On the evening of that first Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared to his disciples, despite the fact that they were hiding in a locked room. We are called to unlock the doors and step out in faith to proclaim the good news of the resurrection.
This sermon focuses on the Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Easter in Year A, John 20:19-31, the story often titled Doubting Thomas.
Here’s the worship livestream from Living Hope and sermon audio from Christ the King.
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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen
For the last seven weeks through Lent and Easter, we’ve been using a theme called Seeking. Maybe you remember me saying one of the things I’ve appreciated about this theme is the artists’ images reflecting visually on each weeks’ Scripture readings.
Well, we’ve finished the series. That doesn’t mean all of our questions are answered, or that we’re done seeking, but it does mean there is no art provided for today’s story of Doubting Thomas. Generally, the Sunday after Easter has the lowest attendance of the year, so I’m hoping I can ask you to do something maybe a little uncomfortable during the sermon and not scare anyone away. Since we don’t have any art for today, I’m going to ask you to make your own art.
Take a paper plate—or if you’re watching this at home, get a piece of paper—and draw out the Gospel story we just heard from that first Easter evening. Stick people are fine, but where were they? Who was there? What’s happening?
I’ll give you a few minutes to draw it, and then if you’re willing, I’ll ask you to show it to your neighbor and see what they drew.
Now, I want you to show your drawing to your neighbor, and to notice what they included. Explain anything you want to.
Ok, just because I’m curious, by show of hands, how many of you included more than three people in your drawing? Thanks. How many of you included Jesus? How many included Thomas?
Did any of you include the locked door?
Usually when I talk about this story, I focus on how unfair it is that for two thousand years poor Thomas been stuck with this label of doubter just for asking some questions, having some common sense skepticism.
Doubts are part of faith, but we’ve been talking about questions for weeks, so today, I want to go a different direction and focus on the locked door.
At the end of the service today at Living Hope, we’re dedicating new front doors, and there are not a lot of places where the Bible mentions doors, so I’m going to work with what I’ve got.
Like I said, this story takes place Easter evening, so by this point, the male disciples have heard from the women that Jesus is alive, but they haven’t personally seen him.
A couple—Peter and John—have seen the empty tomb, but they’re still not sure what exactly to make of it, not sure if they quite believe the women’s testimony.
So here they are, all gathered together in a house—well, all except for Thomas, who’s out doing something. I’ve always assumed he’s running an errand, maybe getting groceries—he’s the practical one, right?—they’re gathered together in a house, and they have the doors locked for fear of the Jews.
Remember as you hear John use the word “Jews” he really means the religious leaders, not the entire Jewish people. Jesus was Jewish. All of the people gathered in that room are Jewish.
And they have good reason to be afraid, good reason to lock the doors. When the leader of your religious movement is arrested and publicly killed by the state—and you’re in his inner circle—fearfully hiding in a locked room is a perfectly rational thing to do.
I wonder, though, what their plan is for the future. I suspect they are so confused by their roller coaster week going from Palm Sunday’s triumphal entry through Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion on Friday, so traumatized by what’s happened, that they simply don’t know what to do.
They’re tired, they’re afraid, and they just want to stay together, try to stay safe, circle the wagons and process together. And that’s ok. In their shoes, I think we’d all do the same.
But eventually, they’re going to need to unlock the door. Eventually, they’re going to need to go out into the world.
And of course, they do. In our first reading from Acts, we heard Peter preaching to a crowd of people, telling them the good news of Jesus, proclaiming that God had raised Jesus from the dead, and of that all of us are witnesses.
That sermon is on Pentecost, just 50 days after Easter Sunday. Somehow, in that 50 days, Peter and the rest of the disciples did unlock the door, leave their safe house, and start proclaiming the good news.
So what happened? What changed?
Well, Jesus came in to where they were hiding. Jesus ignores the barriers they’ve set up, ignores the walls and the locks, and comes to them as they’re hiding in fear. He breaks into their isolation.
And when he comes in, he tells them three things. First, he says, “Peace be with you.” Actually, he says it not once, but three times in this one reading. Peace be with you. Peace be with you. Peace be with you.
What does peace look like? How would you draw that picture?
For the disciples, I think peace looks like forgiveness and hope. Imagine the guilt the disciples must be feeling. Not only was their leader dead, but just before he died, they’d let him down.
They’d misunderstood him at the Last Supper. They’d fallen asleep when he was praying in the garden of Gethsemane. When the soldiers came and arrested him, they ran away. Peter denied him three times. But Jesus refuses to give up on them.
Peace be with you. Be forgiven. Be reconciled.
And peace means hope. They don’t have to be afraid any more. Even when we try to close ourselves off from the world, hiding in fear, Jesus finds a way in.
And not only is Jesus showing them he’s alive, not only is he proving the resurrection; he’s also giving them a mission. That’s the second thing he says to them: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
He calls them to unlock the door, and go out through it. Step out beyond your safe comfort zone, and proclaim the good news to the world.
Invite people to know the peace that comes only from God. Welcome them into the community of faith, through the doors of our building to join us in praising God and doing God’s work. Continue Jesus’ mission to the world.
That call is for us too. In fact, later in this reading, Jesus prays for us.
After Thomas touches his wounds and is convinced it really is Jesus and he really is alive, Jesus says, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
Sisters and brothers in Christ, we are who Jesus is talking about! You and I are part of this story. We’re in the picture too!
And then, verse 22, the third thing Jesus says to them: “When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”
They are not sent out alone; God is with them. The Holy Spirit is empowering them. The Holy Spirit’s presence is what makes the difference, transforming them from fearful followers to bold apostles.
How about you? What doors is God calling you to unlock, empowering you to go through? Where is Jesus breaking into your life, offering peace, and what might that peace look like for you?
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, thank you for the promise of the Holy Spirit, the promise of your presence with us. Today we pray that you would open our doors. Open the doors of our hearts and tear down the barriers we erect, that we would receive you in faith. Call us out beyond the doors of our church building on the path of life to share your good news with our neighbors. And make our doors always open to those who are seeking you. Amen