Following Thomas!

You can listen to this sermon here 

Gate Pa – Year B  2^nd Sunday in Easter, 2024

Readings:

Psalm                          Psalm 133

First Reading:             Acts 4:32-35 

Second Reading:        1 John 1:1-2:2 

Gospel:                       John 20:19-31

What I want to say:

Explore what it was like for those male disciples – abandoned Jesus to his death, denied him, betrayed him. Did not die with him as Thomas promised not so long ago – now he is back!!

-          How does that read about these two appearances
Thomas teaches us that the Resurrection is not something to be convinced of, but something to be experienced. And when we do it changes everything!
-          How might we live out our own resurrection appearances

The Sermon

     1.     What was it like?

I wonder what it was like for these male disciples
Not long before in story
Thomas is saying… “Let us go too so that we may die with Jesus.”
Instead of dying with Jesus
-         Judas betrays Jesus
-         Peter denies Jesus three times
-         Thomas and all rest men abandon Jesus and run away

Only women and John accompany Jesus to the end
Mary is alone at tomb in her grief.
What was it like to be Thomas
-         To be any of those male disciples?
-         Failed so badly
What was it like when Peter and other disciple
-         report that Jesus’ body is no longer there
What was it like when Mary declares “I have seen the Lord!”
Mixture of emotions!
So they hide from Jewish authorities
Behind locked doors
A broken community
-         Thomas is not there!
-         Who else is not there?
Suddenly
Jesus stands in their midst
-         Meeting them in their deepest need
-         Meeting them in their disbelief and fear
-         Meeting them in their guilt
 Breathing peace upon them
-         Calm in their fear and the turmoil
More than that
-         Regathering his lost disciples
-         Restoring his broken community
ð Peace in its fullest meaning of restoration and wholeness
ð shalom
Breathes God’s Spirit upon them
Reminding them of all they had experienced with him
How he had freed people from all that imprisoned them
-         held them in death
How he had held fast those he called his own
-         Washing the feet of those who would betray, deny, abandon him
-         Sharing bread with them despite all that was to happen.
In that moment they are reminded of who they are
-         His disciples
Their identity is restored
Their mana is restored
They are to carry on this work of freeing and holding
But they still hide behind locked doors.

 

2.     Thomas

Thomas was not with them
And he would not believe them when they said “We had seen the Lord!”
Give Thomas a really hard time about that
-         Doubting Thomas
-         Don’t be like doubting Thomas
-         Called dubious and all kinds of things
Little harsh
Exactly same as all the rest of them who had not believed Mary.
He simply wants what Mary has experienced
-         What all rest of male disciples experienced
He is still broken
-         Still held by his guilt and turmoil
He needs to see for himself

     3.     John

One of big themes of John’s gospel is for people to “come and see” Jesus for themselves
-         Phillip to Nathaniel all way back in chapter 1
-         Woman at well to her fellow Samaritans
“But these things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name.”
Believing is not being convinced of truth of the resurrection
Believing is seeing - crucified and risen Christ for ourselves
and allowing that to shape our sense of who we are
-         and what we are about.

Like those other male disciples
Jesus meets Thomas in his need
Thomas is restored
Trust God’s goodness and provision
Able to affirm again
“Let us also go, that we may die with him”.
When they leave locked room
-         willing to lay everything on the line for Jesus
-         He travels through Persia to South India
-         Three Indian churches that use our space all look to him as their founder
everything changes when he experiences the risen crucified Jesus.
We are invited to follow his example

     4.     Acts

This story and story from Acts remind us
Resurrection is not something to be convinced of
Something to be experienced
When we experience that it will change
-         Values
-         Aspirations
-         priorities
First Christians sold all and held it in common
-         Meet their needs
-         Place needs poor first in their community life
Early church meant lay down arms and literally follow Jesus in way peace
See it here in rules of engagement followed by Māori combatants
-         Limited those involved in hostilities
Risky offering water after battle to wounded and dying British soldiers

      5.     Baptism

Baptise Odette into world-wide community
-         Live out of this experience
-         Seek to trust God’s goodness and provision
Pour water
-         Immerse her in God’s goodness
-         Give her a new identity as one shaped by God’s love
Pray she will join us in trusting God’s provision
-         Own experience of risen crucified Christ will shape her
o   Values
o   Aspirations
o   priorities
Join disciples around world
Living way of God’s unrelenting love