"Doubting" Thomas, and Our Faith

The Rev. Kathi Johnson
Second Sunday of Easter, Year B – 12 April 2015
Text: John 20:19-31
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Grand Prairie, Texas

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What is perfect faith? Is perfect faith required in order for Jesus to find us?

In today’s Gospel lesson, the disciples are hiding because of their fear. This story is set in the evening of Jesus’ resurrection and remember - all they know at this point is that Jesus’ body is missing. They don’t know why. They don’t know how. They don’t know if someone will be coming for them next, and so they are living in fear, hiding behind locked doors. 

And Jesus just…shows up, and bids the disciples his peace.

The incarnation of Jesus takes a different turn, then, for the disciples as Jesus shows them the wounds in his hands and shows them the wound in his side. 

Now, Thomas has gotten a lot of grief through the centuries. We call him “Doubting Thomas” because when the other disciples tell him, “We have seen the Lord!” he’s a bit dubious. He wants proof. He wants that flesh-and-blood experience with Jesus that the other disciples have now had. 

But really, is that so different than what we want, too?

Some of you will remember these rocks. I gave them out last summer, when I preached about Genesis 28 and the story of Jacob using a stone for a pillow. I encouraged us all to place these stones in places where we encountered holy moments.

Right after the morning I preached that sermon, I left on a road trip to Iowa, stopping in south-central Kansas about halfway up. My stopping in Wichita was strategic – not only is that a good stopping point for the long drive to Iowa, but my family roots run deep in that part of the country on my mom’s side of the family. 

And so, on the way up and on the way back, I drove on the back roads around Wichita – not all of which are paved – and I visited three different cemeteries. I visited the graves of my great-grandparents and my great-great-grandparents, and I placed stones similar to this one at each gravestone. 

Even though I couldn’t touch the flesh-and-blood people who were my relatives, I walked on the earth they walked on. I drove on the roads they traveled. A place that, before, had only existed for me in the stories of my grandmother and mother, became incarnate for me, and it was holy.

My point is that when “Doubting” Thomas asks to touch the wounds of the Risen Jesus, he simply wants that same incarnational experience that the other disciples have had. 

Back to our story: A week passes. And then, Jesus just…shows up, and, again, bids the disciples his peace. This time, Thomas is there! And Jesus very directly says to him, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 

Just as he meets the other disciples in their place of fear, Jesus meets Thomas in his place of doubt. Perfect faith – whatever that means – isn’t required.

So, back to the questions I asked at the outset: What is perfect faith? And is it required in order for Jesus to find us?

Honestly, I’m not sure what perfect faith is. I’ve never seen it. I know people who have great faith: they have strong faith, faith that carries them through every day and every difficulty. But everyone falters, even if it’s just a little bit. For myself, I’ve been walking along, quite confidently moving forward in my strong faith, only to trip over some little obstacle.

Even though we are called to be faithful people, I don’t think that the goal of Christian life is to have perfect faith. I think the goal is to have…faith. 

Is your faith big or small? Is your faith weak or strong? Maybe your faith resembles that of the disciples, who were cowering behind locked doors in fear. Maybe your faith resembles that of Thomas, who needed a little flesh-and-blood time with Jesus in order to believe. Maybe your faith is greater. 

I have a homework assignment for you. One of the greatest passages about faith in Scripture is Hebrews 11, and I’d like you to read it this week, preferably once today, before your week gets too crazy, and then later in the week, too. 

Hebrews 11 begins, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen…” and then it goes on from there to describe the faith of the people of God throughout the centuries. Now, the author of Hebrews really focuses on the positive parts of these peoples’ lives. He leaves out a lot of struggle and heartache; he leaves out those places where these people of faith tripped over obstacles.

But they walked in faith, even with the obstacles. They did not do everything in perfect faith, but they walked in faith.

We, too, are called to walk in faith. Sometimes, the path of faith will be easy and will present no obstacles for us. Sometimes, the path of faith will be covered with rocks and brambles. We are not called to walk in perfect faith. We are called to walk in faith.

Whatever your faith looks like today, or tomorrow, or the day after that, Jesus meets you there. Jesus just…shows up, and he bids you his peace. 

I pray that God strengthens you in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (see Ephesians 3:16-17).

Amen.

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