Seeing Jesus

Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" John 20: 28 NRSV

I have preached on this bible passage many times - usually using the same sermon. The reason - beyond being extremely tired the week of Easter- is that my son's name is Thomas. For years, I struggled with introducing him to his doubting namesake. Who wants to share a name with the man who doubted Jesus? But on further study of this passage, I have come to understand that Thomas should be known more for understanding who Jesus is: my Lord and my God!

I think we should all applaud Thomas for seeing Jesus for who he really is, despite some drawbacks. For some reason, Thomas is not with the others when Jesus appears the first time. In other words, Thomas is absent on Easter morning. We don't know where he was or what he was doing. But he got left out big time. He missed seeing the risen Lord on the most wonderful day of the world. He didn't receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (according to John's gospel). Then he had to listen to his buddies go on and on about seeing Jesus for an entire week. I am surprised he even showed up again.

But he did come back and so did Jesus. And Jesus invited him to touch him. I am thinking that Thomas may have been the only one invited to do that. Jesus didn't allow Mary to do this because he had not yet risen to the Father. But Thomas doesn't need to touch him to see Jesus for who he is. No one announced who he was when he appeared on Easter morning. It is Thomas, the one who missed out, the one who had not received the gift of the Spirit, who actually sees Jesus for who he really is.

Do you see Jesus for who he is?

My Lord and my God, bless you for your gift of life and the Spirit. May we see you always for who you are. Amen.

Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims