Easter 2 2022
Thomas receives Jesus’ Grace: based on John 20.19-end
I wonder how Jesus feels as he prepares to leave his disciples.
This group of people with whom he loved and lived and ate and argued. The people he had sent out to practice what they will now have to do without him to come back to and celebrate what had happened in his name – even the demons submitted to us, Jesus, can you believe it! [1] They will not hear his encouraging voice, feel the slap on the back, not hear again his corrective teaching, cherish his loving kiss.
Jesus now must leave the disciples – the apostles – the “sent out ones” to do his work.
And to be honest some of them a bit flaky and a bit dodgy on the important bits of his teaching.
We are told in Acts that after his resurrection Jesus spends 40 days with them to ensure they know he is alive and to refresh what he has taught them.[2] Does he feel a bit like the teacher setting revision for the Easter break? Are they listening? Are they prepared to do the work? Will they give their lives to the gospel, their backs to the whip, their freedom for prison in his name? Are they ready? They have already demonstrated a lack of understanding of servant leadership, they have betrayed him under pressure, deserted him on the cross, fought amongst themselves.
Jesus has done the work and he cannot do it again. He died fully human to take away their sin and infidelity, he rose again in his Christ/Messiah self, fully human, fully divine to show the forces of darkness, the principalities, and powers, that they are defeated. But his apostles must take that message to the world and make more disciples. They must make it clear!
Matthew 28 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
With you but not on earth in my human flesh as you knew me but in the form of the Holy Spirit your Advocate and Guide, who will lead you into all truth.
Poor Thomas.
That morning Mary Magdalene was the first to see the risen Lord and told them all about it. He was not there, none of the others were there either. Now on the evening of the same day Jesus appears to all of them – except him because he is not there.
I am not really interested in why he was not there. The important part of the narrative is his reaction and what Jesus does.
Thomas cries out in his disappointment and loss. His Saviour is gone, he is heartbroken and afraid. They are all afraid. His is the despair of abandonment – Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to us – he has come and gone, and I have not received – I will never be able to do this work – he has rejected me.
Jesus waits one week before appearing again. Thomas falls before him in love, relief, and gratitude.
But the teaching is not just for Thomas, it is for all the apostles, and it is for us.
John 20.29 Jesus said to (Thomas) him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’
The people you will be taking this message to will not see me as you have seen me, they have not fellowshipped with me and heard the teaching around the fire as you have done. You must find a way to make this real for them.
And I believe there is one other aspect of critical importance; the time gap before Jesus comes to Thomas.
Part of the message that the apostles have received from Jesus is that he is coming back. This is just one passage:
John 14.3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.
The cry of the early church was not just Hosanna, it was Maranatha, come Lord Jesus![3]
The clear hope of the early church was that Jesus was coming back. This week’s delay for Thomas was an indicator of that time. But before that the apostles need to get out and preach the Gospel.[4
Without the physical presence of Jesus, how are they and we to make him real? Blessed are those who believe, Thomas, who have not had this experience.
How are the apostles and disciples to make Christ Jesus visible?
Let’s start with these three, and these are not just a reminder for apostles, priests, and ministers, they are for all disciples:
The first is in the text: John 20.31But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
My brothers and sisters, if we are to make Jesus real, we must be as Jesus was on the Road to Emmaus:
Luke 24.27Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.[5] We must be able to do that!
Secondly, going back to the Maundy Thursday teaching we need to make Jesus real in our lives: it is by demonstrating our love for each other that we show what new life in Christ is all about!
John 13.34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’
And finally, we need to be prepared to stand up to the world when it challenges our faith:
Acts 5. 29But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority.
As Teresa of Avila puts it:
Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”[6]
You and I have a job to do in this world and we pray that we do not let Him down.
[1] Luke 10.17-20 17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ 18He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’
[2] Acts 1.3-5
[3] 1 Corinthians 16.22; Rev.22.20
[4] Read Psalm 68 for one example of the disciples’ expectation of the return of Messiah in glory.
[5] Luke 24.13-35
[6] https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/74226.Teresa_de_Jes_s
