Behind Closed Doors (or Third Time's a Charm)

 

Behind Closed Doors

 

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We are headed toward Pentecost coming up June 5th. 

We also have some ground to cover concerning Jesus' behind the scenes work. Speaking with disciples. Making public appearances. The usual, encouraging Jesus stuff.  It's how he works. God doesn't splash items across billboards or crash through a TV screen to get to us. Many times, God comes in the quiet. He comes when we aren't expecting him. He comes when we have the door locked and we are just trying to avoid everyone. I made mention a couple weeks ago from a resource that stated that Jesus made at least 10 appearances to his Disciples before making the Ascension. One of the most memorable is found in John 20. Three times in the Gospel of John we see this disciples rise to the forefront. We can learn much about our own faith as we take a look at the small discourse we hear from the one known as Thomas. 

John's Gospel is different in many ways. From the non-linear way that the life and ministry of Jesus can be compared to the other three accounts. There are conversations and explanations that can only be found here in John's story. These three mentions of Thomas are a part of that. Who was this man and why is his image one that sticks with us so deeply? There is no doubt that many in our world know the phrase "Doubting Thomas" even if they do not have a religious connection to the words. 

Nickel Creek - Doubting Thomas

The idea of someone who cannot accept the truth unless they see it with their own eyes is a concept that seems to go beyond its scriptural origins. Even the bluegrass Nickel Creek captured the spirit of dealing with doubt and faith without going into the full matter of gospel connections. Music seems to be a perfect medium for speaking and sharing this subject matter. Think of all the songs that seem to speak to the matters of struggling with life and truth. My mind immediately drifted back to James Taylor - "Fire and Rain". 

I've seen fire and I've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I'd see you again

Won't you look down upon me, Jesus?
You've got to help me make a stand
You've just got to see me through another day
My body's aching and my time is at hand
And I won't make it any other way

 

 Imagine being in the shoes of a person left out of a big moment. Just this past week my son was telling me that his friends left him out of a moment where they played on ahead without him in an online game. They were all supposed to work together and go take on the big dragon at the end of the game. Together. Only he got online to find that they had all beaten the big boss and he didn't get to be a part of the fun. Maybe you've been a part of something in your family or even at church. You wanted to help. You wanted to be a part of the planning and the execution of discussed ideas. Only you find out later that the group or family went on without you. It's a lonely, disconnecting thing to feel like you are on the outside looking in. 

Even in a group of twelve men, there seems to be an outsider who doesn't fit in. I'm taking my liberties here painting a picture of Thomas as a person who might fill that role. He is called "Didymus" from the Greek. His name, Thomas, means the same thing in Arabic. Twin. There isn't a lot of explanation that goes with the title and it's connection to Thomas. Did he have a twin back home in his family? Was he being compared to one of the other disciples and shown to be similar to one of them? One commentator said that his actual name would have been Judas Thomas. Since there were already two Judas characters in the group - Judas the Zealot and the traitor Judas Iscariot, it seemed like a third mention of the name would only serve to confuse. Thomas was enough and the sharing of his special story cements in our minds a strong correlation to a subject matter we should easily be able to relate. 

The disciple only gets a simple recognition in the list of name for those following Jesus in three different places from the Synoptic gospels. (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15) Then there are three mentions of him in actual conversation from the Gospel of John. (John 11:16, 14:5, 20:24-28, 21:2) The first of John's mentions come from chapter 11 during the story of Lazarus at Bethany. It is easy for me to think of these men as little children when they make such outlandish statements, not fully knowing or understanding what they were getting themselves into at the time. Lazarus has died. His body in the tomb. Jesus stays a couple more days in the place where they were before heading in the direction of Mary and Martha. Jesus tells his disciples that Lazarus is "sleeping", trying to illustrate his death. The disciples are recorded as saying "If he sleeps, then he will get better." Have you had those moments where your speaking to your children and they don't get what your saying? You feel like crossing your arms and tapping your foot? Maybe you feel like beating your head against a wall! Then it says in John 11 that Jesus just tells them plainly, "Lazarus is dead." (Knuckleheads) Jesus is glad it went down this way so that he could show them the power of God. We know front the account that Lazarus will rise and many will believe. Thomas seems like he has to say something. "Let us go with him, that we may die also." It's one of those head scratching statements. Earlier in the passage there was talk of the Jews trying to kill Jesus in that region of Bethany. Now, Lazarus has died. What is Thomas referring to here? If they try to kill Jesus again, does he intended to put his life on the line and stand with Christ? It seems at that point in the passage that his words have more connection to the death of Lazarus. Does he wish they were all dead so that Jesus could raise them all up from the grave? 

 

It is in a moment like this that I see a different connection to the word Twin. Is Thomas more like a disciple known as Peter? Peter had this knack for blurting out things and making statements. Peter gets a lot of attention throughout John's account and the place in John 20 where we see Jesus coming to appear to the doubting disciple is right after the Savior has dealt with restoring his close friend. Maybe that is the place where our words come together. maybe Thomas is Peter's twin. It is in John 14 that we see a second mention of Thomas speaking right on point with one of the most well known statements Our Lord will make. It is after the Upper Room meal. Judas Iscariot is off finding and making trouble. Everyone's feet have been washed. Now they are walking toward Gethsemane. Chapters 14, 15 and 16 give us much to ponder as Jesus is having one last teaching moment with his followers. Thomas' words get overlooked in the course of such mighty words from our Master. Jesus is talking about being with the Father. None of them seems to understand what he is talking about and Thomas straight up asks, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Maybe you can quote hat Jesus say to him by heart. Maybe those words have stuck with you through the years. Maybe they have gotten you out of a jam more than once. If I was in Thomas's shoes, I just know that they are words I would never forget. 

 

Imagine being a person who has seen it all. Except for the one thing that you didn't get to see. The one thing that everybody has gotten to see. Expect for you. You were present for all the events. You could probably write a book knowing all that you know. There's just one thing missing that could solidify the entire matter for you and make all that you have experienced truly real. That's where we find this name named Thomas. And, if we are real about it, it's where we find ourselves. Anybody here ever seen Jesus? Have you witnessed anything mighty or earth shattering? Do you have anything you can pull out and point to with certainty? The Apostle John would later write...

At that moment in John 20, Thomas is the one who hasn't done that. He hasn't placed his hands in Jesus' side. He hasn't seen the scars and the holes in his Savior's hands and feet. And, Thomas is calling out for it! He wants it. He demands it. He claims that he will not believe unless he gets to be a part of what everyone else has gotten to be included on. But, what God uses as a moment for all to share on, just like he did with the resurrection of Lazarus, he does here also. Didymus. The Twin. We are all Thomas. "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard..." (Isaiah 64.4, 1 Cor 2.9) We are still waiting. Longing. Wanting to be a part of what is to come. Wanting to see it with our own eyes. Hoping. Trusting. Believing. 

Thomas gets to be a part of both sides of it. He gets to partake in what his fellow disciples saw with their own eyes. He also gets to be a beacon for those who would come after. He is our Twin. We find ourselves in a place where Jesus could come anytime. We hold on to the belief that he will return. We opened with the hymn "Only Trust Him" this morning. 

Come, then, and join this holy band
and on to glory go,

to dwell in that celestial land
where joys immortal flow

We are all doubting Thomas. We take our promises. We can feel safe knowing our Lord will return.