I do not like to post sermons because most of them are not very good. But I felt good about this one.
“Doubt. See. Touch. Believe.”
John 20:19-31
Richard M. Wright
Church of the Nations
Second Sunday of Easter (C)
April 11, 2010
*******
If you are a theologian you will pray truly. If you pray truly you are a theologian.
Evagrius Ponticus. A Christian monk who lived in Egypt between three forty six and three ninety nine. One of the earliest spiritual writers in the Christian church. Treatise on Prayer text sixty one.
What is eternal life? In the book of John Jesus says very clearly that eternal life is to know God. The only true God. And Jesus Christ whom God has sent. Not eternal life is to live forever after death. Not eternal life is to know about God. Eternal life is to know God. And Jesus Christ whom God has sent.
Vladimir Lossky was an important scholar of the Christian faith. In his book Theology: An Introduction he writes:
“True gnosis (knowledge of God) is a gift which transforms our intelligence. And because God is a personal existence and presence true gnosis is an encounter that goes both ways. Faith is holding on to the personal presence of God who reveals himself. Gnosis is the high point of the life of prayer. A high point where God gives gnosis to a human being”.
What is eternal life? To know God personally. That knowledge is a gift from God. We receive that gift when we meet with God and God meets with us. The goal of prayer is to know God. This is a gift from God.
Which is why one thousand six hundred years ago Evagrius writes:
If you are a theologian you will pray truly. If you pray truly you are a theologian.
This sounds difficult to understand. But we see this powerfully in our Bible reading for today from the book of John chapter twenty.
On the evening of that first day of the week when the disciples are together with the doors locked because they are afraid.
The day of resurrection. Early that day when it is still dark some of the women who follow Jesus go to the tomb. It is empty. Outside the tomb Jesus meets them. They go back to Jerusalem and tell the good news to the other followers of Jesus.
Because they are afraid. Jesus comes and stands among them and says, Peace be with you. After he says this he shows them his hands and side. The disciples are overjoyed when they see the Lord.
Earlier that day the women come back and tell them the tomb is empty and we have seen the Lord! But the news does not seem to make any difference. But now Jesus comes to them. He speaks to them. Is not angry with them. Does not criticize them because they ran away because they hide because they are afraid because they do not believe that he has been raised from death to new life. He speaks peace to them. He shows himself to them. And now the disciples are filled with joy because they have seen Jesus.
Again Jesus says, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me I am sending you. And with that he breathes on them and says, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his (or her) sins they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them they are not forgiven.
There is a sense in which they do not only experience Jesus. They experience the Trinity. The one true God who is at the same time somehow three distinct persons. God the Father. God the Son. God the Holy Spirit. God the Father has sent Jesus who is God the Son. Jesus who is God the Son breathes on his closest friends and says receive God the Holy Spirit. And they are transformed. They become people who are sent. They become people who have the power to forgive.
Now Thomas (called Didymus) one of the Twelve was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples tell him, We have seen the Lord! Notice the language they use. Not Jesus is alive. Which is true. But what they say is, We have seen the Lord.
But he says to them, Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my fingers where the nails were and put my hand into his side I will not believe it.
Thomas has a nickname. Many people today call him Doubting Thomas. What is wrong with him? Why does he not believe true information about Jesus? But why should he? Why does the book of John tell us this story? So that we can point at Thomas and say how glad we are that we are not like him?
A week later they are in the house again and Thomas is with them. The doors are locked. But Jesus comes and stands among them and says to Thomas, Peace be with you! Not hey you Doubting Thomas! Then he says to Thomas, Put your finger here. See my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side.
Jesus meets Thomas. Gives Thomas his presence. This is an encounter with Jesus the Son of God who reveals himself to Thomas. And now Jesus says, Stop doubting and believe.
Thomas says to Jesus what no one else says in the book of John. My Lord and my God!
Because now he knows. Not knows about Jesus. Jesus meets Thomas sees Thomas hears Thomas knows Jesus who by dying has defeated death and lives forever.
Then Jesus tells him, Because you have seen me you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
Thanks a lot. Good for him. Jesus meets the women meets the disciples meet Thomas. They see hear experience Jesus. They move from knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus. What about us?
Who prays truly is a theologian. A true theologian is one who prays.
Clark Carlton is a professor of philosophy in Tennessee. He says that most theology is not truly theology. Most theologians are not truly theologians. Because most theology is words that most theologians think write and say about God. But true theology is when God reveals himself to a human being who knows God personally and shares that knowledge with others. And prayer is the greatest way God meets us who meet God and know God so that we are changed and share that knowledge with others.
When internationals speak in Church of the Nations and share what they have experienced what are the two things we hear the most?
One – they say to this church family you have shown me God. Not just taught me the Bible or taught me about God. You have shown me God.
And second – they often talk about prayer. It is not easy to live in another country with a different language different culture different people so far from home. Can be lonely frightening and stressful. But they pray. And when they pray they feel God who says to them, Peace be with you.
Doubt. See. Hear. Touch. Know. Believe.
