Thomas and Us.

CEaster2 13

Acts 5:27–32 

Psalm 150 (Alternate) 

Revelation 1:4–8 John 20:19–31

Grace, Peace and Amazement are yours by Jesus Christ, the Risen One.

Puffy eyes, wake up dreaming about the worries of the night before, exhaustion from the sobs, the flood of emotion that racked my body… overwhelming

standing in a line to buy bread and suddenly  the voice of the merchant is too grating or the thing someone is buying in front of me reminds me of who I’ve lost, and I leave the my items behind and head for the door before my tears betray me

waves of memories, moments I wish I could relive, moments I wish I could re-do, guilt next to laughter, bright, shiny memories next to painful ones,

the injustice leaves me angry, the blaming leaves me exhausted,

time moves slowly when I want it to move quickly and races rapidly by when I cling to the fleeting moments

regrets I never knew you had, or never guessed would pop up, take on a life of their own, loom like they are ultimate failures

…and now they tell me they’ve seen him alive.  They tell me Jesus lives.  Impossible!  I can’t bring myself to believe that… I feel so betrayed… he just left us.  Got himself killed on that cross.  I don’t trust him anymore.  We thought he was God.

What might it have been like to be one of the disciples after Jesus died?  In John’s version of the story, every time we hear about the disciples after Jesus dies it isn’t just the inner circle of 11, it’s just “disciples”  those who were with him… those who heard his stories and trusted his teachings… those who believed he was bringing in a new kingdom.  Like you and me.  Just regular disciples of Jesus. 

And those disciples are the ones Jesus breathes on.  The ones who receive the Spirit and become Christ’s new body in the world.  Christ’s body, the church.  That’s you and me. 

Just like Thomas and the disciples, we live in the in-between times.  We live knowing Christ has died and that death is still a part of life.  AND we live knowing that resurrection is a reality.  Even when we do not always know how that looks for us. 

In fact, like Christ’s first body, we are undergoing a death and resurrection.  I’m sure you’ve heard the bad news.  The church is dying. 

The Pew Research Center put out new results on the “nones” last October. That is, n-o-n-e-s.  Those who do not claim a religion of any kind when asked.  It probably won’t surprise you that one in five US citizens now check the “none” box.  And those same people aren’t looking for a religion, for the most part.  But, interestingly, most of them believe in God and sense some sort of spirituality.  But the thing I think is most compelling for our dying church was stated by my colleague, Keith Anderson, “There are plenty of takeaways from the report, but it is clear that there are simply fewer and fewer people with whom the church has a traditional, historic affinity - people who might attend a church out of expectation, obligation, or habit, be it for familial, ethnic, or cultural reasons.”  (http://pastorkeithanderson.net/item/the-rise-of-the-nones-and-my-trip-to-asheville)  

The church is dying.  Yes, dying.  The church we know has been laid in a grave.  The church that dispenses religious goods and services.  The church that feeds us. The church where our needs are met through quality programs and where our children go to be taught by the professionals.  The church who has a long history.  That church is on its last leg. 

But! A new church is arising.  Just like Jesus, this church is just the same body of Christ and yet might feel unrecognizable if we are looking for the old body.  This church is a body that is sent on a mission.  This church gathers in community for worship.  This church learns from one another and from the outside world, even when they are not “in church.” 

Nothing I am describing is a judgment of good or bad on the old or new church.  It just is.  These are observations that lots and lots of people are making- people a lot smarter than me.  But you and I can see it too, right?

The reason I bring up this uncomfortable truth today is because the reality of such a death-to-life transition is painfully obvious in today’s gospel.  The disciples are all in that moment.  I mean, it’s Easter!  Jesus Lives!  And they know it… or do they?  They’ve been told anyway, the women and Peter have seen the empty tomb.  Yet, here are the disciples.  Confused, alone, probably anguished – at least, it sure sounds like Thomas is.  The disciples have locked themselves up for fear of death. 

And then Jesus walks into the room – disregarding the locked doors.  Jesus appears with a word of Peace.  And a word of Purpose. 

My brothers and sisters, You are called to be OUT THERE, Jesus says.  They need to know!  They need to know that your God – the Father- THE God. Has overcome all fears, all wounds, all limitations.  For Them! For You have I died and For You have I overcome death.  So that you cannot be held captive by locks and chains.  So stop locking yourselves up!

This is the time.   You are freed.  Trust your freedom.  My Spirit is with you.  Trust my Spirit.  Trust in the One who Loved you enough to die for you… and to overcome death for you.  You saw me die, now you see me live.  Blessed are those who trust even when they do not see.

We have received the Spirit.  And now we have to figure out what to do next. 

And that makes us part of the new church that is being born. 

The church who experiments together, who worships in ways that engage our creativity and bring our lives “our there” “in here” and back out again. For Holy week, this church blew confetti into the air!  Maybe next we’ll make a mural together or create a stations of the cross that invites us to open our eyes to the Easter Story in a whole new way… I’m thinking glow sticks as “fire”.  Maybe next we’ll have a cross-generational Sunday School session where all our people – from grandpas and grandmas to little beepers – learn together and teach each other to trust in God.  We’ll hold up the baptismal promises made today by Jake’s family and welcome him and all the babies to teach us what trust looks like.  Next we’ll get Fit to Serve! Offering our very bodies as a whole body of Christ to our community… we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the broken, love the difficult; Be present –for each other and in our community.  All of this is grounded in our sacramental worship – living into what we are made when we eat the Word every week…  the words, the body and the blood of Christ.

We are the church that welcomes all to faith and life in Jesus Christ.

We are called to go into the culture and be able to live out our faith there, to talk about our faith out there beyond the locked doors, to realize there really is no “out there” the body of Christ is everywhere.

So when someone says, “I will not trust until I see Christ’s own body,” we offer our hands…  In trust that the Spirit has been breathed into us whether we are in the midst of grief and confusion or pure, unadulterated, Resurrection joy.

Hand-trembling joy.  I wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch…to hold him in my arms.

Paralyzed, wide-eyed, by the rush of love that rolls over me… my love for him reaches out…yet  even before my hand twitches to move…even more his love is surrounding me, warmth easing over my heart until I realize my whole body is embraced by the light that emanates from him.  My heart feels like it will burst with the awe of the moment…and the pure truth of the matter, the “rightness” of it clears my eyes.

I can feel peace down to my toes, down to the darkest places of my heart, in that moment there is no darkness, only peace.  Peace replacing every anxiety, every doubt, every pain.  Peace as deep as the best sleep you’ve ever had.   

I touch his hands, hear him speaking… but I barely comprehend the words.  My thoughts are filled with just one, exploding phrase “He is alive!” 

Christ is risen!  Alleluia!  (response)

Jesus is alive! Alleluia! (response)

Jesus LIVES!  Alleluia! (response)

Amen.