Sermon Index
April 28, 2019, Easter 2C
Gospel Lesson: John 20:19–31 [Peace and Faith] (This year during the Easter Season, the Gospel Reading for each Sunday will be from the Gospel of John.)On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
L: This is the Gospel of our Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
I have been a Christian all my life. At least since I was three weeks old when I was baptized. I have always believed that Jesus was my Savior. I have never doubted the death and resurrection of Jesus. This was the faith taught to me by my family, my church, Sunday school, college and seminary. There were serious challenges and debates, but my faith was made stronger and even more sure.
And so I am not really like St. Thomas who doubted the report of the disciples. He needed to see with his own eyes and touch with his own hands the risen Christ. I did not need to see proofs. I did not need to see the nail marks in hands of Jesus or put my hand into his side. I just believed.
Not everyone is like that. Most people are like Thomas. It is hard to believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus without some physical evidence: like death marks. This is probably the greatest obstacles to evangelism. People want proof of the existence of God and then proof of the resurrection. But Jesus does not appear to us now as he did to Thomas and the disciples.
There may be other things. Some people want to see a miracle or receive healing or feel a warm glow in their heart or speak in tongues. Those things are nice and can strengthen a person’s faith, but I have never felt the need for that. Maybe it is because I do not trust my own human feelings or trust miracles or other signs. I have always been content with that blessing that Jesus spoke of: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Seeing is not believing because sinful hearts refuse to believe what they do not want to believe. There could be a thousand miracles and signs, but it takes faith to recognize something as being a miracle and not just a coincidence or natural healing.
Now as a Christian pastor, I know that it is hard for people to believe the Gospel of the Resurrection. Even ordinary believing Christians want to make sure. The only thing that I can do as a Christian pastor is to proclaim the message that we have heard, that Christ has risen from the dead. I can proclaim what that means. It means that our sins are forgiven by the death of Jesus on the cross and that eternal life is promised to those who believe in Jesus as their Savior. That proclamation creates faith. Because the Word of God creates faith. Because the Holy Spirit works by means of Word and Sacrament to create faith.
This is how Martin Luther explained the work of the Holy Spirit and faith in the explanation of the Third Article of the Apostles Creed in the Small Catechism
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I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true. |
In other words, it is humanly impossible to believe in Jesus Christ, but the Holy Spirit has called me and kept me in the one true faith. This is the work of the Holy Spirit for the whole Christian church on earth. He forgives our sins and will raise us from the dead and give us eternal life.
Some people want to see a miracle. The greatest miracle, I think, is the miracle of faith. How else could I or anyone ever believe that Jesus rose from the dead 2000 years ago? Therefore faith is a miracle. That is the greatest miracle that God has worked in my life.
Thomas said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
This is the special blessing that Jesus has given us. This is most certainly true.
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church