John 20:19-31

John 20:19-31

“An “Easter Church” Believes!”

Easter 2 March 30, 2008

Christ has risen! He has risen indeed!

As Christians, we confess that Christ has risen. We believe that He has risen and lives in our hearts — but we also believe that He has truly and physically risen.

We believe that the tomb of Christ is empty.

We believe that the power of death has been broken – broken for Jesus and broken for us.

We can’t begin to understand the divine power that rose Jesus from the dead. The more we try to understand it, the more astounded by it we become.

But — here is a truth that is even more astounding:

The same power that shattered the prison of death sets us free from all that binds us.

The very Spirit of God that rose Jesus from the dead can live in us to empowers us for the ministry God calls us to be doing in the world.

You see — resurrection power is for us, in us, and at work through us.

We can live as “Easter Christians” – and be an “Easter Church”.

This means that we not only live in gratitude for our salvation and hope for the future, but we can also live lives that are filled with the power of God for His work in the world. We can be filled with His power and let His power touch every aspect of our lives.

We can be filled with His power – and let His power touch every aspect of our Church.

Christ has risen – and we can be “Easter Christians” – we can be an “Easter Church” – filled with the power of the risen Christ and doing the work of the risen Christ.

During this season of Easter we are going to be looking at different aspects of what it means to be an “Easter Church” – filled with the joy and power of the resurrection of Christ – and boldly doing the work of Christ in the world.

We’re going to begin today by looking at John 20:19-31 – the story of Jesus and Thomas – and see that an “Easter Church” believes.

Read Scripture

A week has passed sense our glorious celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

What kind of week has it been for you?

Has it been a week filled with glorious hope — filled with the glorious power of God and the new life we have because of the resurrection of Christ?

A week that has been filled with bringing the good news of the new life and hope we have in Christ into the world with joy and enthusiasm?

Or —

Has it been a week that has been pretty much “business as usual” — some joy but mainly the mundane — work and whatever else usually occupies your time?

Did you leave the joy and excitement and promise of Easter here at the church last Sunday?

Has the promise of the new life we have because of the resurrection of Christ changed your life — given you a joyous message to proclaim to the world —

Or —

Has the reality of the world seemed to sap the energy and enthusiasm and “good news” right out of you?

Or —

Is it that the things of the world seem more attractive to you than the things of God – and the “old life” of the world is more important to you than the “new life” we can have in Christ?

Or — is it that your life — the habits you have let yourself get into — the things of the world — are just so hard to change that you give up trying to let the risen Christ make a difference in your life and world — even before you try to attempt to let it make a difference?

Indeed — as we come together today we may find ourselves wondering —

“So what if Christ has risen?”

“What does it mean to me?”

“What difference does it make in my life?”

“Where’s the new life Christ offers?”

“I don’s see that anything has changed.”

“What new life is there?”

Indeed — it may be hard for you to believe in the new life – the promise – the hope that the risen Christ offers us – as individuals and as a Church.

It may be hard for you to believe.

If you find yourself wondering about the new life we have in Christ — and find it difficult to believe in the new life Christ offers us — you shouldn’t feel alone.

At times it is hard for us to believe in the new life God offers us through the resurrection of Christ.

We look at the world around us — and we look at our lives — and we can indeed not be blamed for wondering what chances there are for the new – different life that we proclaim the resurrection of Christ offers us.

When we look at our world — there is so much pain — tragedy — suffering — war — hunger – that at times it can indeed be hard for us to believe in the new life Christ offers us.

When we look at our own lives — sometimes there are habits that are so much a part of our lives that we think it is impossible to change them — no matter how destructive they are.

Sometimes there is pain that is deep and that penetrates us — and that seems to never go away.

There may be others in our lives that hurt us — and we may wonder if they will ever stop.

Indeed, sometimes the circumstances and situations of our lives may make us wonder if the new and different life — the changed life — that Christ offers us is just words and can never be reality.

Sometimes we may wonder about this whole idea of being “Easter people” – filled with the joy and power of the resurrected Christ – and doing the work of the resurrected Christ in the world.

And – at times – we might look at the Church and wonder what possibility there will ever be for us to be an “Easter Church” – filled with the excitement and power of the risen Christ – and doing the work of Christ in the world.

We can’t even get our own lives straight – much less the Church!

How are we supposed to be an “Easter Church”?

It is unbelievable!

Yes — at times it can be hard for us to believe that the resurrected Christ can change us – change our lives – change our Church — and change our world.

At times it’s hard for us to believe.

Ineed — what new life is there?

How can we look at the world — at our lives — and at the Church and truly believe that we can be excited “Easter Christians” – and an excited “Easter Church”?

Is “the new life we have in Jesus Christ” – the power Christ gives us as individuals and as a Church – the possibility of being “Easter people” – filled with the power of Christ to do the work of Christ – and the possibility being and “Easter Church” – filled with the power of Christ to do His work — just words for us — or is it a reality?

Sometimes it is indeed hard for us to believe in the new life Christ can give us – as individuals and as a Church.

Sometimes it is hard for us to believe that we can be “Easter people” and an “Easter Church”.

Sometimes it is hard for us to believe.

I can indeed understand what Thomas struggled with in our Gospel lesson for today.

Can’t you?

The disciples are full of excitement when they tell him that they had seen the Lord — but he doesn’t see any difference in his life.

He is still scared.

He is still afraid the Jews will arrest him because he followed Jesus.

He still feels the shame for abandoning Jesus when Jesus needed him.

He just can’t understand what the others disciples are talking about.

“Things look just the same to me” he may have said.

“I don’t see any difference.”

“What new life are y’all talking about?”

What new life indeed.

It was so hard for Thomas to believe.

What new life had the resurrection of Christ given him?

These questions Thomas may have had were indeed very legitimate questions.

Legitimate questions for Thomas.

Legitimate questions for us also.

There are indeed times when nothing in the world or in our lives seem changed — but we as individuals and as a Church seem stuck in the same old rut.

There are times we may wonder if things will ever change for us — or if the new life God promises us through the resurrection of Christ will ever come.

There are times we may wonder if we can ever be “Easter people” – changed for God’s glory and doing God’s will in the world.

There are times we may wonder if we will ever be an “Easter Church” - changed for God’s glory and doing God’s will in the world.

There are times that we, like Thomas, find it hard to believe.

But — what happened to Thomas?

He finally had his life changed.

He finally had his opportunity to see and experience the risen Christ — and believed.

Thomas finally found a way to let the resurrected Lord change His life.

Thomas finally found a way to experience Christ – be changed by Christ – and be an “Easter Christian” –- filled with the new life of Christ and the power of Christ to do His work in the world.

He found a way to believe in the power of the risen Christ!

He found a way to believe!

Not only did he find a way to believe in the power of the risen Christ — he began to let the power of the risen Christ change the things in his life that he thought could not be changed—and he began to experience the new life the resurrection of Christ made possible for him and began reaching out into the world with the power of the risen Christ.

He became an “Easter Christian” — believing in — and experiencing — the new life that was offered to him because of the resurrection of Christ.

He began to believe.

What about for us?

Even though there may be times when the new life God offers us through the resurrection of Christ may be hard for us to experience and believe in — the event of Easter does – in fact — offer to us new life.

New life by experiencing the resurrected Christ.

New life that does make a difference in how we live.

New life that can make a difference in our lives and the lives of those we come into contact with.

New life that can make a difference in our church.

New life that can make a difference in our world.

You see — the message of Easter — the message that we can indeed believe in and experience the new life the resurrected Christ offers us — does not gloss over reality. It does not overlook our world and its struggles – or our individual lives and individual struggles.

Instead — the message of the risen Christ at Easter is:

“Yes — the world may not be what God wills for it to be.”

“Yes — your life may not be what you want — much less what God wants for you.”

“Yes – your Church is not perfect”

Nevertheless

Nevertheless

Christ has risen!

Christ has risen

The world can be changed into God’s glorious Kingdom.

The situations and circumstances of your life — regardless of how bad or painful or hard they may be — can be changed.

Your faith can be strengthened.

The Church – this Church – can be changed.

There can indeed be new beginnings — for you — for me — for all of us – for the Church — because of the risen Christ.

There indeed can be new life.

We can be “Easter Christians” – filled with the life changing power of Christ that can make a difference in our lives — in our Church — and in our world.

You can be an “Easter Christian” – filled with the life changing power of Christ that can make a difference in your life – in the Church — and in our world.

We can be an “Easter Church” – filled with members that are filled with the power of the risen Christ – and sharing that power as we go about His work with excitement and enthusiasm.

We can believe — and experience — new life because of the resurrection of Christ.

Because Christ has risen — we indeed can believe in the power of God that can change us and make us “Easter Christians” – and an “Easter Church”.

Because Christ has risen – we can believe!

You see – that’s one of the first marks of an “Easter Church” –

An “Easter Church” believes!

An “Easter Church” believes!

An “Easter Church” believes that the world may not be what God wants it to be – our lives may not be what God wants them to be – even our Church may not be what God wants it to be –

But – an “Easter Church” believes that – in spite of all these things – Christ has risen – and we can be changed!

An “Easter Church” believes in and is filled with members who believe in – experience – and share the life changing power of the risen Christ.

An “Easter Church” believes!

An “Easter Church” believes!

We can have new life as we experience the risen Christ.

We can have new life as we allow the risen Christ to change our lives.

We can have new life as we come to believe that God gives us new life through the risen Christ.

Yes —

the world can be changed

Yes –

our lives and all of its situations and circumstances can be changed

Yes – our Church can be changed —

Yes — we can believe — and let Christ give us new life.

Yes – we can be “Easter Christians” – filled with hope and power and new life – and sharing our hope – our power – and our new life with each other and with the world – because Christ has risen.

Yes — we can be and “Easter Church” – filled with hope and power and new life – and sharing our hope – our power – and our new life with the world – because Christ has risen.

We can believe!

An “Easter Church” believes!

An “Easter Church” believes!

If you came here this morning wondering if new life is indeed possible — I invite you to leave celebrating a truth.

I invite you to re-experience the risen Christ – the life changing hope and power Christ offers — and let your life be changed.

No — the risen Christ does not promise to make your life easy or painless — but He does promise to be with you when your life is hard and painful.

He promises to help you defeat habits that seem undefeatable.

He promises to give you strength to live this life — and to make this life new.

He promises to make it possible for you to believe in — and experience — new life — a different life — now and forever.

He promises to change you – to change us – to change our Church – and to change the world.

You can believe it!

We can believe it!

We can be a “Easter Christians” and an “Easter Church”!

Believe it!

An “Easter Church” believes!

An “Easter Church” believes! Amen.