Why Is This Here?

Sermon-2 Easter May 1, 2011
The Cloud of Unknowing, "O God, our great companion, lead us ever more deeply into the mystery of your life and ours, that we may be faithful interpreters of that Life to each other, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. John 20:19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

I ask you this all the time, why do you think John, the gospel writer, kept in the story about Thomas? It doesn’t really flatter Thomas, does it? Was this some kind of payback by John? Was John settling a score by portraying Thomas as unbelieving, difficult to convince, hard hearted? Think about it, Thomas looks bad in today’s story-why would John essentially end his book with a story about someone who had so much trouble with their faith? Does it strike you as, I don’t know, a little odd? Why end a book about Jesus with a story that has gone down in history with an example of uncertainty and skepticism? Doesn’t it make you kind of wonder? Why end the gospel, the good news about Jesus, this way?
I was in my mid 20s, and I went in to see the Bishop of Chicago, Jim Montgomery. He was a legend in the diocese as a man of great holiness and piety. So I go in to ask his permission to begin the process of ordination. And he gives me the “bishop talk” about the priesthood. And finally I interrupt him, and say, “Bishop, I’m worried. What if the Standing Committee asks me if I’m 100% sure that I’m called to be a priest-I don’t know that I am.” And he looked stunned, and a little embarrassed. “Well,” he said,” you shouldn’t lie, but none of us is ever 100 % sure of anything.” I couldn’t believe it. Even Bishop Montgomery wasn’t sure???
I told you last week that the resurrection story hung by a thread. First Mary Magdalene, then Peter and John. So much of our faith rested on such fragile people, people of great frailty, doing the right thing. If you listened closely you heard it again in today’s reading. The story begins on Easter day, AFTER the disciples have seen the risen Lord-and what are they doing? They’re still hiding behind locked doors. They are still afraid. This is the day of the Resurrection. Look at these guys. “When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews,” It’s EASTER SUNDAY-the day we celebrate with joy. Why does John record this? The disciples aren’t filled with joy, they’re full of fear.
Years ago, I had a fellow in my first church by the name of Harry. Harry was a great guy and wanted desperately to serve God and the church. So he went off to retreat weekend for all those who wanted to be deacons. At the retreat the leader, a very important diocesan person, told all the participants that unless they had truly experienced a vision Jesus in a powerful and real way-like Paul the apostle, that they weren’t really called. Harry went back to his dorm room, packed his bags and went home. His faith wasn’t good enough-he had never experienced Jesus in right way.
We don’t just question our faith-we question everything in our lives-our relationships, our truths, our selves. Constantly. Think about it, even though you have some things in your life you are absolutely sure of-have you ever questioned them, wondered about them, second guessed them? Was there ever a moment when you were unsure, conflicted, even about the things you were sure of?
“But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
Mary told Peter and John. Jesus appeared to 11 of the 12 and they told Thomas. And still Thomas refused to believe. Why? Because he hadn’t seen him? Because it was impossible that someone rises from the dead? Because Thomas didn’t trust his fellow disciples? Why was Thomas so unsure?
I think John the gospel writer includes these last difficult stories because they are supposed to represent us, you and I. We believe John was writing this gospel 60 years after the resurrection. Hardly anyone was still alive who had seen the risen Lord. So how did people come to faith? How were people supposed to believe after Jesus stopped appearing? That’s what I think John is trying to address-that’s why I think he wrote this gospel-how are people who don’t see the Risen Lord supposed to have faith. And Thomas, more than anyone else in his gospel, is supposed to be you and I.
David Lose writes in Working Preacher: “Little wonder that John follows this scene with his own two-sentence purpose statement: "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:30-31). In other words, what happens to Thomas is exactly what John hopes will happen to each of us when we read his story.”
I Think Thomas refuses to believe not because he needs proof, which is usually how he is portrayed, but because he is afraid of being wrong. I think he is afraid of getting his hopes up. I think Thomas is afraid of not being 100% sure. I think Thomas is like us-he’s afraid. And yet the last thing Thomas says in the gospel of John has become the greatest confession of the church, My Lord and My God!
Thomas did everything he could to question, challenge, and test the experience-but in the end, it wasn’t settled for him, in his soul-until he made a decision. Until Thomas made a choice, the resurrection wasn’t real. And finally, ultimately, Thomas had to choose-was Jesus being raised worth his life, or not.
As I keep saying, I think it’s what everyone of us is confronted with-we make a choice, we make a decision-regardless of how much, or how little, proof or evidence that we have. Do we believe God raised Jesus from the dead? Do we believe that Jesus was the messiah? Do we believe God came to rescue us? Do we think God has power over death? Do we think love is the greatest force in the universe? I don’t think, finally, it’s about proof-as Thomas finally realizes at the end of this gospel. I think it’s a matter of commitment. What are we willing to stake our lives on? Thomas has an overwhelming experience-and decides, finally, that he will choose Jesus. It was painful for him. It was, in many ways, excruciating. But when John ends his gospel, there is only one thing left for Thomas to do, one decision that he feels he can make. He never does touch the risen Lord. Never does all the things that he says he requires for proof. At the end, all Thomas can do is face his own life and make a decision. And he does. “My Lord and my God.” And John the gospel writer tells us, we are all left with that same choice-not, are we afraid of being wrong, but are we afraid of making a decision. You decide.