Doubting Thomas? - John 20 & Psalm 150

St. Andrew's Brussels Sermons

Sunday 28 April: “Doubting Thomas?” Preacher: Rev Eric Foggitt Readings: John 20:19-31 & Psalm 150 The story of “Doubting Thomas” is one of the best-known in the Bible, for understandable reasons. After all, the Disciples had just seen their Leader crucified, and no doubt they feared that the Romans would come after them now too. The Disciples' reports of Jesus risen would have hit Thomas's ears like a bombshell! But it is a bit misleading to call Thomas ‘doubting’. One could actually argue that he was only being a realist. He was trying to figure out what to do next. After all, he had just given up three years of his life to follow a man who had just been beaten up and crucified publicly by the Roman occupiers. Thomas may have simply been taking stock of his situation in the wake of the horrific episode on Good Friday. Maybe that is why he wasn't with the rest of the Disciples when they were cowering in fear in the presence of Jesus - the very man he had seen crucified with his own eyes. So, when he was told that Jesus had risen, he reacted in disbelief. “Yeah, right!” is the kind of reaction he gave the other Disciples. He just couldn't believe it. However, when Jesus Himself confronts him, Thomas's reality was completely changed. He was made to realise that his own understanding of things was too restricted, too wee. He needed to be reminded of the grander vision - a grander vision than what he had so far. The appearance of Jesus to Thomas challenged his view of the world. It opened his eyes to a far bigger, very different vision of life than that which he had entertained so far. As the staggering reality struck, Thomas was suddenly moved to cry out to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Similarly, our own preconceived ideas also act to constrain our understanding of God and His plans for us. If you respond as Thomas did, then things can start happening that you may have considered to be impossible before! You can break free from the shackles of your earlier, limited perceptions, and instead start living in an alternative reality of love and harmony and peace. Faith works! Amen.