The Truth Will Out

Introduction (5m)

The mind’s need for order

Paul McCartney and Other Conspiracy Theories

PE at school. Sometimes, so wet we couldn’t go outside, so would have to stay in with PE teacher. Remember one particular class, teacher told us Paul McCartney wasn’t really PMc. He’d been in a car accident in 1966, died and replaced. Told us of signs: PM only Beatle on Abbey Rd zebra crossing on a black segment. Played end of Strawberry Fields Forever backwards it said Long Live Paul. All totally taken in by this conspiracy theory!

Do you know who really shot JFK? Whether the moon landings were faked? Did Elvis really die in 1977, or did he stage it to get some privacy? Was 9/11 staged by the US government?

Our minds need to make sense of things

The human mind need to make sense of things, understand the world, organise everything that is thrown at us. It’s the basis for: scientific discoveries/legal argument/debates/mystery stories, etc. It’s where conspiracy theories come from.

Coronavirus conspiracy theories

Today: conspiracy theories about Coronavirus: created in a lab by Chinese as biological weapon, or spread through new 5G mobile network.

We need to make sense of things that seem to make no sense.

Our minds want to solve matters of faith, including resurrection of Jesus

Same goes for faith: it’s a mystery of the heart that the mind wants to solve. We want faith to be shored up by facts. At Easter we celebrate biggest mystery of faith: J killed for sins of the world but then rose from the grave. Can’t get heads around that. Death inevitable and permanent. For J to be raised just doesn’t compute.

Jesus’ body hidden or hallucination

Like JFK, Elvis, 9/11, Coronavirus > conspiracy theories. Early one (Matthew 28) - disciples took body and hid it and claimed alive. Another: disciples had mass hallucination because of grief, and saw ghost.

Swoon theory

Most famous: Hugh Schoenfeld’s The Passover Plot. Ancient swoon theory: J didn’t die but was merely unconscious. Laid in tomb, spices, linen provided dressing for injuries, dampness of tomb revived him and allowed him to claim resurrection.

A few problems: soldiers proclaimed him dead, no human could survive crucifixion and torture J endured, no sign of life, washed and bound with over 100lbs of spices and bandages, placed in tomb. But simply came round, got himself out of bandages, arranged them all neatly, pushed the stone away, eluded the guards, clothed himself and then spent the rest of the time playing ghost!

Gospels provide evidence to bring us to faith

John 20:31 NLT

But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

Despite 2,000 years of such conspiracy theories, disproving resurrection has proven elusive. Fortunately, gospels help us to believe in resurrection of J, as today’s eyewitness account suggests. Whole reason for writing: to give us evidence for Christ, and to bring us to faith in Christ.

Explanation (5m)

The doubting disciples

John 20:25 NLT

They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

Are Mary, Peter and John’s stories true?

John: disciples cowering behind locked doors to discuss reports from Mary Magdalene, Peter and John. True or conspiracy theories?

Resurrection should be doubted

T not the only one with doubts! Should be doubts. Resurrection claims so far fetched that forgiven for thinking just wishful thinking, or visited by ghost.

Disciples needed physical proof

Disciples had needed to see Jesus, to see wounds in hands and side before they would believe:

If the water-turned-to-wine was drunk, the bread from heaven eaten, and the man returned from the dead unwrapped by human hands, why should the resurrected Jesus not be touched by an inquiring disciple? Since the disciples had claimed that a real, physical resurrection had indeed occurred, it is difficult to fault Thomas for asking to verify it by physical means. (Dr. Joseph R. Dongell)

He wanted to make sense of something that makes no sense.

The Resurrection is no conspiracy theory

John 20:28–29 NLT

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

No blind faith

J reports one of strongest statements of faith in gospels. Easy to see J’s response to this as calling for blind faith with no evidence, leap into unknown. That wanting to find visible, tangible, historical evidence of the stories in the gospels as doubt, which is bad.

Doubting and needing evidence is not bad

But not what John tells us:

J doesn’t condemn Thomas. Instead, invites him to review evidence: “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side.” He’d shown them to other disciples. If faith simply a matter of hearing not seeing, then why would he do this?

Whole purpose of John’s gospel is to present miraculous signs “so that you may continue to believe”. Suggests genuine faith is based on what others have seen and reported as truth.

Salvation for the world is based on people coming to believe in J based on the witness of his original disciples who had seen and experienced his ministry first hand. Following generations would hear and believe what these witnesses had heard and believed.

Thomas needed assurance

What T needed was assurance. Assurance that the one who stood in their midst with the wounds in his hands/side visible was the same one who had called them together. T was indeed assured that the risen one is indeed the crucified one and he was filled with faith and hope. We can be assured of the same.

Application (5m)

We can experience peace and pass it on to others

John 20:26 NLT

Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.

Jesus knows some need to doubt before they believe

Many of us have doubts about our faith. Maybe sometimes we can be tempted to fall for conspiracy theories. J doesn’t condemn us. He knows some people need to doubt before they believe.

Good doubt, not bad doubt

How we doubt that counts: if it leads to questions > answers > acceptance, then doubt has done good work. If > stubbornness > lifestyle, then faith is harmed.

When we doubt, let’s ensure we let it deepen our faith as we search for answers.

Jesus gives us assurance and his presence

J gives us the same assurance he gave Thomas. Examine the evidence, hear the eye witnesses and believe. When you are assured of its truthfulness, you will be blessed when you believe it. If you’ve ever wished you could actually see, touch and hear J, to sit down and get his advice, then you can. Present with you at all times, through HS. You can talk to him, find his words in Bible. Can be as real to you as he was to Thomas.

Peace be with you

He says: Peace be with you. Can you hear him say that to you this morning? Peace be with you. Conspiracy theories can never bring you peace. But Jesus can. It’s a matter of faith. Peace be with you.

Living examples of resurrection life

When we experience his peace, when we live out our belief, then we become living examples of resurrection life, proving the gospel is true and dispelling the conspiracy theories.

How could you be a living example of resurrection life this week? Are there people you’ve lost touch with? Either generally, or because of current restrictions? Renew connection with them this week and say, “Peace be with you”.

Next Steps

SB 165 - From Heaven you came, helpless babe

In mind’s eye, reach out and touch Jesus, see his scars and thank him for his sacrifice. Then be ready to take his presence to those you come into contact with this week.