Sermons for the Month
Our Risen Lord Finds Us
DATE: April 3rd, 2005
SERVICE: Second Sunday of Easter
TEXT: John 20:19-31, 1 Peter 1:3-9“To all of you Saints here this morning, grace and peace to you from God our Father, from His Son, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. AMEN Although you have not seen him, you love him.
Even though you do not see him now, you believe in him.
And, not only do you believe, but you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy.
Why is that the case? Well, it's because the outcome of your faith is nothing less than the salvation of your souls!
Those words from I Peter are so strong that they cause me to wonder when the promise of salvation created that kind of response in us. Do we rejoice with indescribable and glorious joy because of the living - not stagnant, not dead - but the living hope that is ours through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?
Or, like Thomas of today's Gospel lesson, do we struggle? Are we hesitant to believe? Please understand that it's not that I blame Thomas; his reaction was a very honest one.
The story took place on Sunday night; earlier that morning reports had come that the tomb of Jesus was empty, the linen wrappings that bound the body and the cloth that covered his head left behind, as if they had been intentionally removed.
One of the women, Mary Magdalene, said she had seen Jesus alive, in fact she claimed to have spoken with him. But, who could believe a woman? They were not even allowed to testify in legal proceedings.
So, the disciples are hiding behind locked doors, still traumatized by the crucifixion and frightened that Jesus' enemies might pursue them next. Quietly, into confusion Jesus comes, bringing a word of peace and empowering them to proclaim, "He is alive!" Hope is born in this despondent, defeated group.
But, Thomas was not there and he is still overwhelmed by hopelessness. Not that I blame Thomas. He is the disciple who proclaimed, "Let us also go, that we may die with him", as Jesus prepared to go to Jerusalem. If Thomas was as zealous as his statement implies, then he was no doubt broken by the crucifixion, perhaps he even felt betrayed. Is it really surprising that he was slow to believe? Unlike the other followers he has not yet experienced the risen Lord bringing a word of peace, of forgiveness, of hope.
With Thomas in mind, let's go back to where we started. Could it be that we often do not rejoice with indescribable and glorious joy at the hope that is ours' because somehow we've missed experiencing the risen Lord and, consequently, feel mired in hopelessness?
I guessing that many of you have seen the recent movie, "Million Dollar Baby". I don't think I'd recommend it for everyone because there are some challenging scenes. But there was a minor story line that intrigued me and that I think I can mention without giving away too much.
The character played by Clint Eastwood - a rough, tough boxing trainer - gets down on his creaking knees to pray before he crawls into bed at night and goes to Mass every day.
At first you get the idea that he's going to Mass just to torment the priest with questions about the Trinity and the Immaculate Conception. In fact, the priest calls him a pagan and tells him to stay home.
But, as the story progresses there is just a hint that what drives him to Mass every day is unresolved guilt, a longing for peace within himself and with God. The movie goer is left to decide whether or not he ever finds that peace. But just think … year after year of daily Mass, daily Communion, and the struggle with hopelessness continued. Somehow he had missed the risen Jesus offering that word of forgiving peace.
Now, I know it's just a movie, but there is a kernel of truth in it for those who, like Thomas, have not seen - or at least not recognized - the risen Lord. And in the midst of that struggle perhaps there is hope in remembering what happened to Thomas.
In spite of his demands and his doubts, Jesus came to him, giving him what he needed in order to believe.
Jesus does not condemn Thomas, but instead offers his hands and his side for him to touch. There is no indication in scripture that Thomas actually touched Jesus, but we do know that his eyes and his heart were opened and he makes the ultimate confession of faith, proclaiming that Jesus is none other than God.
Thomas and all of Jesus' first followers were transformed by one glimpse of the risen Lord.
I have to believe that Jesus still does what he did that first Easter. He gives us what we need to believe, and he does so in various ways. First, there's the Holy Spirit, which we should never overlook as the source of our faith and as our guide. Then there is God's word, Holy Communion, other people, the gifts of creation, surprising circumstances and in an indefinable quality of God's presence. Just as Jesus came to Thomas in the midst of his pain, he comes to us. But, we chose whether or not to acknowledge him and to receive the peace he offers. I read the story of Armand Valladares this week. He was a poet imprisoned by Fidel Castro for 22 years who was released in 1982. His book Against All Hope, about life in Castro's prison, became a best seller.
We can hardly imagine the conditions he endured, the physical pain, the mental confusion, the deep depression, the fear. But, he found a way out of that dark place.
He writes, "When I thought this dread would finally reduce me to a shivering, frightened animal, I prayed to God. Lying in a corner of the dark dungeon, I closed my eyes and prayed to Him. Then, a sense of tranquility began to take the place of the terror and fear and I felt comforted, my faith renewed. I always went to Him in search of support and peace and I always found it. I began every day with renewed faith and hope and the will to continue on the path I had chosen, and to win."
Even in such life-destroying circumstances he experienced the peace of God. It is experiences like that which make it possible to rejoice with indescribable and glorious joy. In many ways, both extreme and simple, our Risen Lord comes to us and gives us what we need to believe. Our hope - in this life and the next - is not stagnant, is not dead, but is living! His name is Jesus. AMEN