Brent Kuhlman

+ Jesu Juva +

“Thomas!  We’ve seen the Lord who is the First and the Last!  The Alpha and the Omega.  Who is, who was, and who is to come.  The Almighty.  The Living One.  Who holds the keys of death and Hades.  He was dead but now lives forever and ever.  We saw his wounds.  But He’s no longer grave yard dead.  He’s risen.  Thomas.  We’ve seen Him!  We’ve seen the Lord!”

You remember Thomas the twin.  Wasn’t there with that little congregation in the locked room when the risen Jesus showed up.  When the Lord flashed His wounds and revealed what His death meant for them.

With His wound showing Jesus speaks a word of “Peace.”  His Word does and gives what it says.  A Holy Spirit filled-forgiveness.  A full blown absolution.  Delivered personally.  Privately if you will.  The doors were locked remember?  And He just came right on it!  In the midst of this little frightened congregation. 

All sin forgiven by Jesus brings great joy.  Peter’s denials.  The others who ran.  Everything is forgiven.  Really.  Truly.  What delight.  Better tell Thomas.  He’d be glad to hear it too.  “Thomas!  We’ve seen the Lord!”

Thomas doubts what he hears.  Being told isn’t good enough.  Wants more than their words.  Proof.  Evidence.  Seeing is believing.  “You’ve seen Him boys? Well, I haven’t.  I want to see His mangled but raised from the dead body.  The nail holes.  The gash.  Call me an USDA meat inspector, but unless I handle his wounds and examine them up close I cannot trust what you say.”

A week goes by.  The disciples are in the same house.  This time Thomas the twin is there.  The doors are locked again. But that’s no obstacle for the Lord.  He comes right on in again.  Doesn’t even knock!  Stands in the middle of them all and declares:  “Peace be with you!”  Again the words of forgiveness.  Again the absolution done privately.  What would you expect the Savior to say?

Oh, I know.  You think Jesus should let Thomas have it.  In fact, Thomas is the perfect candidate on which to exercise the binding key for the first time in church history.  “Got a doubter in our midst do we? Doesn’t trust what the other apostles have told him about seeing Me raised from the grave? All right, then, Thomas.  You’re kicked out of My Church!  You go straight to hell. Do not pass go.  Do not collect $200.00.  Peter!  I’ve given you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.  Bind this Thomas.  Lock him out of my kingdom!  After all, what you bind on earth I’ll bind in heaven.”

Isn’t that what Jesus should do with Thomas?  No.  No.  No.  The words are “Peace be with you.”  What He said a week earlier still counts.  Even for Thomas.  No excommunication.  No call for the church bouncers.  That’s not what Jesus or His church are all about.

Jesus wants Thomas to believe what he’s heard.  Closed and locked doors were no problem for the Lord.  Do you think an apostle’s unbelief would be?  Of course not.

“Check me out Thomas.  Put your finger here.  Nail holes aren’t they?  They go all the way through.  Go ahead Thomas.  These are my crucified hands.  And they hold you in my forgiveness.  Don’t stop there.  Give me your hand.  Feel  the long slit?  Yes, that’s it.  Right here in my side.  Quite gaping isn’t it?  From which my Blood was shed for you.  Stop doubting and believe what you’re told.”

“My Lord and my God!”  Thomas finally listens.  He finally believes.  Sees the crucified and risen Lord.  His hands and His side.  Deep were His wounds.  The wounds of Calvary.  The Cross.  For his salvation.  For yours.

Blessed are you -- (Confirmands) Brenna and David – you members of St. Andrew’s.  Jesus says so.  Not because you’ve seen and believed.  But because you haven’t seen.  You’ve heard the witness of the apostles:  “We have seen the Lord!” and believe.

Jesus did loads of other miracles John says.  But John didn’t write them all down.  If he did I suppose his Gospel would be too long winded and we might miss the point.

And the point is this:  That Jesus is the Christ, the Savior.  He is the Son of God.  He died for you.  He rose for you.  Believe in Him.   Trust in Him.  Forgiveness is always yours.  It was for Thomas.  Let’s no longer call him doubting Thomas but believing Thomas.

Seeing the risen Lord like Thomas you’ve not been given.  However, You’ve been given to hear to His voice in the  “Peace be with you.”

You will soon hear the Pax Domini in the liturgy.  These are the Lord’s Words.  He’s speaking to you in His words.  And His words give to you what they say:  peace/forgiveness.

Then there’s the joyful eating and drinking.  Touching and handling things unseen.  But the words tells us what you’re given and what it’s for:  Christ’s Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins.  And where there is forgiveness of sins there is life and salvation.  Blessed are you.  You hear the words “for you” and you believe.  You are forgiven.  Freed from your sins by Christ’s holy Blood.  You have life in His Name.

Happy believing in Jesus.   The peace of the Lord be with you all. 

In Jesus’ Name.