April 11, 2010

Faith and Doubt

Psalm 150 sung as a psalter #258 and John 20: 19- 31

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ April 11, 2010

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE READING
John 20: 19- 31
John has woven the great commission of being sent out into the world of Matthew’s Gospel and the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost from Luke’s writing of Acts into a single scene of peace and beauty. Through the person of Thomas, John strikes a discord into this harmony.


When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 24But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”


26A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

SERMON
Here we have the purpose statement of John’s Gospel


“…written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.”

So why does he chose to tell a story of doubt? If you continue to read the final chapter, it is Jesus who seems to doubt Peter’s commitment. Paul Tillich said that “Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is one element of faith.” But Tim Parker of Oxford writes: “Until God works in the heart of a sinner, that heart is hard and closed to Christ and it will not be evidence but the Holy Spirit ministering the word that will bring about change.


So which is true? Is doubt an element of faith or just a barrier?


Questioning is a form of doubting and the biblical laments, especially Jeremiah’s, indicate that questioning God is an aspect of faith. If one is asking God questions or seeking answers from God, there has to be some kind of faith that God exists and can respond. Thomas' questioning and his desire to be sure, can then be commended as an aspect of faith in God. But that is not very satisfying. Surely if we have faith, doubt has no place in our lives.


Sheila N. McJilton suggests that “…it is out of pain and darkness and doubt and deep wounds that deep faith is born. It is easy to have faith when times are good… But when you hurt, and your wounds are fresh and raw, and you are shrouded in dark, fear, pain, despair or doubts, faith is sometimes elusive. You want answers. Clear, definitive answers. And you don’t always get answers. Often, you get more questions.”

So I wonder where was Thomas that first night when Jesus appeared to the disciples? Had his own personal struggle with doubt and the terrible tortured death and betrayal of his beloved teacher sent him to retreat alone where his questions, pain, darkness, and doubt seemed to over rule his understanding of Jesus’ role as the longed for Messiah? The good news is that, somehow, he finds his way back into the community to share his questions, pain and doubt. And it is there, in the midst of his community, that the Lord appears. It almost seems that Jesus is waiting for Thomas to return, to leave his own lonely hiding place. He must be willing to see that he is not the only one who is hurting. Just because he cannot see the wounds of his friends does not mean they do not have them. Others have questions and pain and darkness and doubt. It is only when all of them come together to support each other in their common life that the pain subsides even a little. It is only when they are together that they can first remember the one who changed their lives so dramatically by the witness of his life. It is only in community that they can pray prayers and break bread to remember the Holy One who was wounded, then raised to new life. Thomas knows about betrayal, pain, darkness and doubt and the wounds they leave behind. Yet through the faithfulness that happens within community, and the risen Lord who appears in the midst of community, Thomas experiences healing and love.

Because of Thomas’ story of doubt and faith, shared with his brothers and sisters down through the centuries, our own stories of pain, darkness and doubt take on new meaning. Check out the painting by Jean Granville Gregory called “Still Doubting.” It is a modern rendition of Caravaggio “Doubting Thomas.” There are two main differences between the two. Thomas is looking at the scar in Gregory’s work and Jesus has a scar not an open wound. Having just hear Dr. Kohr’s horrific yet accurate description of what Jesus would have suffered and how his body would of looked after his crucifiction, I lean toward Gregory’s work but I understand the need of Caravaggio’s too. We all carry scars, but sometimes we have open wounds that still need to heal. Sometime we even hold on to our woundedness as badges of courage. Yet like Thomas, God calls us to come out of our lonely, despair where doubt breeds into the welcome light of community. A community which gathers to pray together; to weep and laugh together; to break bread together; In the midst of such community, we may finally be able to find the healing, the love and the hope that heals our wounds.

As this text reminds us, Jesus appeared to Thomas, even when Thomas’ faith had all but vanished in his doubt and despair at seeing his savior crucified on the cross. Like Thomas, even in the midst of our disbelief and misgivings, God shows up, God is there for us, God doesn’t abandon us. Today and every day, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God still comes to us that we might believe and have life and life abundant in Jesus Christ.

In Mark’s Gospel we read about a father whose child is suffering with convulsions and possessed by a demon. The disciples are unable to cast it out and the farther, deeply wounded by his child’s suffering says:


“… if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” 23Jesus says to him, “If you are able! —All things can be done for the one who believes.” 24Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (9:24)

Alone or in the midst of such community, we cry out with that father, “I believe; help my unbelief!” As surely as we believe in Christ Jesus and are supported by a loving community which is unafraid to name our pain, our doubts, our wounds, we too are confronted by the truth that Thomas touched and with all who have doubted we kneel and proclaim, “My Lord and my God.” Amen!