Beyond Unless to Blessed
Low Sunday, Easter 2 c, April 7, 2013
Texts – Acts 5:27-32 (we must obey God rather than men – witnesses to repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins)
Revelation 1:4-8 – Greetings – not alone; but God is the Alpha and the Omega (here and wherever). Be careful about other realities that seek to claim our allegiance as the alpha and the omega.
John 20:19-31 (a) – Peace be with you, breathed on them the Holy Spirit, sends them out as afraid and as imperfect as they are to be sent as he was – to reveal God – then forgiveness and retention of sins (careful here)
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed! Do you believe that?
On that first Easter morning Mary Magdalene tells the early disciples, "I have seen the Lord!" But they don't or can't believe her. We know this because that very evening, the very night of the day that she has told them that she has seen the Lord, they are behind locked doors. They are paralyzed by fear. They may have heard the words, "I have seen the Lord". They may have even registered mentally that Jesus who was dead is alive. But what that means for them, hasn't registered. They are so afraid, that her words have had minimal impact upon them.
Perhaps they were afraid for their lives. That may be difficult for us to understand. Or maybe they were afraid because if it was true, if Jesus is alive, who knows what he might ask them to do, to be? Look where his teaching, his love, his honesty regarding God, himself, and others had gotten him! They are afraid.
But what about us? What are we afraid of? What causes us to lock our doors – to shut other people out, to cement our minds, to attempt to close ourselves off from what God may be up to? Are we afraid of not having enough – of losing our job, of losing the relationship with our kids, grandkids or friends? Do we just try to fit in, to not be noticed? Are we skeptical, perhaps even fearful of change, of what's happening in society, our Church, our families, our schools, our country, even the world?
It's not silly, nor is it illogical to be afraid. Horrendous things do happen. Even small children aren't safe in some daycares. Our homes may be broken into. Due to the uncertainty of the world economy, jobs can be lost. If we live long enough we realize that people are not always (some would say usually) dependable. People do change. Promises made, may not be kept. Whom can we trust? How shall we then live? It's no wonder then that we lock our doors, install our alarm systems and are very reserved to hide certain things about ourselves from almost everyone.
This is true not only personally but collectively. Entire provinces and nations are hesitant to be honest about themselves, about whom they really trust – and what truly matters to them. This lack of trust, this hesitancy to be honest, to share values, hopes and dreams and acknowledge fears prevent us from loving, from caring, from sharing, often from having the abundant life that God wills for us and this world in Jesus Christ.
But – and here is some exciting, good and frightening news. But, the risen Christ, the One who knows about our fear and brokenness, our yelling, screaming and blaming when we are afraid, our amassing arms because we want so desperately to be secure and safe – this One can penetrate any and all locked doors.
I'm not sure exactly how God does this. But for those earliest disciples the crucified and risen Lord comes through their locked doors. He shows them the reality of His wounded body. In doing so He extends to them a peace beyond understanding that includes a commission. Such peace shapes the way they are to relate to One another. Whether or not they are in agreement, whether or not they understand one another, they are united by Him to him and to each other. Whether or not they feel like loving the world, they are called to care about and for the world, by bearing witness to this Jesus, to His love and His willingness to forgive, to the truth that death, hatred, the significant powers of evil are not God, are not as the book of revelation shares neither the beginning nor the end. Only God is! In Jesus we glimpse God's very heart.
As Jesus shows those early disciples his hands and side and speaks to them, He does the most radical thing. Echoing an early creation account, He, this (to use John's language) Word of God breathes on them giving them God's very Spirit. Then Jesus tells them that they are sent into the world even as the Father has sent Him.
Now their barriers are beginning to come down. They are beginning to tell a few, that they too have seen the Lord. Not everyone can accept that, at least initially. Nevertheless these disciples are to keep on telling. Eventually they do – again and again and again. By God's grace, through their witness and the work of God's spirit, we are here.
Experiencing God's peace then doesn't mean that we won't ever be afraid. Experiencing, being gifted with God's peace doesn't mean that we won't try to lock the doors to our lives from time to time. But experiencing God's grace, sharing Jesus' body and blood, hearing a Word that sometimes stirs us, even causing our hearts to burn within us, means that we are called by God, to share good news with those around us – right where we work and play, in our families.
This crazy, mixed up, horrible and wonderful world is created by and loved by God. So many people, don't know this, often don't experience this. That's why we are among those who are sent – to reflect the love of God in Jesus Christ, to be examples that there can be new beginnings every day, that forgiveness is real and makes a difference, that everyone has value – that no matter how dark things are, there isn't just a light at the end of the tunnel – but there is light with us shining into the darkness.
This is both exciting and scary at the same time. Often if not always there will be opposition from without and within. There are forces and voices seeking to convince us that this isn't true, that we haven't seen the Lord – that evil is so powerful, that there is nothing we can do.
But also hear the voice of God, the voice of the risen Christ calling our name. Mary does.
Feel the breath of the risen Christ giving us His Spirit again and again in water, wine and bread so that our eyes may be opened to see the Creator creating, the Redeemer, delivering time and time again. It is the Spirit who stirs up faith, even in us, we, imperfect, occasionally so messed up people. See Thomas. His "unlesses" give way to, "My Lord and my God." Tradition has it that Thomas eventually takes the good news of Jesus to India.
So I ask you – "Where is God calling us to shine?"
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.
My Lord and my God, our Lord and our God, help us to "see", to believe, to tell and to show. Amen.