Almost everything in life comes with a list of expectations. There are skills we are supposed to possess, checklists we need to complete, or knowledge we must have in order to “fit the bill” or succeed at a task. Job descriptions spell out everything from the degree needed to the proficiency one must have with a computer. As some of our high school seniors know, there are scores needed on the Ohio Graduate Test in order to graduate from high school. Certain results are required on the SAT, ACT, GRE, or MCATs for acceptance to a college or particular program. Even those on the slate for church council elections know there are tasks that must be completed after they are elected. Indeed, there are expectations for everything.

            It seems we especially place expectations, and unrealistic ones at that, on our lives of faith. For some reason, we think having faith means never suffering from fear or doubt. I have even heard some go so far as to declare that those who fear; those who doubt; lack some element of the true faith, do not believe correctly, or are weak. If that is the case, I stand before you as one who must be lacking in some regard. Within my own faith journey, there have been many times I have been afraid. There are days I am plagued by doubts about my call to ministry or the mysteries of faith. There are times I wonder if I am really equipped to follow God’s call, or if I would be better off walking dogs for a living.

            Have you ever found yourself in such a place?  Have you ever been afraid when it comes to belief in God or doubted some of what you read in Scripture or heard proclaimed in church? To that, I say, “Good for you! Fears and doubts; questions and uncertainty, are normal and healthy. When we find ourselves in those places we are actually in excellent company.

            Look at today’s gospel text. It picks up where our reading from Easter Sunday left off. Mary Magdalene has proclaimed the Easter story to the disciples. She has told them that she has seen the risen Lord! Hearing this news, what do they do? They hide behind locked doors, suffering from fear.

            Did they not believe Mary? Or has the fear that they, too, might be arrested and killed paralyzed them and made them immobile? Whatever the case may be, Jesus comes to them and meets them in their suffering. Locked doors cannot hold back the risen Lord. Instead, he shows up and speaks a word of peace to them. Notice what else he does. He shows them his hands and his side. The risen Lord still bears the wounds of the cross. This, in and of itself, indentifies that we believe in a bodily resurrection. Because God created the human body, it, too, is good. Therefore, we believe that our souls do not just float away into eternity. Instead, we confess and believe that the body, the flesh, will also be resurrected. It will be made new and restored with all the goodness God declared it had in Genesis.

            So Jesus appears with a resurrected body and he comes and speaks a word of peace to them. It is a word meant to calm their fears. Then, he intimately breathes Holy Spirit upon them and reminds them that they are sent. They are not meant to stay locked away. What is fascinating is that Jesus uses two different words for “sent” in verse 21. He says the Father sent him, and the word used means “sent with a purpose”. We know that purpose from the story of his life, death, and resurrection, and we particularly know it from John 3:16-17. “For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Indeed, God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that world might be saved through him. Jesus was sent to redeem, to reconcile and to save.

            When he sends the disciples, he uses a word that means “sent for communication”. Jesus sends the disciples to tell the good news, to communicate that Christ is risen! He sends them to declare that sin and death are beaten forever!

            Yet, one disciple, Thomas, misses this command. For whatever reason, he is away from the group, and when they tell him what has happened, he suffers from doubt. He says he cannot believe unless he sees the wounds. Once again, Jesus acts. Jesus shows up to provide what is needed. A week later, the disciples are still behind those locked doors. Jesus comes and speaks that vital word of peace and shows Thomas what he needs to believe. Jesus does not chastise Thomas for doubting, just as he didn’t chastise the disciples for fearing. No! The resurrected Christ comes to the disciples and Thomas, meets them where they are, gives them what they need, and reorients them for action, for movement into the world.

            This is part of the Easter promise to which we cling. In our faith journey, there will be times when we will be afraid or doubt. We may be afraid that others will shun us or laugh at us if we tell story. We might doubt our ability to answer all the questions others will raise. We may fear that our own faith is too shaky or too uninformed. We might doubt that God is really sending us to love and serve our neighbors.

            What does Jesus do? He doesn’t take out a classified ad calling for new followers who never fear and never doubt. Instead, he comes to us. He meets us. Our fears and doubts cannot and do not hold him back. Instead, he meets us at the table in Communion meal. In the body and blood, he forgives us, feeds us, and strengthens us. He reorients us, sending us with the purpose of communication, with the purpose of telling the story. He sends us to point to the risen Christ in our midst, even to point to his wounded hands and side; so that all will know our God understands deep suffering and pain.

            As we go into the world, we pray that God opens our eyes to see the wounds of others. After all, is often in our woundedness and suffering that we are united. Look at what happens here at Trinity following most funerals. Family members are suffering and our community comes together to offer a meal. In our kindness, we acknowledge their wounds and point to Christ’s presence. At Feed Your Neighbor, we gently acknowledge the wounds and suffering of hunger. We point to Christ by not judging those who come to eat or demanding that people do something about it. Instead, we meet our neighbors in their hunger and say, “You are welcome here”. Sometimes, people come to our church bearing the wounds of deep hurt from another congregation. We honor them by letting them tell their story and by listening with open ears. We point to Christ by helping establish a safe, healthy place for others to worship and be involved.

            Our wounds; our suffering; our fears and doubts draw us together in profound ways. How wonderful that Jesus continues to come to us; to meet us; to show us his wounds; and to speak a word of peace. It is this peace that calms us. It is this peace that dispels our fears and doubts. It is this peace that comes to us as we share together in worship, in praise, and in communion.

            As that peace surrounds us, we hear good news. It is okay to be afraid! It is acceptable to have doubts! Even in the midst of those, Jesus comes to us.  He feeds us, breathes the Holy Spirit on us, and sends us out. He sends us to this hurting, suffering, fearing, doubting world to declare that because of his death and resurrection, God has saved the world from sin and death. He sends us to share that even our deepest fears and doubts cannot and will not hold Christ back.

            So we go. We say, “Look! Christ is in our midst! See his hands! Look at his side!” We share the gift of his peace so that all might come to believe and have life in his name.

Amen.

© 2010 Rev. Todd A. Cutter. Please do not reproduce or distribute without permission.