Pistos

He is Risen! (Response should be “He is risen indeed!”)

A tourist wandered too close to the edge of the Grand Canyon, lost his footing and plunged over the side, clawing and scratching to save himself. Just before he fell into space, he encountered a shrubby bush, which he desperately grabbed with both hands. Filled with terror he called out towards heaven, “Is there anyone up there?” A calm powerful voice came out of the sky, “Yes there is.” The tourist pleaded, “Can you help me?” The calm voice replied, “Yes I can. Do you have faith?” “Yes, yes, I have strong faith.” The calm voice said. “Well in that case, simply let go of the bush, and everything will turn out fine.” There was a tense pause. Then the tourist yelled, “Is there anyone else up there?” This could be a parable for our modern times don’t you think? I wonder if this is what people mean when asked how they are; reply, “I’m hanging in there”? In fact this man on the edge of the Grand Canyon could almost be a brother to our friend Thomas in our gospel lesson today.

Every year, on the first Sunday after Easter we hear this gospel text. It should not be surprising then that all of us ought to know who Thomas was. And as we learn in our text today, we know how he came to be the one disciple who would not believe the other disciples when they said that Jesus had visited them. And we know that until he had witnessed for himself the hands and side of Jesus he would not believe. But I think in one sense Thomas has been given a bad rap here. Doesn’t Thomas reflect what we ourselves would do in that situation? After all it was not like he was the only one who did not believe in Jesus resurrection. Let me read a portion of the text that precedes our gospel lesson (Read John 20: 1-10)

John 20:1-9 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

It was not until the disciples went inside the tomb that they saw and believed (v8). And even after Peter and the other disciple saw and believed they still did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead (v9). I would guess that the other disciples might not have fully believed Mary, Peter, and John as they reported back as to what happened. This may have been one reason why they were locked up in the house afraid of the Jews. It was not until the evening of that same day that Jesus then comes to the disciples and reveals himself to them as the risen Lord. In the face of something incredible aren’t we prone to skepticism? Aren’t we tempted claim citizenship to the state of Missouri and to say, “Show me”? Aren’t we quick to throw out the proverbial adage: seeing is believing?

I would submit to you that we should not call Thomas a doubter, but a conditional believer. It was not so much that he disbelieved the other disciples but he wanted to believe on his own terms. He says in effect, “If I see and touch, then I will believe”. And then it happens. A week later Jesus comes to him and tells Thomas, “go and ahead and touch me and believe”. Notice what happens. Thomas does not need to touch. Thomas, in that moment when Jesus speaks to him, makes his confession of belief “MY Lord and MY God”. The condition for his belief has been met. I have a confession to make. I too am a “Conditional Thomas”. As many of you know Deb and I are from the Pacific Northwest. When we started this journey to Luther three years ago one of our conditions with God was that we hoped to be called to a parish somewhere close to where we came from. In fact having a first call anywhere around here was the furthest thing from our minds. Please do not mistake us. It’s not that we do not like it here, other than the bitter cold of winter. This community of faith is as close to our home congregation as possibly can be. No, our reasons are selfish. We want to be close to our children. We want to be close to the friends that have supported us and nourished us in this journey. And although I make the public claim that I will go to where I am called, I am not so secret in letting my desires known about my first call. And both Deb and I are praying mightily that this would be so. I will serve, but only on my terms. I will believe, but only if he grants us our prayers.

I’ve been talking about belief and believing in the last 4-5 minutes. What is belief? Merriam Webster defines it this way:
(1: a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing (2: something believed; especially: a tenet or body of tenets held by a group (3: conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence
All of us have many beliefs. For instance we believe that the earth is round. We believe that snow is white, at least when it first falls. We believe that water is wet and that fire is hot. I think that these are beliefs that we can all agree on. And then there are beliefs that provoke disagreement. There are those who believe that gov’t is beneficial while others believe that it is not. There are those who believe that there is global warming while other dispute that claim. And then there are those who believe that the Packers are THE team while others would say it is the Vikings. As Christians we can appropriate each of the three definitions in some way. As Christians we have a trust and confidence in not only what the bible tells us about God, about Jesus and about the body of Christ, but we have that trust and confidence in God and all of God’s promises. As Christians we hold fast to the body of tenets that we confess. We believe in the Ten Commandments. We confess our faith each week when we cite the Apostles or Nicene Creed. We take seriously our sacramental covenants of Baptism and of Holy Communion that are proclaimed here in this place. As Christians we can boldly declare, as all of you did at the beginning of the sermon, “He is risen, (invite the response) He is risen indeed!”

But these things 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.” With this sentence the author of the book of John concludes his testimony to who he believed Jesus was and is. The Greek word that John uses for believing, “Pistos”, can also be translated as “to have faith in”. This is the same word that Jesus uses when speaking to Thomas. “Do not be a-Pistos, that is unbelieving or faithless, but Pistos, believe, have faith in”. Now it would be easy to say that you or I have Pistos. But do we really? Aren’t we more like Thomas, putting conditions on God and Jesus? I’ll believe when I finish confirmation. I’ll believe when see a miracle. I’ll believe when my prayers are answered they way that I want them to be answered. I’ll believe when I am falling over the edge of the Grand Canyon. Or maybe you have stopped believing because you think that God is off in some faraway place and can’t or won’t listen. Maybe you have stopped believing because you are not worthy of God’s grace and mercy. Maybe you have stopped believing because someone in the church has hurt you and you think that if God’s people treat me like that, is God like that as well? Do not get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with having doubts, or questions about the faith we have. I do not think that there is not one person in here who at one time or another has questioned their faith. But do we doubt, or have we stopped believing based on our own idea of what we want God to do or be? Do we doubt because we do not have trust or confidence in God, and God’s promises? Do we doubt because have we stopped examining the evidence that is laid out before us? Whatever the reason, I believe (there is that word again!) that it is in those times of faithlessness, in moments of unbelief, that God again comes through the locked doors of our hearts and is revealed in both word and sacrament as the creator who desperately loves God’s creation, that is, you and I.

“But these things 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 writes these words to his community and to us, because we are like Thomas in that we are not able to witness first hand the hands and side of our risen Lord. We have to take it on Pistos, that is on faith and believe that what is written, not only in this text, not only in this gospel, not only in the New Testament, but that which is written in the entire Bible is true. And what is written is that we do have a God who is not far off but is in the here and now. What is written is that we do have a Savior who, sent by God, has died for our sins and was raised so that we do and will have new life each day. What is written is that we are worthy to receive that grace, that we are forgiven, that we have access to God, that God answers prayer, and that miracles abound everyday, because [if only] we have Pistos. The writer of Hebrews says it like this: “Now faith, that is Pistos or belief, is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”. Unlike the accidental tourist at the edge of the Grand Canyon, we can let go of the bush. And in our believing sight unseen, we are, as Jesus reassures us, truly blessed. Amen.

And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. Amen