“You're
not gonna believe this…”
a condensed version of the
sermon delivered by Kyle Tade at 1st Presbyterian Church of St.
Anne, IL on March 30th, 2008.
Scriptures: Psalm 16:1-11 & John 20:19-31
Good Morning, and what a beautiful morning it is; regardless of what the weather is like outside. This truly is indeed a day that the Lord has made. I greet you all with much gratitude for this invitation to visit with you this morning. I ask now as an invocation, may the words of my mouth be a worthy offering unto God.
So, to begin; have you ever heard a story that is soooo outrageously ludicrous that there was no way, even for a split second you would entertain even the tiniest thought of believing it? Not even a glimmer of hope that it would in all possibility have happened because it logically, physically, mentally, emotionally and whatever ‘ly didn’t make sense?
Here’s a story for you… A child is born to a "virgin" mother, impregnated not by anyone but God as in THE God, she names him, for the sake of our purposes, we shall say "Jesus" because that’s what an angel told her to do, raises him in humble means with his surrogate father Joseph, but then "Jesus" realizes with the descending of the Holy Spirit upon him around the age of 30 (depending on which Gospel) has these superhuman powers who performs miracles like turning water to wine, curing the blind and even raising a man from the dead, only to know his destiny is to die at the very hands of those he was trying to save all the while teaching about the Glory of God who is He, but also his father…question mark much? He dies (the fact that he is even able to die is beyond me), resurrects, and not only appears to, but talks to his disciples, allowing them to touch the mortal wounds which caused him so much pain and do not even hurt now; only to ascend to heaven to sit at the right hand of God until He is called to return again.
How logical does that sound?
Have you ever thought about that? Tried to digest it all? Because if you’ve figured it out, please, see me after church because I’d really like to understand the entire ordeal a bit more.
The Gospel gives us such a rich account of the resurrection of Christ and his appearance to His disciples, it’s as though we are transported back to those days. The scripture for today I feel is one of the most intimate and honest perspectives we have to the resurrection and the calling of the apostles. Thomas, does not deny Christ, like Peter does three times just a time before this. Thomas believes that if Christ were truly resurrected that he should be able to see him, so that he may "put [his] finger in the mark of the nails and [his] hand in his side", otherwise "he cannot believe". Otherwise, "he cannot believe". He remains skeptical, an honest reaction as all of Christ’s followers believed the world had ended as soon as Christ took His last breath. Christ had told them what was to come and what to expect. Though the other disciples knew right away, Thomas had been absent and clearly thought that if Christ truly had risen, he needed to see this for himself.
This story reminds me kind of the phrase seeing is believing, huh? Thomas needed to see Christ. Clearly we are not in a time where we can do that. We cannot see Christ physically standing in this room before us, to see the holes in his hands and feet where he’d been nailed to the cross or to see the wounds in his side where he hand be stabbed with the spear. We often feel like Thomas, only trapped because we do not have that same access to Christ after the resurrection. So, what do we do? How do we still function as a Christian community even though none of us were there to witness the crucifixion? I think in the entire Christian tradition asks that same question of itself. But then again, I think every religious tradition shares that same question. How do we go on, though we cannot physically see the origins of our faith or talk to, or touch?
I can share with you a bit of personal story as to why I believe. I was about a sophomore in high school, either the summer before or the summer after, it slips me on which. I went to a conference meeting for the Illinois conference of the United Church of Christ (which would be similar to a gathering of the Presbyteries in Illinois), and the meeting opened up with a very contemporary worship and I emphasize the very contemporary worship. As I grew up in a somewhat, okay rather stuffy congregation where everything followed the same strict pattern that everyone knew, not that there’s anything wrong with that, I’m totally for it.
But for me a 9 piece band and a giant projector screen with the words is a bit overwhelming. To set the stage, the room was fairly dim with really only the projector and the band lamps lit. There were people putting there hands up in the air and shutting their eyes and I kind of looked at them funny because I felt so out of place. So it took a moment to get adjusted. Then it happened.
I was singing along, my hands which had been out (copy catting the others), palms up, just at an elbows length away from my body and Whoa, Hold the phone, they shot up in the air, my eyes shut and they were not opening. My lips stopped moving and I swayed a bit. The room was dimly lit and my eyelids completely lit up as I was at once conquered and completely overwhelmed by this tidal wave of calm that had just washed over my body. I teared up a bit. Another instant passed and I felt something strange, yet so incredibly familiar. It was as though someone was standing right next to me with their hand on my shoulder telling me that things were going to be okay and that this was were I was meant to be.
From that point on, I questioned even more, and I doubted even more, and I believed even more. Because I felt I had to. Thomas needed his affirmation by sight and by touch and I totally understand that. Heck, if I were with the apostles when Christ came to them, I probably would have been Thomas. Because it would seem too incredible to have believed right off the bat.
It seems as though it makes it easier to believe; seeing that is. But what I’m trying to say is that it’s not the only way. It’s not the only way to believe.
I can’t tell you how many times I have "seen" Christ, not necessarily in the flesh, nor really ever in the flesh for that matter. However, I have seen the physical embodiment of the power and the love of Christ demonstrated through and towards other people. Christ is love, Christ is joy, Christ is comfort. Christ is ever-changing, and everlasting, and so are we, and so can we be and so will we be.
And that’s the beauty of it all. We are at a point in time where we do not need to see Christ himself, as the "in the flesh" person sitting in the pew next to us, to believe that He is with us. Just look around! Take a moment, look at one another. See the Christ in your neighbor, in your friend, even in your enemy! He’s there, and he’s beautiful, and strong, and powerful, and loving, and joyous, and ever-changing, and ever-lasting.
Trust in the Lord, Your God for all of your days. Though you may not see the risen Christ, you can see the Christ risen in others. May you know that, and may you understand that to react as Thomas is to be honest to yourself, and to God. But may you know the Christ in one another, so you don’t have to. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I say to you amen and amen.