Doubt, Belief, and the Gift of the Holy Spirit (John 20:19-31) - Sermon for Easter 2C (John 20:19-31)
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| “My Lord and My God!” Painting by: Ronald Raab, CSC 2018 |
On Easter Sunday, we proclaim that Christ the Lord has risen from the dead. In the Gospel of John, Jesus first appears to Mary Magdalene and then sends her to share the good news with the rest of the community that he had risen from the dead. So ends part one of the story (John 20:1-18). And, as Paul Harvey used to say, now for the rest of the story.
In today’s reading from the Gospel of John, it’s Easter evening, and Jesus’ followers are hiding out behind closed doors, even though Mary had shared with them the news of the resurrection. John tells us that they were afraid of the authorities. Besides, even though they knew that the tomb was empty and they had Mary’s report, it appears they needed more proof that Jesus was truly alive.
All of a sudden, Jesus appeared in their midst. Can you imagine what they were thinking at that moment? What would you have been thinking? After all, they locked the doors for a reason. But, somehow, Jesus managed to appear in the room very much alive.
Although we might have expected Jesus to greet them by telling them not to be afraid, he chose to greet his stunned followers with the words: “Peace be with you.” The message here in these words is one of comfort and compassion for people who were grieving their loss and afraid for their futures. They had put their trust in Jesus because they believed he was the messiah who would deliver Israel. Then the authorities put him to death, dashing all their hopes and dreams, or so they thought. But here he was, standing in the middle of the room. So, now what?
Jesus must have sensed their doubts and confusion because he showed them the wounds in his hands and side. They responded with joy at seeing him. Then, Jesus once again said to them: “Peace be with you.” Yes, shalom to you!
While the gathered disciples rejoiced to see Jesus alive, one of his disciples was absent that evening. John doesn’t tell us why Thomas was absent or where he was, but he wasn’t in the room. His friends will fill him in on their experience, but he wasn’t ready to embrace the news. He was, you might say, an empiricist. He told his friends that he needed to see Jesus for himself. Not only that, but he wanted to touch Jesus’ wounds, just to be sure they weren’t hallucinating. But, more about Thomas in a moment.
Getting back to that first Easter evening, after his followers had settled down for a moment, Jesus commissioned them for ministry. In the Gospel of John, we encounter the God who sent the Son into the world not to condemn it but that it might be saved through him (John 3:16). Now, Jesus tells the disciples that the God who sent him into the world was now sending them into the world so they could continue his mission. Then Jesus breathed on them, imparting to them the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit is the Paraclete or Advocate Jesus had earlier spoken of when he gathered one last time with the disciples for a meal and prayer. At that time, he said to them: "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify, because you have been with me from the beginning" (John 15:25-26).
In sending his disciples into the world to be his witnesses, Jesus wants to empower them for the job, which is why he breathes the Holy Spirit into them. But, he not only breathes the Spirit onto the gathered disciples, Jesus continues to pour out the Spirit on all who respond to his call to faith so that we too can continue his ministry, bringing good news of God’s love, mercy, compassion, and justice to a broken world.
Now, getting back to Thomas, because he wasn’t present for this commissioning service. When they re-gathered in that house a week later, Thomas was with them. He still had his doubts about whether Jesus was alive. So, even as Jesus suddenly appeared in the middle of the room a week before, he again appears to them. Jesus immediately turns to Thomas, not to berate him for not believing, but to meet him where he was at. That’s the thing about Jesus. He always meets us where we’re at. Knowing that Thomas needed additional proof, Jesus invited Thomas to touch his wounds. Then Jesus encourages Thomas to believe and let go of his doubts. When Jesus speaks here of believing he has more in mind than simply giving assent to a set of facts. What Jesus is doing here is inviting Thomas to entrust his life, his future, into the hands of God.
Now, I imagine that Thomas might have been a bit awestruck at that moment. He probably didn’t know what to say or do. In reading between the lines, it doesn’t appear that Thomas ever touched Jesus’ wounds. He just fell on his knees, at least that’s how I picture it, and makes a confession of faith in Jesus. He boldly declares to Jesus: “My Lord and my God.” This is the first time in the Gospel of John that anyone directly confessed Jesus to be God. But, in making that confession, Thomas acknowledges the truth revealed in the opening chapter of the Gospel, that the Word that is God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-14). Jesus responded to Thomas' confession of faith with a question: “Have you believed because you have seen me?” The truth is, he did believe because he saw Jesus. As they say, “seeing is believing” or “trust but verify.”
I will confess that under normal circumstances, I follow the rule of trusting but verifying. That’s an important responsibility in this day and age, when depending on where you get your news, you may get a different set of “facts.” Social media can be a good thing. I use it regularly. But people are quite adept at passing on “news” that is not true. So, before you trust, be sure to verify the truth of the message.
When it comes to believing in the resurrection of Jesus and entrusting our lives to him, we don’t have the benefit of “seeing” Jesus in the same way Thomas did. Jesus addressed this reality when he said to Thomas, and to us: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” When Jesus speaks of those who believe without seeing, he’s speaking of us. Like millions of other believers, we make our confession of faith in Jesus on the basis of a testimony passed down to us from one generation to the next.
The final paragraph in our reading for today addresses this need for testimony. John offers us a summary statement, in which he acknowledges that Jesus did a lot more signs that didn’t get written down. However, John offers his gospel to those who hear or read it so that they might “believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” We are the recipients of this message, so that we too might believe and have life in his name.
John doesn’t tell us whether Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into Thomas, but I believe that Thomas did receive the Spirit and the commission. According to tradition, Thomas eventually went to India, where he planted a church. That church continues to exist to this day.
As for us, we, too, have received the Spirit of God, who empowers our witness in a world that is broken. Even as Jesus empowered his followers who were hiding behind locked doors to carry his message of healing to the world, he also sends us out into the world to enter into the sorrows and sufferings of those we encounter. As we do so, we can offer to them the peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7).
So, this morning, we come into this place to worship the God who is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, the Crucified and Risen Lord, who imparts to us the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we can participate in the life of God and bear witness to a broken world that God is present, breathing life anew into this world. Therefore, we can join Thomas in not only confessing our faith in Jesus but entrusting our lives into the hands of God as we declare to Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” We do this on the basis of a testimony passed down to us from one generation to the next, a testimony that John has recorded for our benefit. Therefore, we are blessed by God with the gift of the Holy Spirit, who animates our lives as we walk with Jesus and share with the world that the kingdom of God is among us.
Preached by:
Dr. Robert D. Cornwall
Supply Preacher
Tyrone Community Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)
Tyrone, Michigan
Easter 2C
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