioned them to continue his work of living and forgiving. By so doing they will reveal God to the world. Our mission isn't to set ourselves up as a moral judge of the world but to bear witness to the love of God in Jesus.
A friend recently said: "I don't want to hear just what the Bible says or what other people have to say about an issue in a sermon. I want to hear what the minister believes about an issue. Ministers don't always do that because of a desire to keep everyone happy or to retain financial support for the church's ministry. But when we are convinced that Christ's love is for everyone, I believe we must speak out on unpopular issues and welcome all people. People want a faith that makes a difference.
In the 2004 November - December issue of the AARP Magazine, there is an article titled: Faith, Hope and Clarity (p. 54 ff.). The article states that less than 1/3 of Americans attend church regularly. The 2/3 of those who don't attend regularly may have lost their "religion" or never had "religion" in the first place. But just because they don't come to church doesn't mean that they aren't seeking a relevant faith. What keeps them from finding a relevant faith? According to the article, hypocritical church members are the primary cause for not being part of the organized Church. How do they experience Christ's love if we don't love?
I am currently reading two non-fiction books, both loaned to me by a parishioner. One is Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama. Obama was asked to write this book 10 years ago when he became the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review. In the introduction, Obama states he began writing with the belief that the story of his family and his efforts to understand that story might speak to the fissures of race that characterize the American experience (p. vii.) The other book is Journey to the Well by Bishop Vashti McKenzie, the first female bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Her purpose in writing this book was to help women use the experience of the biblical story of the Woman at the Well to transform their lives through empowerment and a renewed faith. The reason both authors shared their personal stories is to impact the lives of others.
The gospel writer shared his faith and the gospel story to impact the lives of his readers. You and I share our faith stories for the same reason. We hope that by sharing what is most personal and meaningful to us, lives will be affected and changed.
But just as the disciples stood behind the closed doors of fear and faithlessness, so do we. And just as Thomas doubted, so do we. Let's invite Jesus to come through those doors bringing peace and faith. Let's be in the right place at the right time so that we don't miss the blessing. We can believe or not! Which will it be?
