The Lutheran Hour
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"A Reasonable Request"
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Text: John 20:25
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Christ has risen. He has risen, indeed! To all whose hearts doubt and deny the Savior’s resurrection victory; to all who need to know if Jesus truly lives and if He lives for them, the risen Lord says, ‘Welcome. I understand your questions. Come, meet Me and believe.” God grant this belief to us all. Amen.
More than a century ago, when fur trapping was a way of life in northern Minnesota, Pete and his half-wolf, half-dog, Prince were constant companions as they walked Pete’s trap lines. It stayed that way until Pete found himself a bride and they were blessed with a child whom they called, not surprisingly, Little Pete. Before Little Pete was two, his mother died of an illness that today would be easily treated. Unable to take Little Pete with him, Prince was instructed to stand guard over the little boy as Big Pete raced to check his traps.
All went well until Big Pete got caught in a blizzard, a fast-moving Alberta Clipper. Unable to get home, he hunkered down and spent a restless night in a make-shift shelter. The next morning, half out of his mind with worry, Big Pete hurried home. He entered his cabin and in a second the lack of a greeting by his dog told him something was amiss. Big Pete looked to his baby’s crib. There was blood on his child’s blanket, more blood on the floor. And Little Pete? He wasn’t in his crib. As Big Pete’s fear grew, Prince, his muzzle covered with blood, crawled out from under the bed. Big Pete knew what had happened. His dog had heard his wild heart and done the unthinkable. In a blind rage which left no room for thinking, Big Pete picked up his ax and, in one stroke took his revenge.
Prince was dead and Big Pete began to cry. How long he wept, I cannot say. He wept until he heard a cry; the cry of Little Pete came from underneath his bed. The father knelt down, grabbed his son, and began an inventory of injuries. Yes, there was blood on his blanket; blood on Little Pete’s clothes, too. But the baby was unharmed. Only when the examination was complete did Big Pete look up and in the darkest corner of his cabin spy the dead body of a great, grey wolf. A grey wolf with its throat slashed; a grey wolf with a piece of Prince’s fur clutched in his jaws. Big Pete cried again. He had killed the savior of his son.
I would love to tell you that story never happened. I wish I could, but I can’t. That story did happen. No, it didn’t take place a century ago in Minnesota, but it did happen. 2,000 years ago in the Roman province of Judea, on a skull-shaped hill called Calvary; humanity nailed the innocent Son of God to a cross. On that day, the darkest in human history, sinful man murdered the Person Who had dedicated His life to saving them. What happened that day was a terrible thing, an unjust tragedy, made more so by this truth: many of you The Lutheran Hour listeners are more upset about the fictional story of a trapper killing his dog than you are about the true narrative of God’s Son Who was murdered to save our souls from sin, death, and devil.
There are a number of reasons why people might not be outraged by the Gospels’ account of Jesus’ murder and martyrdom. For Christians, the sorrow and sadness of the Lord’s suffering, sacrifice, and death is tempered and transformed by knowing Jesus’ death was not the end of His story. Believers know three days after the Christ’s lifeless Body was laid into a borrowed tomb the living Lord emerged in victory. Having fulfilled all God’s laws that we have broken; having avoided Satan’s snares that snap us up, Jesus’ resurrection defeated death. Truly, believers repent of all their sins that brought Jesus to the cross; but we who are saved rejoice that because of the Redeemer’s stripes we are healed, because of His death, we will live forever. For Christians, the sorrow created by the sad story of Jesus’ dying is blessed by the sure and certain hope that we are saved by His resurrection victory.
But there is another group, a totally distinct and separate group, which is also not upset by the Savior’s suffering, sacrifice, and death. This group is composed of people for whom the story of the Lord’s life, crucifixion, and resurrection is nothing more than a yarn, a legend, a fabricated bit of fiction, a piece of inventive writing that they’re sure sprang from the imaginative minds of Jesus’ disciples.
If that is what you believe; if this is what you think, I have only one thing to say: I understand. I understand your doubts. It would be strange if you didn’t have them. Throughout your life you have been bombarded by skeptics and cynics and others who feel it their duty to rip apart anything that does not fit into their narrow-minded concepts of reality and provability. These people consider our species to be nothing more than upright walking animals that are blessed with opposable thumbs and are sometimes placed on a high branch of the evolutionary tree. Secure in their views they reject anything, everything that speaks of soul or salvation, which smacks of the spiritual. For them right and wrong must remain relative; sin can never be more than something subjective and this life, such as it is — is all there is.
No, I understand why you don’t believe. Throughout your life these gadflies have constantly, consistently, continuously been droning into your ears the idea that Christianity is just one religion of many; that the doctrines of Scripture are merely questionable truths floating in seas of uncertainty. Without hesitation or fear of contradiction they tell you God’s Word is based on debatable traditions and formed in historical hearsay. Did God create the world? “Balderdash!” they reply. Does He care about us? “Utter nonsense!” they say. Did He send His Son to be born of a virgin so we might be saved? “Complete drivel!” they shout. Did Jesus rise from the dead on the third day so all doubt of His conquest of humankind’s oldest enemies might never be questioned? That truth they doubt, they decry, and, quite loudly, they deny.
Yes, I can understand why you have your doubts; and so does Jesus. Yes, it’s true. Jesus understands doubts, and as near as I can tell, He never gets upset with people who have them. Of course He has always distinguished between those who weren’t able to believe and those who, even when confronted by overwhelming evidence, refused to believe. Jesus sees the difference between the honest doubter and the obstinate unbeliever. He knows a heart that doubts He is the light is not the same as that which glories in unbelief, is quite content to remain in darkness. Yes, Jesus understands doubts. That’s why, on Resurrection Sunday, when He met the women near His tomb, He didn’t berate them for coming to anoint a dead body rather than arriving to greet Him as He emerged from His tomb. Jesus understood how all human knowledge and past experience would have blinded these women from the possibility of His resurrection. Jesus understood that nobody, not nobody, no how expects anyone to rise from the dead. Humanly speaking, resurrection is both unbelievable and impossible.
Jesus does understand doubt. On the night of His Resurrection, when Jesus appeared to ten disciples in a locked room, the first words out of His mouth were not of condemnation because they hadn’t been expecting Him; He didn’t take them to task for having been absent when He rose; He didn’t dress them down because they had not believed the women who had first brought them the good news of death’s defeat. On the contrary, the first sentence Jesus spoke to His frightened and confused followers was one of profound reassurance. Jesus said, “Peace be with you.” His first action was one of encouragement as He held out His hands and exposed His wounded side for examination and exploration. All this Jesus did because He understood their doubts and wanted these men to have visible, tangible proof that death and devil would no longer have the final word in this world. It was only then, when confirmation had been offered, only when Jesus’ doubting disciples had been convinced their Lord was real and alive; only then does Scripture note: ‘the disciples were glad.” (John 20:20)
Yes, Jesus understands doubts and He welcomes the opportunity to deal with them. The night Jesus rose from the dead He answered the questions that had flowed from the hearts and minds of His ten, once grieving, but now rejoicing, friends. He did the same for the eleventh disciple, a man whom history has unfairly branded as Doubting Thomas. Sometime after Jesus’ first appearance with the disciples, Thomas rejoined his friends. Eagerly, excitedly, enthusiastically, they told him, “We have seen the Lord.” Thomas didn’t believe them. Rationally, reasonably, Thomas responded for most of humanity when he countered with this observation: “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” It was the kind of thing most of us would have said. It was… a reasonable request.
A reasonable request, that’s exactly the way Jesus looked upon what Thomas had said. That’s why, a week later, when all His disciples, Thomas included, were once again together, Jesus made another appearance. He began His visit by speaking a word of peace to all who were assembled. Then He turned to Thomas. Thomas and his doubts were the focus of His visit. Jesus offered no condemnation or chastisement for what had been said the week before. He merely looked at His friend and gave God’s answer to humankind’s reasonable request. Jesus said, “(Thomas) “put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” If Thomas needed proof to be certain Jesus was alive, that Jesus was the Savior of sinful souls and the Defeater of death, well, Jesus provided that proof. I cannot tell you what Thomas did that night. I don’t know if he actually reached out to touch the scars and wounds of Jesus. I can’t tell you what he did, but I can tell you what he said. With all doubt set aside, with deliberation neither necessary nor needed, Thomas confessed: “My Lord and my God.”
Yes, Jesus understands those who doubt. He understood then, He understands now. He understands you who have been subtly seduced by those modern day deniers who would stuff Jesus back into His tomb. He understands those of you who have buried under the avalanche of pseudo-sophisticated suggestions that try to explain away the miracle of His resurrection. “Jesus went into a coma”, crows one group. These folks would have you believe the Roman death squad bumbled in their duty; that Christ’s crucifixion wasn’t complete and the Roman spear through the Savior’s heart didn’t provide proof of His death. They suggest Jesus fainted, revived in the cool tomb, managed to extricate Himself from His wrappings, rolled the great stone away from His grave entrance; defeated the guard, and managed to gain entrance into locked rooms. Friends, that explanation takes more faith than believing in Jesus’ resurrection.
Of course that’s just one explanation. Some smugly suggest Jesus’ body was stolen. That’s a simple explanation. But nobody explains who did the stealing. Was it the Jewish leaders? They were the ones who had wanted Jesus dead. They certainly didn’t want rumors of resurrection floating around. The Romans? Pilate had just gotten rid of a Man Who had been called a Rebel and an Insurrectionist. No, Pilate’s not our man. The disciples, yes, the disciples would be the best choice. They had the most to gain by an empty tomb. One of the many flaws in that theory is this: almost all the disciples died, in terrible ways they died, defending their Savior’s resurrection. People don’t do that; people don’t die protecting a lie.
Jesus understands your doubts. Some of you have bought into the idea the disciples went to the wrong grave. If that happened, why didn’t the authorities set up guided tours to the tomb and squelch every rumor of a resurrection? Some of you have been told the mourning disciples were delusionary and only imagined the Savior had risen. Amazing, and they were ready to die for these illusions that were seen by hundreds? Incredible. Of course if that’s so, Jesus should have still been in His grave.
Have you bought into the idea that someone, a look-alike, perhaps one of Jesus’ own relatives, tried to take His place? That sounds good until you try to explain how, in the days before Hollywood could fake any kind of wound, Jesus offered to let the disciples handle the wounds in His feet and side. Is it possible you have heard, maybe believed, the folks, even some of Jesus’ own undershepherds, who maintain Jesus never physically rose from the dead — that He was spiritually reborn in the hearts of the hopeful disciples? Friends, that idea has more holes in it than a sieve. The news of the risen Christ swept the ancient world like a tsunami. If Jesus lived only in men’s hearts, why didn’t His opponents produce His body? It would have been so simple, so final. The truth is, Jesus’ body wasn’t exhibited because Jesus’ body couldn’t be found. The truth is Christ had risen from the dead, and those who are brought to this truth are forgiven of their sins; they are assured a Friend to Whom they can talk; they have a Guardian Who watches over them and they are given a place in heaven.
Now that I’ve said all this, I’m sure many of you are listening with a skeptical ear. Good for you. Don’t listen to me; don’t blindly embrace my opinions. I would no more encourage you to listen to me than I would urge you to listen to them. What I pray you will do is take a few minutes, pick up a Bible, and read through the story of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. You will find that narrative in the first four books of the New Testament. The first four books of the New Testament. You will find that story in the last chapters of those books. Read the words for yourself. Listen to what these men say they heard and saw, and then know most of them died because they knew the life, death, and resurrection of the Savior was true. Not just true for them, but true because Jesus is God’s plan to save us. Please, read for yourself. Bring your reasonable requests and meet Jesus without my filter or that of anyone else. Meet Him. If I am wrong in what I say, you have only lost a few minutes of time. Nothing more. On the other hand if you find your doubts dispelled, like Thomas, you may catch yourself gladly saying, “My Lord and my God.” Meet Jesus. That is my advice. If you do, I will probably never know. I will never be richer for it, but you, my friend will be spiritually wealthy beyond your imagination. You will be rich because you, my friend, will have met your Savior.
Long ago, in Communist Russia it was common for plays to make fun of the Savior. One such play, a play called “Christ in Tuxedo” opened to a packed house. The first act showed a church altar set up like a saloon. Drunken clergy offered toasts, nuns played cards on the floor. The second act featured a Moscow movie star: Comrade Alexander Rostovzev. The audience roared when he walked out in robes, carrying a New Testament, impersonating the Savior. The script called for him to read two verses from the Sermon on the Mount, throw off His robes and shout, “Give me my tuxedo and top hat.” Rostovzev did read Jesus’ words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Rostovzev stopped. He deserted the script and kept reading he Bible. The actors thought he was drunk; the audience was confused; the management brought down the curtain on the ex-Communist-now-turned-Christian actor. In God’s Word Rostovzev had met his Savior. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for April 19, 2009
Is the conscience the voice of God within us?Announcer: Questions about the conscience. I’m Mark Eischer, here with Pastor Ken Klaus.
Klaus: Hello, Mark.
Announcer: Our topic today is the moral conscience or the so-called “inner voice.” A listener writes, “Back when I was in confirmation class, I remember our pastor said, ‘The conscience is the voice of the Lord inside us.'” Would you agree with that statement?
Klaus: I could answer, but first let’s hear where our listener goes with it.
Announcer: OK. He goes on: “If the conscience is the voice of our perfect God, then why don’t all our consciences tell us the same thing? Why do different people come to different conclusions as to what their consciences are telling them?”
Klaus: Mark, we need to start at the beginning: what the pastor said, or what our listener thought the pastor said, about the conscience. What was that statement again?
Announcer: Whether the conscience is “the voice of the Lord inside us.”
Klaus: Setting that aside for just a moment, let’s see what the Lord says. In Romans 2: 14-15, St. Paul wrote: “when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them…”
Announcer: So, this indicates the Lord put His moral law into the hearts of all people, whether they acknowledge Him or not.
Klaus: Right. Every culture in every place has some kind of law to govern their society. In most cultures, for example, it’s wrong to steal, to cheat on your spouse, to murder. Or at least, to do those things to members of your own tribe or clan.
Announcer: But those laws do change from place to place and from culture to culture.
Klaus: They do. Just as they change from person to person.
Announcer: So, would that mean we changed what God wanted?
Klaus: Absolutely. Sinful humanity has taken every good and perfect gift given by God and then modified, twisted, spindled, and mutilated it. Which is why I would disagree with that statement: ‘the conscience is God’s voice within us.”
If we were still living in complete harmony with God, every conscience, being in harmony with the Lord, would say the same thing.
Announcer: But that’s not the way it is.
Klaus: No, and as a result, the consciences of society and individuals change.
Announcer: Can you give an example or two of that?
Klaus: Easy. The sanctity of life, divorce, commitment, patriotism, loyalty, faithfulness. All have undergone changes in the minds of many people. God said one thing, but they preferred to believe they were hearing something else.
Announcer: The end result is, our consciences can be changed.
Klaus: They can dull; they can be perverted, in some cases they can even be killed off.
Announcer: Is that why people accept as normal things that were once considered to be absolutely unthinkable?
Klaus: It is. We don’t want God to give us orders. We don’t want Him to be our Judge. We want to reverse it. We want Him to be at our beck-and-call and if He doesn’t come through the way we demand He should, well, then the Lord had just better watch out.
Announcer: That’s a terrible situation.
Klaus: It’s sinfully human. Which is why we rely on the Word of God and not what we would prefer to be the basis of our actions.
Announcer: And, unless I miss my guess, that also helps answer the second question our listener had.
Klaus: You mean the part about, ‘how come consciences seem to be so different?”
Announcer: Yes, that part.
Klaus: That explains it. Our consciences contradict each other because we have put ourselves above God’s will, His law, His word, His wishes. Sinners who want to do something sinful figure out a way to justify what they’re doing. Sadly, it’s not about right or wrong, it’s about what I want. I deserve to be happy; I deserve to have what everybody else has. So the thinking goes. Which is why, once again, the ultimate arbiter of our lives has to be God’s Word, as it is revealed and recorded in Holy Scripture-where we sinners are shown God’s grace in Jesus and how we can live a life of thanks and praise in response to what He has done to redeem us.
Announcer: This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music selection for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain” arr. by S. Drummond Wolff. From Hymns for All Saints: Lent, Easter, Pentecost (© 2006 Concordia Publishing House)
“Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia” arr. James Kosnik. Concordia Publishing House
“I Know That My Redeemer Lives” by Michael Burkhardt. From Hymn Improvisations, vol. 1 by Michael Burkhardt (© 1993 MorningStar Music Publishers)