Hands and feet nailed to a tree, stood up, hung to die, and through this our sins are forgiven. This is the execution device we wear around our necks and get tattooed on our biceps. And while he was on this cross they stuck a sword in his side just to make sure he was actually dead. All this happened on a Friday.
Jesus is buried in a tomb and the glorious thing about this Holiday is not just pastel colored button up shirts, hardboiled eggs, or the freakishly adult-sized bunny who answers to the name Peter Rabbit, but the fact and belief that Jesus was raised from the dead. He was resurrected. And this happened on a Sunday! Resurrection Sunday!
Then, in cool fashion Jesus approaches Mary who is crying outside Jesus’ tomb and she thinks he’s the gardener. Jesus calls her name and immediately she knows exactly who he is. She runs to tell the disciples. That night Jesus reveals himself to the disciples and their minds are blown.
However, there was one who wasn’t with them…
Thomas.
Who has been referred to as “Doubting Thomas”. But really, Thomas’ story is our story. Because of his doubt and unbelief we like to point fingers at him, but the truth of the matter is we too understand that the novelty of Jesus wears off doesn’t it?
We get used to it. We rehearse it. We get indoctrinated in it. It can actually get old.
There is something in us that loves what is new.
We like new things its universal to the human condition.
We keep up with our committed beliefs by mouth and perhaps that’s only because we don’t want to face the repercussions of option two of being on the other side.
Well, far too often in life, we have drifted away from God.
You start to have the habits of faith without the heart of faith.
You have structures without the Spirit.
You are going through the rituals but you don’t have the real thing. You are going through the patterns of faith but no longer with the power.
And if you have ever come to that time in your life, when things aren’t quite right,
when your religion has become more of a ritual than a real thing,
when it is more of a pattern than power,
when it is more structure than Spirit,
then something needs to be done.
You see, Thomas is not so different from us.
This is an insight that says you are this person.
Thomas is a spirit that lives inside you and I.
How much of you nodding your head at these declarations of Jesus are programmed… automatic… habitual…?
Spiritually speaking, if you don’t feel like you’re alive for the very first time then perhaps you need to rediscover the magic and the mystery that allows you to experience life for what it really is.
Rediscover the art of believing in Jesus.
Believing in Jesus gives life and brings us back to where we came from
for the very first time.
May we all be restored with fresh faith in the Jesus that not only died for our sins,
but also by the power of God was raised from the dead.
May we believe in Resurrection,
and through it may we constantly be made brand new.