April 30, 2000

Rev. Dr. Harold E. Kidd  

THE CONFESSION OF THOMAS

 Text:  “Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands.’  ‘Reach out your hand and put it into my side.’  ‘Stop doubting and believe.’  Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” John 20:27-28

 The 20^th chapter of John’s Gospel concerns itself with a sequence of appearances by Jesus to his disciples following his Resurrection.  John you see is writing with the prayer that as we read his Gospel ‘we may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that by believing we may have life in his name (v.31). 

 The conclusion of John’s Gospel chronicles a chain of Post-Resurrection appearances by Jesus to his Disciples. I don’t mind John giving so much attention to these Post-Resurrection appearances of the Lord, because the Resurrection of Jesus is key to the Christian Faith.  Without the Resurrection writes Paul, “our Preaching and our Faith is futile.”  Because of the Resurrection of Jesus from the grave, we can be confident that God thru Jesus will accomplish all that he has promised. In the words of a 70’s song written by Bill Gaither; “Because He lives I can face tomorrow; Because he lives all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just Because he lives.”  Amen.

 Following his Resurrection, Jesus  appears to Mary Magdalene, then to his disciples behind locked doors, then to the disciples including Thomas, then to his disciples while they are fishing, with final words to Peter: “Feed my sheep.”  He came to them, just like he does to us in our darkest hours; to erase our fears, to restore our Faith enabling us to face the challenges of tomorrow; to answer our doubts and to commission us to a life filled with bright possibilities and service in his name.

 And this is understandable. For the Disciples on Good Friday had seen Jesus crucified to a Cross, and all their hopes had been buried with him in a borrowed tomb. So Jesus comes in these Post-Resurrection appearances to restore their hope, renew faith, answer any questions of doubt, and to commission them to the glorious and yet challenging work of witnessing to the world of his Resurrection.

 Now this is the larger context out of which our Lord appears to the disciples behind locked doors, and one week later a special appearance for the benefit of Thomas, is set.

 The disciples you recall had narrowly escaped arrest with Jesus in Gethsemane.and they realized that as the disciples of one who was regarded as a dangerous agitator now crucified: What happened to Jesus could also happen to them. So they were meeting in fear, probably holding a consultation on the best method of withdrawing from the city without attracting the notice of the temple police or the roman authorities.  The doors were locked for fear that the Jews would send an arresting detachment for them as they had for Jesus.

 And it is in the midst of this chaotic scene, that Jesus comes to them bringing a salutation of ‘Peace’.  The appearance of Jesus in the room brings excitement and fear because walls and locked doors do not present any problem for Jesus getting to where they are.  One of the applications I think being that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.  There is no barrier that can prevent God from blessing us with a holy visitation.  The Lord can find us, even when it seems to us that no one else (even we ourselves) knows where we are.

 Jesus reassures the disciples that it is him, showing them his nail pierced hands and side.  Not only does his appearance renew their devotion and hopes, but it also renews their Commission as his disciples.  For he breathes on them and says “Receive ye the Holy Spirit.”  Which is a foretaste of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which took place at Pentecost.

 In the midst of all this joyful surprise filled with divine blessing, vs. 24 almost sounds out of place, like cold water in the midst of burning coals.”  Now Thomas (the twin), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.”  The text is not specific as to why Thomas was not with the others when Jesus first came to them.  Verse 24 lifts up the fact that we can miss out on a whole lot when we are not involved in a worshipping community of faith.  We can miss out on the wonder and excitement of the revelation into which Jesus is inviting us to behold.  In the context of community, while others were receiving peace that calmed their fears, a revelation that answered any doubts, and a spiritual breath that renewed their faith, Thomas was not with them.

 There are some things God has for us which we can only receive within the context of a community of faith.  God can and will meet us where we are, but his ultimate goal is to draw us into a life changing relationship with himself thru Jesus Christ within the context of community.

 Things can happen to us within the fellowship of Christ’s Church which will not happen when we are alone.  These Disciples received collective Joy, a renewal of Faith and the Holy Spirit empowering them to fulfill a renewed Commission. Some N.T. Scholars such as Barclay suggest that Thomas was so overcome with grief and despair following the crucifixion of Jesus that he withdrew himself from the fellowship of the others. When sorrow comes and sadness envelopes us, our tendency like Thomas is to shut ourselves off from others, but it is in the Community of Faith, where the strong can bear the infirmities of the weak.  It is in the Community of Faith we can bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. “What a fellowship, what a joy divine leaning on one another.”

 Now Thomas has long suffered from the nickname Doubting because of his request to see tangible proof from Jesus himself, that he was in fact resurrected.  “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my fingers where the nails were, and put my hands into his side, I will not believe it.” In one of his recent classes Faith Seeking Understanding, Dr. David Batstone reminded us that “We need people like Thomas who raise the question:  ‘Let me see the Cross in This.’”  “Where is the Cross in this thing?”

 The story is told of a well-known preacher asked to give his estimation on the preaching of a popular young minister.  In reply he said, “He has an certain eloquence in his preaching and his exegesis of scripture is outstanding, but I find no ‘blood’ in his preaching.”  “No message of self-denial or the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings.”  Every church would do well to ask itself this question implied in Thomas’ request.

 Where is the reality of the cross in our congregational ministries?  Is there any evidence of self-denial, that we have taken up our cross in servanthood ministry?  Are we participants in the fellowship of his sufferings?  Does the cross of Christ permeate and energize, the mission and witness of our congregation? Do we have to beg members to serve, or is there a contagious spirit of willingness to be used?  Like the little kindergartner excitedly raising his or her hand seeking to gain the attention of their teacher in giving the response to a question, “Here I am Lord, use me!”  Yes, every church would do well to ask itself this question implied in the request of Thomas.

 We’ve got to admire Thomas for his uncompromising honesty. He refused to say that he understood what he did not as yet understand.  All doubt is not bad. But if doubt leads one to raise questions, and the questions lead one to finding answers, and the answers are true and accepted, then doubt has done a good work. Doubt has led us to the doorstep of Faith.

 Who of us like Thomas have not had our seasons of doubt? When we question the things of God and their relevance to our lives may these questions propel us into a more serious study of Scripture, more frequent seasons of prayerful meditation; open and honest dialogue with other believers as we search to discern the voice and message of God. Thomas represents the struggle we all undergo in seasons when doubt is in search of a reason to believe.

 Jesus gave Thomas the opportunity to put all his doubts to rest. “Thomas put your finger here, see my hands, reach out your hand Thomas and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe.”Thomas surrendered his doubts to Jesus in a deep soul conviction: “My Lord and my God.” Many of us today like Thomas are on a spiritual quest.  We have not arrived but we are in the process of becoming.  We still have some doubts and some questions about this thing called life.  Like Thomas we ourselves would like to know the fullness of who Jesus truly is not based upon what others have to say about him; but through our own personal experience with him; an experience that is up close and personal.  An opportunity if you will to place our fingers within the impressions of his pierced hands and side.

 For some he’s a good role model, for others he is a great teacher, for others he was a man who was the prime example of what it means to be compassionate. During his three years as a student of Jesus, Thomas had experienced all of this, but now he was on the verge of an even greater discovery; that Jesus is “Lord and God!”

 Thomas didn’t stay in his doubt, but he allowed Jesus to bring him to belief.  Thomas rises from the depths of doubt to the pinnacle of faith in declaring, “Yes, it is Jesus, and yes, He is God.”  He comes to a personal confession of faith in Jesus as Lord and God.

 For someone to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord is to declare that Jesus is the Lord of his or her life.  To recognize that Jesus is Lord of one’s life is to seek to do his will. In making this confession we are declaring our loyalty and commitment to Him and him alone. In the words of that Hymn “All to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give.”  Which is to say, in the words of the Apostle Paul,  “I have been Crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who lives, but it is the Christ who lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and who gave himself for me!”(Galatians 2:20)

 Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!