“Peace to Believe” (John 20:19-31)

Fear is a great immobilizer . . . it can stop you in your tracks . . . it can make you run . . . it can keep you from ever fulfilling your potential, realizing the opportunities for growth, and knowing how to truly love.  Fear is used to keep people in place . . . to scare them off . . . and to control them.  Nailing Jesus to a cross was an act meant to create fear . . . was an act meant to send a message to Jesus’ followers . . . you could be next!

From what we saw from Jesus’ disciples would confirm that they got the message loud and clear.  In our reading this morning we heard that the disciples were in hiding behind locked doors “for fear of the Jewish leaders”.  The disciples were scared.  Their leader, teacher, master, and friend had been brutally beaten, nailed to a cross, and left to die.  Everything that they had put their heads and hearts into was gone . . . destroyed.  And, they understood the message being conveyed . . . they could easily be on the next cross if they weren’t careful.  So, they were hiding . . . hiding behind locked doors with no clue what they were going to do to escape this nightmare engulfing their lives.

Do you see the power of fear?  Do you see what fear can do?  The disciples—all the followers of Jesus—were in the gripe of fear.  A gripe that choked the dream to its death . . .

. . . or so it seemed.

Something happened.  The writer of our scripture reading this morning tells us that in the confines of their locked dwelling, Jesus suddenly appeared among the disciples.  He greeted them, “Peace be with you!”  Then he showed them his hands and side . . . he was alive!  The disciples were overjoyed.  And, again, Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you!”  With this encounter the disciples believed.

But not all believed.  Thomas, one of the original twelve, had not been there when everyone else encounter the risen Jesus.  He would not take their word for it.  If Jesus was alive, he wanted to see for himself before he would believe.  So it was, a week later, in the same locked house, that Jesus appeared among those gathered—Thomas included.  Again, he greeted them, “Peace be with you!”  Then he told Thomas to touch his wounds for himself . . . to “stop doubting and believe.”  Thomas then believed.

Something happened.  With the presence of Jesus something clicked

for the disciples . . . something changed.  The fear began to leak out of the darkness of their lives.  Hope was born.  There was a tomorrow.  Life would go on . . . and Jesus was proof of that.  They were beginning to understand . . . to understand the words Jesus had spoken . . . to understand the actions that Jesus had taken . . . to understand that Jesus had shown them the way.  God’s will would be fulfilled.  Now, it didn’t happen over night as we all well know, but with the encounter with Jesus something happened for the disciples.  In all the fear and turmoil, they were told to discover “peace”.  Out of the peace they would discover belief.

The word “peace” gets thrown around a lot and has different meaning to different people.  There is the “peace” in which there is an absence of war and fighting.  There is “peace” in which one finds tranquility from stress.  And, there are probably a whole lot more meanings to that word “peace”, but the “peace” that Jesus speaks about is all that stuff and much more.  Remember, Jesus said that his “peace” was not of this world . . . his was the “peace” to believe.

Over in chapter 14, verse 27, of the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Jesus tells this to his disciples during that last meal in the upper room as he is discussing with them the craziness that they are all about to enter.  His words are meant to bring to them assurance that things would work out no matter what happens . . . that everything that had happened would not die but find new life.  Thus, he offers to them “peace” . . . “peace” to believe and do what he has taught and shown them through his own life.  It is a “peace” that allows them to go forth and live life in loving God and others as God has loved them . . . no matter what . . . no matter what life throws at them.  It is a peace to believe.

That “something” that happened in that locked room was born in the words the risen Jesus said, “Peace be with you!”

It has been said that “proof is in the pudding.”  So, it was when the disciples encounter the risen Jesus in that locked room.  The words of Mary Magdalene were true . . . Jesus lives!  Now they knew it for themselves . . . saw him with their own eyes.  Seeing the defeated climb up off the floor and enter once again in the fray, brings a sense of hope.  Nothing can keep it down, not even death.  There is a better tomorrow . . . there is new life . . . that is the promise Jesus fulfills.  The future has been seen and now it is up to the disciples to get there.  Nothing can stop them, not even death . . . and there is a sense of peace that allows them to believe.

On April 3^rd, 1968, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech in Memphis, Tennessee in support of the striking sanitation workers . . . striking for their civil rights . . . striking to be seen equal to all people no matter what their color or race.  It is one of the highlights of the Civil Rights movement during a contentious time in our nation’s history.  It was a speech that he gave the day before he was assassinated . . . an act meant to create fear and stop a movement.

In this speech King shares the history of the movement, much like the history of God’s children in the Old Testament.  He talks about the tactics of violence and fear.  Tells of the difficulty of the movement striving to reach equality.  He prods the people not to give up hope . . . to keep fighting for their equal rights.  They can’t let fear win.  They will prevail.  That it is God’s will.

Despite all the turmoil around him . . . despite the violent threats against him, despite it all, King was at peace . . . he believed. He closed his speech with these words:

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

In Easter we see the promise fulfilled . . . we see the future before us . . . and, it is good.  It is God’s will.  There is hope, but more importantly there is peace . . . not the world’s peace, but God’s peace.  No matter what happens we are in God’s hands . . . God will not abandon us.  There is a sense of peace in knowing that that allows us to believe . . . and believing, we can face anything.

During this time of pandemic in a world that was already a little unnerving, we step into the peace that is found on Easter . . . in that peace we discover hope . . . we believe.  God is with us, always with us.  So, let us go forth and live our lives in the love of God and love others as God has loved us despite what the world throws at us.  Jesus lives . . . he is with us . . . he tells us, “Peace be with you!”

And, we believe.  Amen.

“In the Knowing . . . Peace” (John 20:19-31)

I think the disciple, Thomas, received his monniker unfairly.  I don’t think he was a “doubter” at all.  No, I think he was being honest.  I think that he wanted to make up his own mind when it came to whether or not Jesus was alive.  I think that he did not want to blindly jump in with the popular opinion just because everyone around him was telling him it was so.  I think Thomas was being honest . . . honest in that he had some questions--not doubts so much, but questions; after all, he had witness the ministry of Jesus, listened to his preaching and teaching . . . all of it.  And, I think he had some questions about the whole craziness that had and was happening around him.  It is not that he doubted it, he wanted to understand it.

Thus it is that he more or less tells the other disciples, “Show me!”

Thomas wanted to believe.

According to one dictionary, “Belief is the state of mind in which a person thinks something to be the case with or without there being empirical evidence to prove that something is the case with factual certainty.”

Thomas, like the rest of the disciples, got the evidence that they needed in order to believe . . . they encountered the resurrected Jesus.  Thomas even got to touch the wounds of Jesus.  Thomas and the others were shown the evidence that they needed.  Unfortunately, none of the rest of us were there.  We did not have the opportunity to hobnob with the risen Jesus . . . we didn’t get to touch the wounds.  We didn’t get that empirical evidence we needed in order to believe.  We didn’t get to see it or experience for ourselves; and, yet, we are called to believe . . . to be a people of faith.

Well, as I have gotten older I have come to the conclusion that faith is mystery.  Every time that I think that I have it figured out, it changes and becomes even more than I ever imagined . . . and, it keeps doing it over and over again!  To have faith is to believe, and it is to this task that we are called.

Being called, means we have a call.  We can either answer that call by believing, or we can ignore that call.  Faith is a choice.  It is a choice to look at reality from the point of view that God is making all things new rather than that death is the ultimate reality.  Unfortunately that is a choice that is something that we cannot prove or verify.

Faith just is . . . and, for this, we are blessed.  Jesus even says it, “. . . blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

So, if this is what faith is, then why shouldn’t we be honest and admit that we have questions . . . lots of questions.  It is not that we are “doubters”, but we do have questions.  And, it is okay to have questions of faith.  God can handle it whether the people around us can or not.  Jesus did not chastise Thomas for having questions . . . it was okay.  It was okay because out of the questions people grow.

Jesus does not explain what the blessing is for those who believe.  He just says that they are blessed.  Yet, I think we are given a clue in our reading this morning, and in several other scriptural descriptions of Jesus’ encounters after his resurrection.  As he addresses the disciples who were hidden away, he tells them, “Peace be with you!”  Not once, but three times he states this to them.  I think that the blessing that comes from belief or faith is peace.

If I wish for all of you “Shalom”, what word pops into your mind?  Peace!  Most of us understand the word “Shalom” to mean peace; but, the word as it is understood biblically it is much more than that.  The goal of “Shalom” is peace though.  Let me explain.  The biblical understanding of the word is that of “wholeness” or “holiness”.  The journey of life, as is the journey of faith, is to become fully who we are created to be by God . . . to become whole.  This involves three aspects of who we are.  Think of it like a three-legged milking stool.  In order for the stool to be balance all three legs must be equal.  If one leg is less equal than the other, there is no balance . . . we fall off.  The three legs are the physical, mental, and spiritual . . . these three make us whole.  The goal of life is to keep them built up, balanced, and whole.  When this is done there is wholeness.  And when we are whole we have peace . . . we discover “Shalom”.

As I was reading this passage, what popped into my mind was this phrase: I have peace because I know; I know because I believe.  That does not mean that I understand everything that I believe . . . or that I don’t have questions.  But, I believe . . . I believe whether or not I could ever explain it to you or not.  And, that is enough.

Jesus said, wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he is there with them.  And, you know what, I don’t know how he does it, but he does it.  Week after week we gather together in his name and he is among us . . . he is in the word that we hear, in the bread that we break, in the cup that we drink, in the hymns and prayers, in the fellowship . . . he is present among us.  I can’t explain it, but he is here.  In that presence, week after week, I honestly feel at peace . . . I feel blessed . . . and, I think many of you know what I am talking about.  In that presence there is wholeness and holiness . . . there is peace . . . Shalom.

In faith we begin to see life and the world through the eyes of Jesus in
which all things are new.  We see the possibilities.  We see the Kingdom of God.  In faith we realize that nothing can stop God . . . not even death . . . there is always hope.  But, faith is a choice.  Those who choose faith discover peace . . . can’t really explain how it works, but it works.  And, that is good enough for me.  In the knowing there is peace . . . may we all find peace.  That is Jesus’ wish for us all . . . “Peace be with you!”  Amen.

“Not Written in This Book” (John 20:19-31)

What if?

It is said that Yellowstone National Park sits on top of one of the largest volcanoes in the world, just waiting to erupt.  The problem is that no one knows exactly when this eruption will take place.  It has also been said that the destruction caused by this eruption would be catastrophic.  Worse than a nuclear bomb . . . it would destroy everything . . . change the landscape, topple buildings, wreck homes, level everything . . . the destruction would be massive.  With such destruction there won’t be a whole lot left.  It has been said that its destruction would be cataclysmic.  And, guess what?  Living approximately a hundred miles from Yellowstone, we live in the area of this future catastrophe.  

Such a happy thought for a Sunday morning, wouldn’t you say?

I doubt if too many of us lay awake at night worrying about the eventual eruption of the volcano lying underneath Yellowstone National Park.  Nor do I think too many of us consider what would be left behind in the wake of such a disaster.  Every so often I have thought about it . . . especially about what would be left behind--if anything . . . what would survive . . . In particular I have even thought about what it would mean for us, the followers of Jesus.  If everything is destroyed--everything, that would mean that our churches would be gone . . . our Bibles would be gone . . . the whole physical foundation of our faith would disappear.  We’d have to start over from scratch.

Think about it . . . there would be no Bibles . . . no written Word.  How would we function as a people of faith if we do have the Word of God to guide us and validate our faith.  After all, it is the Bible that we base our faith upon . . . we are a “people of the Word”.

I imagine that we would be able to gather enough people together to recall all the parts of the Bible from memory . . . surely enough people would remember enough in bits and pieces to put it all back together again.  I assure you, with my memory, that I will not be a part of that group.  Together this group would reconstruct the Bible . . . probably word by word . . . and, again, we would have our proof of faith.  We’d have our stories of God and Jesus.

Or, would we?

Our scripture reading this morning is a curious bit of writing.  The resurrection of Jesus has occurred.  People have begun to encounter the risen and living Jesus.  Our reading tells us of Jesus appearing to his disciples and how they believed . . . except for Thomas who was awol at the grand entrance of Jesus to his disciples.  He refuses to believe and demands proof . . . of which Jesus provides . . . the wounds are displayed.  Thomas then believes.  Jesus tells him: “Stop doubting and believe . . . because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

This is a familiar story . . . we all know about “doubting Thomas”; yet, as the writer of the Gospel of John likes to do, there is a bit more to the story that is shared.  The writer of the gospel shares the story and explains that these stories of the miracles and signs of that Jesus did have been recorded so that others--those reading the scripture--may believe.  Through these stories faith will be found.  Then, almost as an aside--an off-hand remark, the author writes that there are many stories that are not recorded.

Wait a minute.

I thought everything that we know about Jesus can be found in our Bibles . . . everything.  Now this writer is telling us that not every detail . . . not every miracle, every sign, every word . . . every detail of Jesus’ life is not in the book?  That there is more to the story than the words that are written in the good book?  That, maybe, the story isn’t complete . . . that there is actually more to the story than is written down between Genesis and Revelation?

Of course there is!

The story does not end with the final period at the end of the Book of Revelation.  No, the story is a “living story” that is instilled in our hearts when we come to believe.  When we receive the living Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we inherit the story that becomes a part of who we are . . . a story that we live each and every day.  It has been, since that encounter of Jesus with his disciples in which they came to believe . . . a corporate story and a personal story.  A story that is being written every day . . . written every day from the faithfuls’ perspective and experience.  

The story is a never-ending story, and it continues; unfortunately it is just not included between the covers of our most sacred book.  And, just because those stories are not included in the book, does it make them any less holy or valid as those found in the scriptures?  It shouldn’t . . . after all, the writer of the Gospel of John tells us that there are many stories that are not recorded.  Stories like yours and mine.  I’d like to see you try and convince me that my relationship and experience--my stories of Jesus are not authentic, valid, and as holy as any story found in the Bible.  True, they might not be as dramatic as what you would find in the Bible, but they are stories of faith, stories of relationship and intimacy between Jesus and I.

But, for some people, if it ain’t scriptural . . . it ain’t real.  The proponents of this belief cannot and usually will not accept personal stories of faith as proof and evidence of a living Jesus . . . of a living God.  To these “doubting Thomases” I repeat the words of Jesus to the original doubting Thomas: “Stop doubting and believe.”

These “doubting Thomases” are wrong.  The writer of the Gospel of John clearly explains that not everything we know about Jesus is written down in the scriptures.  Could you imagine if they were!  It would take a semi-truck to haul around that Bible.  Here the theological argument is that Jesus . . . that God . . . can be experienced outside the realm of scripture in the lives of everyday people, like you and me . . . and, that it is real and holy and valid.  The writer is opening the door and allowing us to say that we all have a story of faith . . . powerful stories of faith . . . that are just as holy as the scriptures that we read.  

Our experiences of Jesus . . . our experiences of God . . . are just as real, holy, and valid as anything that we will read in the scriptures.  Even more importantly it that they are our experiences of encountering the Holy . . . personal, intimate stories.  And, with this, we become a part of the story, the never-ending story.  We claim our place in the family of God.

And, when we share our stories of faith, our stories of encountering the living Jesus, we open a door for those who are listening to hear the story in a different way . . . a more personal way . . . an intimate way because they know the person sharing the story.  A connection is shared, the Holy is exposed, and a relationship is possible for those who are listening.  This is not a staunch by the letter of the law sort of thing to establish faith; no, it is a simple story of faith between one who believes and the God that loves them.

Not everything is written in our holy scriptures.  The writer of the Gospel of John tells us that.  The writer also tells us that those stories that are written in the scriptures are important as they help people to believe.  At the same time, the writer is also letting the readers . . . letting us know that there are other stories of faith . . . or miracles . . . and signs that are just as important, but they are not recorded in the scriptures.  These are the stories that we can share as the followers of Jesus.  Personal, intimate, holy stories of the living Jesus in our lives.  We may not always have the Bible, but we will all . . . each and everyone of us . . . have the stories of our relationship with Jesus.  Nope, not everything we know about Jesus is written in the Good Book, a lot of what we know is written in our hearts.  May we share our stories . . . may we share our hearts.  Amen.

“Startling Faith: He Just Keeps Showing Up” (John 20:19-31)

Has anyone ever met “Kilroy”?  I know I haven’t, but from the evidence found throughout the world he seems to get around . . . so, surely, someone has met the infamous “Kilroy”.  Don’t know what I am talking about?  Well, maybe you have seen those little graffiti drawings of a bald-headed man with a prominent nose peeking over a wall with the fingers of each hand clutching the wall with the words “Kilroy was here” written next to it.  Apparently that is “Kilroy’s” trademark letting people know that he was there. 

According to my research, “Kilroy was here”, was a popular cultural expression that was popular during the Second World War . . . in particular with American servicemen.  It seems that the GIs liked to draw the doodle on the walls and other places where they were stationed, encamped, or visited.  Despite the phrase being written everywhere, it seems no one ever caught up with the infamous “Kilroy”.  No one ever saw the guy but he was showing up everywhere.

As a people of faith I sometimes wonder if we do not have the same problem when it comes to Jesus . . . wonder how many of us have actually encountered Jesus in our own lives . . . seen him with our own eyes . . . touched him with our own hands.  More often than not I think we encounter the reminder . . . the graffiti on the wall . . . that announces that “Jesus was here”.  When we look around our lives of faith it seems as if Jesus has been everywhere; yet, we cannot actually say that we peered into the eyes of our Lord and Master . . . at least not like the early disciples did.

After the death and resurrection it seems that everywhere the disciples went . . . no matter how well they hid themselves . . . Jesus was always showing up.  In our reading this morning we have reference that he showed up numerous times . . . two in particular . . . and mingled with his disciples.  It was the real “McCoy” as they even had the opportunity to touch him and talk to him . . . Jesus was there.  And, the writer of John’s gospel tells us that he even performed other miraculous signs in their presence.

Yep, Jesus was there, and the writer of John’s gospel wrote it all down . . . a sort of theological “Kilroy . . . or Jesus . . . was here” statement . . . so that the readers “may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”  He does this because it seems that most of us are always a second too late, a dollar short, and always missing that physical meeting with Jesus.  Yet, we are among the blessed for having not actually seen him . . . Jesus tells Thomas:  “. . . blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Few of us have ever had a Damascus Road experience or encounter with Jesus like the Apostle Paul . . . yet, we know he exists and we believe.  We have seen his presence all around us . . . felt his presence surrounding us . . . seen his touch in the lives of those who we know . . . we have seen the miracles . . . we have seen the writing on the wall: “Jesus was here”.  Yet, we long for that face-to-face “show me” encounter—just like Thomas.  We want to put our fingers in the holes in Jesus’ hands . . . we want to touch the wound in his side . . .

The journey of Easter is a search for the presence of Jesus in our lives and in the world around us . . . and, surprisingly, Jesus is all around us.  He just keeps on showing up.  And, more often than not, our encounters with the Risen Lord are startling.  Those first encounters of Jesus with his disciples had to be startling affairs.  Here were the disciples in hiding behind locked doors, and Jesus shows up.  Over and over again Jesus shows up, catching the disciples off guard.  And, so it seems he does the same thing to us . . . and, we are startled to realize that we have been in the presence of Jesus.

I think that it is with perfect 20/20 hindsight that we come to this realization . . . what we read the graffiti on the wall.  Yet, in looking back we know that Jesus was there.

We shouldn’t be surprised.  Jesus gave us plenty of examples of when he would be in our presence.  He told us in the parable of the sheep and goats . . . that whenever we encounter “one of the least of these” we would encounter him.  He also told us that whenever two or three are gathered in his name, he would be in our presence . . . he would be with us.  He is there whether we see him or not . . .

. . . and, we have to believe.

During this Easter season, where are we going to find Jesus?

Well, we know that we are not going to find him in the empty tomb because he is not there.  We are going to find him in the world around us.  I do not think that any of us are so oblivious of the world around us that we cannot see those who are considered “the least of these”.  We have seen the hungry, the naked, the lonely, the downtrodden, the poor, the imprisoned, those caught in the middle of war, those who are persecuted, and those on the outside looking in.  The newspaper is filled with such stories on daily basis.  The television and radio blast us constantly with visual reports of those who are less fortunate.  We cannot escape it . . . and, yet, we wonder where in the world is Jesus?

Jesus is there.  Jesus is among the less fortunate.  We know this is true because we have seen the writing on the wall . . . we have heard the stories of his miraculous touch in their lives.  Jesus is alive and well, but he is out there in the world with those who have been deemed as “less than”.  But we will never encounter him until we, too, are willing to walk with and among those who are less fortunate.  It is there that we, ourselves, will encounter the Risen Christ.

That is where we must look for Jesus during this Easter season.  We must be willing to actively participate in the world around us . . . to reach out to those who are less fortunate than ourselves . . . to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to be present to the lonely, to free the imprisoned.  Strangely that is not where we expect to find Jesus, yet that is where he told us he would be.  To find him there is startling . . . startling because it goes against our societal practices of everyone taking care of him or herself . . . of pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps and moving on . . . everyone for him or herself.  

There is evidence of the presence of Jesus all around us.  We have all heard the stories from those who have encountered his presence in their lives . . . heard the miracles.  Jesus was here.  And, yet, we still long for that for ourselves . . . and, we continue to believe.  We continue to believe because we are among the blessed who have not seen, but believe.  Easter is the time to move beyond belief into faith . . . faith is belief in action.  It is in the action that we will encounter the living Jesus.

May we all encounter the Risen Christ this Easter season . . . may we meet him in the actions that we take to love the Lord our God with our whole being and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  If we do we will find that Jesus is always showing up.  Amen.