“The Second-Hand Syndrome”
Luke 24:1-12
The more I analyze and scrutinize the Gospel, the more I am amazed that people don’t believe it. It is historical, evidential, logical, and personal. Yet, the enemy’s blinding tactics keep working and people continue to resist God’s Word, saying “No” to the truth. Not everyone, mind you; people are coming to Christ! But there are still those whose eyes are wide shut (show slide). They are very “open” to all kinds of truth, yet are so far from the real truth. You’ve met folks like that, haven’t you? Openly closed to the truth? Now that’s an oxymoron!
They are people who remind me of the cover of our worship folder. Do you see it? [hold one up.] They simply can’t see the truth even though it is starring them right in the face. In fact, just last week Lewis Nelms shared with us that, worldwide, 6 out of 10 people are affiliated with religions that don’t believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. WOW! Based on those statistics, that’s 60% of our world in a state of spiritual blindness and unbelief.
The state of many people today is no different than many of the people mentioned in Luke 24! Several of the people in this chapter were struggling with doubt and were slow to believe! And this month we’re going to look at some of the reasons they were this way, and see what we can do to help prevent unbelief from happening today. I realize that, theologically and technically, we really can’t do anything. It’s a spiritual work of the Spirit of God. But practically, from a human angle, what can we do to cooperate with God in his work of bringing dead people to life again? That’s one thing with which we should be concerned!
So let’s take our Bibles and turn to Luke 24. Who were the first people slow to believe? You guessed it – the disciples! Look at 24:9-11 – “When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.”
The key word in these verses is “nonsense,” or “idle tales.” This is the only occurrence of this word in the New Testament, and it simply means “foolish talking” or “words that make no sense.” Thus, the translation “nonsense.” The words the women spoke, from a human angle, made no sense, and so they simply thought what they said didn’t happen. Since they didn’t see it or hear it, they didn’t believe it. There was just no way it could be true!
And what is it that they didn’t believe? Let’s look at Luke 24:1-8…On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ’The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’" Then they remembered his words.
They didn’t believe the Gospel! Do you see what it says in 24:6-7? “…crucified and…raised again.” That’s the gospel! But they couldn’t believe it! Since their reasoning was based on the fact that they didn’t actually see it, it seemed like foolishness and nonsense. In their minds, until they saw it first hand, they wouldn’t accept it second-hand. They didn’t believe because of what I call the “Second Hand Syndrome.”
Out of the Eleven, perhaps the one most affected by the “Second-Hand Syndrome” was Thomas. In fact, by combining Luke’s account and John’s (John 20:24ff), we know that Thomas didn’t believe the women or the men. Not only did he not believe the report from the women on the morning of the resurrection, but Scripture tells us he didn’t believe the report from the men on the evening of the resurrection. So it was a whole week later till Thomas saw Christ. Imagine that – Thomas spent a whole week in unbelief, even with his best friends assuring him with multiple eye-witness stories and first-hand accounts. Look at John 20:25 – “Unless I see…” were some of the first words out of his mouth. Yes, the Second-Hand Syndrome got the best of him for a while, just as it did all the apostles initially.
Lest you think that an “unless I see” attitude is good, let me remind you what Christ said to Thomas about the Second-Hand Syndrome. John 20:29 says, “Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” Truly, faith speaks louder to God than sight. The Second-Hand Syndrome is an indication, not of faith, but of doubt and unbelief. Skepticism is a sign of spiritual immaturity.
You know people like this, don’t you? In fact, some of you were probably like this! Truth is, I’m like this. And for good reason around my household. Just this past Wednesday at family dinner Brett says to me, “Dad, I got a shot today from the doctor, so I can eat peanut butter now. In fact, I had a PB & J sandwich today after school.” In case you didn’t know, Brett is extremely allergic to peanuts, so this was a shocking statement. “Really!” I commented. Add to this the confirmation of his siblings and his mom, and I was buying this hook, line and sinker. Still, my mind went into skeptic mode. No way! Impossible! I would have heard about this. I didn’t know you were going to the doctor. Where’s the evidence? But, because I had been studying this and was trying to model what I was planning to preach, I said, while looking at my wife who was subtly grinning, “Wow, that’s great! I believe you and am really glad for you!” No sooner had I said this than he gets up, goes to the cabinet and pulls out a jar of soy butter. “Just kidding, dad. It was just some substitute stuff.” They all laughed, Julie smirks, and I resolved to ask for evidence next time.
See, you can see why I’m a skeptic around my house, right? Sometimes I think I should have been born in Missouri, the “show me” state!
Incidentally, do you know where that name came from? It came from Hillard Duncan Vandiver, one of Missouri’s congressmen in the late 1800’s. Speaking in Philadelphia in 1899, Vandiver said, "Frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me!" So just like Florida is known as "The Sunshine State," New York as the "The Empire State," Ohio as the "The Buckeye State," and Tennessee as the “Volunteer State,” Missouri became known as the "Show Me State." I’m not real sure what Congressman Vandiver wanted to see, but he was hesitant to accept and follow until he had hard, first-hand evidence based on his terms. That may work for a state looking for a slogan, but it doesn’t work well for people called to live by faith.
Truth is, if we postpone believing until we have hard, first-hand evidence based on our terms, we’d rarely make any progress in life, whether spiritually or physically. For instance…
• What if you had to personally witness the weather before believing it was headed this way? You’d be caught off guard every single time, wouldn’t you? Instead, we turn on the television and give the weatherman a certain level of trust. We put a significant amount of faith in his prognostics, and then take action. (Which, around here lately, means shoveling snow!) When it comes to the weather, we believe a first-hand report even if we haven’t actually seen it ourselves.
• Or what if you had to personally witness everyone preparing for a show or a play before you actually went to the theatre or civic center to watch it? You’d never enjoy a single performance! Recently, my wife and I enjoyed Phantom of the Opera at the Civic Center; it was a beautiful evening! But what if, in my skepticism, I felt I had to get there four hours early so that I could be sure there were actually actors and singers and a real stage? “No honey, I don’t believe the show is really in town until I see if for myself.” Talk about ruining a wonderful evening with my spouse…bad idea! Instead, I believed a first-hand report from the media and others who were reliable and had a terrific date with my wife.
Truth is, we rely on others for evidence more often than we like to admit. But when it comes to spiritual issues, people sometimes fall prey to the Second-Hand Syndrome. In reality, the Second-Hand Syndrome is nothing more than a pseudo-intellectual front for denial, a way to pretentiously hide our doubt. We pretend to be looking for solid ground, when in reality it is all around us. For that’s what multiple, eye-witnesses accounts are – first-hand, personal, hard evidence. It is solid ground. Yes, an eye-witness report is actually not second-hand at all, but rather first-hand. It is evidentiary and legal for a binding decision in any court of law. Yet, in the spiritual courtroom of too many people’s lives, the excuse, “I didn’t see it for myself” offers them a way to avoid reality, mainly because they don’t want to have to deal with what that reality means. So they create a false standard of apparently necessary proof based on individuality to avoid dealing with truly proven reality. You’ve heard lines like,
• “I don’t believe in hell because I haven’t seen it.”
• “I don’t believe the Bible because I haven’t seen the original manuscripts.”
• “I don’t believe God loves people because I don’t feel loved.”
• “I don’t believe Jesus came back from the dead because I’ve never seen anybody come back to life.”
And on an on people go, making their own eye-witness the only measure of evidence and proof to which they’ll listen.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying we should blindly accept claims that don’t have sufficient evidence. Not at all! “Gullability” is different than believability! But when truth, wrapped with multiple first-hand evidence, is starring you in the face, believe! Even if you didn’t personally witness it, don’t discount it. Believe it! That’s faith, and it is commended by Jesus throughout the New Testament.
What the disciples should have done is responded to the women’s report in belief, not only because the women were trustworthy as devoted followers, but also because their testimony was backed by Scripture (which the angels referenced) and because there were multiple women who witnessed the same thing. Unfortunately, the disciples treated the women as crazy people and discounted their testimony. In the end, though, everything they said was true. Hey guys, take a hint – listen to your wife! (laughter)
So how do you battle the Second-Hand Syndrome? What can you do to counteract the “show me” mentality? Well, the women show us what to do, and I want to wrap their tactics in a simple sentence first, then unpack it for you briefly. The women in Luke 24 tech me that:
“Second-hand skeptics are persuaded best by first-hand followers.”
Based on this passage in Luke, the women saw, remembered, and said. And this is great advice for us when dealing with the “Thomases” in our world.
Here’s how to be a first-hand follower:
1. See (24:1-7) – Experience it!
When the women came back, they were reporting what they had experienced! They saw the empty tomb, they interacted with the angels, they witnessed the empty grave clothes. What they reported was something they has seen and experienced.
Truly, nothing is better than empirical evidence! When we actually “test drive” the product, the skeptics are much more likely to take a minute and listen. As the Psalmist said in Psalm 34:8, “Oh taste and see that the LORD is good.” He was encouraging people to do what he had done – experience God for yourself.
In light of this, I have one question for you: have you personally experienced the work of God in your life? I’m not asking about your kids, your spouse, your friends, or your parents. I’m asking about you – have you personally seen God at work in your life?
You see, nothing speaks louder to a skeptic than an answered prayer, a changed life, or a personal testimony of God at work in you! Are you experiencing God in a way that speaks so loudly no one can deny what you claim to believe?
That all starts with a personal acceptance of the Gospel message. You have to believe for yourself. No one can do it for you or on your behalf. Have you taken your stand on the Gospel? If not, I encourage you this morning to see for yourself – experience God’s forgiveness and amazing grace personally. Right now, cry out to the Lord of Heaven and tell him you wish to turn from your sin and believe in the Gospel! Ask him to forgive your sin because of his death on the cross, and confess him as Lord and Savior. That’s the first step to take if you’re hoping to ever convince anyone else to follow in your foot steps.
2. Know (24:8) – Remember it!
When the women returned, they were cognizant of what they had been told earlier because the angels had reminded them. Sure, in an ideal world, they would not have forgotten. But at least it only took a gentle nudge from the angels, and they were on board. “Oh, yeah, now I remember!” is what I hear them thinking. In fact, the word “remembered” means to “bring back up and believe.” That’s what they did!
This is one of the ways we can help build bridges to unbelievers – by reminding them in gentle ways that what is happening around us is simply God’s Word coming true! We need to know what God said so we can “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15).
Are you doing everything possible to learn, grow, know and remember what God said? Are you connected in an FFC Lighthouse where, with a smaller group, you can dig deeper and apply personally the passages we teach from on Sunday? Are you participating in an equipping class, a women’s study, or a men’s group? What are you doing to be reminded so that you will not soon forget?
3. Say (24:9-10) – Share it!
I like this one the best, because this action reveals their faith. They spoke up immediately and shared what had happened. Verse 9 says they “told them all these things.” What things? Everything they had seen, heard, and experienced! They just couldn’t keep quiet!
And neither should we! Sure, we want to always be polite, intelligent, gentle and proper. But we should never be silent when it’s time to speak.
One of the neat things about the book of Luke is the way so many people spread the word when they encountered Jesus first-hand. They just couldn’t keep quiet! And the same should be true of us. In fact, I often wonder if the reason many of us remain too quiet is because we don’t have a “story to tell to the nations” (as the hymn writer said). Silence usually occurs when we haven’t taken step one – experienced God personally! But if we have, our mouths can’t be stopped!
Unfortunately, even after the women repeated what they had seen, heard, and experienced, the disciples didn’t believe them. Remember? They said it sounded like “nonsense.” So what did the women do? Nothing! That’s right, nothing! They had been faithful to do their job, and God would finish the task of opening the eyes of the stubborn men. In fact, it is at this point that the women did the wisest thing yet – they got out of the way so the others could check it out for themselves. Peter was first, and we know from other synoptic accounts that others followed.
Incidentally, we know that eventually the eleven apostles and many others came around to the women’s point of view. They finally believed! I suspect it was due in part to the commitment of the women who lived out what they saw, remembered, and shared. Their first-hand followership had a great effect upon those second-hand skeptics!
Here’s the point of this process we see from the women in Luke 24 – Believe it personally and share it passionately. To do that, you’ve got to start with the mirror, not with the window. Make sure you’re what God wants you to be. Be positive you are a first-hand follower, not a second-rate spectator. Yes, a changed life is truly the greatest first-hand evidence that God exists and the Gospel is true. That’s one of the best ways to partner with God as he opens eyes that are wide shut!
One of God’s great partners in the 1930’s and 40’s who did exactly this – helped lead people to belief – was Dr. Harry Ironside. Not only did he author more than 60 books (and one hymn, Overshadowed), but he also pastored Moody Memorial Church in Chicago for 18 years. On one occasion while he was speaking at a Salvation Army meeting in San Francisco, Dr. Ironside shared his testimony with the gathering then returned to his seat on the platform. Soon after sitting down, a note was handed to Dr. Ironside. A well-known agnostic from that area was in the crowd and had written a brief note on his business card, then had someone hand it to Ironside. The agnostic challenged Ironside to a public debate and offered to pay all expenses. After reading the note, Ironside returned to the podium and publicly accepted the debate on the following conditions: that the agnostic would bring one man and one woman who had both fallen into some type of vice that had caused them to experience great loss and cost them favor within society, but who were now back in the graces of their respective families and society at large because of the positive changes and transformation caused by their newfound belief in agnosticism. Ironside then agreed that he would have 100 such people whose lives had been radically changed by their commitment to Jesus Christ – Christianity – for every two people the agnostic could bring who had been changed and restored as a result of agnosticism. Upon hearing these conditions the agnostic waved his hand in polite surrender and exited the building. (Taken from "Preaching Today", James Boice, Volume 168.)
It’s true, isn’t it? You are the only Bible some will ever read, the only Jesus some will ever see. Is your life first-hand evidence for those who doubt and are slow to believe? This week, would you focus on making sure you’re a first-hand follower? As you pray for those on the ‘Wall of Ten Words,’ inspect your own life and make sure you’re living out in life what you’re sending up in prayer. When we start concentrating on becoming a first-hand follower, that’s one of the best ways to persuade second-hand skeptics. Remember – when we avoid looking in the mirror, it makes looking out the window much harder and more complicated. So start with the person in the mirror, won’t you? Become a first-hand follower. It’s the best way to persuade second-hand skeptics.
Let’s pray.
