Christ Episcopal Church
Cleveland, NC
RCL Year B (Easter 2) - April 19, 2009
Acts 4:32-35
Psalm 133
1 John 1:1-2:2
John 20:19-31
We live in a time where it is completely normal and desirable to be absolutely sure of everything. In our culture and our world, it is hard to understand how we can actually believe in something without “proof!” In our time, there are people out there every second of every day trying to gather “proof.” “Proof” through the “facts” that they can find. “Proof” before they believe in ANYTHING.
Some folks act like those Crime Scene Investigators, that we see on the popular television shows, as they gather evidence needed to solve a crime. It seems that they are out there to “prove” or “disprove” the existence of everything. Like forcing the pieces to fit in some gigantic puzzle.
I will admit - when I was in High School, one of my favorite courses was Geometry. This is where I actually got to “prove” things like, a triangle was not a square, because it met a certain criteria. We can “prove” so much with our God-given minds – Why not prove God? Why not prove Jesus? Wouldn’t that make our lives much easier… to know all of the answers to all of the questions??? Or would it??
This notion of “proof” that plagues our culture has even trickled down to a young person I met recently. You have probably met someone like him. A bright sharply dressed young man “on fire” to do the work of the Lord Jesus in the world. Knowing that I was a priest (the outfit made it obvious), he proceeded to come up to me and ask me, “are you saved?” I thought he was just messing with me, but he seemed very serious, and very convicted. So, instead of giving him my usual stupid “sarcastic” reply, “saved from what?” I looked him in the eye with confidence and said, “yes, as a matter of fact, I am...”
Then he his other question came. “How do you know?” “Prove it!” This completely blew me away. This guy didn’t know me at all and he wanted me to “prove” to him that I knew something about salvation and forgiveness. The funny part about this is that I could have engaged him in a riveting theological discussion about the economic trinity and God’s revelation to God’s people by God’s work throughout salvation history. Did he forget that I went to seminary for three years, and I am an educated priest? But I didn’t do all that. I just stood there mesmerized.
I think that the most frustrating thing for me was this young man was completely “certain” that I should somehow be able to “prove it!” I thought to myself, where was the faith in that? Where are the questions? Where is the mystery?
I have been taught through my life that the opposite of faith is not doubt, it’s certainty. That in order to have faith, one must be willing to live with some mystery. Now. I guess that I could have gone out and started a quest to find archeological “proof” of the historic Jesus, like so many folks have before me. And I could have used my inquisitive mind to act like one of those Crime Scene Investigator and search for the facts to somehow prove my faith. But would that actually help me believe?
I would like to suggest that “maybe” in our time, it is harder for us to take things on faith because we are so incredibly good at finding that “tangible” or at least the “scientific” proof for so many things. So much to the point that it is extremely sad that when science offers us something different than what we have believed for centuries. Our beliefs are so based on what we think are facts that they are somehow shattered.
I have heard some people argue that “science says it has proven that humans have evolved from a lower life form. Then you hear the other side, but, I am a Christian, therefore, I can’t believe that – it contradicts what I read in the Bible.”
Galileo Galilei – a devout Christian, and excellent theologian – a man considered to be the father of modern physics had an argument with the Church because he introduced the idea of a Solar system in 1609 – which is a “heliocentric” or “sun-centered” system that the “planets” revolved around.
Then, the Church’s interpretation of the bible supported an Earth centered universe. The Church immediately convicted him of heresy and sentenced him to life in prison in a tower. But now, it has been “proven” and it is readily accepted, and now, we interpret the context of scripture much differently.
I am here to tell you this morning that I don't believe the opposite of belief is doubt. So, if what I believe is based on faith, and the opposite of faith is certainty, where does that put doubt? Just because you believe, doesn’t mean you can’t doubt. I believe that doubt is related to belief and engaged in a type of wrestling back and forth, struggling with the questions of faith.
For me, I think that I would rather spend time with someone who really wrestles with the questions, than someone who says they are a true believer, and thinks that they have all the answers, but their life doesn't reflect the faith they talk about.
Someone who really wrestles with the questions has a lot more in common with the apostles, and a lot more in common with you and with me in our tradition of scripture, tradition, and reason.
Doubt is not a bad thing. Doubt can lead us to faith.
In the Gospel lesson this morning, Thomas didn't get to see the resurrected Jesus at first. He didn't have the faith that the other disciples did after they saw Jesus because Thomas was somewhere else.
Regardless of how much the disciples that were gathered in that upper room testified to Thomas that they had seen the risen Christ. Thomas still had his reservations. He said, “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!”
It is important for us to notice in the story that Thomas is engaged in his doubts. He came forth, he asked to be able to see. he wanted to believe!
A week later the risen Jesus appears to them again. This time Thomas is with them! Jesus tells Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe!”
And don't we want to believe like that? Of Course We Do!
Especially on those days when the story of the resurrection seems a bit beyond our grasp. We want to believe, we want to come forth, we want to ask to be able to see the wounds, and we want to invest our lives and our souls in something tangible. We want to be able the make the proclamation that Thomas made, “My Lord and My God!”
Because what happened to Thomas works for us. We are a society that needs that kind of “proof.” Then Jesus throws a twist in Thomas’ new found faith... faith that is based on “tangible” evidence! Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
We have not seen, but yet we believe. We may doubt sometimes, but we are here and we believe!
For centuries, this Sunday (The Second Sunday of Easter) has been called “Low Sunday.” This is done mainly to point out that sharp contrast between this Sunday and all of the “High Holy Day” festivities of Easter. In fact, I think that the folks who go to church on the Sunday after Easter understand this lesson more than anyone else.
You are here because you understand that the resurrection of Jesus and Easter is not just some pleasant springtime tradition to observe with Bunny ears, colored eggs, marshmallow chicks, and candy for the children. You are here because the resurrected Christ has invited you to share a meal, exercise your faith and be nourished and you have come back for this meal again today.
There is the faith!
You're acting out your beliefs. You're acting out your faith that has been handed down through those who have been willing to take action and proclaim the resurrection.
We are all called as Christians to live into our faith. The action of living into our faith strengthens our faith and helps diminish our doubts. Faith is not some obscure mental act. It is not something we have to fabricate in our heads. It is the state of “being” possessed by the love of God. We act on it by telling others, so that they, too, can enter that state of “being” possessed by the love of God.
This is what I believe! Doubt is not a bad thing…
Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? Do you believe that he rose from the dead? Do you believe in life everlasting?
Let US all be able to proclaim, My Lord and My God! So that we can Gracefully accept our gift of the resurrection of Christ. And we can Gracefully accept our gift of life everlasting with our God. And when we are like the beloved Apostle, St. Thomas, and are filled with doubts, let us ask for God to fill us with the power that we need to profess the faith. So that, while we are strengthening our own faith, we are also passing it on.
Some folks act like those Crime Scene Investigators, that we see on the popular television shows, as they gather evidence needed to solve a crime. It seems that they are out there to “prove” or “disprove” the existence of everything. Like forcing the pieces to fit in some gigantic puzzle.
I will admit - when I was in High School, one of my favorite courses was Geometry. This is where I actually got to “prove” things like, a triangle was not a square, because it met a certain criteria. We can “prove” so much with our God-given minds – Why not prove God? Why not prove Jesus? Wouldn’t that make our lives much easier… to know all of the answers to all of the questions??? Or would it??
This notion of “proof” that plagues our culture has even trickled down to a young person I met recently. You have probably met someone like him. A bright sharply dressed young man “on fire” to do the work of the Lord Jesus in the world. Knowing that I was a priest (the outfit made it obvious), he proceeded to come up to me and ask me, “are you saved?” I thought he was just messing with me, but he seemed very serious, and very convicted. So, instead of giving him my usual stupid “sarcastic” reply, “saved from what?” I looked him in the eye with confidence and said, “yes, as a matter of fact, I am...”
Then he his other question came. “How do you know?” “Prove it!” This completely blew me away. This guy didn’t know me at all and he wanted me to “prove” to him that I knew something about salvation and forgiveness. The funny part about this is that I could have engaged him in a riveting theological discussion about the economic trinity and God’s revelation to God’s people by God’s work throughout salvation history. Did he forget that I went to seminary for three years, and I am an educated priest? But I didn’t do all that. I just stood there mesmerized.
I think that the most frustrating thing for me was this young man was completely “certain” that I should somehow be able to “prove it!” I thought to myself, where was the faith in that? Where are the questions? Where is the mystery?
I have been taught through my life that the opposite of faith is not doubt, it’s certainty. That in order to have faith, one must be willing to live with some mystery. Now. I guess that I could have gone out and started a quest to find archeological “proof” of the historic Jesus, like so many folks have before me. And I could have used my inquisitive mind to act like one of those Crime Scene Investigator and search for the facts to somehow prove my faith. But would that actually help me believe?
I would like to suggest that “maybe” in our time, it is harder for us to take things on faith because we are so incredibly good at finding that “tangible” or at least the “scientific” proof for so many things. So much to the point that it is extremely sad that when science offers us something different than what we have believed for centuries. Our beliefs are so based on what we think are facts that they are somehow shattered.
I have heard some people argue that “science says it has proven that humans have evolved from a lower life form. Then you hear the other side, but, I am a Christian, therefore, I can’t believe that – it contradicts what I read in the Bible.”
Galileo Galilei – a devout Christian, and excellent theologian – a man considered to be the father of modern physics had an argument with the Church because he introduced the idea of a Solar system in 1609 – which is a “heliocentric” or “sun-centered” system that the “planets” revolved around.
Then, the Church’s interpretation of the bible supported an Earth centered universe. The Church immediately convicted him of heresy and sentenced him to life in prison in a tower. But now, it has been “proven” and it is readily accepted, and now, we interpret the context of scripture much differently.
I am here to tell you this morning that I don't believe the opposite of belief is doubt. So, if what I believe is based on faith, and the opposite of faith is certainty, where does that put doubt? Just because you believe, doesn’t mean you can’t doubt. I believe that doubt is related to belief and engaged in a type of wrestling back and forth, struggling with the questions of faith.
For me, I think that I would rather spend time with someone who really wrestles with the questions, than someone who says they are a true believer, and thinks that they have all the answers, but their life doesn't reflect the faith they talk about.
Someone who really wrestles with the questions has a lot more in common with the apostles, and a lot more in common with you and with me in our tradition of scripture, tradition, and reason.
Doubt is not a bad thing. Doubt can lead us to faith.
In the Gospel lesson this morning, Thomas didn't get to see the resurrected Jesus at first. He didn't have the faith that the other disciples did after they saw Jesus because Thomas was somewhere else.
Regardless of how much the disciples that were gathered in that upper room testified to Thomas that they had seen the risen Christ. Thomas still had his reservations. He said, “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!”
It is important for us to notice in the story that Thomas is engaged in his doubts. He came forth, he asked to be able to see. he wanted to believe!
A week later the risen Jesus appears to them again. This time Thomas is with them! Jesus tells Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe!”
And don't we want to believe like that? Of Course We Do!
Especially on those days when the story of the resurrection seems a bit beyond our grasp. We want to believe, we want to come forth, we want to ask to be able to see the wounds, and we want to invest our lives and our souls in something tangible. We want to be able the make the proclamation that Thomas made, “My Lord and My God!”
Because what happened to Thomas works for us. We are a society that needs that kind of “proof.” Then Jesus throws a twist in Thomas’ new found faith... faith that is based on “tangible” evidence! Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
We have not seen, but yet we believe. We may doubt sometimes, but we are here and we believe!
For centuries, this Sunday (The Second Sunday of Easter) has been called “Low Sunday.” This is done mainly to point out that sharp contrast between this Sunday and all of the “High Holy Day” festivities of Easter. In fact, I think that the folks who go to church on the Sunday after Easter understand this lesson more than anyone else.
You are here because you understand that the resurrection of Jesus and Easter is not just some pleasant springtime tradition to observe with Bunny ears, colored eggs, marshmallow chicks, and candy for the children. You are here because the resurrected Christ has invited you to share a meal, exercise your faith and be nourished and you have come back for this meal again today.
There is the faith!
You're acting out your beliefs. You're acting out your faith that has been handed down through those who have been willing to take action and proclaim the resurrection.
We are all called as Christians to live into our faith. The action of living into our faith strengthens our faith and helps diminish our doubts. Faith is not some obscure mental act. It is not something we have to fabricate in our heads. It is the state of “being” possessed by the love of God. We act on it by telling others, so that they, too, can enter that state of “being” possessed by the love of God.
This is what I believe! Doubt is not a bad thing…
Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? Do you believe that he rose from the dead? Do you believe in life everlasting?
Let US all be able to proclaim, My Lord and My God! So that we can Gracefully accept our gift of the resurrection of Christ. And we can Gracefully accept our gift of life everlasting with our God. And when we are like the beloved Apostle, St. Thomas, and are filled with doubts, let us ask for God to fill us with the power that we need to profess the faith. So that, while we are strengthening our own faith, we are also passing it on.
