May 1, 2011 Sermon

SECOND SUNDAY IN EASTER 2011

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 signs in the presence of the 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.

An oxymoron is defined as “a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect.” (What that means is putting two words together that seem to not go together.)

For examples:

Have you ever eaten Jumbo Shrimp?

Maybe found yourself in a Fine Mess?

Any veterans reading this could explain what “military intelligence” means.

My favorite is “organized religion.” I think we in general (and I in particular) prove this to not be the case on a daily basis. When people say they don’t like organized religion, I always tell them “Boy, oh boy! Do I have a church for you!”

Some people think “entertaining sermon” is an oxymoron.

For your consideration, another oxymoron: “Doubting Thomas.” It is a name we all know. The moniker doubting has stuck with his name. But as we shall see, doubt is not a word that should be stuck with Thomas. It is wrong on two fronts.

It is not the story of Thomas doubting, but the story of all the disciples not believing, but then coming to faith. In other words, this is the story of “Believing Thomas.”
It is not really the story of Thomas at all. It is the story of Jesus’ love for Thomas.

Thomas is called “doubting.” But if you pay close attention, none of the disciples beleieved, they are all locked in a room, fearful and confused. (BTW, when John says “for fear of the Jews,” he was the fear of the religious and political leaders. This verse has been used to justify anti-Semitism for so long, that it is good that we remember what was really meant.) The disciples’ lack of faith has defined their actions; they are scared, they are in hiding. Thomas is not with them when Jesus appears among them. Perhaps Thomas was actually the bravest of all, because he was somewhere out there, not locked in that room.

The Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis (perhaps the brightest person I know) explains what belief really is in the Gospel of John. She says:

“To believe in Jesus is the same thing as saying: ‘I abide in you and you abide in me.’ It is a creedal assertion only insofar as it affirms the existing relationship between Jesus and the believer. Believing in John’s Gospel is certainly a confession that Jesus is the Word made flesh, but the existential, ontological reality of the incarnation intimates that a confession of faith is more so a confession of a relationship.”

Faith is not a matter of proof or even a matter of doctrine. It is not based on being strong one day and weak another. It is a matter of relationship or (as John says), abiding. Faith is not found in knowledge. Faith is a matter of relationship. To say “I believe” is to acknowledge that Jesus has a relationship with me, no matter what my doubts or fears or shortcomings.

Notice this: The disciples doubt, flee and run. Jesus is not deterred by their actions, but follows them, and stands among them in a locked and sealed room. Furthermore, because one of them (Thomas) is missing, Jesus returns so that no one is left out of the relationship.

Do you see the power and the miracle in that?

It is not enough to appear to those in the room.

Jesus has a desire for all to be in relationship with him. He pursues Thomas.

Do you remember what John wrote in Chapter 10?

“So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them…I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me…..And I lay down my life for the sheep.”

In this Good Shepherd passage, Jesus says some very profound things that are demonstrated in our Gospel reading today about Thomas. Jesus says “I am the gatekeeper for the sheep.”

How many gates, locked gates have we read about, that humans have erected?

There are at least two: the stone at the tomb and the doors to the locked room.

But the sheep are not in charge of the doors. Only the shepherd is in charge of the doors. Humans do not control the gates of death and life.

God controls the gates of death and life.

Jesus the Good Shepherd has opened the doors of the tomb and freed us from death.

Jesus has opened the doors of the locked room and saved us from fear and darkness.

And so the story of Thomas is not the story of Thomas.

It is the story of the Shepherd and his sheep, all of his sheep. His fearful, doubting, wondering, wandering sheep….all of his sheep, even those who are not with the others.

Just as Thomas was not with the others, Jesus does not forget about him.

(The Sunday after Easter is notoriously the Sunday with the lowest church attendance. There are a lot of those who were here but are not here today. They are not out there wondering. Their relationship is based on Jesus pursuing them. It is not based on their attendance in this place. But I digress.)

Christians! There are no doors locked tight enough, no tombs sealed strong enough to keep our Lord from pursuing us.

Like frightened disciples in locked rooms, Jesus opens the doors and finds us.

Like Thomas wandering away from the fold, Jesus returns time and time again to find us.

This is our God.

So I give you two more oxymorons: “open locks” and “living tombs.” These are the oxymorons of our faith.

AMEN.




		SECOND SUNDAY IN EASTER 2011 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 signs in the presence of the 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. An oxymoron is defined as “a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect.” (What that means is putting two words together that seem to not go together.) For examples: Have you ever eaten Jumbo Shrimp? Maybe found yourself in a Fine Mess? Any veterans reading this could explain what “military intelligence” means. My favorite is “organized religion.” I think we in general (and I in particular) prove this to not be the case on a daily basis. When people say they don’t like organized religion, I always tell them “Boy, oh boy! Do I have a church for you!” Some people think “entertaining sermon” is an oxymoron. For your consideration, another oxymoron: “Doubting Thomas.” It is a name we all know. The moniker doubting has stuck with his name. But as we shall see, doubt is not a word that should be stuck with Thomas. It is wrong on two fronts. It is not the story of Thomas doubting, but the story of all the disciples not believing, but then coming to faith. In other words, this is the story of “Believing Thomas.” It is not really the story of Thomas at all. It is the story of Jesus’ love for Thomas. Thomas is called “doubting.” But if you pay close attention, none of the disciples beleieved, they are all locked in a room, fearful and confused. (BTW, when John says “for fear of the Jews,” he was the fear of the religious and political leaders. This verse has been used to justify anti-Semitism for so long, that it is good that we remember what was really meant.) The disciples’ lack of faith has defined their actions; they are scared, they are in hiding. Thomas is not with them when Jesus appears among them. Perhaps Thomas was actually the bravest of all, because he was somewhere out there, not locked in that room. The Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis (perhaps the brightest person I know) explains what belief really is in the Gospel of John. She says: “To believe in Jesus is the same thing as saying: ‘I abide in you and you abide in me.’ It is a creedal assertion only insofar as it affirms the existing relationship between Jesus and the believer. Believing in John’s Gospel is certainly a confession that Jesus is the Word made flesh, but the existential, ontological reality of the incarnation intimates that a confession of faith is more so a confession of a relationship.” Faith is not a matter of proof or even a matter of doctrine. It is not based on being strong one day and weak another. It is a matter of relationship or (as John says), abiding. Faith is not found in knowledge. Faith is a matter of relationship. To say “I believe” is to acknowledge that Jesus has a relationship with me, no matter what my doubts or fears or shortcomings. Notice this: The disciples doubt, flee and run. Jesus is not deterred by their actions, but follows them, and stands among them in a locked and sealed room. Furthermore, because one of them (Thomas) is missing, Jesus returns so that no one is left out of the relationship. Do you see the power and the miracle in that? It is not enough to appear to those in the room. Jesus has a desire for all to be in relationship with him. He pursues Thomas. Do you remember what John wrote in Chapter 10? “So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them…I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me…..And I lay down my life for the sheep.” In this Good Shepherd passage, Jesus says some very profound things that are demonstrated in our Gospel reading today about Thomas. Jesus says “I am the gatekeeper for the sheep.” How many gates, locked gates have we read about, that humans have erected? There are at least two: the stone at the tomb and the doors to the locked room. But the sheep are not in charge of the doors. Only the shepherd is in charge of the doors. Humans do not control the gates of death and life. God controls the gates of death and life. Jesus the Good Shepherd has opened the doors of the tomb and freed us from death. Jesus has opened the doors of the locked room and saved us from fear and darkness. And so the story of Thomas is not the story of Thomas. It is the story of the Shepherd and his sheep, all of his sheep. His fearful, doubting, wondering, wandering sheep….all of his sheep, even those who are not with the others. Just as Thomas was not with the others, Jesus does not forget about him. (The Sunday after Easter is notoriously the Sunday with the lowest church attendance. There are a lot of those who were here but are not here today. They are not out there wondering. Their relationship is based on Jesus pursuing them. It is not based on their attendance in this place. But I digress.) Christians! There are no doors locked tight enough, no tombs sealed strong enough to keep our Lord from pursuing us. Like frightened disciples in locked rooms, Jesus opens the doors and finds us. Like Thomas wandering away from the fold, Jesus returns time and time again to find us. This is our God. So I give you two more oxymorons: “open locks” and “living tombs.” These are the oxymorons of our faith. AMEN.