1ST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. Amen.

In this same resurrected Victor, dear hearers!

"Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed," is the way Christ speaks in our today's Gospel. This utterance of our Savior has always been and still is most offensive to all unbelievers. They say that is the very reason why they cannot become reconciled to Christianity; it forbids all rational tests and demands blind faith.

However, two falsehoods lie in this conclusion of unbelievers. First, it is not true that those who want to know nothing of God's Word reject it because they do not want to accept anything without first testing it. Rather, the general mode of procedure of unbelievers undeniably has been and still is that they do not test the Bible and Christianity but reject it without testing, or at least without thoroughly examining and weighing the arguments for and against. If an unbeliever hears that the Bible states that Jesus Christ is true God and man in one person, if he hears that according to Scripture God is Triune, if he hears that the Savior has redeemed us by his life, suffering and death, that all men are lost sinners who can be saved alone by grace through faith for Christ's sake, he does not examine these doctrines, he does not earnestly ponder whether without having suspected it these are doctrines resting upon the irrefutable truth, but without further ado he rejects them as irrational doctrines and the Bible as a book full of contradictions and absurd claims. Where do you find even one person who had remained an unbeliever after he had tried to convince himself that the Bible is God's Word? Can you find one who remained an unbeliever who read a thorough apology of Christianity with the

inner desire to find the eternal truth which stands firm and actually brings rest to the. heart? The very opposite is done. Whatever is written against Christianity is eagerly read and accepted in blind faith without testing it; on the other hand, what is written in favor of it is either not read at all and rejected with a disdainful expression, or it is read with a biased mind because one in advance takes for granted that everything in it must be false. This neglect of all earnest examination of the Biblical truth will oh that day take all excuses of unbelievers away and condemn them.

Yet. they say, according to Christ's word, "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed," blind faith is clearly extolled as the saving faith. But this also is untrue. With these words Christ does hot in the least mean to say that man should embrace him and his Gospel without first asking, Why? A blind faith is absolutely no faith, but merely a fancy; faith merits the name of a true faith only if it rests upon a firm, irrefutable foundation. Therefore, even in God's Word, blind faith is completely rejected. Even in God's Word the earnest admonition is given .in very many passages to accept nothing without first testing it. Does not Christ say, "Beware of false prophets; by their fruits ye shall know them"? Does not St. Paul say, "Prove all things; hold fast that which good"? 1 Thess 5:21. Does not John say, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God"? 1 Jn 4:1. Are not the Bereans expressly praised because they daily searched the Scriptures whether the things which Paul and Silas had preached to them were so? If everyone should accept the teachings of the Bible as divine without any examination whatsoever, how then could the Bible itself call upon us to test it and so urgently admonish us to distinguish the true prophets from the false? There can be no doubt: The Scripture itself rejects blind faith. Whoever, therefore, believes that the Bible is God's Word because he heard this from his parents, his teachers, and from learned men does not yet have the true faith. Men can and should indeed give, us evidence of the divinity, of Holy Scripture and call our attention to it; but we have a true faith only if from our own firm conviction and the experience of our own heart we can confess that the Gospel truly is God's power which saves all who believe it. That is the way the woman of Samaria led her fellow citizens to Christ; they finally said, "Now we believe,not because of thy saying; for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world." Jn 4:42. In the final analysis, all children should be able to say that to their parents, all pupils to their teachers, all hearers to their ministers, if the true faith dwells in their heart.

The Scriptures do not want to be embraced as God's Word in blind faith; on the contrary, the Scriptures themselves suggest marks by which one can and should test it; these marks are chiefly the miracles and prophecies by which it is sealed before the whole world, and the supernatural, heavenly, divine power which it shows in attentive teachers and hearers, enlightening and convincing the spirit and comforting and quieting the heart and filling it with divine life, divine power, and the living hope of eternal life. Whoever has accepted the Bible as God's Word because of these irrefutable proofs does not have a blind faith but one resting upon clear, eternally certain foundations; but whoever rejects God's Word in spite of those proofs has a blind faith, a blind, unfounded, bottomless unbelief.

But now the question arises, How are we to understand Christ's words, "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed"? Permit me to speak to you during this hour on that question.

The text. John 20:19-31.

Today we shall consider only the words which the Resurrected spoke to incredulous Thomas, namely

"BLESSED ARE THEY THAT HAVE NOT SEEN, AND YET HAVE BELIEVED"

On the basis of these words we ponder two points:

I. That is is an Important Assignment for Christians to Believe What They do not See, and

II. Yet that They are Truly Blessed People who Manifest such a Faith.

Gracious, faithful, and merciful God! You have given your Son into death and awakened him again for all sinners; you have promised that you want to be gracious to all sinners for the sake of your Son. You desire nothing of us but that we return again to you and believe and trust your precious promise from our whole heart. Therefore, take our heart into your hand and work that faith in it which you desire and preserve us in it until the end. To that end bless also the Word preached in this hour for the sake of your eternal faithfulness and truth. Amen.

I.

My friends, when Christ in our Gospel cried out to the Apostle Thomas who had not wanted to believe in his resurrection until he had seen and touched, "Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen,and yet have believed," Christ does not mean to say that one must embrace him and his Gospel in blind faith, but that Christians, who are already convinced of the truth of the Word and especially of his Gospel, should then also rely upon the mere Word and in childlike and firm confidence build upon the promises given by God even if they see nothing of it, feel nothing, and discover nothing. Thomas and all the disciples should have done this. Why, even in the Old Testament it was foretold by types and prophecies that the Messiah .would die and rise again. Thus for example, the Messiah speaks in Psalm 16, "My flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." Ps 16:9c.10. Again we read about the Messiah in Isaiah 53, "Mien thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." V.10b. Therefore, Christ himself had not only declared before friend and foe that the Prophet Jonah was a picture of his burial and resurrection, but he himself had repeatedly told the disciples in advance, even on his last journey to Jerusalem, that according to the Scriptures he must suffer, die, and rise on the third day. "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem," he said, "and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on; and they shall scourge him, and put him to death; and the third day he shall rise again." Lk 18:31-33. Thomas should have clung to these clear testimonies of God's Word in the prophets and the Word of Christ himself and firmly believed that Christ would arise on the third day, even though he had not seen him; yes, God's Word which he had as proof should have been a thousand times more certain than even the conviction wrought by his senses; for even our senses can deceive us but God's Word is infallible.

The task which Thomas had here Christians of all ages also have. All ; Christians must believe what they do not see. Peter commends this in his hearers in Pontus and the other places in his first Epistle to them, that they "having not seen ye love; in whom though now ye see him not, yet" they believe in Jesus. 1 Pet 1:8. And St. Paul describes the whole Christian life in this world in the words, "We walk by faith, and not by sight." 2 Cor 5:7.

And so it is. Whoever wishes to be a true Christian must believe that his sins were buried with Christ, and that together with Christ he is justified by God, free from sin, is risen pure and holy, and with him has conquered sin, death, world, the devil, and hell; and yet he sees nothing of this, in fact the very opposite. A Christian sees how sin still lives in his members, defiles him every day, and gives him an evil conscience; and yet he is to believe that with Christ he is righteous and pure before God. A Christian sees only too clearly that he is a sinner; and yet he is to believe that in Christ he is a saint and that if a servant of Christ says to him on earth, "Thy sins be forgiven thee," this absolution is valid also in heaven.

A Christian frequently feels nothing but God's wrath, sees nothing in his entire life but the cross, tribulation, misery, and distress; and yet he is to believe that he is reconciled with God, is acceptable to him in the Beloved, is well-pleasing to him, dear, and esteemed, yes, his precious child of grace. A Christian sees how generally the world, which asks nothing about. God|.s Word and grace, prospers, how it rules over Christians in this life,.despises them, and considers them fools; and yet the Christian is to believe that he has long ago conquered the world, and that he is under God's grace and the world is not. Often the Christian sees no way by which he is to support himself and his family, the house is empty, and there is no prospect of work; and yet he is to believe: those who fear the Lord suffer no want.

Often the Christian sees,when he prays,that things become worse rather than better; and yet he is firmly to believe that his prayer is heard, yes, he is to believe the promise of God through the Prophet Isaiah, "And,it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and. while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Is 65:24. Often the Christian finds nothing but unrest and anxiety in his heart and the loud accusations of his wounded conscience; and yet he is to believe what Christ says, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto, you;" Jn 14:27; and what St. Paul writes, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom 5:1. The Christian constantly feels his poverty of spirit,he always feels more like a wretched beggar, he must beg for every little drop of grace; and yet he is to believe that he is rich in everything; often he feels so miserable and much more unfortunate than a thousand others; and yet he is to believe that he is the most happy person under the sun.

The Christian sees how the Church of Christ, totters and staggers like a leaky ship which could sink any second; he sees the church,surrounded by powerful foes as though by waves which reach to the heavens; and yet he is to believe that the Church is God's city built upon the eternal Rock against which not even the gates of hell can prevail. He \ees the wretched state of the little group of believers, the little flock of Christ's sheep, in this world; and yet he is to believe that the heavenly Shepherd loves and provides for them especially, that these despised Christians are Christ's spiritual body, his chosen and beautifully adorned bride with whom he is forever betrothed in faith and righteousness. The Christian sees how frail every Christian congregation is, and yet he is to believe that every one is sanctified and cleansed by the washing of the water by the Word, that every one. is beautiful, not having any spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

The Christian sees how the jaws of death and hell insatiably swallow one sacrifice after the other; and yet he is to believe: Christ has conquered death, hell, and the devil; he sees how death turns his life into dust and brings him with tears to the abode of corruption; and yet he is to believe that there is no death for Christians; death grins frightfully at him and yet he is to consider it a sweet sleep, a messenger of peace. And when finally the Christian himself lies on his deathbed, when he notices its sting, when Satan fills him with the thoughts of hell, when heaven seems as though locked, when the terrors of the judgment fall upon him in the evil hour, he is nevertheless to

believe that as far as he is concerned death is swallowed up in victory, hell is destroyed, the devil lies bound in darkness, he is the lord of sin, death, the devil, and hell, he dare and should now wave the victory banner of faith; though he cannot see it, the gates of heaven are already open; the holy angels are waiting for his soul which is struggling to free itself to carry it into the hands of God; the last tears have been wept, the last sighs uttered, and all heaven is ready to bring him the crown of the victor.

To see sin and yet trust in righteousness; to see misery and yet trust in glory; to see clouds of wrath and yet trust in the Sun of grace; to see weakness and helplessness and yet trust in power and strength; to see defeat and yet trust in victory and triumph; to see death and yet trust in life; to see hell and damnation and yet trust in heaven and salvation: that is the important assignment which Christians have as long as they are in this world. That is indeed difficult, but blessed are they who carry it out for blessed are those who manifest such a faith! That is the second point on which I now speak to you.

II.

My friends, as long as Thomas did not want to believe in Christ's resurrection until he himself had seen and touched the Resurrected and, as one might say, had the proofs of it in his hands, so long this apostle was in a truly miserable, wretched state, a very sinful but also a very comfortless state.

First of all, it was a great sin that Thomas did not want to believe until he had himself seen the nail prints in Christ's hands and put his finger into the nail prints and his hand into his side. Of course, Thomas did not maliciously call the prophets, yes, Christ himself a liar, as did the unbelieving Pharisees and Scribes but out of weakness, without knowing or wanting to, and declared that one cannot trust the words of Christ and the prophets nor in any way rely upon them. During this time in which Thomas did not want to build his salvation only upon the Word, it was also not possible for him to be certain of the forgiveness of his sins, his state of grace, and his salvation. He did not know whether he had a Redeemer; he had to be afraid that his past faith in Christ was nothing but a deplorable deception. We can, therefore, well imagine by what painful doubts his heart must have been assailed, how restless, how comfortless and hopeless he must have been during this time.

Yet those are always the unhappy results when a person first wants to see, first experience, first feel, first discover, and not until then believe.

And most Christians of our day are such Thomas-Christians. This is the great cancerous sore of most of the present day zealous sects. They certainly preach faith in Christ, but they do not direct the people to the Word and holy Sacraments upon which they must rely and firmly build and trust, but they direct every one to that which they experience, feel, and discover in their hearts. They methodically train them not to believe until they have seen and, as it were, felt the imprint of the wounds and the beating heart of Christ. What is the result? This, that some of the Christians of our day either feign a continual certainty and joyfulness or continually vacillate back and forth, who now believe then doubt, now are confident then despair, now consider themselves children of grace, now children of wrath.

On the other hand, how blessed are those Christians to whom the pure doctrine is preached, who are directed alone to God's Word and promise, and to the seal given by God himself, when they follow this blessed instruction! How

blessed are they who, if they feel sin in their heart, in faith still cling to the Word which promises them Christ's righteousness; who when they feel wrath and death in their conscience in faith still cling to the Word which cries to them: Be confident, you have found grace, you will live! who, when things go so wrong with them that God seems to have forsaken them, nevertheless in faith cling to the Word which says to them: "I will not leave you nor forsake you; those whom I love I chastise and scourge!" Oh, how blessed are they who even at the graves of their loved ones and upon their own deathbed look away from the frightful vision of death, the grave, and decay and in faith cling to the Word: "Death is swallowed up in victory!"

Such believers are in that right relationship with God into which we should be brought again; they give God the honor; they show themselves to be true children who take their heavenly Father at his word; they pass the test which is given them here; they come out of every fire of affliction more and more pure; ever more pure does the gold of faith faith become, ever brighter their ardor of love, ever firmer their anchor of hope. Though the sunshine may turn into rain, the bright skies into nocturnal storm, the sweet feelings of grace into the feeling of sin and death, their comfort does not change but remains immovable within them. They cry out with Asaph, "My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Ps 73:26.

Oh, may all of us have such a blessed faith! Yet remember, my friends: No self-righteous person or one living securely in sin has such a faith; no one who seeks to become rich, no lover of the world and its vanities, no earthly-minded heart ever has such a faith; only those, who have perceived their sinfulness and who are anxious for comfort because of it, have such a faith; only those who have lost their taste for the world, who hunger and thirst for better things than those which they can see, namely for God's grace, for righteousness, life, and salvation.

May God open your heart so that all of you not only hear the voice of God in his gracious Word but also understand and follow it in such faith; then all of you will also experience the truth of Christ's Words in yourselves, "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Some day you will also actually see and eternally enjoy in perfect joy what you have here clung to so firmly in true faith. For thus says the apostle, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Cor 13:12. Amen.