Sermon Index
April 19, 2020. The Second Sunday of Easter. The old name of this Sunday was Quasimotogeniti, "As Newborn Babes"
John 20:19–31On 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.
Thomas said, “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.”
Then Jesus came. Thomas could see Jesus and was permitted to touch him, and then Thomas belived. “My Lord and my God!”
Thomas believed in Jesus after seeing and touching the wounds of Jesus.
Jesus believed in Thomas and so saw and touched the wounds of Thomas.
To believe something is different than knowledge. To believe means that your knowledge changes your actions. I believe the weather forecast and so I take my umbrella. I believe you so I take your advice. I believe in a cause and so I join the movement and make a donation. I believe in the Gospel and so I live as a Christian. When you believe in a person, you support that person.
When I say that Jesus believed in Thomas, I mean that Jesus knew the heart of Thomas and so he felt that Thomas was important. It was love for Thomas that Jesus came into that locked room and showed Himself to him. Jesus saw the wounds of Thomas: he saw his doubts and fear and stubbornness. And Jesus touched those wounds and healed him. Thomas became a missionary and proclaimed his faith as far east as India.
John 3:16, “God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son.” This was a love that thought that the people of the world were important. Like belief, this love put knowledge into action. God saw the wounds of the people of this world. He saw the doubts and fear and stubbornness of Thomas and of all people. He saw the wounds of disease and injury and poverty and oppression and suffering. He saw the wounds of the heart: the hate and failures and loneliness and unbelief. And so God sent Jesus. Jesus took upon himself our wounds: not just our sin, but the consequences of that sin, the death and the woe.
And so, when we see the wounds of Jesus, his hands and side, we can see our own wounds. In the hands of Jesus we can see our weakness and pain and doubt. It is proof that he died on the cross for us. It is proof of his love. It is proof that he thinks we are valuable and important to him. It shows that he believes in us. So we know that we have a purpose in life. Jesus supports us. And so our wounds are healed. Our sin is forgiven. We live our lives in the confession of Thomas, “My Lord and my God.”
Those wounds of Jesus are for the whole world. And so in our prayers we add more burdens onto those almighty hands.
Let us pray. God Almighty, have mercy on this world: and especially at this time on those suffering from the New Corona Virus directly and indirectly. We pray for a cure and a vaccine, for the strength and protection of those who take care of the sick, for comfort to those who are dying and to those who are grieving, and for the patience and diligence of those who are not infected. Lord, send your Holy Spirit in our time of need. Lord, have mercy. Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church