Acts 4:32-35 (NRSV)
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
John 20:19-31(NRSV)
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
This morning we come to worship later because today we will consider questions about ministry and mission of this church related specifically to our preschool ministry. The lectionary readings for today offer us the opportunity to reflect on the marks of faith as we consider our mission and ministry.
When the writer of the Gospel of John tells his story of Thomas, he is telling a story for us and every Christian that has never seen Jesus face to face. He is telling a story of truth that is far greater than a historical account of Thomas. Take the story as a story of truths and try not to get tangled up in whether it happened just as described.
The story is that it was a Sunday when Thomas left the disciples, we are not told why. Thomas, being a practical sort of guy, I’ve always imagined that he went out for bread, cheese, or other supplies. The disciples were still in hiding as it was dangerous for them to be discovered. As Disciples of Jesus they would be punishable by the same fate as their master.
When Thomas returns from this erron, he finds his friends giddy. My guess is that he might have taken this as a joke. Thomas knew dead was dead. And he knew that Jesus was dead.
That is where our story’s truth really hit home for the people to whom John was writing. They had never seen this Jesus. How could dead be anything else. They, like us and those still to come who have not heard this story, have the experience of this way of Jesus handed down to us. Each generation learns the story and passes it on.
And it is unbelievable.
For Thomas he says that he will believe when he sees the marks on Jesus hands and side. Thomas needs the marks of Death. He must see the wounded Jesus now raised above his wounds if Thomas will believe.
Thomas asks for what he needs to believe and when Jesus sees him, Thomas is given the chance to have exactly what he has asked for. He doesn’t take it. Instead he declares a greater testimony of faith than the others who had seen Jesus. He declares, “ My Lord and my God.”
And John writes that Thomas believes because he has seen, how blessed are those who believe without seeing. The writer of the Gospel of John wants us to know this. Blessed are those who believe without seeing. Blessed are those who reorganize the makes of faith that move us beyond the marks of Earth.
For some of the early communities, this way of Jesus was so unifying that they totally changed their way of living. This way of Jesus that declared that God loves everyone without exception. God calls everyone to mature, evolve, change, throughout their lives so that they can become more and more a reflection of God’s love in the world.
The community written about in our reading from the Acts of the Apostles was such a community. They were of: 1. One heart and soul 2. no one claimed private ownership of any possession, everything was held in common. 3. they heard powerful testimonies of the risen Lord and great grace was upon them.
1. They were of one heart and soul. That is they were about the message of Jesus Christ. They were about the love of God revealed in Jesus and they were to draw others into the fellowship of this way .
2. They claimed no private ownership. I find this very interesting when we consider the work we have to do today. This church and it’s ministries belong first and foremost to God. If the ministries and missions of this church belong to individuals then they are not Gods. Consider what that means for the work we have to do today.
We are to be of one heart and soul and that is the heart of Jesus Christ and the soul power given by the Holy Spirit.
And we are reminded that none of this is ours, it belongs to God and we are the stewards left in charge. We who are of this one heart and one soul share this sacred ground together.
3. And it is on this sacred ground that we tell the story of this Jesus. These gardens, buildings, instruments, windows all give testimony. Everything here, gives testimony to the heart and soul of this Church. Everything we do, all who act in our name, all who gather to use this sacred ground give testimony to the heart and soul of this Church.
Today, we hear again the passage of Thomas meeting Jesus. Thomas told the others what he needed to believe in this resurrected Jesus. What is it that you need to believe in the God revealed in Jesus Christ? Ask. And once you have asked, consider what change the answer will require of you. You just might be overwhelmed. You just might be transformed. You just might have to declare, “My Lord and My God. ” You just might be moved to join with others and become one heart and soul together as a church drawn together in the abundant love, the courageous love, the tough love of Jesus Christ whose Spirit marks our faith.
