Sermon preached by Rev. Henley on March 30, 2008
According to the Gospel of John, on the first day of the week after the crucifixion, the disciples were gathered and Jesus came to them. Everyone was there except Thomas. When they told Thomas about their encounter with the Easter Jesus, Thomas was doubtful of the news. He said he had to see it for himself, touch the nailed hands and feel the wound in his rabbi’s side before he could believe.
He was, we might say today, skeptical.
Not unlike the kangaroo in DR. SEUSS’ HORTON HEARS A WHO. You probably know the story and if you don’t, I highly recommend you see the most recent “Horton” movie that has just been released. You don’t need children or grandchildren to see the movie; although I did take my nine-year old neighbor with me.
Horton hears something coming from a small speck of dust blowing in the air. What he heard was the mayor of Who calling for help. Now Who is a microscopic town that has been in existence for a long time. Horton decides to help the mayor of Who by finding a safe, stable place for the speck so that the town will not meet a tragic end.
Horton is the only one who hears the mayor of Who.
There’s a kangaroo, who already believes Horton’s too “creative” and unconventional for the Jungle of Nool. So, while Horton becomes committed to saving this microscopic town, the kangaroo becomes committed to destroying the speck because she can’t see or hear the mayor of Who, and if she can’t see, hear, or touch something; well then, it doesn’t exist. And destroying the speck will be for Horton’s own good.
We are all skeptics at some time or other. Actually, the world needs skeptics. Some of the world’s greatest inventors, explorers, scientists were skeptical of what they were told, and proceeded to find out for themselves how things really worked! We could say that skepticism in its finest sense is critical thinking.
The Gospel of John is the only book in the New Testament which includes the story of “doubting Thomas.” I prefer to believe Thomas was, not a doubter, but a critical thinker.
When Jesus first came to the disciples on that Easter Sunday, Thomas was not there, and when Jesus said to those gathered that he was their rabbi, their Jesus, they didn’t believe either. But he showed them his hands and his side, and they believed. A week later the disciples were again in the house, and this time, Thomas was there. Jesus came and stood among them and then he said to Thomas, "… see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas finally believed. Then Jesus said, it is good you believed, but blessed are those who have not seen me and believe.
The author of the Gospel of John includes this story for one reason—it is an opportunity for believers to look at their beliefs and their faith.
John, remember, is the most creative of the gospel writers. He is the storyteller and the observer of human nature. He knows that life is not simple and there are no easy answers. He also knows that belief without doubt, or belief without critical thinking has its limitations.
Because of the circumstances of Jesus’ death, he knows there will be people who can no longer believe and follow Jesus’ teachings. John has to have a story that will give people the chance to say, I believed in him before he died, and now I have to decide whether I still believe in his teachings. And if I do, then where do I go from here?
If I do, where do I go from here.
Belief leads to faith and faith leads to action. Before I explore this further, I want to turn to one of the most respected religious historians today. Karen Armstrong.
In her latest book THE GREAT TRANSFORMATION, she gives an extensive accounting of humankind’s spiritual development. She, like other historians and theologians, believe that it was in the Axial Age, from 900 to 200 BCE when enlightened human beings planted the world’s great religions. It was then, she says, humankind began to understand its existence and purpose. Those great religions were: “Confucianism and Daoism in China; Hinduism and Buddhism in India; monotheism in Israel; and philosophical rationalism in Greece.”
She writes,
“All the traditions that were developed during the Axial Age pushed forward the frontiers of human consciousness and discovered a transcendent dimension in the core of their being, but they did not necessarily regard this as supernatural… Precisely because th[is] experience was … [indescribable] the only correct attitude was reverent silence. The sages certainly did not seek to impose their own view of this ultimate reality on other people… [The sages] believed [that no one] should ever take any religious teaching” without critical assessment.
“It was essential to question everything and to test any teaching empirically, against your personal experience.”
The author of John, was, it seems, telling his story in the tradition of the great spiritual sages of the past. He was saying, it is all right to doubt. It is all right to question. By having the Easter Jesus say, “… it is good you believed, but blessed are those who have not seen me and believe …” John recognizes that each person, in her or his own way must come to their own decision about their beliefs.
Now, we return to my statement: Belief leads to faith and faith leads to action.
Some people think that belief is all we need. But that is not so. Our beliefs are a foundation for our faith.
You see, we can write down our beliefs.
I believe Absolute Reality is impersonal.
I believe in God.
I believe in the teachings of Jesus.
I believe in the eightfold path of Buddha.
I believe we find God in nature.
We can write down our beliefs, but the moment, the moment, we write them down they limit us. Sally McFague, who wrote the book METAPHORICAL THEOLOGY tells us that the moment we define something, even metaphorically, it become concrete.
This is good, because it is our beliefs that provide the foundation upon which we develop our faith. We want strong beliefs. And just because we believe something today, doesn’t mean we can’t change our mind tomorrow. If we acquire different information, critically consider that information, then it is certainly reasonable to change our beliefs. If we need to bust up the old concrete, using a metaphor, and pour new concrete, then that is what we do, as critical thinkers.
However, the function of our beliefs is to help us discern our existence and purpose in life. And our faith is built on our beliefs. We cannot write down on a piece of paper our faith. It is impossible. Our faith is that which sustains us and nourishes us on our journey through this life. Our faith is part of that transcendent core of our being that the great sages talked about for centuries.
Our faith leads us to action.
In John, after we read through the story of “Doubting Thomas,” Jesus goes on to tell his disciples what they need to do next. And he says, “feed my people.” Paul the Apostle tells the new Christians that belief brings transformation and transformation brings evidence of a new life in Christ.
In other words, belief, faith, and then action.
The great sages of our religious stories all teach that belief alone does not transform the individual, it is developing one’s transcendent nature – and part of that transcendent nature is our faith – and then, “… ‘stepping out’ (Armstrong, TRANSFORMATION) and living that faith.
The beauty of our first reading this morning from the movie SIGNS is that it reveals the need for human beings to have a belief system upon which they can develop a faith. A faith that guides them through their journey in life—no matter the circumstances. And I would say an encounter with a cosmic alien would be a circumstance upon which we would need our faith.
And what do we learn from Horton our elephant who heard the pleas of the mayor of Who. We can say that he had a strong belief system which supported his faith. And his faith, that part of his transcendent core being, responded to the needs of Who. No questions, no doubt, no second thoughts. When confronted by Kangaroo to give up the speck to protect himself, there was no hesitation; Horton was determined to save Who as long as he had breath.
What was wrong in Horton’s story of Who? Both Horton and the Kangaroo had belief systems upon which their faith was grounded. Both had a faith which led them to action. Kangaroo’s belief system was from one of philosophical rationalism. The problem was, she was not tolerant of Horton’s belief. No matter what our beliefs, we need to accept that there are many kinds of beliefs.
There are those who believe because they have seen the hands and touched the wound, and there are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.
There are those who believe because they have seen the hands and touched the wound, and there are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.
As a people of faith, we must remember that what matters most in our journey is that we create a belief through critical thinking, and allow our faith to transform us into a people of action.
Belief, faith, and action. Jesus said, “Feed my people.”
Blessed be and amen.
The Readings
The poem for our Opening Words is from Sri Chinmoy’s The Wings of Light Part I, 1975
The Ideal Disciple
The ideal disciple
Is he who believes
Before he sees.
The ideal disciple
Is he whose mind
Is inside his heart.
The ideal disciple
Is he whose heart
Lives for his soul.
The ideal disciple
Is he whose soul
Distributes his goal.
Reading I
From the movie Signs, 2002, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Our first reading is from the movie SIGNS, with a screenplay and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. In the film, the faith of Graham Hess has been severely tested and shaken by the tragic death of his wife in a horrific car accident. Due to this apparently senseless and meaningless loss, the film opens on Graham as a broken man, who sees no meaning in the world, and no presence of a loving God. His faith is so shattered that he has resigned as pastor of his church. The movie revolves around mysterious events happening in a small town and around the world: crop circles have appeared simultaneously in many countries, and lights have appeared in the sky. Are these signs of an extraterrestrial or otherworldly presence? Are humans in danger of extinction from an unknown foe, and is there a God who will intervene on their behalf? Through the course of the movie, seemingly random and coincidental occurrences, from the trivial habits of the main characters to the dying words of Graham’s wife, coincide and coalesce to show Graham there might be a greater purpose and reason for all of life’s events, though we cannot see them ourselves. At one point, Grant and his brother discuss God, faith, and luck. Graham says:
People break down into two groups when the experience something lucky. Group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They see it as a sign, evidence, that there is someone up there, watching out for them. Group number two sees it as just pure luck. Just a happy turn of chance. I'm sure the people in Group number two are looking at those fourteen lights in a very suspicious way. For them, the situation isn't fifty-fifty. Could be bad, could be good. But deep down, they feel that whatever happens, they're on their own. And that fills them with fear. Yeah, there are those people. But there are a whole lot of people in the Group number one. When they see those fourteen lights, they're looking at a miracle. And deep down, they feel that whatever's going to happen, there will be someone there to help them. And that fills them with hope. See what you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you? Are you the kind that sees signs, sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky? …
Reading II
John 20:24-29
24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 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."
26 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."
27 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."
28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
29 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."