Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Intro
Earlier this week NBC published a story that originated in a conversation between a bride to be and her fiance that ended up in a discussion feed on the internet, and subsequently went viral.
The issue… and I do not advise taking any issue between you and your spouse or future spouse to the internet… was that the bride had suffered some sort of incident in her early 20s that left her with a visible facial scar.
And the groom mentioned that he would like to have the scar photoshopped out of their future wedding pictures.
Come to find out it was not the groom’s idea, but the groom’s mother.
The bride was quite hurt, so she’s posted it on the internet to get people’s opinions.
Maybe the most shocking thing about the story was that there were many on social media who defended the groom and his mother.
After all, the argument goes, that’s what Photoshop is for.. getting rid of the things we don’t like about ourselves.
The flaws.
Most, agreed with the bride, that she should be allowed to do with her wedding pictures what she wished.
Whether or not you think you would side with the bride or the groom, the story highlights our discomfort with scars.
Scars come from injuries, accidents, surgeries, even acne.
There is stigma attached to scars.
Emotional trauma.
Some even cause discrimination.
Feelings of disenfranchisement.
Shame.
Anxiety.
Depression.
47 years ago I got my own scar on my elbow diving for a baseball at recess… on blacktop.
Not smart.
Busted my elbow.
Had to have surgery.
A few years ago, someone asked me, “Hey, how come you didn’t sue the doctor?”
I guess I wasn’t thinking of my bank account at age 10.
It never really bothered me.
For one thing, surgery and cosmetic technology in the 70s wasn’t what it is now.
But the question years later was a reminder that for many people scars carry deep emotional trauma.
It can be debilitating.
Scars remind us of our broken humanity in ways like very few physical things do in life.
Scars say something bad happened.
Or in the case of injuries, it’s possible that somebody messed up.
And in the case of 1.2 million new refugees in the last week, scars can be felt by entire groups for long periods of time.
But as much as scars are a reminder of broken humanity, they are also profoundly at the center of everything you and I are doing here this morning.
I’m excited we’re on this 40-day journey through Lent.
I want to invite those of you who have been in church for all of your years…and those of you who are here for the first time, not really sure who this God is that we are worshipping.
I actually think this is perfect for you.
It’s perfect for all of us.
Let’s spend 40 days learning about the grace and forgiveness of Jesus…the power is in the whole experience and in each part.
Stick with us, and I believe we will experience Jesus and his freedom in a whole new way.
We’ve all affirmed that Jesus sets us free, but many of us don’t feel free.
Some of us feel like we’ve been chained to a bike rack.
Some of us have the idea that that’s what the Christian life is about.
So where has it gone wrong?
The Bible isn’t wrong.
Jesus really does set captives free.
Why don’t I feel free?
The place to begin our answer is in that story we read moment ago.
Jesus’s best friends are in quarantine.
They are hiding because they are afraid of what’s next, and the next thing you know, Jesus is there in the room.
Jesus had already done this once before.
The night of his resurrection he appeared to his best friends who were hanging in the same room.
And they saw Jesus.
Jesus had risen just like he said.
Except one of the disciples wasn’t there.
Thomas wasn’t around.
So… John tells the story.. one week later, same room, same fear, same scenario.. Jesus shows up.
Only this time Thomas is in the room.
What Thomas sees and what Jesus does is at the heart of our entire Christian experience.
Notice how many times the word “see” is used in this story.
John 20:24-29:
John 20:24–29 (CSB)
the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”
“If I don’t see the mark..I will never believe.
Jesus to Thomas: “look at my hands.”
Jesus: “you have seen me, you have believed.
This theme of seeing with the eyes has carried over from the week earlier at the tomb.
The women saw Jesus.
The disciples saw Jesus and believed.
They had much joy at seeing Jesus.
There is a connection being made to seeing the risen Jesus and belief that He is the Promised Messiah of the Old Testament.
That theme of seeing Jesus now is central to the story with Thomas.
Jesus was meant to be seen.
And shared.
It’s not simply about proving the resurrection, though this is true.
It’s about seeing Jesus as their destiny, the One they had been promised all along.
The fulfilmment of their hopes and dreams.
But there’s a major change from the seeing the week prior to Thomas seeing Jesus.
Note what is mentioned twice by Thomas:
If I don’t see the mark of the nails
If I don’t put my finger into the mark of the nails
I want to see the mark.
I want to put my finger in the mark.
The mark of the nails.
The mark of the nails.
Repeated twice.
That makes the mark of the nails also central to the story.
The scars.
Scars that are to be seen.
I want to see the marks of the nails.
And what does Jesus do?
No Thomas, I’ve photoshopped those out today.
Or, as some seem to want to suggest, “No Thomas, my perfect, resurrected body that is the prototype for all resurrected bodies is perfect… there are no scars in heaven.”
NO! Jesus doesn’t do that, he doesn’t even criticize Thomas.
Here’s what Jesus actually says:
John 20:27 “Put your finger here and look at my hands.
Reach out your hand and put it into my side.”
Here they are Thomas.
See.
See the scars.
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