"PEACE after WAR" A Utopian Dream?

          "The illusion is: On the other side of CONFLICT or WAR you will find PEACE"

Acts 16: 9-15    John 14: 23-29

Picture this seen:  A young father sitting at the breakfast table sipping on his Saturday morning cup of coffee, nose stuck in the morning Herald.  His young son of 6 enters dressed in his super hero suite with a brightly colored cape wrapped around his shoulders.  One hand holds a flashlight the other a plastic baseball bat.  Dad Asks “What’s up today son”  “Oh nothing yet dad” answers the son as he begins to march off.  “But if anything does by golly, I’m going to be ready for it”  Well, are you ready for it today folks?  What do you have to protect you through your day, your week, or your life time?

Ever wish you had a suite like that, I mean something you could put on that made you feel ready to take on anything the world can throw at you.   For some of us these days, life is pretty hard to cope with, and may not be filled with a sense of peace let alone joy.   For many of us, peace seems almost illusive and most often joy is hard to find.  

That's the way many of us feel as we read or watch the news of today, or as we deal with work, family or money issues in our lives.   Sometimes this world seems quite unfair, violent and people seem to be at each other's throats.   A suit like that would come in handy, so we could say just as the boy, "Whatever may come my way today, I'm going to be ready for it!  Bring it on!" 

Well, I don't have a suit to give you this morning, but I do have some words I can share with you.   Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 

There is a defining phrase in that statement. One that tells us what kind of peace it is that Jesus can give us.  Listen to it again and see if you can pick it out: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  Anyone want to give it a shot?  The defining phrase is: "Not as the world gives." If we look closely here, this phrase defines God's peace.   This peace Jesus is speaking of is not what the world offers to us as peace at all.  The world has brainwashed us to believe that there is only one peace and it comes after you overcome conflict.    In other words, worldly peace can only come after the war.  Now think about that for a moment folks, for this worldly view has shortchanged us here, suggesting that true peace comes when conflict ends.  In other words it makes no difference who wins or who loses, after the dust settles peace will come.   Now I ask you, is that not what we have been taught?    But we know from family feuds, personal dysfunctions’ and worldly wars, this kind of peace doesn’t last, does it.  It isn’t long before old hurts, issues or scares become inflamed and families or countries find themselves back in conflict or at war.  This kind of peace is illusive it will never be complete, because this type of peace has to maintained by law and order Jesus explains.   In order to maintain peace through law and order, it always requires the use of aggressive force or restriction.  Now tell me, what does our human nature do when we are told we can’t do something?   That is why Jesus said, the peace I give you is not as the world gives.   The Peace I give you requires no law no aggression and it is not on the others side of conflict.   So then I ask you, what do you think Jesus is talking about here?  Anyone want to give it a short? 

 Let me try and illustrate true peace with this modern day parable:  

A young aspiring artist was asked by a King to paint him a picture that depicted true peace.   After a great deal of thought he painted a beautiful country scene.   With green meadows and sheep grazing, birds in flight, flowing hills with a valley and village nestled in the background.   He really felt he had captured peace in its entirety.  The King said to the artist, " This isn't a picture of true peace, go back and try again.”   Discouraged but not perplexed the artist went back to his studio, thought for several hours about peace, then went to his canvas and began to paint.  When he was finished, there, on the canvas was a beautiful picture of a mother, holding a sleeping baby in her arms, smiling lovingly at the child.  He thought, surely, this is true peace.  So, off he went to the King, only to be rejected again.  Anger began welling up inside him as the artist returned once again to his studio, what does this King want from me, he though!  This time the artist took time out to pray for inspiration.  All of a sudden through divine revelation the words came to him.  Not as the world gives.  He rushed to his canvas and began to paint like he had never painted before.   When he was finished he hurried back to the King.   This time, the King studied the painting for several minutes, then uttered,  “now this painting reflects true peace.”   There on the canvas, the artist had captured the furry of the wind as it whipped up the sea.   Dark rain clouds were laced with lightening bolts.  The sea was a raging turmoil, waves crashing on the rocks, the dark sky filled with the power of the furious hurricane.   And in the middle of the picture, under a cliff, the artist had painted a small sea bird, safe and dry in her nest snuggled in the protected shelter of the rock.  The bird was at peace, shelter by the rock, in the midst of the storm that raged about her.   The songs that comes to mind,  “A Shelter in The Of Storm”  The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide,  A Shelter in the time of storm;  Secure whatever ill betide,  A Shelter in the time of storm. Refrain  Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A Shelter in the time of storm.   Another song “ Over My Head I Hear Music in The Air” When the storms of life are ragging I hear music in the air.   and then of course there is this old rock a billy song: "Jesus is the rock and rolls my blues away."

In other words true peace, the peace that Jesus offers us, can not be found when the war is over, when human conflict ceases, for we know that peace is illusive and won’t last.  True peace can only be found in your heart, storm or no storm it comes through your relationship with your ROCK, the Christ, when you allow yourself to become entangled with Him.  His "WAY" calms the storms of life, takes away the fear out of death and give you the peace that passes all understanding.  He will comfort you and give you rest even while the winds of stripe are blowing all around you.  This peace will quite and even extinguish fear.  You who accept my peace Jesus tells us, will not be afraid but at peace in the midst of a raging world.  I will teach you how to cope with the storms of life in a new way.   It is the peace that passes all understanding and who wouldn’t want that kind of peace in their life.    It’s yours for the asking folks, take Jesus into your life, surrender you burdens, allow yourself to be entangled with the Christ.  As you surrender to Him and allow him to be your guide in life, everything becomes manageable everything becomes tolerable.   This is more than a promise it is a reality for all those who have accepted Him.    
                                                      " Jesus is The Rock"

"As You Think So You Perceive"

                                   

"As you think so you perceive"

A Story For All Ages:  Young and young at heart.

A story is told about a teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put his boots on. He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want to go on.  When the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat.  She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet."  She looked and sure enough, they were.  It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off then it was putting them on.  She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on - this time on the right feet.  He then announced,  "These aren't my boots."  She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why didn't you say so?" like she wanted to.  Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off.  He then said, "They're my brother's boots.  My Mom made me wear them."  She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots on his feet again.  She said, "Now, where are your mittens?"  He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots..."  Ever have one of those days?  Folks, we are to love even those who a frustrate and annoy us to tears.  

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April 28 2013 Readings:  Rev. 21: 1-6   Acts 11: 1-18  John 13: 31-35

Today I speak in the name of Jesus about His love - about Christ-like love. It is the kind of love mothers - and fathers - and indeed each and every one of us are called to embrace.  I have said this before but I will say again:  Muriel Christie at 100 years often would say to me when I would visit here at Roseway.  “Sim I love people, all the people, but I don’t always love what they do.  You see Jesus’ love is not just about loving those who love us, it’s about loving all people even if we don’t like what they do, even if they annoy us to tears, as did the child in the story I told earlier this morning, and even if they hate us.    We receive this love equally by grace, no one is favored and there are no conditions placed upon this love.    For us humans, this is the most difficult love to accept for our self and to give to others.   Always remembering that you cannot give to others something you do not possess.   As we begin to trust and accept Christ’s love for us, we can follow in His footsteps sharing His love with others.   We know the commandments concerning love - about who we should love and how we should love them.  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Let me try and deepen your understanding of this truth as I tell you a modern day parable:   A middle aged Russian peasant farmer who lived in a mountain village without any modern conveniences had an occasion to come the big city of Moscow.  He arrived at the elegant hotel with mud on his boots and overalls looking completely out of place and inappropriate.  The man at the desk assigned him to a room on the top floor, treating him the same as he would any other paying customer.  With key in hand and a small bag under arm, the man started the long climb up the stairs, to his hotel room.  On the first landing there was a full-length mirror.  The man who had never seen himself before was suddenly startled and frightened by the imposing image before him.  He growled and snarled at the image, hoping to scare him away - only to find that the man he was facing mimicked him with growls and snarls.  At the next landing, he again was confronted, by the same fearsome giant.  After exchanging harsh looks which almost brought them to blows, he headed for the third floor.  Here they stood nose to nose and exchanged simultaneous insults as a deepening war-like attitude was taking root in both of them.  Realizing that there was no where to escape this ugly beast-like fellow, who seemed to be aggressively stalking him, he ran quickly back to the front desk to file a complaint.  After having given a detailed description of the perpetrator, the desk clerk understood that the man he kept meeting was the man in the mirror.   So to prevent embarrassment to his guest and to uphold the hostility of the Hotel, he offered some simple advice.  He said, "The fellow who you confronted, is here to protect people.  He is really quite harmless.  Trust me. If you show him a harsh and angry countenance he will do the same.  However!!!   If, when you see him, you just smile pleasantly and nod, he will do the same.   Enjoy the rest of your stay sir."   Now I ask you folks, how does this parable speak to you?   I truly believe that Jesus is trying to get us to see that our attitude towards life’s circumstances and others, is a reflection of how we feel inside, how we deal and feel about ourselves. 

In the wisdom teachings of Solomon we hear, "Like the reflection of a face in water so is the heart of one person to another."  When we choose to live outside the great commandment to love God, yourself and neighbor, you sell yourself short on love and you will never really embrace or accept God’s unconditional love for you.  

To love another is a difficult thing - especially when our experience of love is flawed, riddles with conditions or judgment.  Judging others causes us to become entangled or trapped by judgment.  Ever watch someone who is angry begin to talk to another angry person.  They become entangled in each others anger and then, all hell can break loose.  Same thing happens when two people of compassion or generosity begin to become entangled, then, all heaven can break loose. 

Negative entanglement holds you as well as the other in bondage.  
Did you hear that, negative entanglement holds you as well as the other in bondage.  It keeps you in chains, because you remain outside the understanding that you are loved by Christ unconditionally.  Your reflection in the water, mirror may be entangled with anger, selfishness, bitterness or resentment, just to name a few.   To really love another we need a standard or guide to follow and that standard can be found within Christ.  As we accept Christ, study his actions and words of love, it will entangle us as well.  Christ like love is embracing us and has the power to embrace others through us.  We then will be able to embrace even those who are our enemies, as the scriptures say even those who hate or persecute us.

The great commandment is recounted by Jesus from the Old Testament and summarize all the Hebrew Law and the teachings of the Prophets Jesus said

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." As I have loved you, so you must love the other.”    

"I Ain't Got Time To Die"

                 

Psalm 23:  John 10: 22-30

 When it comes to a funeral the 23rd Psalm is probably the most popular.  The assumption for many might be, it is a Psalm for the dying or the dead.  Would it surprise you to know that the author David did not have an after death theme in mind when he penned this beautiful Psalm?  No the psalm was actually written for the living, to comfort those who are trudging through the valleys of life right now.  I would like to suggest that it speaks to those who are fully alive in the true sense of the word.

Roy Campanella, a famous baseball player, was in a bad accident years 

ago that left him a semi-invalid.  In his autobiography he talks about the 

many nights he cried himself to sleep, about the pain that racked his 

body and how he sank into deep depression.  He writes, “All my life, 

whenever I was in trouble, I had turned to God for help, but this was 

different I really didn’t think I would make it.   One day as I lay in pain I 

ask my nurse to pass me the bible from the drawer in the night table. I 

just flip it open and there lay, the 23rd Psalm: `Yea, though I walk through 

the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me.'  

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me "From that moment on", he wrote, 

"I was on my way back.”  I knew I was going to make it through this dark 

valley in my life. I knew this psalm was for the living, not the dead and I 

wasn’t dead”  Listen to this Song:  Ain't Got Time To Die" 

There are hundreds and thousands of testimonies like this – of people who have just flipped open the bible and found comfort, courage or renewal almost instantly.  Has anyone here ever had that experience?

Today, Psalm 23 is very much associated with funerals, but it was not written with that in mind, it was written to help the living and should give courage, strength, and hope to those who are fully alive.  Note here folks, I said fully alive.  For is you are not fully alive, part of you must be  --------- {DEAD}

The 23rd Psalm is steeped in the language and customs of shepherding.  If we don't know anything about the customs of shepherds and the unique relationship between the good shepherd and his sheep, then much of this Psalm may simply passes us by.   It is believed the Shepherd boy David, who would later become King David, had written this psalm during the latter days of his life as a shepherd in the fields with his flock.   
Tradition also tells us that the Valley of Hinnom, also referred to as the 
Valley of the Shadow of Death is located near the southern border of 
Jerusalem.  It is a valley through a mountain pass that got its name from 
the shepherds.  In David’s time, this valley was where shepherds would 
need to lead their sheep in order to lead them to the greener pastures.
It was a terrifying place for skittish, defenseless, fearful sheep:  for in the steep cliffs on both sides of the valley there were numerous caves and rocks where animals of prey could hide and wait for the sheep but it was also a place for thieves, who would hide rob and kill passing travelers. It was a terrifying place, yet in the psalm, David sees the protective shepherd leading the sheep right into the midst of this terrifying valley.  David was not writing about a valley that you passed through during death or after.  No, he was taking about this particular dark valley in his own life, one he could not avoid.   We all have them folks, dark valleys as we go through life..  You know John Denver's Song:  Someday are diamonds some days are stones.  We find ourselves in some pretty fearful valley many times during our lives.   So the reflective question here might be this:  Do you want to go through the valleys of your life being lead only by, Opera, Dr. Phil, a minister, local ,Psychiatrists or whomever.  Or like the sheep in the story, don’t you too want the Good Shepherd to lead you.  We have a shepherd you know, one who will lead us to safety folks.

The valleys of life are unavoidable, we will enter them, with or without the our Shepherd.  The shepherd is the Lord.  Indeed, from our Gospel reading, we hear that Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd.   And, of course, we are the sheep.  And what is the Valley of the Shadow of Death?   It is those terrifying, dark, lonely, frightening times in life -- times of sickness, tragedy, emotional stress, tension, economic disaster, loneliness, when God may seem far away.   But we have a Good Shepherd who leads His sheep safely through the Valleys of our lives.   Here we must remember that the Good Shepherd is the one who knows why we must and it is the Shepherd who knows the way out.  The Shepherd takes the sheep from pastures that are now eaten up and barren, where food is scarce and the land is parched, and leads them to new lush, green meadows beside still waters and He restores our souls.   But to get there, the shepherd and the sheep have to pass through the valleys.  That’s just how life is folks!!   We do not and never will fully understand the ways of God, therefore we must trust in Jesus for He the Good Shepherd is the only one who knows.  There is a reason and a purpose to every season in life.  Ecclesiastes 3 tells us:  Everything that happens in this world happens for a purpose and there is a time for everything.   So, we the sheep must learned to trust our Shepherd.   As Jesus said,  "My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.  No one will snatch them out of my hand."  Do you trust in your Shepherd.   Have you surrendered your life to Him. Listen to this Sing:  “All to Jesus I Surrender”   

And so if we choose our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, will lead us through the troubled and difficult times of our life.  Why!  He has a purpose - to lead us to greened pastures, to a deeper faith and an everlasting life.  He calls us to trust in him, to put our faith in him, even when we cannot always see his plan or purpose.  But we trust the Good Shepherd, because we know the Shepherd is trustworthy.  Even though The Valley of the Shadow of Death may be frightening, dark, and cold, let us never forget that in order for a shadow to exist, somewhere in that valley is a great light.    “Isn’t that Great!!     
                                         Sing:   “Forever”

What's Up With This? "ARE YOU SAVED"

John 21: 1-19

Many people claim Christianity as their religion but how many of us understand just what it means to have an authentic faith in Christ and is there a difference?  Is there some act I can perform or some words I can say that will actually authenticate my faith in Christ?   There have been many instances in my church life when I have been asked this question: Do you consider yourself SAVED, or are you Born Again, confessed your sin and accepted Jesus into your heart.”   I believe that the reason I am asked, might be due to the fact that I sometimes challenge some of my colleagues on their traditional definition of being SAVED or BORN AGAIN.  Or it could be because I am a United Church Minister and we are often labeled, extremely liberal, in our theological perspective.  Have you ever heard people being ask this question:  have you been done?  Meaning have been baptized.   Well folks, I have come to understand in my religious studies that the rituals of any specific denomination or religious order can enhance and even deepen our experience and understanding of faith but, in themselves, there is not one specific act, words or deed that can produce or authenticate a faith in Christ.   

May I suggest to you that this particular passage from John today may give us some important clues in authenticating one’s own faith in Christ?   The Apostil John gives us a number of things that are worth pointing out in this particular passage, John 21: 1-19.   The disciples, out of the feelings of being loss, ashamed and in despair even though they have been visited by the risen Jesus already, have gone back to their old life but Jesus shows himself to his friends once again in this way. 

On return from their unsuccessful all night fishing trip, a man appears on the shore instructing them to cast their nets once again and behold the net is filled to overflowing.  John is the first to recognize that the person on the shore is Jesus, the risen Christ and so he exclaims with joy to Peter, “it’s Jesus.”   Peter is the first person to respond.   Even though he is still filled with shame over his 3 time denial of Christ, Peter jumps into the water before the boat even hits shore, and immediately goes to Jesus.  Here is an interesting point to take note of:  Peter being naked puts on some clothes before he leaves the boat, scholars suggest that Peter was trying to hide his shame as did Adam in Garden story, but then instead of hiding in shame as did Adam, Peter does the opposite, he does not let his shame and guilt keep him from going to Jesus once again.  

I believe both men show us three very distinct and necessary aspects of an authentic committed follower of Christ.   #1. Recognition: I need to recognize who Jesus is.  I need to believe that He is Lord, Master and teacher over life and death, not just my life and death but life and death itself.   As we read this passage this morning it revels to me that Peter finally recognizes, that without Christ, there is no life.  If he had hide from Jesus, hanging on to his shame and guilt, his life would get trapped and be nothing more than an existence and then death would come.   #2. You Must Go To Him:   Folks, there are other spiritual teachers we can benefit from through their acts of compassion, kindness, generosity, wisdom, writings and humility and in doing so, point to Jesus and his way, but they are not Him.   He is the one we need to go to.  Christ is where you will find the peace that passes all understanding, and an everlasting life of eternal joy.  #3. You must Submit to Him: You need to submit your will and way, for His will and His Way.  Never let your shame or guilt hold you back from the love and forgiveness that gives new life in Christ.  His will and His way are that of the God.  Accepting unconditional love and forgiveness for yourself and then offering the same to others is the most difficult of the three.  The authenticity of your faith will be seen in the fruits you bear as you live your new life in and through Christ Jesus.  Let us be aware here folks that no man made religion can contain the full understanding of the “Ways of God” and any religion or leader that professes to hold this knowledge will have deceived you.  For man was not made to be God but only to develop a faith that trusts God.   Faith that believes without seeing is blessed and it develops a trust that does not need to know.      

I would also like to suggest to you that a variety of avenues are available which can lead some to respond fully to Christ.  As liberal as some denominations of the Christian Church profess to be, their view or interpretation of scripture can also become their stumbling block.   What about the ancient neighboring religions of the world, should we not consider them, for they contain a variety of gifts and insights, many of which maintain the attributes of “THE WAY” and can help to lead some to an authentic faith in Christ.   We must keep an open mind.  If we look closely at the post resurrection community and the early beginnings of the church we can see that they were a mixture of many sects of Jews and gentiles, not Christians.   Gentile’s meaning outsiders of the Jewish religion, be they Hebrew, Greek, Roman or Pagan.    Christianity as we know it today had not yet come into existence.  Most of the twelve were rivals at times concerning authority and often had their own personal devotional claims to Jesus.   We, the committed Christians of today may need to reconsider our claim that we as a religion hold exclusive rights to Jesus and His way.  God is recognized by many names, as is the entity that was with God in Genesis 1: 26.  Jesus’ way was then and still is today a universal way of loving, forgiving and living that includes all peoples of the world.  I challenge you find a place in scripture where a Gentile {an outsider} was excluded from His teachings, His compassion, His healing or His offer of eternal life.  I do not feel the need to explain or name the outsider to the modern day Christian religion, but all communities have some, even those who claim to be all inclusive or affirming.   May I suggest that salvation was not meant to be sold as an evacuation plan or an insurance policy for the saved Christian as is still preached in some circles today?  Rather I would like to suggest that salvation is “THE WAY” God’s way.   It is a way to live out Jesus’ radical unconditional love and forgiveness here, in the now, so everyone will want to follow.  It seems to me that we who claim to follow Jesus are called to open our hearts and minds, to seek pathways for others to find Jesus for themselves.   Thus they will become the new disciples for Christ.  Religion with its denominational separations, wars, policies, religious laws, rituals and traditional ways often become obstacles in finding the pathway that leads to Jesus and His way.   

 Authentic faith requires a radical change in us.   In order to fulfil this simple but profound mandate given to Peter, which is the mandate of every disciple of Christ, “Feed My Sheep”, this must include all people, regardless of religion, race color or creed.  It certain appears that there has never been a religion that could or can make an exclusive claim to Jesus.  Jesus the Christ is universal, woven into the very fabric of your gens folks and from the shores of the cosmos the Shepherd calls to us “Feed My Sheep”.    

                                          "Search Me Lord"

" The hidden Truth"

Folks!! 

As the North America Representative for CANACOM  {The Caribbean and North America Council for Mission}  I urge you to check out this presentation before you take your trip to the Caribbean this winter.  It will only take 20 minutes out of your time but will help you understand what has happened to the peoples of these beautiful islands and how they look upon many of us. Who really benefits from the money that the tourist spends and who's reputation is at steak here.

"THOMAS" The Doubter? Or Was He

April 3 2016 Reading:  Acts 5: 27-32 and John 20: 19-31

Everyone regardless of how well you know your bible would be able to answer this question in some way or other.  So let’s have a little fun this morning.  I will mention a biblical name and I want you in your mind to think of the first thing that you associate with the name.   Eve:   Someone to tell us out loud what thought came into their mind with that name.  What about Moses:    Now Abraham:   Job:   Jesus:    Judas    Peter:    When I asked the question in Church this morning for people to voice what came into their minds, different people had different things come to mind for each of the bible names I mentioned.

 Did you notice how different each person associates each name.  These bible characters all have many faces didn’t they.  You cannot really just identify them with just one characteristic.   The last name that I will mention is from our reading today:  Thomas, what comes to mind here?   Most likely when I mention the word Thomas, there is little “doubt” {PUN not intended} about the word most everyone would think of first, it would be the word “doubt,” right?   He was so closely associated with this word, that we have coined a phrase to describe him haven’t we:  "The Doubting Thomas." I’m sure if you look the word up in the dictionary his picture will be next to it.

You may be interested to know that in the first three gospels we are told absolutely nothing at all about Thomas, he is never mentioned.   It is only in John's Gospel that he emerges as a distinct personality, but even then there are only 155 words written about him. There is not a lot about this disciple in the Bible but I assure you there is more than one description for him.   Let us take a closer look.
When Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem the disciples thought that it would be certain death for all of them. They assumed aggression, a fight to the death if necessary.  Surprisingly, it was Thomas who had the courage to say in John 11: 15,   “then let us go so that we may die with him.” It was a courageous statement!  Yet we don't remember him for his courage do we but, God never forgets the special gifts given to each and every one of us.  He see Thomas with all the gifts He has given him and God see you in this same way too.  

Here is where we should take a moment folks to ponder this question?  How do I see those around me, do I see their negative parts and emphasize them or do I see the whole person, including all the goodness and gifts they have been given.  Even closer to home, how do I see myself when you look in the mirror? Do I see that I am gifted, a unique child of God, one of a kind with uniqueness and goodness or do I only see and emphasize my flaws.  We often also fail to point out that in this story of Thomas’ doubt, it is the only place in the all of the scriptures where the Divinity of Christ is bluntly stated, no if ands or buts.   I find it interesting that the very story that gives Thomas his famous nickname, THE DOUBTER, it is the same story that has Thomas making an earth shattering confession of faith? Look at his confession found in John 20: 28.  , "My Lord, and my God" he says:  Not teacher.  Not just Lord, not just Messiah, but he uses the word God!  In the eyes of Thomas, Jesus the Christ is his God.  Did you also notice that Jesus doesn't rebuke him here either.  This is the only place in all of scripture where Jesus is called God without qualification of any kind.  Do you know this:  It had such an impacted on Thomas that he was the first person to write about Jesus?  The men who put together the New Testament did not know the Gospel according to Thomas existed.  In fact it was discovered during the time when the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in the West Bank in the late 1940’s and therefore not included in the New Testament.  If I've got you curious, they are available on the internet and you can read them for yourself.  

Folks, this is the only written account where you will hear someone state that he believed Jesus to be God.  His statement was uttered with conviction as if Thomas was simply recognizing a fact, like 2 + 2 = 4, you are my Lord, you are my God, he announces.  These are certainly not the words of an imprisoned doubter, meaning someone who is held in bondage by his or her doubt, never to break free.  The question here for us this morning is:  “ARE YOU” held in bondage by your doubt I mean?
Unfortunately tradition has only remembered Thomas for this scene and its negative view of him.  But I caution you here folks, for doubt should not be a prison from which you cannot emerge.   In fact if we are honest about it, doubt and curiosity is what brought many of us to the doorstep of our faith journey.  Doubting is normal unless it becomes an obsession, a way to remain without hope.   If you commit to spending time with Christ, He will erase your doubt and help you begin the pathway to a rooted faith.   Thomas finally sees, and for him, at least through his eyes, he now sees the truth.   We on the other hand who have not seen but have believed, we are blessed. 

Now I ask you to think about this for a moment folks: The idea that you have to see to believe wouldn’t go down well with Edison, Bell, or Beethoven.  Edison didn’t have to first see the light bulb, he knew it was coming, Alexander did not see the first a phone, he to knew it was there waiting to be discovered.  Nor did Beethoven the musical score before it came into existence.   NO NO, they believe it was all there before seeing or hearing and we often take it for granted that these things just showed up one day.  If you believe in Jesus’ resurrection you will not have to see him physically either, he is already in your heart, you just have to acknowledge Him.  Keep working on it and He will just one day show up in your life.  And when He does, you will manifest Him in your life and in your behavior.  Others will see Him too in the reflection of your compassion, your good deeds, your forgiveness, and your love as you share how His act of radical love has changed you.   That’s how it works, you believe and He just shows up.  He works with you, in you, for you and for others.  Isn’t that amazing!  Isn’t that GREAT!!!  And all we have to do is accept and believe and truly, you will never be the same again.    
                                          "Because He Lives"