Prepared by Dr. Joseph J. Ladley for 2 Easter Sunday, April 27th
Acts 5:27-32, Psalm 118:14-29, Revelation 1:1-8, Gospel John 20:19-31.
MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF OUR HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN THY SIGHT, OH LORD, OUR STRENGTH AND OUR REDEEMER. AMEN.
PLEASE BE SEATED GOOD MORNING ONCE AGAIN
According to Webster there are approximately 170,000 words commonly used in the English language today. If you consider less common words and obsolete words, that number swells toover 500,000. Those words can also be placed into different categories. We consider some of those words inappropriate, sometimes referring to them as four letter words. Now, I must advise some wives that the word, golf, is not one of those.
Then there are some words that can be considered, at times, either good or bad, holy or evil. One such word in that category might be the word, politician. Finally there are words that inspire us, fulfill us and make our entire beings complete. Without them, as Christians, we would be wandering in the wilderness. One such word is the word, Gospel, and today Ihave the pleasure of preaching on one of the all-time great Gospels in John 20:19-31., concerning the very day of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, JESUS CHRIST.
So, let’s create a scenario leading up to and including the discussing and analyzing of John’s Gospel for today’s service. This Gospel is certainly one that we are all attracted to and inspired by, and one that lifts us all emotionally, in mind, body and spirit. Only hours after his resurrection, we find JESUS on the road to Emmaus, where he stops to talk with Cleopas and one other person. Some scholars think that the other person was Luke, while others think that it was Mary, the wife of Cleopas. In truth, no one really knows. They invite JESUS on to Emmaus, where HE joins them for supper. JESUS then travels the seven miles back to Jerusalem, and late that same Sunday night joins the eleven disciples in the Upper Room.
So here they were, the disciples, once again, in the Upper Room of John Mark’s parent’s house, just as they had been three evenings earlier, for the Last Supper. Only ten of the original twelve were present this time, as Judas was dead and Thomas were absent. Eleven were present, however, since Matthias had replaced Judas in the group of twelve. Three nights before, on the evening of the Last Supper, John Mark, best guess, then only a teenager, had watched thatgathering from a distance, and then had followed the disciples and JESUS to the Garden at Gethsemane, clad only in a blanket from his bed, or as he described it later in his Gospel, “a linen sleeping garment.” Although he had tried to remain hidden, one of the Roman soldiers had grabbed at him, only to get the blanket he was wearing, and John Mark ran home, naked and frightened as he had never been before. Now, late on this Sunday evening, three days later, the eleven disciples, once again in the Upper Room, were frightened as they had never been before. On the previous Thursday evening, when they had gone to the Garden at Gethsemane, instead of returning to the house of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, as they had done since the previous Sunday evening, they had not been afraid. Jesus, even though he had tried to warn them of the severity of the situation ahead, could not even keep them awake. But, now they were terrified of the Jewish Priests, the Sadducees and Pharisees, and the Romans, as never before, under the fear of death, as they had almost all be arrested with JESUS. Therefore, they locked and bolted the doors to the Upper Room.
I should also explain, at this time, that the Christians always used the Upper Room in the house of John Mark’s parents for their meetings, as while most houses in Jerusalem were small, one story, four room structures, John Mark’s parent’s house was a large two story structure, as Mary, John Mark’s mother,was extremely wealthy, and even had servants. This, therefore, was the place in Jerusalem, where the Christians felt most secure for their meetings. Also, it was a large room, about to hold 120 people, forty days later. So here they were, bolted in securely, against all intruders, when JESUS suddenly appears in the room before them. Yet another miracle, that JESUS performed, not included in the 35 miracles and other wonders mentioned in the Bible. JESUS came and stood before them, thusly showing the power of HIS new resurrected body. His body had substantial form and continuity when comparing it to HIS pre-Cross body. His first words, “PEACE BE WITH YOU,” were a conventional greeting of that time. But the words were now invested with a fuller and deeper meaning. At first, the disciples were not sure of what was happening or if this was really JESUS. HE therefore ate fish with them, had them touch HIM and showed them HIS wounds. Doubting Thomas’s one and all. Suddenly, they all realized that it was indeed JESUS standing before them, and they were overjoyed. What a change from their fear of death and despondency of just moments before. Now they showed a boldness and joyfulness that would be carried over for fifty days until and beyond the day of PENTECOST. Jesus’ next act was to then recommission the disciples as HIS Apostles. HE was sending them as HIS representatives, just as the FATHER had sent HIM, to preach, teach and to do miraculous signs.For their new commission they needed spiritual power, so HE breathed on them and said, “RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.”
The image and wording of breathing on them recalls GOD’s creative work, so many years before, in making Adam. This receptionf ofthe SPIRIT was in anticipation of the day of PENTECOST and should be understood as a partial limited gift of knowledge,understanding, and empowerment until PENTECOST, 50 days later. Then, as explained in our GOSPEL for today’s service, forgiveness of sins is one of the major benefits of the death of JESUS. It is the essence of the NEW COVENANT. Proclaiming the forgiveness of sins was the prominent feature of the apostolic preaching in the BOOK OF ACTS. JESUS was giving the apostles the privilege of announcing heaven’s terms on how a person can receive forgiveness. If one believes in JESUS, then a Christian has the right to announce his forgiveness. If a person rejects Jesus’ sacrifice, then a Christian can announce that that person is not forgiven.
In our GOSPEL, John has traced the development of unbelief which culminated in Jesus’ enemies crucifying HIM.Conversely, John also traced the disciple’s development of faith, which was now climaxed in Thomas. The disciples were affirming Jesus’ resurrection to Thomas, but he remained unconvinced. He wanted bodily proof of Jesus’ risen state.The reappearance of JESUS, eight days later, provided the opportunity that Thomas needed. Once again, JESUS miraculously entered the room that was secured with locked and bolted doors. He asked Thomas to touch HIM, showed Thomas the wounds, and told him to stop doubting and to believe. Thomas’s response was, “MY LORD AND MY GOD.”
This is the high point in today’s Gospel. Here is a skeptical man, confronted by the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. He then announced that JESUS, the Man of Galilee, was GOD, manifested in the flesh.The resurrection of JESUS accomplished five things. It demonstrated that what JESUS predicted about HIS being raised was true. It also proved that JESUS was the Son of GOD and was sent by GOD. It testified to the success of this mission of salvation and entitled HIM to a position of Glory.Lastly, it proclaimed that JESUS is the LORD.
JESUS then pronounced a blessing on all who would come to faith without the help of a visible, bodily manifestation to them.This blessing comes to all who believe on the basis of the proclaimed Gospel and the evidence of its validity. We believers living today are not deprived by not seeing HIM physically; instead, we are the recipients of HIS special blessing: “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.” There is not a single person in this sanctuary today who needs more than that.
John explained his purpose in writing this Gospel, that people might contemplate and perceive the theological significance of Jesus’ miracles. Many people today, non-believers all, ignore, deny, or rationalize Jesus’ miracles. Even in Jesus’ day some people attributed them to GOD, whereas others attributed them to SATAN. To ignore, deny or rationalize them in that day should have been impossible, because the miracles were manifold and manifest. John indicated that he was aware of the synoptic miracles: also JESUS did many other miraculous signs and wonders, like the one I mentioned above when HE appeared in the Upper Room although the doors to the room were locked, bolted and secure. Thirty-five different miracles are recorded in the four Gospels, and John selected seven of them for special consideration in order that people might come to believe that JESUS is the CHRIST, the promised MESSIAH, and the SON of GOD. The seven miracles that John chose for special consideration were: Water turned into wine at Cana, Healing of the royal official’s son, Healing the paralytic at Bethesda, feeding of the multitudes, walking on water, Healing the man blind from birth, and Raising Lazarus from the dead.
There is a song entitled “Faith, Hope and Charity that could apply to today’s Gospel or to us, as Christians living today. The lyrics state, “Have Faith, Hope and Charity, That’s the way to live successfully. How do I know, the Bible tells me so.” The three virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity constitute the core of the human response to the incarnation. The savior said: “I will show unto them that Faith, Hope and Charity bringeth unto me, the foundation of all righteousness.” The first principle of the Gospel is not just faith but faith in the LORD, JESUS CHRIST. No one had ever brought them together before St. Paul made the famous declaration: “Faith, hope, and love remain, these three. But the greatest of these is love.” The third member of this triad, which St. Paul calls agape, is translated into English sometimes as Love and sometimes as Charity. We, today, can look on these three with great emotion. The greatest Charity that we have ever received is the charitable sacrifice that JESUS made on our behalf through HIS crucifixion, for the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation. He asked nothing of us in return, and knowing that we would not always live a holy life but at times a sinful life, lets us repent our sins and ask forgiveness, which is granted. As to our faith, unlike the disciples, who lived with JESUS, walked beside him for those 1220 days of HIS ministry, saw HIS many miracles and other wonders, and still needed proof of his resurrection, we believe and accept his resurrection, in our faith, without any other needed proof. We know that HE does exist in our lives today, and as to hope, we have a leg up on the disciples, in that they have been waiting for HIS return for over two thousand yearsnow, and our time is yet to come. And we have known something else as well, long before reading today’s Gospel; and that is that on the third day HE rose again in accordance with the scriptures, HE ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the FATHER , and that HE will come again in glory, to judge the living and thedead, and that HIS kingdom will have no end.
AMEN