Easter 2 C God Has Acted How Shall We Respond

Easter 2 C God Has Acted How Shall We Respond 

April 2, 1989 By 

Rev. Ernest F. Campbell 

God has acted! Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. But… what if you can’t believe it? What if you, or someone you know, simply can not or will not believe that a man, dead for approximately 40 hours, could be restored to life. 

If you or someone you know find this hard to believe, you should be comforted to know that you are in good company. 

In Mark’s account: Jesus appeared “First to Mary of Magdala. She went and told the news to those who had been with Him, who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.” 

“After that He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked… and they went and told the news to the rest, but they did not believe it.” 

From Luke’s account: “When the women returned from the tomb to tell the Apostles about the stone being rolled away and the two men in flashing raiment who reminded them of what Jesus had said. That the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, and that He must be crucified, and that on the third day He would rise again. To the Apostles their words seemed like idle talk (the word used for “idle talk” is one employed by Greek medical writers to describe the babbling of a fevered and insane mind). 

Only Peter went out to see if it might possibly be true. 

Then in today’s Gospel, Thomas listens to his colleagues describe the risen Lord’s appearance to them and says… I won’t believe it until I have put my finger in the wounds in his hands and side. It’s funny, in a way, that the same Apostles who had ragged the women for their “insane babbling” were now ragging Thomas for missing out on the risen Lord’s visit. 

That’s why I said, doubters are in good company. 

Why is it so important that we believe in our Lord’s resurrection? Because the resurrection is God’s signature on the authenticity and authority of the life, ministry, and teaching of Jesus Christ. When we are asked to give our lives (our time, talent, and treasure) for some purpose it is important… imperative…. to know that the purpose has real, prove, time-tested value. The resurrection is God’s seal of approval to the value of Jesus Christ. God, who is the creator of all things, God, who is the beginning and the end. God, who is the final judge. This God of the living and the dead ahs spoken through the risen Christ. Behold the man! This is what I mean human beings to be…. abundantly alive, compassionately loving, sacrificially giving, infinitely forgiving. 

Go, tell the world and invite them into the family of those who have heard and believe my call through my son Jesus. Tell them…He was raised from the dead! 

Jesus is not simply another good man with some wise teachings that seekers can take or leave. Jesus is the purpose and will of God presented in human form. 

But… what if you honestly don’t believe that? 

In a little book titled, “Basic Christianity” by John Stott, there is a section on how to approach God with your doubts. 

Mr. Stott suggests that first of all, if we want to discover a relationship with God we have to seek that relationship. Jesus promised: “Seek and you will find.” The Psalmist wrote, “Seek the Lord and you will find him.” 

Example) I have said to myself, you should know CPR. But I’ve never presented myself for any instruction. It’s hard to learn something if you have never exposed yourself to what you want to learn.

More than merely seeking the Lord, we must seek diligently. Emerson wrote, “Man is as lazy as he dares to be.” I call it the “Rent-a-Horse” syndrome. A horse for hire will walk a slowly as the rider will allow him to get away with. 

Few would argue that study of scripture, mediation and prayer might be harmful, yet we can justify almost any interference to our spiritual growth that comes along. 

Another hinderance in our spiritual development is our pride. We have learned how to be intellectually resistant. When we seek God, we must seek humbly. Jesus admonished his followers to be like little children – teachable. Little children are not proud, self-important or critical. 

When we come to God with our doubts we must do so honestly. Every student knows that dangers of approaching his subject with preconceived ideas. Yet, many enquirers come to the bible with their minds already made up. In our doubts we must lay aside our prejudice and open our minds to the possibility that Jesus Christ, may after all, be who Christianity claims Him to be. 

Finally, we must seek obediently. If God is trying to teach us something we will only know that it is of God, if we live it out. The diligent, humble, honest seeker must be prepared to do God’s will when He makes it known. 

The trouble is that most of us know that to seek and find God, and to accept Jesus Christ would be a very inconvenient experience. It would involve the rethinking of our whole outlook on life and possibly the readjustment of our whole manner of living. Jesus Christ is disturbing! To follow His teachings is a challenge! 

For many it is a combination of intellectual and moral cowardice which makes them hesitate. They do not find because they do not seek. They do not seek because they do not want to find, and they know that they way to be certain of not finding is not seeking. 

I have always admired Thomas for having his doubts while at the same time staying with the fellowship that believed in something that he did not. His doubts turned out to be the key to his faith. 

He asked and he was not disappointed.