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Please pray with me and for me.
Lord Jesus, we would not be here, as the church, your disciples, if you had not come here, among us, with us, calling us, and present with us. Though we can take little credit for having sought or found you, in so many ways you sought and found us. Your resurrected presence, present to us, enables us to be present for you. Thus we gather in the light of your resurrection, joyful in the reality of your continued, never-failing presence among us. Amen
I have a cartoon friend named Maxine who I deeply love for her insight and we also often see eye to eye on many issues. Listen to what Maxine shared recently in one of her cartoons.
“So after landing my new job as a Wal-Mart greeter, a good find for many retirees, I lasted less than a day.
About two hours into my first day on the job a very loud, unattractive, mean-acting woman walked into the store with her two kids yelling obscenities at them all the way through the entrance.
As I had been instructed, I said pleasantly, ‘GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO WAL-MART. Nice children you have there. Are they twins?’
The ugly woman stopped yelling long enough to say to me, “No they aren’t twins. The oldest one’s 9, and the other one’s 7! Why would you think they are twins? Are you blind or that stupid?
I calmly replied, ‘I’m neither blind nor stupid Ma’am; I just couldn’t believe someone had two separate children with you. Have a good day and thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart.’”
My supervisor said I probably wasn’t cut out for this line of work.”
Have you ever looked at people, relatives, family, your own, and wondered deep down inside what makes them tick? Wondered are they really, REALLY, related to me?
I have shared with you before my full name is John ‘Curious’ Walter ‘George’ Mock ‘Doubting Thomas’ for I tend to be one who says, “I Wonder How That Works? Make me a liar, as I don’t think it can be true! After all if you’re dead, you’re dead!
Last Sunday, April 12, 2009, we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to Jesus' tomb and were greeted by an angel who told them not to be afraid, for “Jesus is not here; for He has risen, come and see the place where He had lay.”
Please open your Bible to our Scripture Lesson, John 20:19-23
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, (1st day of the week-Sunday) the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, (The authorities had killed Jesus and they thought they would meet the same fate). Jesus came and stood among them (REMEMBER! NOTHING CAN KEEP JESUS OUT OF ONE’S LIFE)
and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When Jesus had said this He showed the disciples His hands and His side (where the soldier had pierced Jesus to see if He was dead). Then the disciples were glad when they saw Jesus. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father sent me, even so I send you (Matthew 28:18-19-The Great Commission - Go out into the world and make disciples of Jesus). And when Jesus had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (As believers we cannot forgive anyone of their sins but we can advise them to give their sins to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and you will be forgiven, as paradise awaits your presence in your physical death.)
As luck would have it not all the disciples were present upon Jesus return, John 20:24-25:
Now Thomas, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, called the Twin (Thomas means “Twin” in Aramaic) was not with the Disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told Thomas, “We have seen the Lord.” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand, in His side, I will not believe.”
Sometimes God acts in ways we do not understand. Sometimes God does not want us present at a given moment and in God’s timing and wisdom He may reveal what He wants us to know.
John 20:26-29
Eight days later, Jesus’ disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them (notice Jesus does not stand over or below someone so as to be in charge or a slave. Jesus stands among us as one of us for we are all one in the eyes of God) Jesus stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” (Notice Jesus did not say, “bow” so as to be superior.) Then Jesus 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 faithless, but believing.” (Notice- Jesus did not degrade Thomas for doubting but in love offered Him proof that He was indeed Jesus. An act of kindness in the love of God can do more good than any act of demeaning and or con‘damn’ing another.) Thomas answered Jesus, “”My Lord and My God!” Jesus said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
I preside over worship at several local nursing homes and in the services the residents received communion. Some of the residents are blind and when receiving communion they cannot see what they are partaking in.
In faith the nursing home residents trust me as the presiding pastor to offer them bread and grape juice, not a donut and prune juice for communion. They trust me but even more in their faith they trust God who they cannot see. Thus Jesus is saying, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” for those who cannot see and believe are stepping out on faith.
Faith is moving beyond doubt, moving beyond that which you cannot see, feel, hear with your ears, touch, but yet in your heart you know it to be true. For the most enduring things in life often can never be proven as one child says to another, I LOVE YOU MORE!
OH YEA! DO NOT! DO TOO! DO NOT! DO TOO!
Did you notice what Jesus did to Thomas? Jesus did not blame Thomas for not believing what the others had said. Jesus welcomed Thomas and showed him the truth so that he would believe. What message is that for you and me as believers to non-believers, those who are struggling? Listen to our Sermon Text, Luke 24:1-11:
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices, which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” Remember how Jesus told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise.” And they remembered Jesus words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and the apostles did not believe them.
We are called as believers to tell the story of Jesus “to all the rest,”
in faith, from knowing the truth. "How do you know the truth?"
They may ask. I know the truth, which may be hard for some to comprehend because:
'I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever foes may say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, and just the time I need Him, He’s always near. He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He loves, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.'
If only believing was enough but believing all begins within our heart. And therein lies the problem, as we are of a;
'show me and I will believe' mentality.
As believers in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are called to not give up, but to keep on keeping on so that others will come to know that Jesus Christ is alive in the world of 2009.
So that others may come to know: In the resurrection Jesus was not only raised from the dead, he not only defeated the powers of sin and death, but He also returned to the ones who had betrayed and forsaken Him and formed them into the church, His Body on earth. It is His presence that empowers us for discipleship and makes the church. The resurrected Christ keeps returning to us and giving us what we need to follow Him. The risen Christ who returns to His disciples, appears to
them, reveals Himself, and ministers to their doubts.
Listen to these words sung by The Oak Ridge Boys:
Whosoever believes in His name is forgiven. One who’s sincere will see His face.
Whosoever remains by the side that was riven will surely be blessed in His grace.
When I’m in need, I call on His name and He always answers. In darkest hours I have no fear ‘cause He’s always near me.
He moves by faith, not by our deeds, though it’s hard to believe in things not seen. First you believe then you’ll see.
Whatsoever our sins, indeed we are driven. Through all those times, He loves us still. Whatsoever we ask in His name, we’ll be given for to prosper in faith is His will.
When I’m in need, I call on His name and He always answers. In darkest hours I have no fear ‘cause He’s always near me. He moves by faith, not by our deeds, though it’s hard to believe in things not seen. First you believe then you’ll see.
As we enter into prayer, did you notice what Jesus did when He appeared before Thomas and the Disciples? Unlike the world Jesus did not con‘damn’ or humiliate Thomas who questioned His presence.
Jesus welcomed Thomas’ difference with open arms. How do you lead another who does not believe because they cannot see?
Father God may we remember for many who are doubting, unsure, searching. May we be like Jesus and not con‘damn’ or embarrass them but welcome their doubting with open arms, open hearts and open doors so that they may feel welcomed and come to know that Jesus is Alive and through questioning we grow. Through silence we do not grow but often become bitter and lost.
Amen.
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