Is A Skeptic-Believer An Oxymoron?
John 20:19-31
by Jim Westmoreland
Have you ever heard of an oxymoron? It is not a cleaning agent, and it is not a description of our developmental ability. An oxymoron is when you combine incongruous or contradictory terms, ideas that don't go together. Some examples are "deafening silence," a "mournful optimist," or bureaucratic oxymorons, such as "military intelligence" or "postal service." Preachers are nudged toward humility with suggestions that "good sermon" or "thoughtful sermon" are also oxymorons.
This morning, we ask the question, "Is a skeptic-believer an oxymoron?" We can be asking, Is it possible to have doubts and questions and still come to belief? Must all questions be answered to believe? We can also be asking, Can a believer still ask questions?
Today, we know the body is a bio-mechanical organism that transmits messages through chemical and electrical impulses. If this is all man is, some would rightly agree that one could direct his activity and thought processes by controlling the chemical-electrical message system. This makes the thought process (mind) and the spiritual identity (soul) an end-product of chemical-electrical direction.
But I ask, What process directed the writings of Shakespeare, the law codes of Hammurabi, or the servanthood of Mother Theresa? Who or what directed all of this? Are we but robots? Is someone directing what we call intelligence or creativity, or is all of this random and all of the accomplishments and creativity of mankind the result of random accidents?
No! Not for those with a Christian world-view. We believe that we were created with the capacity to think, question and formulate new thoughts, responses and solutions. As Disciples of Christ, we guard this ability to think as part of our faith. For us, to be a believer who also asks questions is a part of who we are.
If I were to mention the names of certain disciples to you and ask you to write down the first word that comes into your mind, it is unlikely you would come up with the same words. If I were to mention the name of Judas many of you would write down the word "betray" but not all of you. If I were to mention Simon Peter, some of you would write down the word "faith," but not all of you. If I were to mention the names of James and John, some of you would write down the phrase "Sons of Thunder," but not all of you. But when I mention the word Thomas, there is little question about the word most everyone would write down. It would be the word doubt. Indeed, so closely have we associated Thomas with this word, that we have coined a phrase to describe him: "Doubting Thomas."
Were it not for the Gospel of John, we would know nothing about Thomas. The other three gospels only name him as a disciple, but he has no speaking part and is unimportant. But John tells us three stories about him. Why? Remember that the Gospel of John was written late in the first century or early second century. It is now years after the Jesus' resurrection, appearances and ascension. This Gospel was written as encouragement to those with questions. Rather than pretend none of the disciples ever had questions, Thomas is given as an example. Why?
In John, Thomas has authority and influence. There was a Gospel of Thomas that was widely circulated at the time, and it was not included in the canons of the New Testament as they were being determined by the various councils meeting in the fourth century (Nicea-325, Laodicea-363, Carthage-397). In John 11:16, when Jesus is determined to go to Judea again despite the threats against him, Thomas says to the other disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." Here, Thomas is seen as a leader among the disciples and as a person of strong conviction and courage.
Later, in John 14, when Jesus is explaining to the disciples that he is about to go away, Thomas is the first of two disciples to question Jesus. "Lord," he asks, "we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" And Jesus answers, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."(1)
For people reading John early in the second century, it seems that Thomas was a disciple whose testimony was trusted. This is why the author of the gospel has Thomas question the resurrection of Jesus. If Thomas is convinced, his testimony will be convincing for others.
When Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem the disciples thought that it would be certain death for all of them. Surprisingly, it was Thomas who said: "Then let us go so that we may die with him." It was a courageous statement, yet we don't remember him for that. We also fail to point out that in this story of Thomas' doubt we have the one place in the all the Gospels where the Divinity of Christ is bluntly and unequivocally stated. Isn't it interesting that the story that gives Thomas his infamous nickname, is the same story that has Thomas making his earth-shattering confession of faith? Look at his confession, "My Lord, and my God." He does not say teacher, Lord or Messiah, but he says, "God!" It is the only place where Jesus is called God without qualification of any kind. It is spoken with conviction as if Thomas was simply recognizing a fact that moved him to confess and exclaim, "my Lord and my God!" These are certainly not the words of a doubter.
Unfortunately history has remembered him for this scene where the resurrected Christ made an appearance to the disciples in a home in Jerusalem. Thomas was not present and when he heard about the event he refused to believe it. Maybe he was the forerunner of modern day cynicism. Maybe the news simply sounded too good to be true. Thomas said: "Unless I feel the nail prints in his hands I will not believe."
In v. 29 Jesus says, "Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have come to believe." Is this a rebuke to Thomas for his disbelief? I don't think so. Thomas has come to belief in his way, the way of encounter, sight and touch, and it is not condemned. Some come to belief through hearing, some through seeing.
And, sometimes we struggle with belief. Some of us struggle more than others. Jesus is compassionate in this story. He does not condemn Thomas, but he offers him what he needs. Jesus, tells him to reach out and touch his hands and his side. We are far removed from the days of Jesus' appearances to his disciples. Yet, we experience God as a spiritual presence, and we are touched by our encounters of grace and love with Jesus who revealed God's love by giving his life for us on the Cross. Sometimes, it is possible for us to become rigid or even blinded by our limited way of seeing the world. There is some truth in Patrick Morley's statement, "The turning point in our lives is when we stop seeking the God we want and start seeking the God who is."
When we speak of the love that we have for one another, especially in marriage and family relationships, we cannot physically see love. It is an intangible, and yet, we know we love and are loved. This is true with God also. Knowing God is not a thing, but a relationship. We experience forgiveness, love and hope because of our relationship with God. Thomas was seeking the God who is, and when Jesus revealed himself to him, Thomas believed and made the great confession, "My Lord and My God!"
What can we learn from the life of Thomas? We can learn that Jesus did not blame him for his questions; that the most endearing and enduring things in life can never be proven; and that we can move from our questions to belief. When I find myself being drawn from doubts and questions to belief, it is not so much ideas that draw me as it is being drawn by a sacrificing love from one who suffered, was misunderstood and rejected, all to show me God's love and forgiveness in a relationship that gives me identity and purpose. When Jesus reaches out to me, I know him most tangibly by the image of his nail-scarred hands.
Robert Allen tells a story by Leslie Flynn who told of a small boy being raised in a frontier city by his grandmother. One night the house catches on fire. The grandmother, trying to rescue the boy who was asleep in the bedroom upstairs, is overcome by the smoke and dies in the fire. This frontier city doesn't have much of a fire department. A crowd gathers around the house and they hear a small boy crying out for help. The lower floor is a wall of flames and no one seems to know what to do. Suddenly, a man pushes through the crowd and begins climbing an iron drainage pipe which runs to the roof.
The pipe is hot from the fire, but he makes it to a second floor window. The man crawls through the window and locates the boy. With the crowd cheering encouragement, the man climbs back down the hot iron pipe with the boy on his back and his arms around his neck.
A few weeks later, a public meeting was held to determine in whose custody the boy would be placed. Each person wanting the child would be allowed to make a brief statement. The first man said, "I have a farm and would give the boy a good home. He would grow up on the farm and learn a trade."
The second person to speak was the local school teacher. She said, "I am a school teacher and I would see to it that he received a good education." Finally, the banker said, "Mrs. Morton and I would be able to give the boy a fine home and a fine education. We would like him to come and live with us."
The presiding officer looked around and asked, "Is there anyone else who would like to say anything?"
From the back row, a man rose and said, "These other people may be able to offer some things I can't. All I can offer is my love." Then, he slowly removed his hands from his coat pockets. A gasp went up from the crowd because his hands were scarred terribly from climbing up and down the hot pipe. The boy recognized the man as the one who had saved his life and ran into his waiting arms.
The farmer, teacher and the banker simply sat down. Everyone knew what the decision would be. The scarred hands proved that this man had given more than all the others.(2)
Whether you feel far from God with an arm-load of questions, or whether you feel the presence of his love and forgiveness, we all come with our questions. We are all skeptic-believers, and God's arms are open for you. Amen.
Century Christian Church, April 23, 2006 - Sermon by Jim Westmoreland
www.centurychristian.org
1. John 14:5-6.
2. Robert L. Allen, His Finest Days: Ten Sermons for Holy Week and the Easter Season, CSS Publishing Company.