The Gospel: John 20:19-31

One Christian leader wrote, “It is Easter Day, the day of Resurrection. However, this … celebration of Christ’s new life is remembered in the midst of total chaos, and persistent suffering.” He continued, “We have been witnessing many Judas Iscariots, who continue to betray the Truth, and the many Pilates, who wash their hands, to defend their own safety.” “Prior to our departure from [Jerusalem], …we asked … the [ruler] of Israel for his help and intervention to mediate with the authorities,” … “but all our three hour endeavor to enter into a city [outside Jerusalem] came to an empty hole. We felt the authorities do not want the [Christ followers] to provide a channel for peace and reconciliation.” “As we were waiting, some … were passing us by, some cried at us the words: ‘Go to hell’, others spitted at us. We were forced back to Jerusalem.” This account could easily have been the disciples’ report on that first Easter day, but it was in fact written this past Wednesday by the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem. The land of Israel is as upset today as it was two thousand years ago when the tomb of Jesus was found empty. So no wonder the disciples retreated to a locked room in the city of Jerusalem. They were fearful of what would happen next.

On a weekday following Easter, the following communication was received: “the … entrance to the [tomb of Christ] was [destroyed], creating fear and horror among the” [Christ followers]… “There is no sufficient food supplies”…. Another leader writes, “Just a quick note to let you all know that we are still alive. My wife, mother and two daughters are O.K. But Bethlehem is experiencing the worst invasion [in] decades if not centuries.”… “We are here and we will remain here. Nothing will prevent us from witnessing to the Lord of life …; this is our conviction.” Again this message could readily have been written in the first days after the first Easter, but in fact these are the words of the Pastor of the Lutheran Church in Bethlehem posted this past Wednesday on the internet.

Another Christian leader wrote four days after Easter, “The wholly disproportionate military response of Israel is [not] leading to any peaceful solution.” This time the writer was not one of the first disciples, but our own Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church writing on the past Wednesday. [These are all quotes from posts in the Anglican Communion News Service this past week.]

The current situation in Israel is likely very much the same as it was the week after Jesus was crucified and rose from his grave. There is fighting, force, and ignoring of the words from spiritual leaders. The chaos of today’s battle seems to be taking on all of the characteristics of the likely situation when Jesus was raised from the dead. No wonder the disciples were cowering behind closed doors. An enormous earthquake right as Jesus died had hit Jerusalem. Even stone graves were fractured and opened, so it is likely there was destruction all around the city on that first Easter, and things were hot for the Christ followers. Yet even though the doors were locked in the room of the disciples, Jesus somehow managed to penetrate into their presence. And he showed them his wounds from the crucifixion. No wonder he begins his address to them, “Peace be with you.” Their hearts were fearful, and their nerves were on edge. What they really needed was a little peace, or maybe a lot of peace if today’s Jerusalem is any example. And the risen Lord bid them that peace.

John Crabtree is an army veteran who was wounded in the Vietnam War. As a result of his injuries, he received benefits from our government for his disability. One day, John received a notification from the government that he was now deceased he was now considered dead. John wrote a letter to the government, insisting he was very much alive and expressing appreciation for their continuing to send his benefits. The letter did no good. Then John called the government--have you ever tried calling the government? John’s phone calls didn’t remedy the situation either. Growing frustrated, John contacted a local television station and convinced them to run a human-interest story about his situation. During the interview, the reporter asked, “How do you feel about this whole ordeal? John Crabtree laughed, “I feel a little frustrated by it. After all, have you ever tried to prove you’re alive?’ [Thanks to Hayden McLean for this story in “Sermon Mall” 040702.]

So what about Jesus? He had risen from the grave as he had forewarned his disciples. Yet none of them are there prepared to greet him alive at the stone grave. None had read the scriptures thoroughly enough to be ready for this miracle of resurrection. And the ten disciples only rejoice once they have seen Jesus’ nail-pierced hands and spear-punctured side. The disciples did not witness the earlier appearance of the Risen Lord to Mary Magdalene, and they would not believe Mary when she was telling them that the tomb was empty. So Jesus' appearance inside the locked room that first Easter evening was a total surprise to them.

Pinchas Lapide, a Jewish New Testament scholar, has another viewpoint. Pinchas does not believe Jesus is the Messiah, but he does believe Jesus rose from the grave, specifically that God raised Jesus from the dead. He sees this miracle as the reason Jesus’ disciples became so galvanized in telling the story of their risen Lord. Their firm faith once they had seen Christ that Easter evening transformed them into a great movement. Pinchas says, (quote) “No vision or hallucination is sufficient to explain such a revolutionary transformation.”

John Westerhoff in his book, “Will Our Children Have Faith?” says he sees four stages of faith. The first is when we are in preschool and during early childhood. He calls this kind of faith, “experienced” faith, when we are imitating what we are being taught without understanding the meaning of all the words. Then there comes the second stage called “affiliative faith.” At this stage during childhood and early adolescence we are intent on belonging to a group, and our faith still centers around imitating what the group does. Then we reach late adolescence and begin asking questions, trying to add our head to the heart of earlier stages. Westerhoff calls this stage of faith, “searching faith.” Here we are prone to stumble; many drop out, and this is the time when cults recruit most of their members. A final stage of faith reached by adults is called “owned faith”. After questioning, hopefully one discovers a Christian answer that declares, “This is what I believe.” [Thanks to Brian Stoffregen for this insightful summary of Westerhoff’s writings.]

Theologian Paul Tillich said, “The old faith must die, eaten away by doubts, but only so that a new and deeper faith may be born.”

For the ten disciples on that first Easter, they were moved to the embodiment of full faith through the breathing on them of the Holy Spirit by the risen Lord. This event matured them so that they would be able to forgive or retain the sins of any. This absolution or lack of absolution would become the centerpiece of their future ministry. Peter’s great sermon in our reading today from the Acts of the Apostles witnesses to the power of persuasion this fisherman suddenly seems to have, and three thousand were baptized in one day through St. Peter's potent presentation of the gospel. Only the intervention of the Holy Spirit seems to be able to explain such transformation of the disciples. Easter Sunday is not just something that happened to Jesus, it is something that happened to his disciples that changed the eternal agenda for the whole world.

Thrust into this scene is Thomas, the realist who wanted to see in order to believe. Thomas seems to represent us who are not easily persuaded by others. He is an example of those who want proof. Some will pray for a physical manifestation of the risen Lord in order to come to belief. Brian Stoffregen calls Thomas “Confessing Thomas” not “Doubting Thomas” and notes that Thomas was the only disciple in the room who uttered a confession of personal faith.

On a ghetto wall in World War II Warsaw, Poland, a young Jew had written, “I believe in the sun, even if it does not shine. I believe in love, even if I do not feel it. I believe in God even if I do not see God.”

One dying preacher told another of his colleagues, “We have preached a great gospel, but remember that Jesus Christ is greater than anything we have said about him.”

Pastor Deborah Krause feels Jesus’ words to Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe,” are not words disparaging to Thomas but comforting to his community and the church today. We who have not been eyewitnesses to the resurrection have still come to faith in the power of God to do such a mighty miracle of raising us with Christ on the last day.

Being stuck in a stage of faith that is not fully developed becomes a hindrance to our ministry to others. If we do not believe in the power of the Holy Spirit in our own lives, how can we witness to others the significance of our faith for our day-to-day lives? We would become little more than mimics of others with faith. And that is a weak form of religion. It would stand up to no scrutiny by unbelievers. If we are at such a stage we need to find the way to a firmer commitment to Christ. That may take getting involved in church activities serving others in need, caring for the weak, supporting the sickly. More that once I hear people say that when they visited a sick person or a homebound person that their faith was actually lifted by those in seemingly dire straits who have not given in to despair. The peace that Jesus offered his disciples is being extended to us as well. It is a calming peace, one that gives us a sense of well-being even in times of great stress and strain. The peace that Jesus gives is a peace that passes all understanding, even our own ability to understand. For when we put our faith in the Risen Lord, we have found the salvation that begins immediately and continues to eternity. This belief in Jesus as Lord can never be erased. This eternal faith is the rock on which we will always be able to stand. And when we have a rock solid faith we can shine our light of love to all who are wandering in the darkness of doubt and dismay.

May the God who breathed life into the first human give each of us this mighty new breath of eternal well-being. By this eternal breath we are saved. And then we become tools of God to remake the world as God would have it. Amen.

(Comments to Joe at joe.parrish@ecunet.org.)
Church Website: http://fm2.forministry.com/Church/Home.asp?SiteId=07201SJEC