Easter II, Cycle C

"So That You May Believe"

April 11, 2010

The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel

Saint Luke's Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs

Lessons: Acts 5:27-32; Revelation 1:4-8; St. John 20:19-31

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This morning we will be celebrating the confirmation of ten of our youth. And in confirmation, of course, we make a big deal about their faith—their affirmation of faith, their acceptance and acknowledgment of the faith that was first committed to them by their parents. And, while I am committed to the Lutheran practice of confirmation, which follows closely the western catholic practice of confirmation, it does have its problems, not the least of which is that confirmation as practiced in Lutheranism, comes at what some think the worst possible time for our young people—because it is precisely at this point that many of our youth have their greatest doubts and questions! The conventional wisdom today suggests we might do better having confirmation either at a younger age, or after high school, because experience tells us it is during middle school and high school that our young people are the most uncertain in their faith, and the most unsure of their belief. Which is no surprise, really, as our youth, at this age are questioning most everything—and especially, most everything their parents hold dear. It is at this age that they become convinced they have all the answers. It is during middle school and high school that our youth are sure their parents are wrong about most things, and God, faith, and church are a few of those things about which our teens think their parents are most wrong. So, during their teen years, they are all about questioning, and rejecting and bringing up doubts and issues that seem to prove their family of origin—wrong. And to our young people, this is a big deal, of course, because this all raises existential issues for them—issues about their own existence. Like, why am I here? Is there really a god, and if so, did this god make me? And did this god also make evil, and suffering? Why didn't this god make the world perfect, and only good? Why did this god allow sin and brokenness? These are big questions, and we all realize them as such. And yet, because of these questions, there have been times when confirmands have questioned whether they ought to be confirmed, given their uncertainty. And, in fact, I wouldn't push a confirmand to be confirmed, if they truly didn't want to be.

And yet, I don't think we have ever confirmed an unbeliever. We have confirmed young people with questions and doubts; we have confirmed young people who are struggling, in life, as well as in faith. But it is at those times, in those situations, that we emphasize, not their faith, not their affirmation, not their complete understanding or unwavering belief—but it is at precisely those times when we emphasize God, and what God is doing in their lives, and with their faith. For the truth is, a more accurate Lutheran understanding of "confirmation", is not that the young person confirms, but that God—affirms, these young persons, as His own, and that God intends to be their Father God, no matter what, no matter where they are in life, no matter their questions, or doubts or wavering! Because as most every adult Christian knows, there will be times in life when we waver. There will be times in life when we will be pulled away from God. There will be times in life when we will wonder, and wander! And it's then that we need to hear, and remember that God loves us still. That God believes in us, even when we're not so sure we believe in Him. And in those times, there is no more powerful, reassuring reality, than the reality that God is with us.through the dark night of the soul; through the deep pit of depression, loneliness, and grief; through all of our enduring and abiding existential wrestling. Because isn't that what Jesus proved to Thomas, and to us, in our gospel lesson for today? That in spite of our doubts, Jesus comes to us, Jesus speaks peace to calm our troubled souls, Jesus offers Himself to us?

On the one hand, Thomas has been, throughout history, at least one of the "bad boys" of the Bible. On the other hand, Thomas is not ostracized, or punished for his doubts—he isn't kicked out of the fellowship of the twelve, or the early Church. Yes, he wasn't together with the others on Easter day, so that he missed seeing Jesus, in the flesh. But Jesus appears, now, one week later, again, on Sunday, and it appears Jesus appears for Thomas' benefit alone! There seems to be no reason for this visit, other than for the Risen Jesus to confront Thomas, who couldn't or wouldn't believe without seeing. So, on Sunday, Jesus appears so that Thomas may not just see Him, but touch Him—that Thomas will not continue to doubt, but believe. And indeed, Thomas does finally believe in the resurrection, and Jesus, risen from death, as he confesses, "My Lord and my God!"

And without a doubt, St. John includes this account in his gospel for our sake—for the sake of all of us who would live long after Jesus was raised and ascended. It is for us, because we need to hear Jesus' words, as he said to Thomas, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." We see here the paradox of belief—that there are many who come to believe, even though they haven't literally "seen" Jesus as Thomas and the others did just after the resurrection. And blessed are those who see with the eyes of faith, such that they don't require some form of tangible proof. And yet, for those who need to see and touch Jesus, this account points to—what?

This account points to the Lord's Supper, when Jesus appears each and every Sunday, again and again, to offer to us His broken body, and His spilled blood—that those who need proof, may have it. The truth is, this account of Thomas and Jesus, is all about you and me, and all who come after the twelve apostles. And what this account deals with—is faith, and belief, and doubt and unbelief, and proof, and seeing and not seeing. What this account deals with is how people will experience Jesus for generations to come—both those who need to see and touch, as Thomas did—as well as those who will experience Jesus without "seeing" and "touching". Which is why, by the way, this account comes near the end of John's gospel, just before John explains why he wrote his book, saying, "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples.But 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." John's reason for writing, was to help us to experience, to witness the signs that Jesus did in the presence of His disciples, so that we may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing, we may have life in His name. And what this tells us is that belief comes, not through us, not through our own powers of reason or achievement, but through experiencing and witnessing the signs that Jesus did—not the least of which, was His resurrection from death, and His continuing appearance to His disciples, on Sunday, to offer Himself to us, as He offered Himself to Thomas. Why? So that we may believe, and have life in Him.

That's why we are here, today. That's why we come to gather with the other disciples each week—so that Jesus, risen from death, will appear among us, that we may believe, and have life in His name. That's why Jesus continues to appear among us, and to offer His real presence to us, in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, so that we might touch Him, and know that He who was crucified, is risen, and with us still—in spite of our doubts and questions and uncertainty.

The Christian writer, Kathleen Norris writes in her book, "Amazing Grace", "When I first stumbled upon the Benedictine abbey.I was surprised to find the monks so unconcerned with my weighty doubts and intellectual frustrations over Christianity. What interested them more was my desire to come to their worship.I was a bit disappointed—I had thought that my doubts were spectacular obstacles to my faith and I was confused, but intrigued when an old monk blithely stated, that doubt is merely the seed of faith, a sign that faith is alive and ready to grow."

For those being confirmed today, and for each of us—the account of so-called "doubting Thomas" is simply a reminder, an assurance that our doubts, our questions, our struggles, are just the seeds of faith, signs that faith is alive and ready to grow. And we are here to have faith confirmed in us, again. We are here to be affirmed as God's children, to be affirmed of God's presence with us, to be assured that God, in Christ Jesus is with us always, even to the close of the age—no matter what, no matter where we go, no matter our struggles or wrestling with faith, in life. And that's why, with Thomas, we affirm, "My Lord and my God!" Not because we are always sure. Not because we are convinced of this or that aspect of faith. Not because we are perfect, nor perfectly formed in the Christian belief, or creeds, or confessions. We affirm it because Jesus is with us, as our Risen Lord. We affirm it because as we are here today, Jesus is here today—offering Himself to us. We affirm it because, in spite of ourselves, truly, Jesus is, "Our Lord and our God!"

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.