SERMON: "Doubters are Believers"

"DOUBTERS ARE BELIEVERS"
JOHN 20:19-31

HAVE YOU EVER HAD SOMEONE REFER TO YOU AS A "DOUBTING THOMAS" OR HAVE THEM CHALLENGE SOMETHING YOU ARE TELLING ABOUT BY REQUESTING THAT YOU "SHOW ME"? BOTH PHRASES HAVE THEIR ROOTS IN THIS GOSPEL STORY ACCORDING TO JOHN. THE DISCIPLE THOMAS WASN'T GOING TO ACCEPT SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE SAID IT WAS SO.

YEARS AGO I HAD TO MEMORIZE FOR THE GOD AND COUNTRY AWARD ANOTHER PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE WHICH HAD THOMAS AS ONE OF THE KEY PLAYERS. IN JOHN 14 JOHN HAS JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES HAVING ANOTHER ONE OF THEIR SUPPERS. "IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS: IF IT WERE NOT SO ... " - YOU ALL REMEMBER THE STORY?  AND JESUS WENT ON WITH: "AND YOU KNOW THE WAY THAT I AM GOING." THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHEN I APPRECIATE THOMAS - WHEN I SENSE HOW MUCH LIKE THOMAS I AM.

NOBODY ELSE BREATHED A WORD - THOMAS SPEAKS ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US WHO DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS JUST BEEN SAID, "UH, EXCUSE ME, LORD. WOULD YOU GO OVER THAT AGAIN FOR ME? I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS TALK ABOUT YOUR GOING SOMEWHERE. I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND I CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW THE WAY."

IF THOMAS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, HE WASN'T GOING TO PRETEND HE DID. HE WASN'T AFRAID OF APPEARING DUMB. HE HAD NO INKLING THAT HIS QUESTIONING/DOUBTING/CHALLENGING MIGHT REFLECT THE NOTION OF FAITHLESS. HE WASN'T GOING TO ACCEPT SOMETHING AS TRUTH JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE - EVEN PEOPLE HE ADMIRED AND RESPECTED - TOLD HIM IT WAS. "IT MAY BE YOUR TRUTH BUT I'VE GOT TO FIND OUT FOR MYSELF IF IT'S MINE." IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THOUGH THAT HIS PURPOSE FOR DOUBTING WAS NOT TO DENY THE TRUTH OR THE FAITH, BUT TO GROW IN THE FAITH - TO UNDERSTAND IT SO THAT HE COULD CLAIM IT AS HIS OWN.

WELL, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF THE STORY. THERE'S A WHOLE LOT MORE THAT HAPPENS IN THIS STORY LEADING UP TO THOMAS' EXPRESSION OF DOUBT AND FAITH.

SOMETIME BACK, FORMER TALK SHOW HOST JOHNNY CARSON VISITED HARVARD UNIVERSITY TO RECEIVE AN AWARD. AFTER THE CEREMONY HE AGREED TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PRESS. ONE REPORTER ASKED, "WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE INSCRIBED ON YOUR TOMBSTONE?" CARSON THOUGHT FOR JUST A SECOND, THEN HE ANSWERED WITH THE WORDS HE USED BEFORE EVERY COMMERCIAL BREAK ON HIS TELEVISION SHOW. "I'LL BE RIGHT BACK." (1)

JESUS HAD BEEN TRYING TO TELL THE DISCIPLES THAT HIS DEATH WASN'T GOING TO BE THE END OF THE WORLD - THAT HE WAS GOING TO ".. BE RIGHT BACK .. " - BUT THEY NEVER QUITE GOT IT. AND SO ON THE EVENING OF THE SAME DAY - ON THE EVENING OF EASTER SUNDAY - DESPITE WHAT MARY MAGDALENE HAD REPORTED TO THEM ABOUT HER ENCOUNTER WITH THE RISEN JESUS - THE DISCIPLES ARE IN HIDING - THEY ARE BEHIND LOCKED DOORS - PERHAPS THE SHADES ARE EVEN DRAWN - THEY HAVE HEARD THE REPORTS AND THEY ARE AFRAID - THEY FEARED THE HATRED AND HOSTILITY OF THOSE WHO DESTROYED JESUS - EVEN IF THEY BELIEVED MARY'S TESTIMONY, THEY STILL BELIEVED THAT "LYING LOW" WAS THEIR BEST STRATEGY. THEY WERE PROBABLY SPEAKING IN MUFFLED TONES TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OUT OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. EVERY TIME THEY HEARD A NOISE THEY THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE WAS COMING TO TAKE THEM AWAY TO PRISON OR WORSE.

IT REMINDS ME OF A FOOTBALL STORY. PENN STATE AND MIAMI WERE COMPETING FOR THE NATIONAL TITLE IN THE FIESTA BOWL. SOME MAY REMEMBER THAT PENN STATE EKED OUT A 14-10 VICTORY THAT INCLUDED A NAIL-BITING GOAL-LINE STAND IN THE CLOSING MINUTES OF THE GAME.  SOMEHOW, PENN STATE'S STUBBORN DEFENSE MANAGED TO HOLD OFF MIAMI'S TALENTED QUARTERBACK, VINNY TESTAVERDE, ONE LAST TIME TO THWART THE HURRICANES' FINAL DESPERATE EFFORT TO PULL OUT THE VICTORY.

IN THE FRENZIED JUBILATION FOLLOWING THE FINAL GUN, TV CAMERAS ZEROED IN ON VARIOUS PLAYERS, INCLUDING ONE OF PENN STATE'S ALL-AMERICAN LINEBACKERS. HE CREDITED PENN STATE'S HARD-HITTING DEFENSIVE BACKS WITH THE VICTORY. "MIAMI'S RECEIVERS JUST DIDN'T WANT TO CATCH THE BALL," HE SAID. "THEY HEARD FOOTSTEPS ALL NIGHT LONG, AND THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GET HIT." (2)

I GUESS WE COULD SAY THE DISCIPLES WERE HEARING FOOTSTEPS.  THEY WERE FRIGHTENED. BUT THEN, SUDDENLY, OUT OF NOWHERE - DEMONSTRATING THAT HIS RESURRECTED FORM WAS NOT SIMPLY HIS OLD HUMAN BODY REANIMATED - JESUS SUDDENLY APPEARS IN THEIR MIDST - HE STOOD AMONG THEM - AND HE SAID "PEACE BE WITH YOU."

NOW, MY GUESS IS THAT THEIR RESPONSE WAS ANYTHING BUT PEACEFUL - NO ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHERE THEY WERE HIDING - HOW DID JESUS FIND THEM? AND HOW DID HE ENTER WITHOUT USING THE DOOR? THE DISCIPLES WERE ANXIOUS - THEY WERE AFRAID - THEY WERE UNCERTAIN - YET, HERE WAS THE MASTER RIGHT IN THEIR MIDST -  ECHOING HIS WORDS AT THE LAST SUPPER - OFFERING THEM THE GREETING THEY LONGED TO HEAR: "PEACE BE WITH YOU." AND THEN HE SHOWED THEM HIS HANDS AND SIDE - THE PLACES WHERE THEY HAD LET HIM HAVE IT - AND THEY FINALLY KNEW THAT THIS WAS THE MASTER. AND THEY REJOICED BECAUSE NOW THEY TOO BELIEVED THAT THEIR MASTER WAS ALIVE AND THEY NEED NOT FEAR ANYMORE!  

THEIR REJOICING WAS SHORT LIVED HOWEVER, BECAUSE WHEN JESUS AGAIN SAID TO THEM, "PEACE BE WITH YOU" HE ADDED, "AS MY FATHER SENT ME, EVEN SO I SEND YOU." HE WAS COMMISSIONING THEM TO CONTINUE THE WORK THAT HE HAD BEEN DOING. JOHN GOES ON IN HIS ACCOUNT AND TELLS HOW HE BREATHED ON THEM AND SAID, "RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT." "I KNOW THAT WHAT I AM TELLING YOU TO DO WILL TAKE MORE THAN THE PEACE I HAVE OFFERED YOU. HERE THEN IS ALSO THE POWER I PROMISED YOU - THE HOLY SPIRIT." AND HE BREATHED ON THEM - HE UNLEASHED THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO THEIR LIVES. HE ENDS THIS EMPOWERMENT TRAINING SESSION BY TELLING THEM WHAT THIS BEING SENT AND RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT MEANS. "YOU HAVE THE POWER TO FORGIVE SINS."

YOU SEE, THE PURPOSE OF THE RESURRECTION WASN'T JUST TO RELIEVE THEM OF THEIR FEARS OR TO ASSURE THEM OF THEIR ETERNAL LIFE BUT TO EMPOWER THEM FOR THE CONTINUATION OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY - TO SEND THEM INTO THE WORLD TO UNLOCK THE DOORS OF FAITH FOR OTHERS - AND HOW WERE THEY TO DO THAT? - BY FORGIVING SINS - BY LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THERE WAS RELIEF FROM THE GUILT THAT ENSLAVED THEM TO THEIR PAST MISTAKES - FORGIVENESS - IT IS OURS TO HAVE BUT IT IS ALSO OURS TO GIVE. OUR RESURRECTION INSTRUCTIONS ARE THAT WE OUGHT TO BE ABOUT THE TASK OF OFFERING TO GOD'S PEOPLE THE HEALING POWER - THE WORD OF FORGIVENESS.  JESUS IS LIKE A COACH - "NOW GET OUT THERE AND FORGIVE THOSE SINS!"

NOW, THOMAS WAS NOT WITH THEM WHEN ALL THIS REVEALING AND INSTRUCTING WAS TAKING PLACE. WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHERE HE WAS - ONE COMMENTATOR, WITH TONGUE IN CHEEK I'M SURE, SUGGESTED THAT MAYBE HE WAS OUT HAVING A CUP OF COFFEE OR STROLLING THROUGH A NEARBY PARK WATCHING PIGEONS.

THE EXPLANATION I LIKE THE MOST IS THAT THOMAS MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE OF THOSE PERSONS WHO FELT MORE COMFORTABLE DEALING WITH STRESS - WITH DIFFICULTIES - ALONE. ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO REMIND FAMILIES OF DURING THEIR DAYS OF GRIEF IS THAT ALL OF US HANDLE GRIEF DIFFERENTLY. SOME NEED TO BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE, SOME NEED TO CRY MORE TEARS, SOME NEED A TIME OF ANGER, SOME NEED TO LAUGH - BUT SOME NEED TO BE OFF ALONE - AND THAT'S OK TOO. THOMAS COULD HAVE BEEN SUCH A PERSON - HE COULD HAVE BEEN SO BROKEN UP THAT HE COULD NOT FACE THE EYES OF ANYONE ELSE.

NOW, DESPITE WHAT I HAVE JUST SAID, THAT IT IS OK AT TIMES TO SUFFER ALONE - THAT EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO GRIEVE IN THEIR OWN WAY - I DO THINK THERE IS A SPECIAL KIND OF HEALING TAKES PLACE WHEN WE SHARE OUR GRIEF - OUR SORROW - WITH THOSE WE LOVE AND WHO LOVE US. WHEN WE WITHDRAW FROM THE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP WE CUT OURSELVES OFF FROM ONE OF THE PRIMARY SOURCES OF SUPPORT AND THUS HEALING. ONE COMMENTATOR DESCRIBED IT THIS WAY: "WE MISS A GREAT DEAL WHEN WE SEPARATE OURSELVES FROM THE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, AND WHEN WE TRY TO BE ALONE. WHEN SORROW COMES TO US, AND WHEN SADNESS ENVELOPES US, WE OFTEN TEND TO SHUT OURSELVES UP AND REFUSE TO MEET PEOPLE. THAT IS THE VERY TIME WHEN, IN SPITE OF OUR SORROW, WE SHOULD SEEK THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRIST'S PEOPLE, FOR IT IS THERE THAT WE ARE LIKELIEST OF ALL TO MEET HIM FACE TO FACE." (3) FOR WHATEVER REASON, THOMAS WASN'T WITH HIS FRIENDS THAT FIRST EASTER EVENING WHEN JESUS APPEARED AND HE MISSED OUT ON THE HEALING THEIR BEING TOGETHER WITH THE RISEN LORD PROVIDED.

WHEN HE RETURNED THEY ALL TOLD HIM WHAT HE MISSED. ON THE ONE HAND, THEY WEREN'T SURPRISED BY HIS REACTION. "UNLESS JESUS COMES BACK AGAIN AND SHOWS ME THE NAIL MARKS AND LETS ME TOUCH THEM, I'M AFRAID I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU. I THINK YOUR VISION IS THE PRODUCT OF WISHFUL THINKING OR SOME OPTICAL ILLUSION."

ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY HAD TO BE A LITTLE DISCOURAGED THAT EVEN WITH THEIR NEW INSTRUCTIONS AND POWER THEY FAIL AT THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT AT WITNESSING ABOUT THE RISEN CHRIST. THOMAS IS EVEN MORE STUBBORN THAN THEY EXPECTED. SOME SUGGEST THAT HIS RESPONSE IS ACTUALLY EVEN MORE NEGATIVE THAN MOST OF THE TRANSLATIONS PRESENT IT. THEY SUGGEST THE MORE ACCURATE AND ABRASIVE PHRASES MIGHT BE MORE LIKE: FOR "PUT MY FINGER" WE MIGHT WANT TO PICTURE SOMETHING MORE LIKE "JAB". AND WHEN HE INSISTS THAT HE "WILL NOT BELIEVE" - IT ACTUALLY MIGHT HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE EMPHATIC, LIKE - "I WILL NEVER BELIEVE".

NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THIS PASSAGE'S INCLUSION IN OUR HOLY SCRIPTURES IS THAT OUR EARLY GATHERERS OF THE STORIES OF THE FAITH FELT THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT ACCOUNT. I THINK THEY KNEW THAT IN THE FUTURE THERE WOULD BE OTHERS WHO WOULD HAVE DIFFICULTY ACCEPTING THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RESURRECTION AND THEY WANTED TO SAY THAT THAT WAS OK - THAT THERE WAS A PLACE IN THE KINGDOM FOR THOSE WHO STRUGGLED - THOSE WHO NEEDED MORE THAN SOMEONE ELSE'S ACCOUNTING - THOSE WHO DOUBTED. I HAD ONE PROFESSOR PHRASE IT THIS WAY:   "DOUBTS ARE THE ANTS IN THE PANTS OF FAITH." WHAT HE MEANT WAS THAT OUR DOUBTS - OUR QUESTIONS - OUR CHALLENGES HELP KEEP OUR FAITH ALIVE AND MOVING AND VITAL. FAITH IS BELIEVING IN THE MIDST OF OUR DOUBTING. WHEN THE POSSIBILITY OF DOUBT, OF QUESTIONING, OF SEARCHING IS GONE - WE ARE NOT LEFT WITH FAITH BUT WITH THE RISK OF STAGNATION.

THERE'S A MOVEMENT IN SOME RELIGIOUS CIRCLES TO ALLOW A SELECT FEW TO DO THE THINKING FOR THE GROUP. "DON'T GIVE DOUBT ANY ROOM IN YOUR LIFE WHEN IT COMES TO RELIGIOUS MATTERS - DOUBTS ARE THE WORK OF THE DEVIL - LISTEN TO ME." BELIEVING SOMETHING TO BE TRUE JUST BECAUSE GRANDMA RUTH OR AUNT JANE OR REV. MICAH SAYS IT IS SO IS DANGEROUS. THE DANGER OF CULTS, OF TV PREACHERS AND MANY OF THE REST OF US PREACHERS - IS THAT WE THINK OUR ANSWERS SHOULD BE EVERYONE ELSE'S ANSWERS. "THE WAY TO GOD IS FOR YOU TO ACCEPT WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY TO YOU AND LET ME TELL YOU WHAT IT IS GOD IS SAYING. LET ME INTERPRET THE SCRIPTURES FOR YOU." WE NEED TO TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO THINK CRITICALLY - TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES - TO THEOLOGIZE - TO QUESTION - NOT TO BECOME DEVOTEES OF THE LATEST POPULAR BUZZ RELIGIOUS PHENOMENON. THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT WE ALL NEED SOME EARLY GUIDANCE - SOME PARAMETERS OF THE FAITH - BUT WE DO OURSELVES A GREAT DISSERVICE IF WE SPEND MOST OF OUR TIME GIVING PEOPLE ANSWERS AND ASKING THEM TO REGURGITATE THEM RATHER THAN TEACHING THEM TO THINK AND TO SEARCH.

MANY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBERS THAT FUNDAMENTALIST CHURCHES AND PARA CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS AND TV EVANGELISTS DRAW AND THEIR CLAIM THAT IT'S BECAUSE THESE GROUPS ARE RIGHT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE AT ALL. I THINK THEY ARE PROVIDING ANSWERS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TAUGHT HOW TO EXAMINE RELIGIOUS ISSUES. TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE MISREADING CONFIDENCE IN ONE'S BELIEF AS AUTHENTIC FAITH.  AND THAT'S SIMPLY NOT HISTORICALLY TRUE.

DO YOU KNOW WHO THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE PEOPLE ARE TO THE ADVANCES OF THE CULTS? ACCORDING TO JOHNCOOPER, A PROFESSOR AT WINEBRENNER SEMINARY BACK IN THE SEVENTIES AND AUTHOR OF "NOT FOR A MILLION DOLLARS," IT IS THOSE WHO WERE RAISED IN DOGMATIC CHURCHES AND HOMES WHERE THEY WERE TAUGHT (DARE WE IMPLY DOGMATICALLY) WHAT TO BELIEVE. (4) WHAT HAPPENS, ACCORDING TO HIS RESEARCH, IS WHEN THEY GET AWAY FROM PREACHER BOB OR MOM AND DAD AND THEY ARE ASKED WHAT THEY BELIEVE OR SOMEONE CHALLENGES ONE OF THEIR BELIEFS THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR SAY AND SO THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE COMES UP TO THEM AND REASSURES THEM THAT THEY ARE A PART OF A CHRISTIAN GROUP THAT BELIEVES IN THE BIBLE AND THE TRUTH AND OFFERS THEM A LOT OF ANSWERS AND LOVE - THEY ARE HOOKED. THEY HAVE REPLACED ONE DEPENDENT RELATIONSHIP FOR ANOTHER AND THEY THINK THAT THE NARROWER THEY BECOME - THE SAFER THEY ARE - AND THE CLOSER TO THE TRUTH THEY MUST BE.

NOT THOMAS. THOMAS ABSOLUTELY REFUSES TO SAY THAT HE BELIEVES WHEN HE DOES NOT BELIEVE. HE WOULD NEVER SAY THAT HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND. THOMAS WOULD NEVER STILL HIS DOUBTS BY PRETENDING THAT THEY DON'T EXIST. THOMAS WAS NOT THE KIND OF MAN WHO WOULD RATTLE OFF A CREED WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT. TENNYSON ONCE WROTE:
"THERE LIVES MORE FAITH IN HONEST DOUBT,
BELIEVE ME THAN IN HALF THE CREEDS."
THERE IS GREATER POTENTIAL FOR FAITH IN PERSONS WHO INSIST ON BEING SURE THAN IN PERSONS WHO GLIBLY REPEAT THINGS WHICH THEY HAVE NEVER THOUGHT OUT AND WHICH THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER THEY BELIEVE OR NOT.

SO, A WHOLE WEEK GOES BY WITH THOMAS STRUGGLING WITH THE STORIES OF HIS FRIENDS. NOTICE THAT THEY MUST HAVE STAYED IN TOUCH WITH ONE ANOTHER - THEY DIDN'T RUN OFF AND START A NEW CONGREGATION OR AVOID ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE THEY WERE AT DIFFERENT PLACES IN THEIR ACCEPTANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE FAITH. JUST BECAUSE THOMAS DIDN'T BELIEVE EXACTLY AS THEY DID, THE OTHER DISCIPLES DIDN'T EXCLUDE HIM FROM THEIR FELLOWSHIP. RATHER, HE WAS ALLOWED TO VOICE HIS DOUBTS WITHIN THE FAITH COMMUNITY.

AND WHAT HAPPENED? HOW DID JESUS HANDLE THOSE WHO DOUBTED? CAST THEM OUT OF THE CHURCH? CHARGE THEM WITH HERESY? EXCOMMUNICATION? DID HE GIVE UP ON HIM? NO! HE CAME AGAIN AND HE STOOD AMONG THE DISCIPLES AND HE GREETED THEM WITH "PEACE BE WITH YOU".  THEN HE TURNED TO THE DOUBTER AND HE SAID: "THOMAS, PUT YOUR FINGER HERE; SEE MY HANDS. REACH OUT YOUR HAND AND PUT IT INTO MY SIDE. STOP DOUBTING AND BELIEVE."

THOUGH IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED, THERE APPEARS NOT TO BE ANY ATTEMPT ON THOMAS' PART TO TAKE JESUS UP ON HIS INVITATION TO FINGER HIS WOUNDS. INSTEAD, HE PROCLAIMS THIS UNQUALIFIED CONFESSION OF FAITH: "MY LORD AND MY GOD!"

THOMAS CAME TO BELIEF - TO FAITH - THROUGH HIS DOUBTS. FAITH AND DOUBTS ARE NOT OPPOSITES - BUT DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE SAME COIN OF BELIEF. CHRIST INVITED THOMAS TO HAVE THE VERY EXPERIENCE WHICH IN HIS DOUBT HE DEMANDED. THOMAS' DOUBTS PREPARED THE WAY FOR HIS RECOGNITION THAT JESUS IS GOD. BUT JOHN PUSHES US EVEN FURTHER BY SPEAKING OF THE BLESSEDNESS OF FAITH WITHOUT SEEING.

 PRAYER:  O LORD OF US ALL, WE KNOW WE ARE RELATED TO THOMAS - THANK YOU FOR GIVING US SPACE TO GROW. USE OUR QUESTIONS LORD TO STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH. REVEAL UNTO US THAT WHICH WE NEED TO BELIEVE YOU ARE RISEN FOR US. AMEN.


1. King Duncan, "Unlocking the Doors," sermons.com.
2. Being the Best, (New York: Pocket Books, 1987). p. 157.
3. William Barclay, The New Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of John, Volume Two (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 2001), ebooks.
4.. John Cooper, Not For a Million Dollars (Impact Books, 1980).