Poor Thomas has been known throughout Christian history as ‘Doubting Thomas’. But amidst all the miraculous and wonderful events of Easter we come down to earth with a bang with the account of Thomas. So why did John include this account in his gospel. Because he realised that Thomas stood for all of us. Who, here in this church, can say truthfully I have never doubted anything in my whole life? None of us. Thomas is the universal figure who stands for everyone of us.When he sees Jesus for the first time after the crucifixion, Jesus challenges him and whilst he doesn’t want to admit it publicly he realises that he has to accept that he didn’t believe the other apostles when they said that they had seen Jesus. Throughout this week after Jesus’ Resurrection he keeps telling the truth that he finds it difficult to believe. I wonder how often I have heard that when talking to people who are right on the edge of the Church, they want to believe but they can’t take the final step that takes them from unbelief to believe in Jesus as the one who came from God, who lived, died and rose again to be our Saviour and Advocate in Heaven.Above all they must remain honest to themselves, God wants nothing less. We cannot make their minds up for them, there is very little we can say, we must walk with them and be where they are. In the end the change will only come when they take the final step of putting their trust in God. And then stand back as words of affirmation pour out of them.To return to Thomas when he put his faith and trust in Jesus he said, ‘My Lord and my God.’ What a fantastic affirmation of faith.Andrew SSL
My message to you this morning is short and very sweet: because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our lives can have a different storyline, a different trajectory, and our understanding of God can be completely changed.This day is the most important event in history for a Christian. Christmas was, of course, key. We needed the incarnation to make the whole life of Jesus on earth possible. But on the surface looked like a very normal happening: baby gets born. Even the crucifixion could pass as a tragic but not unfamiliar incident: man gets executed. But Easter is different. Never before have we heard about someone coming back from the dead, without human intervention, and who then goes on to live a life that defies human experience and the laws of nature.There have been incidents of people being raised from the dead – Jesus performed those miracles himself with Jairus’s daughter and his friend Lazarus. There are other accounts dotted throughout history of other healers raising people from the dead. But there has never been a raising that happened supposedly by itself, or at least without another person ‘making’ it happen, and that resulted in the person being able to walk through walls, appear and disappear at will and then vanish without any plausible explanation known to science. So, what can this day mean to us? Why should we get excited about Easter? This is the day that tells us that, in Christ, there is always life after death. This is the day that reveals God’s pattern for creation, hidden in the heart of the universe, about what life is really like, that there is life after death. The changing seasons also show us this message, year in and year out, as winter once again gives way to spring. It is right before our eyes. We believe it for the flowers and trees but, until the resurrection, we didn’t know whether it was for us too, but, unlike for Jesus, not in a physical sense. The resurrection tells us that if we open ourselves to God’s Spirit within us, we will be able to live a new kind of life. St Paul wrote to the Roman believers, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11) By opening ourselves to God, by saying ‘Yes!’ to God, our lives can be transformed, here on earth and, also eternally, beyond death. This transformation begins with a step of faith, a willingness to open ourselves to who God is and to what life might be like taking God into account. But the wounds on Jesus’ body that remained even after the resurrection tell us that there is a cost to accepting the path transformation: we must die to our own selfish desires, we must be willing to let go of our bitterness, resentment and hurt. We must be willing to listen to what the Holy Spirit says about us, namely, that we are loved so completely by a God who is Love, that God exploded Jesus out of the tomb because love is stronger than death. Death does not have the last word. Love does. The God who loves us in this way, to this extent, and who is, in essence, the power of Love, is the same God of the wounded, yet gloriously resurrected, Christ. St John writes simply, “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” That’s what Jesus came to show us and to do for us: show us who God is and who we can be and what our lives can be like. Easter says: Love Wins! May you have a joyful, transformative and loving Easter. The Revd Christina Rees
Alleluia. Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia!Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Hymn: Now the green blade riseth...Acts 10:34-43; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11Let us pray: Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for the day: God of glory, by the raising of your Son you have broken the chains of death and hell: fill your Church with faith and hope; for a new day has dawned and the way to life stands open in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.John 20:1-18Please see the Message from the Minister.Hymn: Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son...Let us kneel before God in prayer, asking for his cleansing love to be known to all people. We pray for St Peter’s Church, that your love will be seen in all we do, to your glory; We pray for our world, that all of its creatures will thrive, and for peace in the world; We pray for our friends, families and community, that we may share in the love of Christ; We pray for people who are sick or suffering, that they will know healing and strength; We remember the departed, and pray for all who mourn.Let us join in the words of the Lord’s prayer, whoever and wherever we are:Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to himself, the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in his service, the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our hearts; and may the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and and be with us always.Amen.The Hallelujah Chorus, by HandelLet us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.A very Happy Easter from all at St Peter’s Church!
