April 8, 2018
Reading: Acts 5: 27-32 and John 20:
19-31
Everyone
regardless of how well you know or don't 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. I will then proceed to ask someone, to tell us
what word came to mind for them. The
next question will be: did anybody have a different word in their mind. Lets give it a try:
Eve: Moses:
Abraham: Job: Jesus:
Judas Peter: As we noticed,
not everyone has the same word or image come to mind for each of the names.
All these characters have many faces don’t they. 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 question about the word most everyone would think
of first, it would be the word “doubting.” He was
so closely associated with this word, that we have coined a syndrome phrase to
describe him haven’t we: "The Doubting Thomas."
You may be
interested to know that in the first three gospels we are told absolutely
nothing at all about the disciple Thomas. It is in John's Gospel that he
emerges as a distinct personality, but even then there are only 155 words about
him. Yet Thomas is recorded as being the
first person to write or scribe many Jesus’ quoted. It wasn’t until 1945 In
Egypt where some hidden documents call the Nag Hammadi Library were discovered,
along with other writings were the writings of Thomas. Later labeled “The
Gospel of Thomas. Because these documents
were considered to be influenced by a religious group knows and the
Gnostics, they were not included in the
collection that would make up the bible we know today. Therefore is not a lot about this disciple in
the Bible but there is more than one description.
When Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem the disciples thought that it would be certain death for all of them if they were to go. They assumed aggression that would produce a fight to the death if necessary. Surprisingly, it was Thomas who said: 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, but God never forgets and does see Thomas with all the gifts He has given him. Here is where we can take a moment folks to reflect upon yourselves. How do you see those around you, do you see their negative parts and emphasize them or do you see the whole person, with all the goodness and gifts they have been given. Even closer to home how do you see yourself when you look in the mirror? We also fail to point out that in this story of Thomas’ doubting we have the one place in the all the Gospels where the Divinity of Christ is bluntly and unequivocally stated. I find it interesting that the very story that gives Thomas his infamous nickname, THE DOUBTER, is the same story that has Thomas making an earth shattering confession of faith? Look at his confession, he said: "My Lord, and my God." Not teacher. Not just Lord, not just Messiah, but he uses the word God, in his moment of revelation. It is the only place where Jesus is called God without qualification of any kind and our Lord does not rebuke Thomas for saying it. It is the only instance in all of the gospels where you will hear someone state he believes Jesus to his God. It is uttered with conviction as if Thomas was simply recognizing a fact, just as 2 + 2 = 4. You are my Lord, you are my God! These are certainly not the words of an imprisoned doubter, for Thomas is not held in bondage by his doubt. The question here is “ARE YOU” held in bondage by your doubts.
Unfortunately history has remembered Thomas for this scene and it’s very 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 honest about it, doubt and curiosity is what brought many of us to the doorway of our faith journey. It was at the doorstep of doubt that we began to experience the things of faith which is one of the building blocks of a firm foundation. Spending time with the risen Christ, the one who can be found within you and seen within others is the one who brings new life and the one who bring to you the truth, this will erase your doubt and secure your foundation for eternity. Thomas finally sees the truth. We on the other hand who have not seen but have believed, we are blessed. The idea that you have to see to believe wouldn’t go down well with Edison, Bell, or Beethoven. They didn’t have to see the light bulb, the phone, or musical score before it came into to being. NO, NO they believe it was all there before seeing, as they sot after, these things just began to show up. If you believe in Jesus’ resurrection you will not have to see him physically either, keep on seeking for Him and He will just show up in your life. You will manifest His behavior, others will see Him too in the reflection of your compassion, your good deeds, your forgiveness, your love, as we share what He has done for us. That’s how it works, you believe and He just shows up. He works with you and for you and for others. Isn’t that amazing. Isn’t that GREAT!!! and all we have to do is believe. Want Jesus in your life, just believe on Him and He will just show up and you, well you’ll never be the same again.
When Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem the disciples thought that it would be certain death for all of them if they were to go. They assumed aggression that would produce a fight to the death if necessary. Surprisingly, it was Thomas who said: 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, but God never forgets and does see Thomas with all the gifts He has given him. Here is where we can take a moment folks to reflect upon yourselves. How do you see those around you, do you see their negative parts and emphasize them or do you see the whole person, with all the goodness and gifts they have been given. Even closer to home how do you see yourself when you look in the mirror? We also fail to point out that in this story of Thomas’ doubting we have the one place in the all the Gospels where the Divinity of Christ is bluntly and unequivocally stated. I find it interesting that the very story that gives Thomas his infamous nickname, THE DOUBTER, is the same story that has Thomas making an earth shattering confession of faith? Look at his confession, he said: "My Lord, and my God." Not teacher. Not just Lord, not just Messiah, but he uses the word God, in his moment of revelation. It is the only place where Jesus is called God without qualification of any kind and our Lord does not rebuke Thomas for saying it. It is the only instance in all of the gospels where you will hear someone state he believes Jesus to his God. It is uttered with conviction as if Thomas was simply recognizing a fact, just as 2 + 2 = 4. You are my Lord, you are my God! These are certainly not the words of an imprisoned doubter, for Thomas is not held in bondage by his doubt. The question here is “ARE YOU” held in bondage by your doubts.
Unfortunately history has remembered Thomas for this scene and it’s very 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 honest about it, doubt and curiosity is what brought many of us to the doorway of our faith journey. It was at the doorstep of doubt that we began to experience the things of faith which is one of the building blocks of a firm foundation. Spending time with the risen Christ, the one who can be found within you and seen within others is the one who brings new life and the one who bring to you the truth, this will erase your doubt and secure your foundation for eternity. Thomas finally sees the truth. We on the other hand who have not seen but have believed, we are blessed. The idea that you have to see to believe wouldn’t go down well with Edison, Bell, or Beethoven. They didn’t have to see the light bulb, the phone, or musical score before it came into to being. NO, NO they believe it was all there before seeing, as they sot after, these things just began to show up. If you believe in Jesus’ resurrection you will not have to see him physically either, keep on seeking for Him and He will just show up in your life. You will manifest His behavior, others will see Him too in the reflection of your compassion, your good deeds, your forgiveness, your love, as we share what He has done for us. That’s how it works, you believe and He just shows up. He works with you and for you and for others. Isn’t that amazing. Isn’t that GREAT!!! and all we have to do is believe. Want Jesus in your life, just believe on Him and He will just show up and you, well you’ll never be the same again.
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