My Lord And My God

For those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are four readings prior to the Message. The readings assigned for today are: Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 133:1-5; 1 John 1:1-2:2 and John 20:19-31

So here we are... One week ... after Easter.

How has this week been ... for you?

How are you this day, ... exactly one week.... after Easter?

Is the excitement of Easter.... still in the air ...or has it begun to fade?

Or ... Has it vanished ......all together?

I ask these questions ...because in our text, ...we find the disciples.... gathered once again ... exactly one week.... after Easter.

Before dealing fully with how we feel ... let us look together ... at how these disciples of the Christ are doing...... one week ...after Easter.

Our text from John.... gives us a glimpse once again of Easter Day ......to the splendid revelation of God's glory ......of Christ's resurrection.

The disciples are huddled in fear behind a locked door ...Jesus appears to them ... and when he does ...he not only reveals his resurrection, ...he also breathes ......an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.... upon them.

Now, ...for some reason... Thomas was absent from the other disciples.

He did not see Jesus... that night.

The others are sharing the wonderful news with him...... "We ... We have seen the Lord!" (John 20:25)

But what proof... do they bring? (PAUSE)

They can bring Only ... their words.

John earlier in his telling ...has already described this disciple named Thomas for us:

How... As a courageous pessimist, ....and as an honest skeptic, ....so it is not surprising at his response:

Hear God's Word BIBLE "I ... will not believe .... Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands.... And put my finger in his side. "END (John 20:25) (Pause)

In a Peanuts comic strip, ... Charlie Brown is talking with Lucy ... as they walk home ... on the last day of school.

Charlie Brown says to Lucy: ...... "Lucy, I got straight A's ... isn't that great!"

Lucy in her typical fashion shoots down poor Charlie Brown and says:

I don't believe you Charlie Brown.

Unless you show me your report card, .... I cannot believe you." (Pause)

Can you relate to Lucy?

Seeing is believing isn't it?

Most people have to see something ... before they can believe it.

A good friend of mine would always tell me: .... don't believe everything that you hear ......and only half of what you see.

This is often how the apostle Thomas is described ...yet is this really accurate?

Why does Thomas refuse to believe?

Why, ... because Thomas was a practical person, ...and he lived in a practical world.

He was shattered on Good Friday ...when Jesus was crucified.

Dead was dead, ... and that was it.

No one in their right mind ... would doubt it ... when the Romans said a prisoner was dead ... he was dead!

They were experts at killing!

Beloved ... It's not that Thomas didn't want to believe that Jesus was still alive.

But Thomas knew ... how the world worked.

Dead was dead, ... and that was it.

And honestly ... That is how our world sees Jesus' resurrection ... today.

Nice idea, ... but it did not really happen.

This catches us up ... with the heart ...of today's message.

One week after Easter, ...the very same room where Jesus appeared before... the disciples ...sit in excitement.

However, ...I find it quite intriguing ...... they are still behind locked doors......Yet I can imagine them gathered ...in ... excitement.

And I can picture Thomas... probably sitting with his arms crossed, ...ankles crossed, ... and brow furrowed.

The stage is set: ...Ten disciples ...who "know" .......and wait anxiously; ......one disciple who doubts, ......who only has the words of the others... to go by.

Beloved ... I think it is far too easy for us.... to judge Thomas.

I am convinced it is easy to make him into a "straw man" ...and blow him over ... with this often quoted verse...

BIBLE "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." END (John 20:29)

Those words must have pierced... the heart of Thomas.

Some may call it a sermon here ...and head home.

"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)

Claim the blessing and go home.

Surely ... It is indeed ... a powerful ... blessing.

Yet... if each of us were honest, ...we would see that Thomas.... is not the loneliest Christian.

I would venture ...that every one of us ...at some point ...has walked side by side with Thomas ......in a state ... of doubt.

It is in our very nature ...to doubt ... what we cannot see.

It might as well have been us sitting there with the other disciples... arms crossed, ... ankles crossed, ...and Brow fur-rowed. (PAUSE)