Faith despite our self-made handicaps

Notice that this Thomas whom we are so quick to criticize is the one who is privileged to be the first to confess the true nature of the risen Christ in the Gospel of John: “My Lord and my God.”

The others had used many alternative titles: Rabbi, Messiah, Prophet, King, Son of God,

but Thomas addresses him as “God.”

A pastor of the last generation Richard Hoeffler once pointed out that better than calling him “doubting Thomas” would be to call him “demanding Thomas.”

Let's explore what difference that name change would make.

The Bible of course does not give us information for a full personality study, but let's look at the hints that have been given.

--He is not trained as a rabbi.

--Probably he has little formal education.

--He wants direct action on the basis of what he has seen and heard for himself.

The two other incidents about Thomas in the Gospel of John show him as one who interrupts the flow of events to demand that things be done his way.

--When Jesus wants to go to the dying Lazarus, the other disciples urge Jesus to forget it, since they would be going near Jerusalem where the religious authorities were determined to put an end to Jesus.

Thomas says “Let us go, that we may die with him.”

This is hardly the word of a doubter, but indeed the word of a demander.

He has weighed the consequences and has decided on direct action.

--Later, when Jesus talks with his disciples about the impending cross, Thomas interrupts with “Lord, we know not where you are going: how can we know the way?”

Again, not a doubt, but a demand for more information about what is ahead.

So also in this resurrection story, Thomas is direct: “If I don't see the marks, I will not believe.”

But whom is he doubting?

He is not doubting that God has the power to do this new thing.

He is not doubting the promise of Jesus.

It is his fellow disciples whom he finds incredible.

He wants to be sure that they have not been hoodwinked in some way, and so he demands more than the other experienced: he demands to touch Jesus.

He would be willing to believe Jesus, but he is not so sure about trusting the word of his fellow disciples!

Thomas has made it hard for himself;

his own tough nature has made a handicap for faith.

What is the Good News in this situation?

Just this: that Jesus does not regard even Thomas's demands as too difficult to meet and defeat.

Jesus consents to what Thomas demands.

Jesus does not rebuke Thomas's insolence.

Jesus, who is Lord of life and all creation, humbled himself to the demands of a man and thought it not too difficult a thing to do.

It is amazing and wonderful that the Lord Jesus stoops down even to the most menial task, to an inconvenient “show and tell” demand, and still loves Thomas, and us.

Thomas knows that he does not deserve this kind of treatment from Jesus.

Thomas knows that he has created a barrier between himself and God, a barrier which Jesus is willing to tear down and defeat.

Thomas sees now that Jesus loves him even more than Thomas loves himself; Jesus lets nothing stop his determination to reach Thomas.

Only God who is pure love could be so bold as to bow before such blatant disrespect as was shown by Thomas.

Thomas now recognizes that he is standing in the presence of God.

The story shows that we can be our own worst enemy.

We can set up all sorts of roadblocks to faith, and one of those roadblocks is our unwillingness to trust those persons whom God has sent to us.

How could this or that person be carrying a true message from God?

I've known him/her for so many years; I know his/her faults, weaknesses, and failings.

God is using him/her?

What we have is an unbroken line of witnesses stretching all the way back to Thomas and the other disciples.

Yes, God has used and will continue to use all sorts of people to carry his message:

those of high position, and low,

young and old, male and female,

those whose faults are glaringly obvious, and those whose faults are hidden from view.

All have carried the richest word that the world can ever hear.

And now this word has come to us, and still it does not rest.

For no sooner have they received the message of peace because of the victory of Christ than they are being directed by Jesus, “Even so, I send you...”

Each Sunday we share the news with each other here;

each day of the week we share it by what we say and do, and how we do it.

Through the year we have been sharing this word in The Way group, and thinking and exploring together the implications of this wonder;

that God uses our actions of pouring and blessing together with the element of water and his holy word of promise, as well as our actions of taking, blessing, breaking and sharing the bread and wine together with the same word of promise, thereby transforming our lives with his promise that lasts forever.

We come to realize that no handicap of ours, whether self-made or from birth, shall stand in his way!

The story of Thomas makes it clear that God is willing to work with our doubts and deal gently with our demands.

But how much easier it would be if we would gladly receive his gifts by the hand and word of the witnesses who speak in the love of God through all the generations.

How wonderful it is when we discover that this word becomes a promise that re-organizes our lives, and enables us to confess with Thomas “My Lord and my God.,” and in turn to share this word with others.

How glad we are as faith is stirred up in us.

How happy we shall be, all because Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.