John 20:19-31 Easter 2B Grace, April 8, 2018
Notes by Michael Deutsch
In a closely contested race, the judges called it a photo finish. They looked at the photo to determine the winner, and it was clear that Alfonso crossed the line in first place, just ahead of Samuel. The judges were in total agreement, so the handed the 1st place trophy to Frank, who crossed the finish line third. Alfonso and Samuel didn’t break any rules, so why did Frank receive the trophy?
Let’s try another one - - Anthony and Cleopatra are lying dead on the floor. The window was open and there was water and glass all over the floor. Brutus was nowhere to be found. There were no marks on Anthony or Cleopatra. How did they die?
In the 1st situation, Alfonso and Samuel are horses. Frank is a jockey and he was riding Alfonso, and since Alfonso cannot hold the trophy it was given to Frank!
In the 2nd situation, it might help you to know Anthony and Cleopatra are fish. The dog, Brutus, knocked over the fish bowl, which broke and spilled water all over the floor.
Now that you’ve got the hang of it, let’s try one more. On Friday night, a man dies. He’s buried that same night. On Sunday morning, His friends arrive at the grave, only to discover His body is gone. What happened? I think we know.
For 2,000 years we have had answers to this question. Here are some of them
*Jesus that died on the cross was a phantom, so the raising from death was a phantom as well.
*Some of his trusted disciples stole the body and it is buried in an unmarked grave.
*Jesus wasn’t really dead. They took him off the cross and then, when he was recovered, he was secretly taken out of the country, probably to Europe.
And the list goes on.
Pretty soon we can get far from Good Friday and the Empty Tomb. It is so easy for humans to try and mentally fight our way out of this and come to some logical conclusion. Or we want to come to something that is emotionally satisfying. Or we just don’t want to struggle with faith issues. A dead man is now alive.
Sometimes it gets to be too much and we just want to be left alone.
In this text for today we have several kinds of faith experiences.
The Disciples are scared. Jesus comes to them in physical form and they are convinced of the resurrection.
Then there is Thomas, who is like the rest of us. We weren’t in the upper room, so how can we come to believe?
The disciples go to witness mode right off the bat.
The disciples wouldn’t leave Thomas alone! They believe and have joy, now they want that joy to Thomas too.
What does Thomas do?
St. Thomas goes for the logical and informational path to faith, right of the bat.
“I will see, then I will believe. I can’t make sense of all that being dead and live stuff that Jesus was talking about. I’m a simple guy. Just show me”, he says.
But, the disciples say, “We saw him! Isn’t that enough?”
Thomas doesn’t seem convinced by witnessing. He wants his own experience.
So, we who believe need to witness, it is our joy to witness. But we don’t convert people. God converts people. People need their own experience with Jesus. People need to encounter Jesus for themselves, and in that encounter comes belief from God. It just isn’t something you can do for someone else. God gives it as a grace and gift.
We need our own encounter with Jesus. And Jesus is willing to be with us and meet with us.
Jesus says something so profound, “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe.”
And then the purpose of this text, indeed for this Gospel according to John:
30Jesus performed many other signsin the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.31But these are written that you may believe[b]that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,and that by believing you may have life in his name.
The truth is we come to believe because that is what God wants for us. In believing, in relationship with God we have our being, enteral life, forgiveness of sins and a deep and real meaning to this life.
Most of the New Testament was written by Paul, a later convert to Christianity. He persecuted Christians, now he is their lead theologian. He writes to the churches he has been a missionary to. He explains this Resurrection of Jesus and how we are called by Grace into this belief and relationship with God through Jesus by way of the Holy Spirit.
Paul covers many questions, topics, and occurrences throughout his letters. Paul deals with the resurrection of Jesus, because there were those who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Paul discusses the resurrection of Jesus on the heels of dealing with other questions and problems the Corinthian church was having.
It may be a good thing to look at the church at Corinth and how Paul taught them about the Resurrection of Jesus.
Paul starts out in1 Corinthians 15by reminding them that Jesus did die and was raised from the dead for the salvation of all. This is the foundation of the gospel.
Next Paul states that there were witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus, not only by His disciples but by more than 500 people. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians approximately 20 years after Jesus' death and resurrection. It would be very hard to argue or dispute that many credible witnesses.
Paul begins his discourse on the resurrection of Jesus by stating that salvation is not possible without Jesus' resurrection, and those who were preaching this, preached the truth.
Paul further illustrates this by stating that Jesus will raise those who are dead in Christ. If this is not the case, Jesus was not raised either. Paul describes Jesus as the first fruits of the resurrection for His time in history, and subsequently this resurrection is made available for all of humanity from Adam on down for those who are in Jesus.
Next, Paul reiterates the fact that there is a resurrection for the dead, and there need not be a baptism for the dead by those who are alive.
Paul states further that when a believer is raised unto the resurrection of Jesus, there will be a new body and immortality. There is victory for the believer by the resurrection of Jesus!
1 Corinthians chapter 15 clearly addressed the resurrection of Jesus. In addition, Paul mentions the resurrection of Jesus in
Romans 1:4and 6:5;
Philippians 3:10-11,
and in2 Timothy 2:18
What do you believe about the resurrection of Jesus? Do you know that the resurrection of Jesus is a gift for you, to spend all eternity with God the Creator and God’s Son Jesus?
This resurrection of Jesus that Paul discusses is one of the main focal points of the gospel. Just as Paul states clearly, there would no salvation without the resurrection of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8says, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."
So, we are back to the Upper Room with the scared Disciples and a Doubting Thomas
In our Creed we state: I believe Jesus died on the cross, taking the sins of the world upon Him, He became sin even though He was sinless. He offered forgiveness to any who would accept the gift; then through the power of God the Father and the Holy Spirit, Jesus rose from the dead, He came back to life, He was seen by many people, especially the disciples, then ascended to heaven!
Each of us has our own encounter with Jesus who is risen. We Lutherans baptize babies because the encounter with Jesus is of his doing, not ours. God gives us the gift of belief though Grace, and it is not of our own doing.
And, as Christians we love to tell the story of Jesus and his birth, death and resurrection. We want all to have our job and love of this world.
The world is full of doubt and sin, but the Resurrection breaks in and bring joy, peace and healing.
19 On the evening of the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.”
22 And when Jesus 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 withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
24 Now Thomas, 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 in His hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.”
26 Eight days later, Jesus’ disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.
Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand and place it in my side.
Do not be unbelieving but believe.”
28 Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “You have believed because you have seen me.
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Here is a true story.
Pastor Michael states:
I was just starting to believe Jesus was real. But I had some serious doubts about a guy rising from the dead. I was taught Jesus was not real! I had a herniated disc. I had been in the hospital in my early 20's for 9 days laying in traction. My back hurt so bad I couldn’t sit to eat. I had to lay down to eat.
After getting out of the hospital and taking Physical therapy my back was a little better, but at times I would overdo it playing sports. Not to different than nowadays.
As I was reading about Jesus and learning more about who He was - - I prayed a simple prayer, “Lord, heal my back, touch my back and restore it to health and I will believe in you and never doubt you.”
Have you ever prayed a prayer like that! God do this, then I’ll believe! Really, I will, just do what I want you to do! Well, that was about 32 years ago. Almost a whole lifetime. I think God chuckled, in a nice way at my request, because God knew what was going to happen in my life. God knew I was going to say YES to Jesus, in spite of my back. It was never healed! I still have back issues, I’ve just learned to live with it.
I challenged God — “God I doubt! I will only believe if you heal me!” God said, “Michael you will believe and I’m not going to heal your back!”
That is not what we want to hear is it? But it is real life. Paul’s “Thorn in the flesh was not removed either.”
What about this?
What if the Resurrection of Jesus if for a real world? What if the faith that Jesus walks with us is for a real world where there is sickness and tragedy?
The Resurrection is for a real world with real problems and challenges, and the Resurrection is promise is this: I give you peace, not as the world but as from the Father. The Resurrection promise is that we will have life eternally and that that Jesus blows on the disciples and gives them the Holy Spirit so, that through this world and life we are never alone. God is always with us.
Resurrection is something we believe and we live because it is a gift from God.
Amen
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