Christ & Crisis ~ John 20:19-31 ~ May 1, 2011

As many of you may know, my full name is James Volk Arter, III.

Since there were two Jim’s in the house when I was growing up, I was called Jimmy.  That was fine when I was younger—but when I got older, I wanted to be called Jim.  It was never a problem making the change at school or with my friends.  But my hopes were in vain with my family.  Even though I’m 30 years old, I’m still ‘Jimmy’ to them.  And I always will be.  In fact, whenever my grandfather is around, I get called “little Jimmy”—even though I’m five inches taller than my dad.

And Thomas will always be called ‘Doubting Thomas’ because he refuses to believe the news that Jesus has been raised from the dead.  But there’s a story behind his doubt… 

Jesus was dead, and Thomas was in crisis.  For three years, Thomas had been Jesus’ disciple.  He was there as Jesus proclaimed himself to be God in the flesh, the Bread of Life, and the Son of Man.  He was there for the miracles; he was there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. 

And then came the unthinkable—Jesus was crucified.  It was hard enough for Thomas and the disciples to believe that Jesus was who he said he was while Jesus was alive.  But now, this Jesus who said he was God in the flesh; this Jesus who raised the dead; this Jesus was dead. 

With Jesus dead, there were really only two things left for Thomas to believe—either Jesus had been lying about who he was, or the powers of evil had defeated God.  Either way, everything that Thomas believed about Jesus had been turned on its head when Jesus died.  So now Thomas and the disciples are in hiding—fearing that they may end up dying on crosses, just like Jesus.  For Thomas, there wasn’t a Jesus left to believe in.  And when Thomas hears the news that Jesus was alive, it was too outrageous to believe.  It didn’t make sense in light of reality.  Thomas was in crisis—a crisis that shattered his faith. 

Three years ago when I interned as a hospital chaplain, I remember being called to pray with a patient named Bill.  From the second I walked in the door, I was absolutely amazed by his faith.  The joy of the Lord radiated from his presence as he spoke of his love and trust in Jesus Christ.  Bill believed he would quickly recover and return home to his wife and children—because God was faithful.  But that didn’t happen.  His condition worsened.  Days turned into weeks; weeks turned into months.  Every time I was in the unit, Bill and I would talk—but he had begun questioning his beliefs.  It didn’t make sense to him that he had faith in Jesus Christ—and that he wasn’t getting better. 

As the weeks passed, his faith gave way to despair—and one day he finally told me: “I’ve made my decision.  I’m done with God.  I’m walking away.” 

I was crushed by his words.  I felt I had failed him.  I was hurt that he wasn’t getting any better.  But what hurt me the most was that he had lost his faith in Jesus Christ—and there wasn’t anything I could say to change that.  Like Thomas, Bill was in a crisis that shattered his faith.

When we speak of faith, we’re speaking of a system of beliefs about God and how we should live.  We believe in God’s love, God’s mercy, God’s justice, and that God will triumph over evil.  We strive to obey the Ten Commandments and love our neighbors as ourselves.  Much of what we believe comes straight from the pages of Scripture.  But our life experiences shape our faith as well.  We learn new things as we go through life’s ups and downs—and God’s Word speaks new things to us.  Sometimes our beliefs change.  One thing that’s for certain is that there will always be seasons of struggle in the life of faith; there will be questions and doubts. 

But crisis has a way of making everything we believe crumble to the ground—because our reality contradicts our beliefs.  Bill’s illness crushed his faith—just like Jesus’ death crushed Thomas’s faith.  It was too outrageous for Bill to believe that Jesus loved him since he wasn’t getting better.  All of us face crises just like this, when our circumstances become so dire that it’s too outrageous to believe that Jesus loves us or that he’s taking care of us.  Sometimes our crises come from within; when we consider the depths of our sin, it’s too outrageous to believe that Jesus could ever forgive us or that we’ll inherit eternal life.  Crisis has a way of turning faith into unbelief—leaving us in the grip of fear and hopelessness…

The whole history of God—from the very beginnings of the universe to the present day—is the story of God’s activity in a world of chaos.  God’s creation is in crisis—and God is not silent.  The whole history of God is the unfolding of God’s plan to redeem this world from the forces of death and evil—and heal the hurts of every child created in his image.  To redeem this world, God struck at the very heart of death and evil—by raising the crucified Jesus from the dead.  Jesus’ resurrection was the dawn of destruction for the forces of chaos. 

Right after God raises Jesus from the dead, Jesus was on the move to make his people alive with resurrection.  He goes to Mary Magdalene, the disciples, and Thomas.  He meets them in their fear and brings them peace.  And even though Thomas didn’t believe the news that he had been raised, Jesus doesn’t speak harshly to him or punish him.  Jesus raises Thomas’s faith from the dead; he gives Thomas a faith to believe that he was his Lord and his God.  Jesus makes Thomas alive with resurrection. 

And Jesus is still on the move today—because our world is still in crisis.  We suffer; we experience crisis; we sin, and we struggle with unbelief.  But Jesus is risen so that we will never go through any of this alone.  If you are experiencing crisis right now, may you never see that as a sign of your rejection by God or as proof that God doesn’t exist.  Remember that you are baptized and that you belong to Jesus Christ no matter what.  Remember that Jesus has experienced everything you’re going through on the cross of his death.  Know that Jesus welcomes your questions and your doubts.  Know that you are forgiven.  Know that Jesus is with you to make you alive with resurrection. 

So when we say Christ is Risen, we’re not just speaking of something that happened 2,000 years ago.  We’re celebrating that Jesus is among us; that we have been made alive with resurrection.  We’re celebrating the healing that God is bringing to all creation.  We’re celebrating the forgiveness we have been given.  We’re celebrating God’s victory over evil and death.  We’re proclaiming the hope that God has given to all people—a hope that God calls us to share with the world.  Wherever there is fear, wherever there is crisis, wherever there is unbelief—these are the places Jesus sends us as the people of his Body. 

Christ is risen!  Good has triumphed over evil; life has triumphed over death.  Alleluia.