John 20:19-31
Last Sunday you heard me say that a healthy amount of doubt helps faith to grow. If we don’t ask questions, we don’t make information our own. The more questions we ask, the more likely it is that we will begin to feel the Holy Spirit’s inspiration and our Lord’s invitation to faith.
This week’s gospel lesson is a familiar one to most of us. The inspired writer, John, tells us about Thomas, the one you probably call “Doubting Thomas.” But was Thomas any different than any of the other disciples? All of them were wondering if Jesus’ resurrection was real, at first. Then Jesus appeared to them, where they had hidden from the authorities, and shared with them his peace. Thomas wasn’t with them that Easter evening for some reason, and when he DID get back to the group they told him this unbelievable story.
Thomas was skeptical. After all, no one in known history at that time had been bodily resurrected to live on past death. We don’t know what had happened in Tom’s life between Jesus’ crucifixion and this gathering one week later. Maybe he had left the city to deal with his grief. Maybe he had been jailed as a follower of the insurgent, Jesus. Maybe he had a family he needed to take care of, a business to run or a position in government where he needed to calm the attitudes after the pandemonium caused by a body missing from a tomb.
Whatever Thomas’s reason for being away from the community of faith for a week, Jesus doesn’t leave him hanging out on a limb, forever wondering if promises ever really come true. Jesus greets Thomas with reassuring words of peace. Thomas responds with words of faith: “My Lord and my God.”
Jesus says, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
Now, fast forward to the scene recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Some time after Jesus’ resurrection, his 40 days of eating, drinking and being with people who recognized him and believed he had risen, Jesus ascended into heaven, as we confess in our creeds. The disciples, now called apostles have scattered around the nation to proclaim God’s love for all in Christ Jesus. The word apostle, in fact, means “one who is sent forth, who is entrusted with a mission.”
As you might imagine, the hierarchy of priests, scribes, Sadducees and Pharisees became angry when the apostles taught – right in the Temple! – that Jesus had risen from the dead. In fact, the religious leaders had captured the apostles and thrown them into prison.
But the leaders were confused when the same people they had arrested and imprisoned were seen the next day right back in the Temple, convincing many that the risen Jesus was truly the long-awaited Messiah. The high priest ordered his lackeys to run to the dungeons, to check on the state of security there. But those men came back with words of wonder. All those prison cells were securely locked and the guards were standing their posts.
That’s the stage for today’s reading from Acts. The council, the Sanhedrin, sent guards out to re-capture the maddening apostles. They brought Peter and the others into their court and, once again, demanded that they stop teaching in Jesus’ name.
Peter’s reply is one that, unfortunately, has been used in certain times and certain places to condemn the Jewish people. Yet Peter speaks truthfully when he tells the council, “The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Peter is willing to risk his very life to do what he feels God has called and empowered him to do. He doesn’t back down when faced with this life-threatening challenge. Some of the council want the apostles exterminated. But one called Gamaliel suggests another possible way to deal with this problem.
Gamaliel reminds his colleagues that other men have come before this Jesus claiming to be the long-awaited Messiah. They died and their followers were scattered to look for someone else to follow. Gamaliel suggests the same kind of thing will probably happen with this Yeshua ben Joseph, too. His argument is pretty convincing. The council decided to let the apostles go – but not before they’re flogged for disobeying a council command.
So what do you think? Did the testimony about Jesus stand the test of time? I think so. Even though we might complain today about shrinking church membership and participation, the number of Christians around the world is growing. For two thousand years believers have been called and empowered to preach God’s love for all in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- In an article written in 2010, but still valid today, we read: “...many people find it very surprising, even unbelievable, that in today’s world the largest group of people being persecuted for their faith are Christians. This seems all the more unusual because Christianity is the world’s largest religion. ... Incredibly, more than 200 million people in over 60 nations are being denied their basic human rights for one reason only: they are Christians. ... Christianity is growing fastest in countries where human rights are being violated or do not exist.” (1)
So the question for us in this place today becomes, are you willing to suffer and perhaps die for your need to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord?
Thomas was safely surrounded by other apostles when he confessed: “My Lord and my God!” You and I haven’t seen the Lord in person as Thomas had the privilege to do, yet we make the same confession 2000 years later.
Where have you made your faith known recently? If you are afraid to speak up, what could give you that courage? Perhaps all you need is to hear again the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: “Peace be with you.” Or maybe the words we use to dismiss you from worship will help you along the way: “Go in peace. Serve the Lord.” You have been redeemed, changed, empowered, raised up. Count it a gift of grace to know you do not go into this world alone. Amen.
(1) The Persecution of Christians Today by Johan Candelin at http://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Feb/24/persecution-christians-today/
(Comments to Linda at Linda_Kraft@Ecunet.org.)
Linda Kraft, Pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Stafford Springs, CT
Secretary, Slovak Zion Synod, ELCA
Board Member: ELCA Division for Higher Education and Schools