Apples and Oranges

First Lesson: Acts 2: 14a, 22-32
Responsive Reading: Psalm 16
Second Lesson: 1 Peter 1: 3-9
​Gospel Lesson: John 20: 19-31

---

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
“"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.”- Isaiah 55:8. 

Hagar was mad at God.  Hagar was easy to upset as he worked as a Viking.  Hagar was so gruff that he was nicknamed “The Horrible.”  So, Hagar, one day prays to God looks for answers[1]. 

Hagar’s prayer asks God to prove that he exists.  Hagar figures that God will ignore him like seemingly so many times before.

Hagar’s prayer is met with initial silence.  Right next to Hagar a flower spring from the earth, off in the distance a volcano begins to erupt.  Pretty soon, the sky turns black as an eclipse of the sun is taking place.  As Hagar looks at the dark sky, a star shoots across the stratosphere.  Pretty soon, a tidal wave flies over Hagar’s head.  Lightning then flashes in the sky, a bush begins to burn in Hagar’s presence, and a giant stone rolls away from the entrance of a nearby tomb. 

Hagar is mad at this point, the sky is all dark, and Hagar is dripping wet.  Hagar worst of all still hasn’t heard God’s response.  So finally, Hagar shouts out “O.K., I give up! I pray for an answer and all I get is interruptions[2]”.

Now there have maybe been times in our life like Hagar when the pain of our present has led to us questioning the reality of God’s presence[3].  Today, we hear the story of a man who struggled with God’s plan in Thomas the Disciple.

Thomas’s story begins in the midst of his grieving.  Thomas was a witness to seeing his mentor and teacher Jesus dying on the cross.  Thomas went home disappointed.  Easter Sunday, Jesus appears to the other Disciples, and Thomas isn’t there.  Thomas hears that Jesus now rises.   Thomas was skeptical. 

“Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe[4]. 

Thomas wasn’t going to believe the other disciples, nor the women at the tomb[5].  Thomas had been hurt enough by Jesus’ loss that he wasn’t going to set himself up to look foolish. Thomas couldn’t figure out why the other Disciples would play such a cruel prank such as suggesting “He is Risen.”

Thomas wanted to believe, Thomas just didn’t want to go through disappointment again like he experienced on Good Friday. 

Thomas story reveals something interesting about the nature of doubt.  Doubt is often a byproduct of human suffering and how to interpret it.

Pastor Leon Stier draws a very interesting contrast of how different men can interpret God’s role in similar situations[6]. 

Steve Jobs was one of the founders of Apple Computers[7].  Jobs also cofounded an animation company called Pixar which made movies like Toy Story and Finding Nemo.  In 1996, Jobs returned to Apple Computers and helped turn it into the most profitable company in the world.  Steve Jobs grew up a Lutheran.  At the Age of 13, Jobs was beginning to have doubts.  Jobs visited his pastor then asked “Does God know everything?”  The Pastor responds “Yes.”  Jobs then proceeds to whip out a Life magazine with starving African children on the cover.  Jobs then asked, “Does God know about this?”

Steve Jobs walked out of his Lutheran church never to return.  Steve Jobs figured he had an open and shut case against God.  What type of God could stand idly by and let Children suffer like this?  Jobs eventually converted to Buddhism.  Buddhism’s response to suffering is interesting.  Buddhism holds suffering is a byproduct of karma or basically “We reap, what we sow.” Karma says the Universe will ultimately be fair in the end.

Compare Steve Jobs story to a young man named Salee[8].  Salee grew up a Buddhist.  Salee grew up in Cambodia. Salee grew up during the reign of Pol Pot.  Pol Pot would take the lives of two million of Salee’s primarily Buddhist countrymen.

Salee would have been killed by Pol Pot, he was dragged out to the killing fields and wounded but was able to play “possum” then sneak away at night. 

Pol Pot only rose to power though because of the mess that was Cambodia. Most people Salee grew up with were starving just like those children in Africa.  Salee realized though that none of his fellow countrymen or the Buddhists or the Cambodian Government seemed to care[9].

Salee noticed that the only people that seemed to care about his people were American missionaries.  Salee couldn’t help but wonder “Why?”  To answer Salee’s question, he decided to attend one of the missionary’s churches.  Salee eventually became a Christian then a missionary unto his own people.

Here’s the interesting thing about Salee and Steve Jobs.  They both asked God a similar question about “hunger.”  Steve Jobs wanted to know why God allowed it, whereas Salee wanted to find out what compelled Christians to care about hunger in people in a land, so far away[10]. 

Thomas had heard that Jesus had risen from the dead[11].  Thomas still demanded proof.  Thomas knew very well how everything was supposed to work. Thomas knew that Jesus had died. Thomas knew that the dead stay dead.  Thomas had seen Jesus go into a tomb with a very large stone in front of it.  Thomas had all sorts of really good, evidence that Jesus couldn’t possibly rise from the dead. Steve Jobs had all sorts of really compelling evidence why God doesn’t seem to care.

Thomas would rather be called “Doubting Thomas” rather than “Gullible Thomas” or “Foolish Thomas.” 
One week had passed since Jesus’ last appearance on the day of Resurrection, the Disciples have gathered again.  Thomas was with them.  The doors were locked for fears of Jesus’ enemies.  Pretty soon, Thomas whole world world changed.  Thomas turns around and sees Jesus standing before him. 
“Peace be with you[12].”  Thomas “Do not disbelieve, but believe[13].”

There is probably not a person out there that doesn’t relate to Thomas’ story on some level.  Thomas’ pain might not be your pain.  You might have struggled with God’s plan as you lose a loved one, you might struggle with why God places financial pain in your path, and you might struggle with God’s plan regarding the current general shape of your life in any number of areas. 

We will all have times like Thomas where it might seem easy to give up on believing that Our Lord will come through in the end. 

Darin Rasburry was a writer for a website called Debunking Christianity[14]. Rasburry had fifteen years trying to destroy Christianity after being a non-believer for even longer.  Rasburry over the years came to notice something in his fellow Atheists that most of what drove them was not proof that proved God’s lack of existence, but rather their anger at God for seemingly not coming through in their life.  Anger at God for past disappointments like Thomas was fueling his fellow atheist's doubts. 

Rasburry struggled with God’s ways for years and years.  He read everything that he could find.  What ultimately changed Rasburry was similar to what changed Salee the Cambodian.  Rasburry wondered what could motivate someone to reach out to a stranger half a world away from other than the work of an unchangeable God.

Rasburry’s process took years from Atheist to Skeptic to Leaning to Christian.  Rasburry freely admits that there are going to be days that these beliefs will be hard to embrace. Rasburry story showcases the fine line that many believers will struggle with between faith and doubt.  Rasburry admits like Thomas believing that the Lord is truly risen will always bring doubt.  Rasburry will bring scars and wounds to his faith.  Answers do not promise to come easily in this lifetime[15]. 

Salee the Cambodian was never go to here why God failed to intervene while all his people suffered.  Salee would see God bringing signs of “future” resurrection to his people though in unexpected ways.  Steve Jobs might have clamored for a “fair” universe, yet the thing that “grace” shows us is that God’s ways are ultimately unfair that go way beyond the expected.  Darin Rasburry was going to struggle with doubt until like Thomas he stands in the Lord’s actual presence, yet what his story reminds us is that doubt is not the opposite of faith.  Doubt is rather an acknowledgment that there will be times that clinging to one’s faith will be hard.  Doubt is not something to be celebrated, nor is it something to despair.

Here’s what I think we can take from Thomas’ story though.  We might struggle with unbelief; we might have loved ones who struggle with unbelief.  Thomas’ story speaks to these people[16].

Thomas’ first encounter with the Risen Lord is interesting.  Jesus doesn’t condemn Thomas or even seek to address his doubt.  Jesus instead just sought to proclaim to Thomas that everything you previously knew has now changed.  Thomas came to the story of Resurrection as one of its skeptics.  Thomas though would become eventually one of its greatest believers.   Amen
 
 
 


[1] Stories for Preaching. “Hagar’s Search for God.” Web. Apr.20.2017. 
[2] Stories for Preaching. “Hagar’s Search for God.”
[3] Richardson, Ethan. “So You Have Your Doubts.” Mockingbird Ministries (MBird). 4. Apr.2016. Web. Apr.18.2017. 
[4] John 20:25. 
[5] Stier, Leon. “I Will Not Believe”. Email Meditations. 8.Apr.2015. Web. Apr.20.2017
[6] Stier, Leon. “Steve Jobs Questions for His Pastor(a)”. Email Meditations. July.27.2016. Web. Apr.20.2017.
[7] Stier, Leon. “Steve Jobs Questions for His Pastor(a)”.
[8] Stier, Leon. “Steve Jobs Questions for His Pastor(a)”.
[9] Stier, Leon. “Steve Jobs Questions for His Pastor(a)”.
[10] Stier, Leon. “Steve Jobs Questions for His Pastor(a)”.
[11] Stier, Leon. “I Will Not Believe”..   
[12] John 20:26
[13] John 20:27. 
[14] Bishop, James. “ ‘Debunking Christianity’ writer becomes Christian because of evidence.” Reasons for Jesus. 20.Oct.2016. Web. Apr. 17.2017. 
[15] Bishop, James. “ ‘Debunking Christianity’ writer becomes Christian because of evidence.”
[16] Nelson, Dennis. “Before We Go Too Hard on Thomas.” Lutheran Core. 18. Apr.2017. Web. Apr.20.2017.