Who We Are - Sermon, Sunday, April 27th, 2003

Return to the sermon archive.

John 20:24-31 as follows --
"Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

Dear Christian Friends,

Lots of famous people have had nicknames. Many of them, however, are perhaps better known by their nickname than by their real name. I wonder if any of you could identify these real people: William Bonney, William Robinson, Martha Cannary. No? Well, maybe you know them better by their nicknames: Billy the Kid, Mr. Bojangles, and Calamity Jane. Famous athletes often have nicknames. A bunch of you could identify the "Minister of Defense" -- retired Packer Reggie White. Some might know who the "Georgia Peach" was -- baseball great Ty Cobb. Others might be able to identify "Hammerin' Hank," "The Rocket," "His Airness." When I was a student at Northwestern College, most of us had at least one nickname. I think at one time I had one in English, one in German, one in Hebrew! And -- bearing in mind that this was an all-male student body -- many of the nicknames we gave each other were, let's just say, less than complimentary.

One of Jesus' apostles has gone down in history known by a nickname that is less than complimentary. Even today, a person who doesn't believe something that others know to be true is called a "doubting Thomas," after that disciple who did not believe that Jesus had risen, even though others were quite sure of it. It seems kind of a shame, though, that Thomas should be forever labeled as "the doubter," since he was not the only one who doubted, and also since his doubts didn't last all that long. Actually, we should be grateful for Thomas; it's because of him that we have this incident recorded, more solid proof for us who have not seen what Thomas saw. It's proof of what Thomas learned that evening: THERE'S NO GOOD REASON NOT TO BELIEVE.

Thomas was by no means the only one who doubted. He wasn't the only one of Jesus' followers who was slow to believe that Jesus was alive again. Mark says this about Mary Magdalene, who encountered Jesus at the garden grave, and her report to the disciples: "When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it." Luke tells us about the other women who saw him alive that morning: "They told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense." That afternoon, Mark relates: "Jesus appeared to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either." And even 6 weeks later, when our Lord appeared to his gathered disciples in Galilee right before his ascension -- listen to this: "When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted."

No, Thomas was not the only one who had his doubts. To put it more bluntly, he refused to believe what the others were saying. Please don't get the idea, though, that it was because he was such a lousy, weak disciple. Not at all -- Thomas was a devoted follower of Jesus. Just a few weeks earlier, when Jesus told his disciples that he was going to head for Jerusalem despite the danger, it was Thomas who said, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." For Thomas at that point, death with Jesus was better than life without Jesus.

So he wasn't a lousy disciple. But now this disciple displays some weakness, even a stubborn streak. He flatly tells the others, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." That's stronger than having some doubts, isn't it? Thomas implies that while others might be fooled, he won't be taken in. He spells out the only evidence that will satisfy him -- that he not only see but also touch the wounds in the body of Jesus. Thomas insists that at this point he just does not have enough to go on. For him, there's no good reason to believe that Jesus has risen from death!

Thomas was not the only one to doubt the resurrection, not then and not since then. The rising of Christ from death is so stunning, so "impossible," that even among Jesus' discples, it's not unusual for doubts to arise in our minds. "Can this really be true?" we wonder. "Did it really happen?" Author John Irving confessed to having anxiety, every year at Easter time, about Jesus' resurrection. He wrote, "I am terrified that this year, it won't happen; that, that year, it didn't." He went on to say: "Anyone can be sentimental about the Nativity (the birth of Jesus); any fool can feel like a Christian at Christmas. But Easter is the main event; if you don't believe in the resurrection, you're not a believer."

Obviously, Jesus needed to convince people that he was alive again, and that's why he appeared to them with many convincing proofs as Luke said in Acts 1. Of course, he only appeared to some, and he only appeared to those who had followed him before his death. I think we might have done it differently. Just think of the fun he could have had appearing to Pontius Pilate, or to those Roman soldiers who mocked him and socked him. Or to the chief priests, or to Herod who had so badly wanted to see a miracle!

Our Lord, however, had a plan, and that plan involved certain people who were chosen by God to be witnesses of the resurrection, and "doubting" Thomas was one of them. The Lord Jesus in his grace and mercy was willing to do whatever it would take to satisfy the "doubter's" demands. That second Sunday evening was so simliar to the first. The disciples again gathered, the doors again locked for fear, but this time Thomas was there. And again, Jesus stood suddenly among them; and again, he said to them, "Peace!"

And then to Thomas (how do you feel if you're Thomas right then?), he said, "Put your finger here... put your hand here... Be not unbelieving but believing." Here, Thomas, is the proof you demanded. Now that you've seen with your own eyes and had the chance to touch with your own hands, now do you see? Do you understand that there's no good reason not to believe! Of course there wasn't, and Thomas answered with a sweet confession of faith, "My Lord and my God!" My Jesus, my Christ, my Redeemer, my Savior, my Resurrection and my Life -- all that, contained in the words of him who was no longer disbelieving but believing.

His Lord and his God answered with words that may have been a mild rebuke for Thomas, but are words that reach out and touch every one of us: "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Blessed, happy indeed are those who have heard the testimony of the eyewitnesses. Happy are those who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, have believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Happy, for they "have life in his name," as John wrote. Happy are they because they have redemption, they have forgiveness, they have righteousness, they have peace with God and everlasting life though him who died for them and was raised again. Happy are those who by God's grace can say, "My Lord and my God!" My Jesus, my Christ, my Redeemer, my Savior, my Friend, my Brother, my Substitute in life and in death, my Sacrifice for sins, my Passover Lamb and my Shepherd, my righteousness and my Resurrection and my Life!

So why do we have doubts about Jesus' resurrection? Because we're such lousy, weak disciples? Not necessarily! Because we're human? Because Satan inspires them and the world encourages them? Because we fix our minds too much on what is visible and tangible and earthly and physical? Because we, like the disciples then, are sometimes slow to believe all that the prophets have written? Because of joy and amazement, like the women? Because it sure looks to us like death is irreversible, but if this resurrection thing is true then death itself is reversible -- and that would just be too good to be true?

Whatever the causes of our doubts, there's one cure, and it's found in the Word of God, in the testimony of the eyewitnesses. It's the truth that removes all doubts and all disbelief. It's the fact that there's no good reason not to believe! No, as Thomas learned, we have every reason to believe that Jesus is the Christ,the Son of God. Every reason to believe that he died for our sins and was raised on the third day. Every reason to say confidently, "My Lord and my God!"

Sermon Archive | Top