Touching Faith

But Thomas, 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.” (John 20:24-25)

This is the familiar story of doubting Thomas - characterized by Thomas’ testing touch.  He was a matter of fact kind of person, with his feet firmly planted on the ground, who saw himself as a reality tester.  But the most surprising thing happened, which is what the Easter message is all about.

“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!’”  (John 20:26-28)

Astonishingly, when Thomas touched Jesus, it was really Thomas who was touched by his living Lord.  Else why the sudden response from Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”  One of the great English Congregational preachers of a previous generation, P. T. Forsyth, said,

“Faith is our relation not to what we possess, but to what possesses us.  Our faith is not in our experience, but in our Savior.”

Faith then, is our relation not to what we touch, but to what touches us.  And it takes eyes of faith for such seeing, for Jesus says in the closing verse of this passage with Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me?”  And then it is as though the text shifts directly to us in a resurrection beatitude, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”  John 20:29

Instead of touching Jesus to know for sure and thus believe, it is when we are touched by his spirit that we know the presence of Christ.  Perhaps we could change the little rhyme many of us grew up with in Sunday school to “Jesus touches me this I know, for the Bible tells me so!”

We see with eyes of faith because spiritual sight requires knowing Christ as our light.  Resurrection light changes us and the world offering a new way of seeing and being.  We cannot simply go back to the way things were – we must move into God’s new future where the forces of life and love overcome death and violence.  Resurrection power can be a realty in the struggles of our world today.  Our current sermon series, “Light Living”, is calling us to both live in the light of Christ and as the light of Christ to a dark and needy world.

When we are touched by Christ and the light of resurrection, we can truly live as Easter people bearing witness to new ways of being and caring for all life.   We can proclaim with Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”  All because with eyes of faith we “see” there can be new life and true life for all.

In that Spirit,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

This article appeared in the Wave on April 21, 2021