19When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 24But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31But these are written so that they may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

DIAGNOSIS: Lifeless

Step 1 -- Initial Diagnosis: Living in Fear
Living in fear is never really living. But it is the only life that the disciples of Jesus have behind locked doors - "for fear of the Jews" (v. 19). How could this behavior overcome those who walked, talked, and witnessed with Jesus all along the Judean countryside? Answer: they witnessed the crucifying power of those who were "in charge" - and missed the power in the crucifixion. They are, therefore, preoccupied with their own deadly fear of consequences -- and for good reason, because of their own guilt by association with the renegade Jesus. We may also prefer to hide behind locked doors when the going gets tough. We can stay in the privacy of our office and bureaucratically avoid anything that is "not our job" or "none of our business." We can turn on the answering machines or hide behind (and thereby abuse) the virtual realities that come by way of the world's technological advances. Living in fear, though never really living, is not confined to just the disciples' locked-door behavior.

Step 2 -- Advanced Diagnosis: Doubting
Fear as a way of life is bad enough. But the disciples' fear really betrays their doubt - even doubting what their eyes behold. Thomas is not the only doubter in the crowd. His openness about his doubting might even earn him special esteem in the eyes of theologians like Paul Tillich, though Tillich's "justification of the doubter" is a stretch. The other disciples had "seen" the risen Lord, but they doubted nonetheless (v. 26). Generally, dead people stay dead - so their doubting may not be all that incredible. In fact, what their doubting affirms is that Jesus did, in fact, die on the cross. But their doubting is also an unfaithful concession that death, and the law that condemns, have the last word. Death is tangible, concrete. Doubting is, therefore, reasonable; but it is still misplaced recognition of the authority of death and the law. So the qualifying limitation on the heart of the disciples is that their messianic hope in Jesus is a dashed vision, an illusion of what might have been. It is not faithful, or hopeful.

Step 3 -- Final Diagnosis: Having the God of Death and Judgment
Adding to the woes of the doubting disciples is the equally reasonable conclusion that, if death and the law's condemnation reigns, so does the God who upholds that judgment on transgressors of the tradition. The disciples "catch-22" is that they're damned if they do and damned if they don't. They are condemned for violating the tradition of the law in considering themselves disciples of Jesus, but they also betray their Lord in their doubting. No locked doors can bar that judgment. No justification can be forthcoming on the grounds of a reasonable doubt. If the Law is ultimate, then their sins are "retained" (v. 23) - and so is the death that comes to the Law's transgressors. However, not even those who most adhere to the Law's traditions will find much solace in that judgment.

PROGNOSIS: Having Life in Jesus' Name

Step 4 -- Initial Prognosis: Jesus, "My Lord and My God!"
If the concrete judgment of the Law demands even the disciples' deaths, then what overcomes that judgment is the living proof that death is conquered. Thomas is not abnormally fascinated with death in his desire to touch the nail marks in Jesus' hands and side. He desires the concrete proof that not simply death, but the death of this Jesus - whom they trusted above all else, above the traditions of the Law - is overcome in resurrection. Then, and only then, is the divine judgment against him and all the disciples of Jesus overcome. They are vindicated by the new judgment that was heard on the lips of the resurrected Lord-and-God Jesus, "Peace be with you!" This is the God who reigns supreme. You notice that Jesus does not withhold this evidence - not only for Thomas's sake, but for all his disciples, including ourselves.

Step 5 -- Advanced Prognosis: Believing
Jesus, the risen victor over death, is confessed by Thomas as "my Lord and my God!" Thomas's confession of faith replaces the unbelieving doubt, and reaffirms the place of Jesus as his licit owner. The messianic hope is validated for Thomas and for all who touch and see the risen Lord. But Jesus pronounces his blessing also on "those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" (v. 29). Latter-day disciples like ourselves come to share in the full-fruits of Jesus' Lordship over death and our divine standing with Jesus, our God of Peace, and God as our Father. This spells forgiveness and the joys (not guilt) that come from association with Jesus, who has himself come to us -- even behind our locked doors. Our hearts, too, get to rejoice in seeing (by faith) the risen Lord as our Lord and God.

Step 6 -- Final Prognosis: Freely Witnessing
The death-marks of Jesus become our banner over life, and for truly living in Jesus' name. We have the testimony of Thomas and the disciples (particularly John) that we may have this life in Jesus' name. We are, therefore, those who have benefited by the free witness of the disciples - in Scriptures, to be sure, but also in our baptism and in our communing and in our having sins absolved and in our mutual conversations and consolations. In this way, we are freely witnessing to the Peace that Jesus came to bring, and bring again, behind the locked doors of all who are too fearful to come out and rejoice with us. The death-marks give us license to transcend barriers.

In the early church, the homily (homilia) was a conversation. As (the late) Professor of Homiletics Richard "Doc" Caemmerer once said, "Preaching represents an act in which all worshippers join."

I would invite you to join with me in singing the opening alleluias and first verse of "O Sons and Daughters of the King" (LBW #139).

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
O Sons and Daughters of the King,
Whom heav'nly hosts in glory sing,
Today the grave has lost its sting!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

To be sure, the One about Whom heavenly hosts are singing is the King himself. That is our song as well. But don't skip over the fact how that song was introduced, in its opening line: "O Sons and Daughters of the King."

You claimed for one and all that they are the favored "sons and daughters of the King, Whom heav'nly hosts in glory sing." That's what you sang-to me, to each other, to anyone within earshot of your voice, including yourself if you can hear yourself sing. In fact, there is reason so to think (Hebrews 12:1) that the song of the heav'nly hosts would not be complete without our inclusion in their song, the song of the heavenly hosts.

How bold a claim that is! If those around you are, indeed, "sons and daughters of the King," then that makes them royalty, princes and princesses, kings and queens, when we consider Who the King really is.

And yet, how strange that royal claim must be to their ears, even to yours, especially if our voices are not particularly regal-sounding. Given that our human royalties have a way of collapsing, we might think it more accurate for us to sing about the sons and daughters of Adam. Me, royalty? How can that be? On what grounds do we get to claim so grandiose a title for ourselves?

For that we must turn to the last line of the verse: "Today the grave has lost its sting!" There is the boldest claim of all. And it is a claim we make first and foremost about our Lord and King, Jesus the Christ. We affirm, "He is risen from the dead!" and we mock defiantly with Paul, "O grave, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" Still, all of Jesus' resurrection would be vain were it not the basis for our own hope-the very basis of our claim to royalty, and all the honors that royalty bestows.

But, now, I invite the royal women to sing on verses 2 and 3 of our hymn.

That Easter morn, a break of day,
The faithful women went their way
To seek the tomb where Jesus lay.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

An angel clad in white they see,
Who sits and speaks unto the three,
"Your Lord will go to Galilee."
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Have you noticed that, in all of the gospel accounts, the first witnesses of the resurrection were women? How bold of you, O daughters of the King, to point this out in your singing. And you "sons of the King," how good that you could listen to the song of your sisters! Perhaps the hymn should have been entitled, "O Daughters and Sons of the King." Unfortunately, that would not have fit the meter of the hymn as well.

More problematic, however, is the imbalance in the meter of our world. Even today, for all the attempts to level things out, women are still seeking status equal with that of their gender counterparts. Even such early church attempts at the gospel, like the Gospel of Thomas, couldn't seem to get it right. When Jesus after his resurrection was surrounded by his male disciples, Peter allegedly asked Jesus about how the women would enter into the kingdom of God; and Jesus allegedly answered that they would be turned into males. Needless to say, and gratefully so, the Gospel of Thomas did not make the canon. Those that did, maybe Luke best of all, depict Jesus as one who welcomes wholeheartedly the presence of his female disciples.

But to all who have felt the discriminating weight of the iron that divides daughters from sons and sons from daughters, these verses ring out encouragement. For the Lord does not turned his back on those who come to him, but promises that he goes ahead to meet us. Remember that the women who came to see Jesus at the tomb were not from prestigious Jerusalem, but from little-out-of-the-way Galilee. "Your Lord will go to Galilee," says the heavenly messenger. Thanks be to God for raising to new life all who experience the lowliness of life! And thank you, precious Daughters of the King, for witnessing the message of resurrection for us all!

Now, let us all sing on with verses 4 and 5.

That night the apostles met in fear;
Among them came their master dear,
And said, "My peace be with you here."
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

When Thomas first the tidings heard,
That they had seen the risen Lord,
He doubted the disciple's word.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

I always had trouble with this last verse. Isn't there something peculiar about singing "Alleluia" right after noting that Thomas "doubted the disciples' word?" My first instincts are to hurry up and get on with the next verse. God help me if I should die after just singing that verse. But perhaps God helps us to learn how to laugh while singing it.

We do not laugh at Thomas. He has, for too long in church history, been the brunt of too many "doubting Thomas" jokes.

What we laugh at is ourselves, the Thomas in us. For who among us, after hearing from others-even close friends-that something truly unbelievable has happened, are not a little skeptical, tempted to say, "This I have to see from myself," or "Prove it."

What is funny is not the doubting itself. That is deadly serious, and with divine consequences. But in this case, it is also quite audacious, much more audacious than the doubting of the other apostles. Right now, as it stands, Jesus' "Peace" has been spoken to all but Thomas. But as they stay behind locked doors and barred windows, is it any wonder that when they claim they "have seen the risen Lord," Thomas demands proof? Thomas pushes the truth about God to be made known in such a way that it touches our lives as gospel, good news. The gospel is not the gospel for Thomas until such time that it comes to Thomas and says to him, for him, "Peace be with you," and frees him-frees all-from their doubting, giving them faith. Indeed, the "Peace" of Easter must abrogate the walls that would keep its comforting joy confined. The church is not a clique, to stay behind closed doors-it is a mission of Peace to the world.

So thank you, fellow Sons and Daughters of the King, for sharing that point with us all. And praise God that there is more to come. I invite the "sons of the King" to sing verses 6 and 7.

"My pierced side, O Thomas, see,
And look upon my hands, my feet;
Not faithless, but believing be."
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

No longer Thomas then denied;
He saw the feet, the hands, the side;
"You are my Lord and God!" he cried.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

What Thomas really needed to see and to hear was not really the first apostolic witnesses. What Thomas needed was not even to see that dead people do in fact come back to life. What Thomas needed to see, to overcome his doubt, was the death mark's in Jesus' hands, side, and feet-the places where the nails and spear had gone through.

This is not a morbid fascination with death. Today, we have managed to make death into something a little less real, more glamorized, so taken over by Hollywood. No, this is real death. It is not glamorous. It is not imitation. And it certainly is not something to be taken lightly.

When Jesus died, Thomas' hope died with him. Thomas had invested himself in Jesus and in Jesus' claim that He was Thomas Lord. But now something got in the way of that claim-something that was seemingly insurmountable: the death of his Lord. And Thomas knew that this death meant separation-separation from family, from friends, from everything of value; death meant the loss of a wholesome relationship with God. Death had seemingly won the day, not only for Jesus, but for Thomas.

Notice, however, that when our Lord does appear, he does not put Thomas down for being faithless, or demean him for having such an insistence on seeing his marks of death and defeat. Instead, he invites Thomas to look upon the death marks in his hands, his feet, his side. "See Thomas, death is not the victor. Death is conquered! It has been overcome by the King, King Jesus. And his triumph is not only for me, your Lord and King, but for you also, Thomas, and for all whom death's reign holds so strongly." That is how the gospel comes to Thomas, and comes so powerfully that Thomas makes the great confession, "You are my Lord and God!"

And now, dear Sons and Daughters, who have also been freed from the reign of death and defeat, now is the time for you to make your bold confession once more. For you having not seen have yet believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the God, and through him have life in his name. So for the joy of that life, for being God's royal children, for the joy of having been raised from our lowliness, for the joy of having our own doubts and death overcome, let us stand and join the heav'nly chorus of the King, singing to one and all within earshot the final verses of our hymn to the praise of our God and Lord, Jesus the Christ! Alleluia! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

How blest are they who have not seen.
And yet whose faith has constant been.
For they eternal life shall win.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

On this most holy days of days,
Be laud and jubilee and praise;
To God your hearts and voices raise.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!