Sermon 889 19 April 2020
Sermon 889 John 20: 24-29 Printed Version
I have lived in many places and officiated at many funerals but some are more memorable for certain reasons, good and bad, and this one will stay with me for a long time.
I was the minister in a small town. A man who we can call “Jerry” passed away suddenly. I did his funeral. He was a farmer who had lived in the community for a number of years and so he was quite well known. The funeral was large. Most of the town witnessed the burial of “Jerry”. The obituary was posted in the local paper and unknown to us it also was mailed to another country. Jerry had an identical twin bro that no one knew about. The twin read the obituary and decided to come and pay his respects. He didn’t make it on time for the funeral but was there a few days later. As “Jerry” had worked on the farm, his wife now needed some help. The brother decided to help out but didn’t have any farm clothes so he borrowed Jerrys’. It made quite a stir when the identical twin showed up at the Co-op dressed in “Jerrys” clothes. Apparently people screamed.
Obviously this is not the same as a resurrection but it does give us a glimpse into the surprise aspect.
In the scripture today Jesus appears in a room with locked doors, twice. To me that is a far greater miracle than walking on water. Possibly even bigger than making 2500 liters of wine out of holy water, but no one seems to remember this miracle. Thomas and the story of doubt seem to overshadow it. For Thomas to doubt, Jesus must have looked very different.
The room they were in was possibly the Upper Room where they had celebrated the Last Supper or a room that had special meaning as Thomas and others knew to meet there. Jesus entered a familiar space but in a most unfamiliar way. Mary seemed to be comfortable with this but Thomas needed more proof.
I think this is an example of what is happening in our churches these days. For a long time the churches have been quite traditional.
For example, the picture of Jesus, through history hasn’t changed much. In 235 there is the oldest known drawing of what Jesus may have looked like. He looks pretty much the same as our present image, but without the beard. It took him until the 4thC to grow a beard, but then some are slower.
One of the most popular pictures of Jesus, is the Last Supper and apart from the question of why he is practicing social distancing between himself and the person to his right, he looks familiar.
In 1940 and artist named Sallaman painted the picture that is in almost every church in North America. The head of Christ was reproduced over 500 million times. Nothing much changed for a long time.
Then the 60’s happened and things changed. Rock and roll became the new music. It was very different from anything in the past. There were many experts telling us how bad it was for our health and welfare. Hippies existed with all the fabricated and true stories about their activities. Men had long hair. Woodstock was certainly a different style of concert.
However one of the real changes was the attitude of questioning authority. Never before had the anti-war movement been so strong, indicating that people were not willing to just accept the statements from the Government – or the church. Everything was up for examination.
The traditions of past were being challenged. The same was true inside the churches. Some will remember the upset when “The Laughing Jesus” picture appeared. It became a very well-known and controversial picture. Interestingly it was drawn by a man Willis Wheatly in 1973 who worked for the United Church of Canada. It was sold to some monks and then moved on to the Evangelical Church in the United States who distributed it widely. Not only was there a laughing Jesus but there was also a Black Jesus, a Korean Jesus and many more.
Worship changed as well. There were Folk Masses, where guitars and drums led the service. Blue Jeans were accepted (women no longer had to wear gloves and hats.)There were many different styles of church and a new found freedom of expression. Theology itself grew new wings with the advent of Liberation Theology. No longer was the church limited to the Top Down style of medieval rule. Liberation Theology gave an alternative concept that Jesus was a poor person and the gospels should be viewed from that perspective.
Rules of the church opened up. While the United Church has been ordaining women since the 1930’s, other churches began welcoming female clergy. Gay ministers were now a part of the leadership and ecumenism (Different denominations working together) became the norm. The United and Anglican Church produced a joint hymnbook.
Posters like this appeared:
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While the church underwent significant changes it did still meet in the same building, but the image and idea of Jesus had changed
Some were very excited about new image. Mary welcomed the new Jesus. She didn’t ask much about whether he was real. She seemed to know. She accepted the new Jesus. Others were not so enthusiastic. They were more hesitant and like Thomas they needed more proof or reassurance that this was the same Lord. They needed something they recognized.
We are being forced now into new expressions of faith by this virus. Not having church in real time is challenging. For some it is freeing. For some it is a upsetting
Unfortunately some people have locked doors of their faith. Some traditionalists feel that the old way is the only way while some non-traditionalists believe we must worship in a new way.
The Church needs to, and does, welcome both. Neither is wrong.
There is great beauty from the past. Much of the art and music are powerful tributes to a strong faith. Often at overwhelming moments some of the old familiar tunes bring comfort.
The newer way has the enthusiasm and often unique ideas. The freedom to be adventurous may lead to the message being shared with people who have never heard it before.
The miracle is Jesus appeared through a locked door. Not just the locked door of the Upper Room but the locked door of human hearts. He can unlock the door of people, regardless of their personal preference
We live in a society which tries to build barriers of differences. We are told in many ways that if we are different or have dissimilar views, be that; cultural political, environmental, religious, lifestyle or any number of things we can never co-operate together. Jesus entered a locked room with two very different people proving that the biggest Miracle is – we can all come together with Christ.
Prayer
God of many descriptions
We pray for those who are steeped in religion
We pray for those who are spiritual but not religious
We pray for those who have no expression of faith at all.
We pray for those who need a new expression of faith
We pray for all who are expressing their faith in their
own languages and cultures and traditions
Wherever we are in our journey, we know you meet us
Wherever the world is, we know you walk with it
In the times of crisis – like now, we come to you for
strength and guidance.
Help us understand you in our own perception that we may all come together
We pray for those in our hearts…….
We repeat together the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven
Hallowed by thy name
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us
lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil
for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory
forever and ever
Amen