Sunday 04/07/24 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “We Are All A Little Like Thomas!”
Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 133
New Testament Scripture: 1 John 1:1-2:2
Gospel Lesson: John 20:19-31
He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
Alleluia! Happy Second Sunday of Easter, as will be in this season of Easter
until Pentecost Sunday on Sunday May 19th! On this day, Jesus has been risen
from the dead for about a week, and he has appeared to his disciples and
others. Despite the fact that for three years Jesus performed miracles, taught
that he was the messiah, and transformed countless lives and communities, most
of his disciples abandoned him on the day of his crucifixion. Only the beloved
disciple, John, Jesus’s mother, Mary Magdalene, and perhaps some of the other
women were at the cross of Christ.
Judas Iscariot took his own life by
hanging, and another account in the Book of Acts has Judas Iscariot buying land,
falling face down in it, his bowels bursting out, and dying. Yet the other ten
disciples, minus John and Judas Iscariot abandoned Jesus on the day of his
crucifixion. Further, Peter denied Jesus publicly three times. Even so, Jesus’s
disciples and many other others saw what he did, what he said, and who he was.
Given this, how then could run, deny him, and just scatter?
This is a real question, and I think a
big answer to this question is fear. You see, if we stand for the truth of
Jesus Christ, will we or can we pay a price for this. I think that it is true
that the disciples didn’t fully understand who Christ was, until the Holy Spirit
moved on the day of Pentecost, as this is the birthday of the Christian Church.
The disciples knew that Jesus was not just a normal man though, so why did they
scatter on Good Friday?
Among other reasons, I think that fear
was a big part of why they scattered, except for the Apostle John, and the
women. They probably didn’t fully understand yet who Jesus really was, but why
completely abandon Jesus? If there was no threat at all, and if Jesus wasn’t
being crucified would they have scattered? I don’t think so. According to
church tradition though, all the disciples except the beloved disciple, John
died for their faith in Christ. Church tradition holds that the Apostle Peter
was crucified upside down in Rome, as Jesus told Peter that when he is older that
he would be taken to place he didn’t want to go. Church tradition also holds
that the other disciples died brutal deaths, and Church tradition says that the
Apostle Paul was beheaded in Rome. Only the Apostle John was not killed, as he
was put on the island of Patmos as a prisoner.
So, after the day of Pentecost, the disciples
of Christ are lions for the faith, and they are willing to sacrifice and will even
die for their faith in Christ. Yet on the day of Christ’s crucifixion all
scatter but the apostle John and the women. So, I have to believe that a big
reason that so many scattered on the day of Christ’s crucifixion was fear, maybe
for some confusion, and potentially some uncertainty over who Jesus was. Even
so, later after the day of Pentecost, the same men would all be willing to die
for their faith in Christ.
What changed then? On the day the
Pentecost, the Apostles received the Holy Spirit, and the Apostle Peter, the
one who denied Jesus three times on Good Friday, turned into a champion for
Christ. He preached an amazing sermon and over three-thousand people came to faith
in Christ.
What is the point of all of this? If
we really know Christ, if we really love Christ, and if we really serve Christ,
do we mean it? Are we willing to pay a price for this? I am, and I willing to
go where Christ calls me, come what may? I fear though that there are some Christians,
pastors, and priests though that have been subdued, and due to fear and other
things are holding back. What if the church judges them, or what if they get in
trouble for what they are preaching they might think? The disciples got to the
point however, where they decided that they were going to preach Christ, live
Christ, and spread the gospel no matter what.
I’m sure that many of us have had
times that we struggled to do this. In fact, this morning, in one of Christ’s
post-resurrection appearances, Jesus goes to his disciples, and they see the
risen Christ. The Apostle Thomas though was not present for this post-resurrection
encounter. As a result, Thomas doubted that Jesus was truly risen, and he did
not believe his friends. Even though Thomas saw what and who Jesus was for his three
years of public ministry on earth, how could he doubt? How could any of us doubt?
Further, how could Thomas go from doubting this morning, to dying for his faith
in Christ. In this way we can probably say, as my sermon title says that “We
Are All A Little Like Thomas!” Maybe sometime we were not bold, we held back,
or we were worried about what would happen if spoke the truth of Christ, and
stood on the truth on Christ.
Beyond this, what if the body of Christ is not united fully
in Christ? Or on the other hand, what if we are fully united Christ? We hear in
our Psalm 133 reading this morning is Psalm 133:1 for this morning, once again:
1 How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! (Ps. 133:1, NRSV).
Even
though we all have doubts sometimes, even though we all struggle, when we are
united in Jesus, then the body Christ becomes a force to be reckoned with. There
will always be little things that we will likely disagree on, but may be united
in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. May we be united in the idea that Jesus was
God in the flesh on earth, that he died for our sins, physically rose from the
dead, ascended to God the father, and will one day return in glory. May we
agree that Christ died to save us from ourselves, and through him and only
through him can we be reconciled to our sin and brokenness. May we be so reconciled
Christ that we are willing to take risks, and live our faith no matter what.
This could mean going to a church or a
denomination that universally and unapologetically stands on the authority of
Jesus Christ our Lord. A Church or a denomination loves Christ, teaches Christ,
and serves like Christ. Even further, this church or denomination is committed
to staying centered on Christ, preaching Christ, discipling like Christ, and living
like Christ. Why? This is because Jesus gave up his very life that we may live,
and preaching, teaching, and living like Christ is who we are. This is how
people come to Christ, are transformed by Christ, and when we are this deeply
rooted in Christ, we are willing to be this committed to Christ come what may.
If we have fallen short though, as we all have, may we be
reminded on this day, as heard in our gospel of John 20:19-31 reading that “We
Are All A Little Like Thomas!” The Apostle Thomas feel short, and doubted, but
by the end of the gospel lesson, his doubt was extinguished. What prevented the
Apostle Thomas from fully believing, and what has held us back in the past? For
at times haven’t we all been “A Little Like Thomas
In
our reading from 1 John 1:1-2:2 for this morning, we hear in 1:1-4, once again:
1 We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— 3 we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete (1 Jn. 1:1-4, NRSV).
Even though “We
Are All A Little Like Thomas!” we here in 1 John 1:1-4 that there were those
that saw and touched Christ, and they saw him, what he did, and his empty tomb.
While they may have had doubts sometimes, they believed, and believe in Jesus
Christ.
The reading from 1 John continues, picking
up in 1 John 1:5 saying, once again:
5 This
is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light
and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him while
we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 7 but if we walk in
the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our
sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from
all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him
a liar, and his word is not in us (1 Jn. 1:5-9,
MRSV).
We hear in out 1 John reading that in God
there is light and no darkness, and the darkness will separate us from God. We
also hear that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s only sone cleanses us from sin.
While we still sin, we can continue to turn to Christ, as become more and more sanctified
in Christ through the Power of the Holy Spirit. You see “We
Are All A Little Like Thomas!” so may we repent, turn to Christ, over and over,
so that we can continue make Jesus the Lord of our lives.
We then hear in closing in 1 John 2:2, once again:
2 and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world (1 Jn. 2:2, NRSV).
The answer for us, and the answer for
a hurting and a broken world is Jesus Christ. Not just Jesus the human, not just
Jesus the nice guy, but Jesus Christ who was fully God and fully human. Jesus
who shed his blood to reconcile to God and save our souls.
This finally bring us to our gospel less
for today from the gospel of John 20:19-31. This of course is about a week
after Jesus, resurrection, and despite most of his disciples fleeing and abandoning
Jesus on the day of his crucifixion, Jesus does not abandon his disciples or
us. Even in death, Jesus appears to his disciples and many so that might have
total faith in him as Lord and Savior.
In looking at our gospel of John
20:19-31 reading again for today, it says picking in in 20:19, once again:
19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ 24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ (Jn. 20:19-25, NRSV).
Jesus appears to his disciples and
says “Peace be with you,” one of the reasons that many Christ “Pass the Peace
of Christ” to each other in worship, and in general. The disciples are
overjoyed to see Jesus, and again Jesus says “Peace be with you”. Jesus then
gives the disciples some of the power of the Holy Spirit, preparing them for
the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
The disciples according to our gospel
of John 20:19-31 reading for this morning, where hiding, and were afraid. Since
the Apostle Thomas wasn’t present to see the resurrected Christ however, Thomas
did not believe. Thomas doubted, which is where we get the term “Doubting
Thomas”. In addition, beyond seeing Jesus, Thomas wanted to see and touch the
nail holes in Jesus’ hands, and his spear wound in his side. Jesus offers this
to this Thomas when he appears to him, but Thomas immediately falls to his
knees and worshiped. Jesus then tells Thomas that he believed because he has
seen him, but what about those who won’t see him in the flesh? The gospel of
John reading, then ends in John 20:30-31 saying, once again:
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name (Jn. 20:30-31, NRSV).
As my sermon title for today is called
once again, “We Are All A Little Like Thomas!” When
have we doubted, and are we like the disciples today hiding inside, because of
fear? I am personally to the point, where I am going to go wherever God calls
me to preach the gospel, to live like Christ, and to love like Christ, for he
for died you and for me.
The Apostle Paul tells us of the gospel of Jesus Christ in
Romans 1:16:
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the
power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also
to the Greek (Rom. 1:16, NRSV).
While
all have be guilty of being “A Little Like Thomas,” so may we live
boldly for Christ! I don’t know about you brothers and sisters, but I don’t
want wait in building in fear like the disciples did in our gospel of John reading
for today. I want to proclaim and live the only hope that humanity has in and
through Jesus Christ our Lord. As I said towards the end of my Easter Sermon
last Sunday, and I say to you again, the words of the Book of Jude 1:3:
3 Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints (Jude. 1:3, NRSV).
Our
salvation is Christ, the church is Christ, this school is Christ, our hope is
Christ, and the only future this world has is through Christ. Whie we all have
been guilty of being “A Little Like Thomas!” let us live fully
for Jesus. When we do this, the church will flourish, we will change, and the
world with change around us. May we all contend for the faith that was once for
all entrusted to the saints. Amen.
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