“Experiencing” Easter

John 20:1-18

This time of year, the wolves in sheep’s clothing always seem to have an article for the tabloids claiming the resurrection of Jesus is not real. Campbell Markham, a Presbyterian minister in Australia, has a wonderful article entitled ‘Unbelieving the Resurrection,’ in which he denounces these false ministers who make their living off the church while claiming it is not necessary to believe in the resurrection (You can read his article here).

He quickly notes that “unbelief in the physical resurrection of Jesus should never surprise us. The Gospel of John frankly describes, explains it, and challenges it. For, long before the unbelieving bishops of our day, there was Thomas, one of the Twelve.”

Listen to John’s description of what happened on the Sunday after Good Friday, when Jesus was falsely condemned, scourged, mocked, stripped naked, nailed to a cross until dead, and then buried.  

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” (John 20:19-20)

Jesus appeared to his disciples, but Thomas was missing. Upon being told of Jesus’ resurrection by the other disciples, Thomas said, “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.” (John 20:25).

On the face of it, Thomas’s conditions seem reasonable, notes Markham: “I just want to see some evidence for myself. I need to know for myself that this is not a ghost or an imposter. This is the standard of evidence I want: not listening to the eyewitness authority of others, but seeing and hearing and touching for myself.”

Markham continues, “Notice that though this seems reasonable, this is not the standard that we apply in many crucial areas of our lives.” He references several categories, such as courts of law, scientists, and historians. For example, he states:

“No historian operates on this basis: “Yes, thousands of people saw the December ’41 horrors of Pearl Harbor, but unless I see the Japanese torpedoes and dive-bombers with my own eyes, I will not believe.””

Markham sums up the issue when he writes, “What Thomas asked for sounded reasonable, but it wasn’t. Because he already had reasonable evidence. The fact is, he was demanding special and extraordinary evidence. Why?”

He concludes: “John’s gospel describes a baleful heart bias against Jesus.” [Really, you should go to the link (here) to read why he didn’t want to believe. It is worth your time.]

This Easter Sunday our theme is not so much as to why we don’t want to believe as it is how Jesus overcomes our heart of darkness. Do join us this week as we look at how the Lord overcame the heart of the first eyewitness to the resurrected Jesus in John 20:1-18.

Christ is Risen!

Pastor Wayne