Exonerating Thomas
Text: John 20:19-31
By: Rev. Terry Carty
Date: 4-15-12
Place: Kingston Springs United Methodist Church
Season: Second Sunday of Easter.
Main Point: Thomas was no more doubting than the rest. Perhaps his experience is normative and Christ shows us what we need to believe.
Today I want to try to redeem Thomas from the label history has given him. This one story has branded him “Doubting Thomas” for all time. His name has become associated with those who refuse to accept the word of others and also sometimes those who refuse to accept full evidence of a truth.
If we can clear that image from our minds about Thomas, we might be able to see some important details in this resurrection sighting.
First, let’s take a look at the other ten disciples. Even though Mary has brought them news that Jesus is risen, they were still huddling behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. Where was Thomas while the others were huddling in fear? We might draw the conclusion that Thomas may actually have been a bit braver than the other ten.
I was at St Thomas Hospital the day they dedicated the painting of the disciple Thomas by a popular artist of our time. I was stricken with the strength portrayed in his painting. I did not see the doubt that is so commonly associated with him.
So Thomas was simply not there when Jesus visited the first time. The story in John is the individual version of what the other ten went through as a group. If we heard the story from one of the other individuals, we would have heard a similar story of the risen Christ breaking through fear and doubt and bringing faith instead.
As we dispel the ‘Doubting Thomas’ image, we might as well reconsider thinking of doubt as sin. Look at the passage again. Jesus doesn’t reprimand Thomas for his lack of faith. Instead he readily provides the proof that Thomas has proclaimed that he needs. Jesus understands his doubt and simply shows him.
Jesus understands our doubt and does not count it as sin. While we have heard that Christ is risen indeed, it is sometimes very difficult to fathom what that means.
I remember when I pastored a little church in Sumner County. Our daughter was about three. There was a picture hanging in one of the Sunday School rooms that showed Jesus hanging on the cross with blood running from the wounds on his hands, feet and side. Our daughter would ask to be lifted up to see that picture. She pointed to the blood and said “hurt!”
Jesus knows that it is difficult for us to understand that connection between “hurt” and faith.
Yet many have responded to Christ with Thomas. We may have at first heard, but not believed. Yet we experienced something that moved us from doubt to faith, from fear to trust. Christ met us where we were and we recognized him for who he was.
It may not have happened suddenly and literally like it was for Thomas. For some of us it happened gradually and we were not even aware when we crossed the line. But we know that we have been called to live our lives as an ongoing confession that Jesus Christ is our Lord.
Some of us are still in that struggle between doubt and faith. We may be drawing lines in the sand and asking Jesus to step across just one more, just one more, and just one more after that to prove that he is who they say he is. We are always putting up one more test, wanting one more sign, but we are really unwilling to trust and follow Jesus.
Today I ask, In what ways is your story like that of Thomas? How do you experience Christ responding to what you need to enable trust – faith? Are you like brave Thomas or a doubting Thomas? Are you really struggling or are you playing games? If you are convinced and living in faith, how are you helping others in your life who struggle?