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Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Honest To God
Psalm 16; John 20:19-31
No GODcast this week, due to recording difficulties. Again. Rats.
Meanwhile, I'm mulling over both the story I preached about on Sunday and a candid response I got in Monday morning's e-mail.
The story... "Doubting" Thomas, the disciple who politely insisted "Just give me the facts."
Twice he did that, according to the Gospel of John.
In chapter 14, at the "last supper," when Jesus waxed all theological... "I'm going away, to heaven. I'll come back and get you, so you can be there with me. You already know the way there." Thomas stopped him short with, "Lord, we don't know where you're going at all. So how could we possibly know the way to get there?" Good point. Jesus' answer is cryptic: "I am the way."He throws in the truth, and the life, for good measure. Under the circumstances, that was as clear as Mississippi mud.
In chapter 21, back in the same room where they'd shared that last meal with Jesus... Thomas shows up late and the other disciples tell him he's just missed Jesus. "No way! I won't believe that one unless I can see him for myself. In fact, I want to touch his wounds from the nails that fastened him to the cross!"
The story continues, one week later. Same room, same disciples, including Thomas on time this time. And then -- shazam -- same Jesus!
And he invites Thomas to do just what he'd demanded the chance to do. "Here. Touch the wounds in my hands. Put your hand in the spear wound in my side. If that's what it takes, I'm yours."
Jesus meets Thomas right where he is, just as he is, doubts and demands and all. He gives him exactly what he wants -- and needs.
We pause here for the other mull-able thing I'm mulling on... My Monday morning e-mail.
The woman and her husband have been worshiping with us lately. Fairly new to town, they're checking us out. Are we their kind of church? Should they look elsewhere? How and when will they know?
Her e-mail said she was moved by my observations about how different Jesus' handling of Thomas was from our own inclinations when faced with difficult people.
Among other things, I had said we tend to watch people carefully and wait for them to change to our liking... We test them, we judge them... If only they could be more outgoing, or patient, more grateful for God's sake, more cooperative, more nice. In short, if they would only be like us! Then it'd be so easy to welcome them with open arms.
The woman said that really got to her. "I thought about the church and how we might be waiting for the church to become what our previous church was to us, instead of being more accepting of the differences and opening ourselves to the possibility of making a difference in this congregation.... [T]hought provoking as well as personally helpful."
Then she suggested she and her husband would likely be sitting in on my next Seekers & Joiners workshop, to get acquainted and find out more about how we "do" church here.
Now friends, that's just the kind of stuff that can make a pastor's day. Especially a Monday.
posted by Jack Buckley at
4:11 PM
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