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Monday, April 24, 2006
Easter For Doubters
Psalm 133; John 20:19-31
We call him "Doubting Thomas," but there was a lot more than that going on inside the man. I think Thomas was an utter realist, unwilling to base his faith on nice ideas that have nothing to do with the real world.
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The disciple Thomas missed all the action that first Easter Sunday.
At dinner time, after all the day's excitement, Jesus' disciples were in a locked room, hidden away for their lives. Who wouldn't be?
I mean, all they had to go on was an empty tomb and the word of what they thought were some hysterical women. (Don't get me started.) How could they be sure Jesus was really alive again? Life doesn't work that way!
Seeing what the powers that be had done to Jesus, they figured enough more crosses could be found -- or patched together -- for each of them to hang on. So there they cowered, waiting to see what would happen next.
And then -- Shazam! -- right there with them stood Jesus. Complete with nail holes in his hands and a spear wound in his side.
What a celebration they must have had. Then he was gone again.
Next thing you know, Thomas gave the secret knock on the door. When he heard what had happened, he said, "No way! I won't believe it until I can see for myself and even stick my fingers in his wounds."
Talk about your realism. This guy was no pushover for pie in the sky religion.
I wonder where Thomas had disappeared to. What did he find to do, and where, and why?
Well, what do you do when your life takes a hard hit by surprise?
Some people crawl into bed and try to sleep their troubles away. Some go shopping. Or fishing. They do something familiar, comfortable, and safe. So maybe Thomas got in his pickup truck and made a run to the dump. Whatever it was, he bought some time.
And his time came the next Sunday night.
They all were huddled in that upper room again, Thomas with them this time. And sure enough, Jesus showed up like before. An encore performance for Thomas' sake.
"Go ahead, feel my wounds," he said. Instead, Thomas fell to his knees and worshiped his risen Lord. Seeing was believing. No touching required.
I'm so glad this story got into the Bible.
Because I have my moments (long ones, sometimes) when I'm not so sure how to compute a new idea or experience into my understanding of God's way with the world. Maybe you do too. If so, we're in the best of company.
Notice what Thomas did with his doubts. Unlike many of us, he refused to retreat. He wasn't interested in protecting himself from possible criticism, correction, or exclusion. Instead, he took his questions to church.
And that's where he got the answers he needed to know. He was welcomed not just by the other disciples, but by the living Christ as well. That's what any church worth its salt is all about.
Frederick Buechner says that doubts are not the opposite of faith, or its enemies, but its "ants in the pants.... They keep it awake and moving." (Wishful Thinking)
Maybe the church should be called Squirmers Anonymous.
posted by Jack Buckley at
11:31 AM
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