Outside Looking In

Alpine Hats

During high school I hung with a group of 6-8 guys. We were very close. We went camping together, attended varsity sporting events together, walked around malls together, and spent time at each other houses just to be together. Our friendship began as Boy Scouts in Troop 261 hosted at the Presbyterian Church.

One January day school was cancelled for teacher training. The group decided to go to downtown Cleveland and shop. I had basketball practice so I could not join them. While the group was at one of the department stores a Bavarian Alpine Fur Hat caught someone’s attention. He suggest that if everyone purchase a hat, it would become the mark of the group. The other guys liked the idea.

The next weekend we attended a basketball ball game. Everyone but me had a hat. I felt like an outsider. I was still a member of the group and include in all the activities but when everyone wore his hat, I felt like I was on the outside looking in.

The Text

I wonder if a small portion of Thomas’ doubt came from feeling like an outsider. I admit this is pure speculation but consider this. Thomas missed the big moment. The grand appearance of Jesus. All the other disciples were present except for him. Why was he not with the group? Why was he the only one? Peter had a much better reason for not being in attendance than any of the disciples. What was Thomas’ reason? Why was he not present? Was he avoiding the other 10?

We will never know the answers to these questions so I am going to ask you to give me the liberty of speculating just a little because I am convinced that Thomas could have easily felt like an outsider even if those feelings did not contribute to his doubt.

I am asking you to give me the liberty to speculate because many of us know the feeling of being an outsider. We experience a painful event- a divorce, unemployment, a serious illness, a death of a loved one. We feel isolated from others. We do not know how to express our pain to others so we feel alone and distant. We may even think that others our shunning us?

But Thomas did not remain an outsider. The disciples themselves initiated some very important steps to convince him that Jesus was really resurrected. Jesus also did something that went a long way in bring Thomas back into the group? What the disciples did can provide us with some helpful lessons on how we should treat people who may feel like outsiders. They may be first time visitors or long standing members. We all know the feeling of loneliness even when we are surrounded by a crowd of people. The responsibility of bringing someone into the fold is for those of us who are insiders not those who feel like outsiders. So let us consider the disciples reaction.

Acceptance

The first response of the disciples to Thomas is found by reading between the line. They convey a non judgmental ACCEPTANCE. There is not the slightest reference to the disciples judging Thomas. When John mentions that Thomas is absent the first night of Jesus appearance, John does not include any reason. It is an objective, neutral notation. John could have included Thomas’ reason if he knew. He could have blamed Thomas for not being present but he did not.

Another action that the disciple took during the week after the first appearance was to spend a great deal of time trying to convince Thomas about what they saw. In the NRSV the intensity of the disciples efforts is lost in the translation. The NRSV conveys a singularity of action. It simple states in vs25

The New Revised Standard Version Jesus and Thomas

25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord

However the Greek verb implies repetition. They did not just tell him once but kept telling him over and over and over.

Consider your interaction with marginal members or even friends who have no church affiliation. How often do you invite them? How often do you remind them of a church event they might interest them? How often do you talk about your faith?

When I was a pastor at Port Sheldon MI a young couple attended a worship service one Sunday. I visited them a week or two later but they did not return. A few weeks latter I stopped by the house to say hi. I was not invited into the house. I talked with the wife at the front door. They still did not return. A month or two later I stopped by again. Still no return. This went on for almost a year. Each time we just stood at their front door and briefly chatted. Finally after 4 or 5 visits they started attending regularly. They eventually joined.

I always ask new members when they meet with session, “What convince you to join the church?” The wife said the visits by the pastor made me feel that he was really interest in me.

We should never assume that people are not interested in the Christian faith after one conversation. Sometimes it takes an effort on our part to keep telling them about the glorious news that Christ has Risen.

Appearance

The second insight that I glean from this account is the APPEARANCE of Jesus in the context of the community. Jesus did not appear to Thomas when he was alone. This is more critical than we realize in our individualistic culture. I refer to most contemporary Christian music as me and Jesus silly love songs. Often non church goers argue, “I can get just as much out of walking alone in the woods as going to church.

I know that God appears to people when they are alone but I also know that something powerful happens when a community of believers are gathered together. The Spirit of Christ appears in more powerful way when we are together than when we are alone.

Assurance

Historically the church has been too quick to label Thomas as Doubting Thomas. The disciple struggled with the question, “How can I know with certain?” The philosophical question can haunt even the most ardent believer.

The famous English poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson was said,

“There lives more faith in honest doubt...than half the creeds.”

We all at one time our another wonder if it is all true. How can I be sure?

Jesus did not scold Thomas for wanting to be sure. He openly showed him his hands. He invited the questioning disciple to put his hand in his side. Thomas never touch Jesus. His appearance was enough.

But Jesus also blesses those of us who are able to believe without seeing.

I remember walking around the campus at USU late at night, alone asking God for some type of sign. “If you are real, show me...” Your word says if I believe I could uproot a tree and throw it into the sea. Sometime I still wonder. Lying on a hospital bed during both my first and second BMT I wondered. I thought “Ok, doing I really believe the whole story?”

In those moments we must place our faith in what we do not see and wait for the assurance to come.

Outsider or Insider

Where do stand? Are you on the outside looking in? or are you on the inside wonder why more people don’t join you?

The Sunday after Easter I assume there are more insiders than outsiders. So I will challenge you, who do you know who consider themselves an outsider? What could you do to invite them in?

The New Revised Standard Version Jesus and Thomas

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), 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.”

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!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”