The Thomas In Us All

Driving between hospitals today has given me an opportunity to think some more on Jesus' disciple, Thomas. The Gospel text for Sunday, March 30, 2008 was the story of Thomas' doubt and Jesus' presence in the midst of his doubt (John 20:19-31). I cannot tell you how many times over the course of my ministry I have been blessed to preach that text, but I can tell you that every time I have preached it, the sermon has been less about Thomas' doubt and more about our doubt today.

It is easy to tag Thomas with the moniker of 'Doubter', just as it is easy (some 2000 years removed from the event) to say, 'He should have believed', but none of us were there. None of us saw it happen. Why the Gospel of John includes this story and none of the other Gospels do has been speculated upon in a variety of ways throughout church history, but that it does include it requires folks of every age, not only to look at Thomas through the eyes of the Gospel writer(s) but also, to see him through Jesus' eyes.

Don't ever forget that, when Jesus first stood in the room and said to the ten disciples present, "Peace be with you", He showed them His hands and side before they rejoiced that it was Him. None of the disciples are credited with having believed without seeing, in fact, none of them have the opportunity, except for Thomas. Thomas is the only one who is noted as not being in the room when Jesus first appears to the others and, upon Thomas' return sometime later, he responds as the others had, though it is never mentioned: He needs to see.

Before God's Peace in Christ can be with us, we need to see. Jesus says to Thomas and, by extension, to all of us: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe", yet, few, if any, can claim that distinction, so hard is it to accomplish. Most of us come to faith much like Thomas, we need to have the Resurrected Christ personally proven to us. We cry out for evidence, proof that the wounds exist for our redemption and, like Thomas, when confronted by the sight, we never have to put our fingers into the nail marks or our hand into His side. We come to some measure of belief, crying out in shame for our unbelief and wondering if we can ever be forgiven our human inadequacy. Yet, just as it is for our unbelief that Jesus was crucified, so it is for our unbelief that Jesus is willing to stand with us in whatever room it is in which we choose to hide ourselves away.

Our unbelief cannot be secreted away from God. "For faith Christ has set us free . . . " says the Apostle Paul, fully knowing that such freedom comes at a very high price and must continually be shown and proven to each succeeding generation. Just as with the Gnostic community to which the Gospel of John is directed, the value for academic understanding today is so high among us that God's Wisdom completely alludes the folly of our searching. We miss the point when we dump on Thomas: God understands us in our doubts and for that very reason, in Christ, is willing always to stand with us wherever we are. For this the Church was, and continues to be, birthed: To be the present Body of Christ standing in those locked-away places with everyone who cries out in unbelief to 'see' the wounds and be washed in the grace of His care. And, in such times and places, when the faith is lived and embodied in the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ's Peace is with us, Christ's Peace fills us, Christ's Peace heals us. The Peace of Christ is not about not doubting, it is about God's assurance that in our every doubt, Christ is present with us, in us, for us, to us, freeing us to live a faithful witness in the generation with which we travel.

"Peace be with you." After this he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you."

In the midst of your doubts, don't worry about being like Thomas, pray that, like Thomas, the Presence of Christ enfolds your unbelief with the compassionate presence of persistent Love that knows no end.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Don