Sermon: “Prove It!”
Lectionary Series C; Second Sunday of Easter
Sunday, April 24, 2022
Gospel Reading: John 20:19-31
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
The proof is in the pudding. Likely you have heard that line, but do you know where the line came from?
National Public Radio once reported that “the proof is in the pudding” is a new twist on a very old proverb. The original version was “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.” And what it meant was that you had to try out food in order to know whether it was good.
But it should also be noted that the word ‘pudding’ itself has changed. In Britain, pudding meant more than a sweet dessert. Back then, pudding referred to a kind of sausage, filling the intestines of some animal with minced meat and other things - something you probably want to try out carefully since that kind of food could be rather treacherous.
So, over the years, the original proverb has evolved. The original was the proof of the pudding is in the eating. It was shortened to the proof of the pudding, and then here in America, it morphed again to the proof is in the pudding. Apparently, the proof of the listening is in the correcting.
Proof. We might find the origin of “the proof is in the pudding” to be rather grotesque and graphic when we consider the kind of food it originally related to. But, that all being said, the proof that Thomas demanded was also rather grotesque and graphic.
Thomas demanded that he not only see the marks of the nails, but he also demanded to literally place his finger ‘into’ the mark of the nails, and place his hand ‘into’ his side…otherwise he would not believe.
Thomas wanted Jesus to prove it. Prove His resurrection. He didn’t just demand visual proof. He also demanded physical proof. He wanted to know beyond all shadow of a doubt that there was ‘proof in the proverbial pudding,’ that Jesus had indeed been physically raised from the dead…that this was not just some spiritual reality…that it was completely and totally a legit bodily resurrection of the dead.
What audacity! What arrogance! Who does he think that he is, to deny the claims of his fellow disciples, to not trust their testimony?
This is where Thomas gets his nickname: Doubting Thomas. His demand for proof sets him apart as supposedly the only one in that room who didn’t believe. But is even that the truth?
The truth of the matter is that Thomas wasn’t there the first time Jesus came into that room with the doors locked. We don’t know where he was at the time, and it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that the others had been given proof of the resurrection. They had seen Jesus with their own eyes. Likely they had touched Him as well, since Jesus had invited them to do so in the account in the book of Luke. Thomas didn’t get any of that.
Have you ever said, “Prove it!”? Have you ever demanded proof, be it visual and/or physical? Have you ever heard someone share news with you, and think it is too good to be true? Have you ever doubted the testimony of someone else?
What about with the testimony of God’s Word? Ever doubted what was written in those sixty-six books of the Bible? How about God’s love and care for you? Ever doubted that to be true? Ever demanded proof, because you were a bit unsure, a bit uncertain?
Thomas gets quite a bad rap time and again, but are we unlike him? Or could each of our nicknames be preceded by the word “Doubting?”
Whether it is Satan burdening us into thinking that our sins aren’t forgiven, or perhaps it is our own weakness of faith, or maybe it just seems like the whole world is crashing down all around us. Whatever it is, it is natural to have our doubts. It is natural to demand proof that God’s love and care for us in the darkness of this world is true.
But just because it is natural, does not mean it should be a pattern for us to follow. A steady diet of doubt and demands would only lead to despair and denial of all that is true.
If Thomas would have touched Jesus and then said, “No, I need more proof. I still can’t believe it,” then, likely it would have led to his own loss of faith. And that is why God directs us again and again to His Word.
His Word is the proof that we need. No, it is not physical evidence like we may crave at times, but the Word is proof nonetheless. It is the testimony of those that were present at that time. All Scripture is God-breathed. The Bible is literally the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. And there within those pages is a love story that is written just for you. It is written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31).
The pages of Scripture literally are drenched with God’s love and care for you. And there within those pages here today, God provides you something additional that you can cling to in your times filled with doubts and demands. He gives you the testimony of the physical proof of the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting.
You see, what we are given today is an added dimension that was likely never thought possible by the other disciples who had already seen Jesus. As Jesus came into the room that second time a week later, and Thomas was there with them, He delivered on Thomas’ demands. It was not because He had to, but because Jesus wanted to. He gave Thomas, the other disciples, and us, the proof that the Prince of Peace was alive and well in physical form.
Everything Jesus said would happen had come to fruition. His very flesh, which Thomas was now touching was the very evidence, the proof of God’s love for him and God’s love for you. He doesn’t go back on His Word. He delivers. He always has, and He always will. And now, it could not be denied. He had done what was thought impossible. He had done the unthinkable. Jesus was alive! The celebration of Easter continued on as Thomas declared, “My Lord and my God!”
That is our proclamation as well…Not because we have seen the Lord with our own eyes or felt the inside of those nail marks or where the spear entered his side. No, we proclaim that proof of the peace that passes all understanding in a different way.
When we come to the Lord’s Supper, we ‘proclaim’ the Lord’s death until He comes again. Into our very mouths, under bread and wine, is the very body and blood of the resurrected Jesus.
Easter is all about what is real…our Savior's forgiveness, peace, hope, joy, and eternal life. God gives us the same assurance He gave to Thomas, for “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
So, bring your doubts, bring your demands, and place them before His altar. Take and eat. Take and drink. This is physical proof of God’s love and care you, from this day until the Last Day. And with the resurrected Jesus in you, when that day comes, you will not be held in the grave, because He could not be held in the grave. (Pause)
Interestingly enough, tradition holds that the one once known as “Doubting Thomas” took the Gospel of Christ to the subcontinent of India. He was later martyred and buried there after witnessing to the Indian people. Though there is no way to actually verify this, it is interesting to note that today there exists a group of Christians known as St. Thomas Christians in southwestern India. They trace their roots to having been evangelized by the disciple Thomas. Whether true or not, tradition would hold that the one who demanded such audacious proof eventually went on to proclaim the proof of the resurrection of Jesus, and there are still believers in that proof to this day.
We come to this day as benefactors of such a testimony that has spread throughout the entire world. But more so, we come here today as benefactors of the One who delivered the proof…the One who walked through a wall to meet those disciples in their fear and doubt…the One who walked from Jerusalem to Calvary bearing our cross…the One who died our death for our forgiveness…the One who walked out of His own tomb alive and well…the One who loves and cares for you beyond measure…beyond all doubt.
There is not-a-one of us here who has not had our doubts and demanded proof like Doubting Thomas. There is also not-a-one of us here who can believe in Jesus and His resurrection on our own. The good news is that, despite our doubts and demands, God graciously gives us the faith to believe what we can’t on our own.
At your baptism, there, in the water and the Word, God gave the physical proof of His love for you, as He gave you the faith to believe that all He has said and done is most certainly true.
As it says in the meaning of the third article of the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”
It is in that faith, that you and I join with Thomas in confessing the truth of the resurrected Christ in saying: “My Lord and my God!” It is in that faith, that you and I join with Thomas in boldly proclaiming this truth to others. It is in that faith, that you and I share hope and teach Christ so that all may know without a doubt the resurrection proof we proclaim this day: “Alleluia! Christ is risen!” “He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The peace of God which surpasses all human understanding guard and keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.