Easter 2 2008

Acts 2:14a,22-32

Psalm 16

1 Peter 1:3-9

John 20:19-31

How many doors have you locked? How much have you shut between you and God? Or between your hopes and desires and the reality of these life?

How many doors have you locked to protect yourself, to hide, to survive?

How much hurt do you hold onto, saying “It won’t happen again, I’m not going to trust again.”?

How many grudges do you bear, saying, “I’m not going to forget that insult…”

How much shame do you carry, saying “I’m not worthy, I’m not good enough, smart enough, handsome enough, so I’ll hide my true self and pretend to fit in…”?

How much guilt do you have over past mistakes, saying, “I have too many skeletons in my closet, I need to lock that door also.”

Because I’m not letting anyone in. I’m not going to let myself feel that much pain or that much joy. I’m not going to trust, even in God’s love. Because…I might be let down again, I might not measure up again, I might fail again.

So lock the doors. Check them twice. Keep that secret self hidden away in the dark for fear of the light.

Now, at first glance, today’s Gospel story is rather humorous. Here we have the disciples, locked up in a room because they were afraid of the Judeans. Why? They were protecting themselves against attacks from Judeans who did not believe in Jesus.

In that society, people didn’t lock doors, locking doors made you suspect. If the doors were unlocked, children --official snoops of the village—could wander in and out at will, “keeping everyone on the up and up” (Pilch, Historical Cultural Context/The Center for Liturgy Sunday Web Site).

So they disciples are hiding from…children?

But such a trivial thing as a locked door doesn’t keep Jesus away. He appears, startles the disciples (duh) and reassures them…”Peace be with you.” We’ve heard that line before, it’s the same as “do not be afraid.”

Wow. Then Jesus sends those cowering disciples out the door and into the world.

Thomas misses it. He’s out buying milk or something. And wants to see it for himself, this Jesus who doesn’t bother with locked doors.

And so once again, the patient Jesus comes to were the disciples are, doors shut but again, no biggie for God. And Thomas is convinced.

Jesus comes back, to convince one person…one doubting Thomas. Who has that door of doubt locked tight.

Jesus doesn’t bother with the doors.

You can lock a series of doors, bolt them, chain them, deadbolt them, push the dresser up against them….

But Jesus is gonna go were Jesus needs to go. And all the barriers we put up to protect ourselves are like so many sheer curtains swaying in the wind.

Because if God wants to get inside you heart, your soul, your life…God is gonna do it.

And if you think it’s too late for you, that you’ve already missed out because you were, say, out getting the milk…God keeps coming back for you.

God doesn’t bother with the locks, or the doors, or the darkness.

Jesus comes and says, “Peace be with you.” With YOU!

Let’s remember who was in that room, shall we….The disciples. The one’s who ran away when the going got tough. We’ll follow you, Jesus, they said. Even to death. But they turned and ran.

These guys had seen miracle after miracle, the healings, the feedings, the catching of fish…these guys had seen Jesus change lives one after another.

And yet, and yet they didn’t trust it. They ran and hid.

Who was in that room? Peter. Peter the loud-mouth who swore allegiance up and down. Not me, I will never deny you, Lord. Not once, not twice, but three time, Peter denied Jesus. Peter was in that room.

Thomas missed the first visit, but Jesus came back, just for him. Just to calmly show Thomas the wounds…to say…what do you need in order to believe? Here….touch me.

Thomas was in that room.

Here is a group of real people. With their own burdens, guilt, shame, fears…their own particular doors locked tight.

Here is Jesus. Not even knocking! Not asking permission or using a master key.

Just appearing…”Peace be with you.” And breathing on them…the Holy Spirit, the breath, the wind of life.

Here…Not only am I going to appear in your life…I am going to fill you with life.

Blow out the garbage, send the guilt away, ship the shame south, open the closet and watch the skeletons turn to dust. (Puff!).

Jesus doesn’t wait for us to be ready. Jesus doesn’t wait for us to be confident. Jesus doesn’t wait for us to erase our doubts.

Jesus comes, the resurrection arrives, the Spirit blows in….

Ready or not, here God comes. Into your heart, your soul…your mind.

The disciples finally leave that room, they finally walk out the door and into the world and start preachin’ and teachin’ and livin’.

They were, mind you, still human being. Still fallible, still with doubts and questions. Still days of fear and days of wonder. Still tempted to go back to that room and lock another door. And probably that happened to.

But Jesus keeps showing up. Jesus keeps ignoring locked doors. Jesus keeps ignoring our excuses. Jesus keeps coming back.

Into our lives. Into our hearts. Into our rooms.

Saying “Peace” breathing “Peace” being “Peace”. Even in the midst of a war torn crazy violent never ending world.

Peace.

Then Jesus sends us out into a world of doubt. To share our stories…to sing our songs...to knock on locked doors and invite our neighbors out.

Into the freedom of another new day. Into the hope of resurrection life. Into a world waiting to be restored.

Ah, right here, right now…Christ is risen!

He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!