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The Gospel of John is primarily concerned with giving convincing
proof that Jesus is the Messiah—the anointed Son of God sent from heaven.
Statements about the deity of Jesus frame the entire Gospel. John’s prologue
begins: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being
through him, and without him not one thing came into being” (1:1-3a).
In the lection for today Thomas addresses Jesus as “My Lord and my God”
(v. 28), reaffirming Jesus’ deity. From beginning to end John’s
purpose is made clear.
But John is not only concerned with declarations about Jesus’
identity—he is also concerned that faith be born in those who hear the
proclamation. “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence
of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written
that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by
believing you may have life in his name” (20:30-31). These verses are
significant because they refer to the critical path by which the Fourth Gospel
achieves its purpose.
The first critical path is through signs: “Jesus did many
other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples . . .” (20:30a).
The seven “I AM” sayings of Jesus outline the distinctive core of
his self-revelation in John [I am the bread of life (6:35), I am the light
of the world (8:12), I am the gate for the sheep (10:7, 9), I am the good
shepherd (10:11, 14), I am the resurrection and life (11:25-26), I am the
way, and the truth, and the life (14:6), I am the true vine (15:1, 5)]. Each
“I AM” statement is preceded or followed by an accompanying sign
that demonstrates the statement is trustworthy and true. These identification
statements symbolize that every human need is met in Christ. The feeding of
the 5,000 precedes for example, “I am the bread of life” symbolically
indicating that Jesus satisfies the hunger of our souls.
The second critical path is through believing: “. . . that
you may believe that Jesus is the Christ” (20:31a); “. . . and that
by believing you may have life . . .” (20:31b). The word “believe”
occurs 76 times in John’s gospel (seven times in chapter 20). The repetition
of the word gives us literary assurance that the gospel writer deems this
a very important concept. Even John’s most familiar verse is about believing:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (3:16).
Interestingly, like the “I AM” sayings, the word “believe”
appears most often on the lips of Jesus himself. The crowds following Jesus
began to believe because of the miraculous signs (2:23). Following a conversation
with a woman at a well, many in the surrounding Samaritan community believed
in Jesus’ identity (4:39, 41, 42). Jesus asked a man born blind if he
believed in the Son of Man. The man answered in the affirmative (9:38). Jesus
tells Martha that he is the resurrection and the life, and that whoever believes
in him will never die (11:25). When asked if she believed this Martha answered:
“Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ (or the Messiah) the Son
of God. . .” (11:27).
Samaritans and sinners, women and beggars, all believe that
Jesus is the Christ. But belief is not easy to come by. Because of spiritual
blindness or religious pride, those one would expect to be the first to believe
turn out to be the last to believe. The Jewish religious leaders certainly
did not believe (7:25-52; 9:13-41; et al). Jesus’ own disciples struggled
mightily to believe: “There are some of you (disciples) who do not believe.
For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who
would betray him” (6:64). Indeed, the sum of chapter 20 is finally about
a sign and belief.
The purest form of faith comes from hearing the truth and believing
in that truth. Jesus told his disciples: “Because you have seen me, you
have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
(20:29). This underscores the importance of giving witness to our faith. Mary
Magdalene ran from the empty tomb to tell Peter and John. Peter and John rushed
from the empty tomb to tell the other disciples. The first person to whom
the disciples bear witness is again one of their own. Thomas was not present
when Jesus first appeared to them. Their words to Thomas (“We have seen
the Lord”) are essentially the same words that Mary used (“I have
seen the Lord”) to tell the disciples of her encounter with Jesus. The
reality of the empty tomb cannot be kept quiet! It compels us to share the
Good News that Jesus is alive! This is the beginning of faith for many who
hear that truth. “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message
is heard through the word of Christ” Romans 10:17.
But it is important to note that Mary, Peter and John, or the
rest of the disciples actually believed until they had an encounter with the
living Christ for themselves. Even after the sign of the empty tomb, the disciples
were entrapped by fear and doubt, locked in a room for fear of their lives.
The resurrection was the turning point for the disciples’ belief. “After
he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then
they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.” (2:22).
However, their faith was not confirmed in the empty tomb, but in the resurrection
appearances of Jesus.
The beloved disciple throughout the Gospel, who many scholars
believe to be allusions to John himself, makes numerous comments about his
own faith journey: “Finally, the other disciple, who had reached the
tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed” (20:8). But immediately
following that comes the editorial comment: “They still did not understand
from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead” (20:9).
We have often referred to Thomas as the doubter because he said,
“Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the
nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (20:25).
But just as Thomas does not believe the disciples, neither did the disciples
initially believe Mary. They were a despondent, defeated people until they
saw Jesus with their own eyes. Thomas was not the sole doubter and will not
remain a doubter. He doubts the witness of the other disciples and so cannot
believe the resurrection. Once he sees what they have seen, he will evidence
great faith as well.
(for a complete manuscript
of this sermon go to www.preachersmagazine.org and click on “Sermons”)
Signs are never the final basis of our faith, but they play an important role
in fortifying our faith. Jesus’ disappointment with the crowds who followed
him was not because they needed a sign to believe: “I tell you the truth,
you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs . . .” (6:26a).
Indeed, he expected that was a part of why they pursued him. His rebuke came
because their primary motivation was to fill their bellies: “. . . but
because you ate the loaves and had your fill” (6:26b). Free food not
faith was their agenda. If the work of God is to believe in the one he has
sent (6:29), then God’s prevenient grace is the sign that leads us to
repentance and new birth.
*This passage shows us that there are different kinds of faith,
and that faith comes in different ways and with differing intensities to different
people. Mary believes when the Lord calls her name (20:16). The disciples
believe when the risen Lord meets them in a locked room (20:20). Thomas says
that he must touch the wounds (20:25) to believe. People have differing needs
and find various routes to faith. But what seems true for all of us is that
for faith to finally be born and sustained there must a personal encounter
with the risen Christ. A portion of the sermon could address those different
levels of faith.
This sermon will also follow the high and holy day of Easter.
Easter Sunday tends to be a day in which it is easy to have faith that Jesus
Christ is the Messiah and that the world is different because of his life,
death, and resurrection. But for every Easter Sunday morning there is also
a post-Easter Monday morning. The day when there is still work at the office,
bills to pay, relationships to mend, and schedules to keep. What are the signs
that Easter makes a difference on Monday as well as Sunday? The preacher could
focus on the graceful signs that God gives us to continually substantiate
our faith and provide everyday reminders that the living Christ is among us.
In the end, it will be those resurrection signs that enable us to keep on
believing.
*Website Resources for Lectionary Preaching, Second Sunday of Easter, Year
B, April 27, 2003.