Focus: Resurrection faith embraces the gospel on Christ’s terms—not on terms set by us.
Function: To encourage the people to deepen their trust in the testimony and Word of the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ.
Text: John 20:19-31
About two weeks ago, I thought that spring had arrived: The sun was out, the temperature was up, tulips and crocuses were popping up, and the lilac trees near our house showed new buds. Surely, I thought, winter is over; spring has arrived.
Boy, was I wrong. Earlier this past week, the temperature dropped; frost reappeared in the ground; snow showed up, and I needed my winter coat again. Clearly, the cold weather stopped the arrival of the new spring season.
Then I read the story of the risen, Lord Jesus Christ appearing to his disciples, including doubting Thomas. And it hit me: There is an analogy between the weather we’ve had and the story of doubting Thomas.
You see, on the day of Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus’ inner circle of disciples (except for Thomas) encountered the dawning of a new season: the season of Jesus’ resurrection. The winter of crucifixion, burial, and death is over. However, as the disciples welcome and bask in that new season, saying to Thomas, “We have seen the Lord!” Thomas pushes back with the old season of unbelief or nagging doubt. Thomas refuses to embrace the resurrection of Christ. The result is that Thomas’ winter of unbelief and frosty doubt lasted at least another 7 days before he, too, experienced the warmth and joy of Christ’s resurrection.
Today, the Scriptures remind us that the resurrection faith embraces the gospel on Christ’s terms—not on terms set by the world or us.
Today’s passage consists of three frames or scenes: The first scene includes Jesus’ closest friends—the twelve disciples, minus Judas (who had died) and Thomas (who happened to be absent). In verses 19-23, then, we read about the risen, glorified Jesus revealing himself to at least 10 of his disciples.
The second scene (verses 24-29) takes place a week later. This time, Thomas (who had set some conditions before he would embrace a resurrection faith) is present with the other 10 disciples. And again, we find the risen, glorified Lord Jesus revealing himself, in particular to Thomas.
The last frame in the text (vs. 30-31) is a concluding statement by John the gospel writer. John emphasizes that he has written the good news and shared many miraculous signs with his readers, so that you and I “may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in Jesus’ name.”
Whereas the theme of faith in Jesus is central in John’s gospel, in this particular passage the focus is on resurrection faith, where we learn that we must embrace the good news on Christ’s terms—not on terms set by the world or us.
For example, many people today will embrace the stories about Jesus provided that they do not have to believe in miracles, and provided that nothing demanding is asked of them. Thus, stories such as a virgin birth, walking on water, raising the dead, and especially conquering death by walking out of a tomb after having been buried as a corpse—well, that’s too much to ask for sophisticated, well-educated people like us today. Or, placing demands on us such as living a sacrificial life, becoming like Jesus, and following him in his footsteps—well, that’s too much to ask from us busy people today. Have you set any limits for welcoming the resurrection faith in your life?
Thomas did. And Jesus has a word for him and us today! Thomas is a good man. He is a friend of Jesus; he is loyal to Jesus; and with Jesus by his side, Thomas is willing to die for Jesus. We learn these things from John 11, where the story of Lazarus’ resurrection gives us some insight about Thomas’ dedication to Jesus. In any case, Thomas is perhaps like you and me—a good person, who has gotten some bad publicity for doubting Jesus’ resurrection.
You see, all the other disciples had an opportunity to witness the crucified, risen Lord Jesus with their own eyeballs. If Thomas had been present there on that resurrection Sunday, he would have believed like the rest of the disciples. But Thomas was absent. And when Thomas hears that his friends have seen the crucified, risen Lord Jesus, Thomas sets for himself some conditions (conditions that were a given for his friends).
For example, Thomas wants to see the nail marks in Jesus’ hands; and Thomas wants to put his own finger where the nails were, and he wants to put his own hand into Jesus’ side (where He was pierced with a spear). In other words, Thomas will embrace the resurrection faith only when his own sight and senses can confirm that good news. These are Thomas’ conditions. What are yours and mine?
But Jesus has a word for Thomas and for us today: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” In other words, the resurrection faith does not depend on our eyesight, or on our brain power, or on our scientific understandings. Rather, Jesus asks us to embrace the resurrection faith by accepting the good news with deep trust. We are to take the gospel of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead by faith. That’s the term that Jesus has set for all of us: the just shall live by faith.
So, here’s what we do: If we find ourselves doubting like frosty Thomas, then push the winter of unbelief aside by stepping in Thomas’s shoes right now. Then look through Thomas’ eyeballs right now; peek through those eyeballs of Thomas and take note of Jesus’ resurrection body: the nail marks in his hand and the wound in his side. Then say: “I believe. My Lord and my God!”
Then keep in mind: the resurrection faith embraces the gospel of Jesus’ Christ on his own terms.
Let’s talk about that gospel, as it comes to us in this passage. When you enter this passage with your heart or soul, you will hear two joyful declarations: “Christ is risen!” and “Christ Restores!”
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Surely, the news that the crucified and buried Lord Jesus Christ has risen is startling, good news indeed. For it means that the power of death is broken. Jesus conquered that power. The gateway to resurrection or eternal life is wide open, since Jesus rose from the dead.
Jesus is eager for his disciples to come to terms with his resurrection. As we study the passage, we must note, for example
For one thing, when the disciples see the risen Christ, they see his crucified body; that is, they see continuity. This risen Lord Jesus is the same Jesus who died a crucifixion death, with nail marks in his hands and a spear wound in his side.
Also, we note that Jesus’ resurrection body is truly a human body. It shares our flesh and blood. Jesus wants his disciples to know that they are NOT looking at a spook or ghost or some kind of immaterial body like a hologram or three-dimensional image of a person projected by a laser beam. No, Jesus’ resurrection body is fully human, like ours.
But we also must note from this passage that Jesus’ resurrection body is different from ours.
glorified and reveals some startling characteristics: Note, for example, that Jesus’ resurrection body appears and disappears at will. And Jesus’ body has the capacity to enter space unhindered by locked doors.
The risen Lord Jesus is now able to come and go, to move from one dimension to another, to intersect with time and eternity, to transfer from the physical and visible realm to the spiritual and invisible realms. Jesus’ resurrection body has characteristics that we do not have as yet: his resurrection body is glorified and is capable of intersecting with heaven and earth.
This is gospel. This is good news for anyone who comes to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. For in him, we share in the fruit of Jesus’ resurrection. We shall be like him someday when he comes again. Someday, our mortal bodies will be reconstituted in such a way that we shall live eternally on the new heavens and earth. Jesus’ resurrection appearances to his disciples cry out the good news: “He is risen! He lives! And so shall we who believe in him!”
The other declaration of good news in this passage is this: “Christ restores!” or “Christ atones for our sins!” Did you notice what the risen Lord Jesus says to his disciples? After pronouncing his “shalom” to his disciples, Jesus says: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you…If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Here the Lord Jesus touches upon the heart of the good news, namely the forgiveness of sin. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and Jesus’ victory over death signify that He has paid the wages of our sins. It means that “there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” It means that forgiveness is God’s gift to all who turn to Christ by faith and welcome his resurrection and atoning work. The heart of the gospel is this: In Christ Jesus, our sins are forgiven!
This good news must be proclaimed to the entire world. And that’s why the Lord Jesus commissions his disciples to become apostles—they must carry the good news to the four corners of the earth. This is their mission; it’s also ours today.
Note that the Lord Jesus breathes on his disciples, saying “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Here the Lord Jesus brings us back to Genesis 2, where God breathes his life-giving breath or spirit in Adam’s nostrils. By breathing on his disciples, the Lord Jesus communicates to them (and us today) that his followers are part of the new humanity, the new creation. Christ, the 2nd Adam, the new man. All his followers: the new humanity, the new creation.
As such, we welcome the good news: Christ is risen! Christ restores! And as such we spread the good news—not in our own strength, but in the strength of the Holy Spirit given to the disciples and all who turn to Christ by faith.
Congregation, welcome this good news! Do not set your own conditions for faith in the risen Christ. Believe the good news that was verified by the eyes of the disciples (and many others), proclaimed by the church throughout the centuries, and announced in the Scriptures, God’s holy and trustworthy Word. Embrace the gospel on Christ’s terms. And listen again: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.