We are people of doubt... In Jesus we trust!

John 20:19-31

Mary had told them that she had seen Jesus, but they obviously did not believe her. What they didn’t know back then is that the risen Christ would transform these disciples, and then later Thomas!  Jesus’ first words to them were "Peace be to you" (v. 20). After those words of reassurance, he gave them their directions to embark in their mission, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (v. 21). Their fear turned to faith!  Their doubts turned to action!  What happened for such a radical change to happen?  They had come into the presence of the risen Christ! 

On Easter evening, Jesus had appeared to the disciples in their locked room.  And then Jesus breathed on them and gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit, and those dry-bones disciples came to life!  He breathed on them and gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit, and they became living disciples!

But Thomas was not present!  Thomas was not there with the other disciples.  Thomas did not see the risen Christ!  Thomas did not hear him say, "Peace be to you."  Thomas was not there when Jesus breathed new life into them.  Thomas did not receive the Holy Spirit.  And so Thomas did not believe.  Thomas did not believe the other disciples when they told him about the risen Christ…Thomas did not hide his unbelief!  He said, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe" (v. 25).

But a week later Thomas said, "My Lord and my God!"  What had happened?  Thomas had seen Jesus!  Jesus had come to him saying, "Peace be to you" (v. 26). Don't miss that! Jesus did not begin by saying, "What's the matter with you?"  He did not begin by saying, "Get up and get going!"  He began by giving him his peace. 

Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don't be unbelieving, but believing" (v. 27).  Jesus was not rebuking Thomas.  He was simply making it possible for Thomas to believe.

Thomas did believe!  After confessing his faith in Christ, he became a towering disciple!  Tradition has it that Thomas became a missionary to India, where he established a solid and grounded Christian church.

Jesus transformed the disciples!  Then he transformed Thomas!  He did so by appearing before them and giving them his peace and breathing into them the breath of life.  They would never be the same again after encountering the risen Christ.

We need the risen Christ to do that for us!  We too are doubtful and fearful people!  We too want to hide behind locked doors to keep out the dangers of the world!  We too say, "I can't believe unless…!"  We too need Christ to come through the locked doors of our lives to give us his peace to breathe into us the breath of life, and to share with us his teaching about love. 

Christ still does that!  Christ still transforms people!  Christ still drives out fear and puts faith in its place!  Christ still gives people peace!  Christ still breathes into people the breath of life.  Christ still gives the gift of the Spirit. 

And Christ helps us to be strong for the hard parts of the journey.  It’s very easy to fall in “why God this” and “why God that” when we are facing difficult moments in our lives. I have to be honest; my spirit has been tested since the second semester of last year and beginning of this year. Our little church was robbed last November; and followed that, the rectory. It was hard for me not to poise the question to God, “Why this?”, “Why this is happening to me NOW?” Let me see your wounds and let me touch them is what I want to ask during those moments. But I am reminded to pray. Jesus came to his disciples and offers his peace. This is a good reminder for all of us that during times of crisis we should find that place where we are at peace with Christ. Our faith is what help us to overcome those moments of doubt or unbelieving. We have to be intentional in searching the cause or the root of that doubt, and prayer is what helps to get at peace, and that makes a difference. The difference in the disciples’ lives was a word and that word was "Peace be to you."  If God is for us, what does it matter who is against us?

In addition to that Jesus offers us a blessing beyond the blessings available to those first disciples.  He said to Thomas, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed." (v. 29).   He was talking about us! 

This was Jesus' final beatitude his final blessing!  Now Jesus says, "Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed" (v. 29).  He is talking about us!  We are people of doubt, but the risen Christ transforms us into people of faith, just as he did for Thomas and the other disciples.

So today, hear Christ's words again.  Christ comes to us saying, "Peace be to you."  Christ comes to us saying, "As the Father has sent me, and even so I send you."  Christ breathes into us the breath of life, and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit."  Christ makes himself known to us through the scriptures, through the church, through worship, through friends, through faith experiences and then he says, "Don't be unbelieving, but believing."  And then Christ pronounces his blessing upon us!  "Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed." 

I say that Christ pronounces his blessing on us when he says, "Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed."  Who is it that has not seen Jesus in the flesh, but has nevertheless believed?  That would be you!  That would be me!  We have not seen the resurrected Christ, except through the eyes of faith but we have believed nevertheless and so Jesus offers us his blessing

This Sunday after Easter, receive the risen Christ.  Receive his peace.  Let him transform your doubts to faith.  Let him breathe into you the breath of life.  Receive his gift of the Holy Spirit.  And, finally, receive his blessing his special blessing on we who have not seen and yet have believed.