ISSUE SIXTEEN // APRIL 2014
VISION UPDATE
CHURCH PLANTING
REDEMPTION HOUSE
DEEP HAVEN CC
FEATURED BOOK
REDEMPTION MEASURED IN SCANDALOUS IS THE KEY TO MIRACLES D.A. CARSON RECOVERY
WELCOME //
WE’RE GLAD YOU’RE HERE! We are a church with a mission. Our mission is to proclaim, embody, and enjoy the gospel of Jesus Christ so that unbelievers are convinced of the gospel, believers are built up in the gospel, and culture is transformed by the gospel to the glory of God. Because the gospel is at our heart, we want all that we say and do as a church to honor and reflect Christ. Part of that includes making sure you are able to consistently and clearly know the vision and direction of Redeemer. That’s where Momentum comes in. On the first Sunday of every month, everyone will receive a copy and be able to stay connected to the pulse of Redeemer. Inside each monthly issue, you will find a meditation from Pastor Glenn, an update on the church’s vision goals, and learn more about a different ministry. You’ll also read about where you can help serve and get involved, as well as be updated on things like church finances, new members, and church activities and programs throughout the month. Redeemer is a church on the move, and it’s the gospel that is moving it forward. The gospel is our passion, our motivation, our moving force. It’s our momentum. //RBC
EXPERIENCE THE MOVEMENT OF GOSPEL LIFE IN A WHOLE NEW WAY. Introducing Momentum magazine digital edition. The complete issue is available every month on tablet or mobile. Read more at ISSUU.COM/REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH
WHAT’S HAPPENING //
TODAY AT REDEEMER
VISION & VALUES REDEMPTION 4 HOUSE
| “While we’re still preparing to launch a second site, we’re pressing the pause button on the timing of it.”
MEET LEXIE 10
| Meet Deep Haven Counseling Center’s second counselor, Lexie Martin.
6 | Discover how God has
PRAYER FOCUS 8
| Intercede with others in the RBC family for our Vision.
been blessing the ministry of Redemption House through the message of the gospel.
DEEP HAVEN CC UPDATE 9
| God has blessed Deep Haven Counseling Center with a first year full of miraculous answers to prayer.
KIDS CORNER
DISCIPLESHIP
GOSPEL BLOG
continue learning more about God’s plan for redemption through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
about his thoughts on life-onlife discipleship and how it has impacted his life.
blog posts (and others like them) from our website to find encouragement in your daily walk.
13 | The RBC children
14 | Andy Dahmes opens up 14 | Check out these great
FINANCE REPORT GET INVOLVED 16 | How is our church
17 | Your gifts and skills
FEATURED BOOK
doing financially? Get a year to date snapshot here and hear from Pastor Paul about giving.
are needed at Redeemer! Prayerfully consider your place in the church body through volunteering for one of these needs.
skeptic and now functions as part of the chain of witnesses who call forth faith in the Lord Jesus, among generations yet unborn.”
19 | “Thomas begins as a
CREDITS
Design/Direction Chuck Forsberg
Content Manager Lorie Schnell Writers/Editors Brittney Westin Jan Wyder-Barck
Fruit of the Gospel for the Good of the World
VISION UPDATE //
Expand Mercy to the Cities
CHURCH PLANTING
Foster Proactive Membership in the RBC Family CHURCH PLANTING Recast Community Groups for Fruitfulness Develop School of Gospel Formation
BY: PASTOR R W GLENN
Y
ou don’t just drift into the fruit of the gospel for
cannot be contained. Pour water on it here and it breaks out
the good of the world. You plan for it.
in five new directions: “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria…multiplied (9:31). “All the residents
As
we
rolled
out
our
newest
five-year
of Lydda and Sharon…turned to the Lord” (9:35). In “Joppa…
mission, which focuses on creating a culture of
many people believed in the Lord” (9:42). Churches were
discipleship, we embarked on a strategy that included preparing
being planted in each city.
to launch a second site. This is not because church planting
• In Antioch, “a great number who believed turned to
seems like a good idea, an ingenious way of realizing our vision,
the Lord” (11:21). Churches were planted, and from those
but because it is the key methodology God has given to every
churches Paul and Barnabas were sent out. Worldwide
church to accomplish his purposes in the world.
church planting was inaugurated (13:1-3).
On Pentecost, the exalted Lord Jesus poured out the Holy
• Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium and “a great number
Spirit on his church to empower bold preaching of the gospel
of both Jews and Greeks believed” (14:1). In Derbe, “they
and to energize a multiplying church planting movement.
preached the gospel…and…made many disciples” (14:21).
Throughout the Book of Acts, Luke calls our attention to how the gospel spread, how lives were changed, and how people
And it goes on and on! To this very day, the same gospel
were incorporated into vibrant new churches. Follow the story
continues to spread, changing lives and gathering people into
to see what the gospel can do: 1
new churches – churches that not only grow, but churches that plant new churches for new people because the gospel can’t
• In Acts 1:8, Jesus commissions his church to be his
The Twin Cities, home to more megachurches per capita than
world for Christ – an impossible task for a church numbering
any other city in the United States, is nevertheless starving for
120 members (1:15).
local Christian congregations. According to the most recent
• But then the Spirit comes. Peter is filled to overflowing
statistics, the Twin Cities Metro needs 3,319 churches. Hennepin
with the gospel so that as he preached, “three thousand
County alone needs 917 new churches, and Ramsey County,
souls” were added to the church in a single day (2:41).
429.2 Redeemer wants to play its part in meeting this great
• Then the early Christians began to meet in house
need. So we’re preparing to launch a second site.
churches (community groups) and a church planting
As our pastors and other leaders prayed and discussed
movement was born. The gospel grew and “the Lord added
who would become our church planter, Pastor Mark Suchta
to their number day by day those who were being saved”
seemed a likely candidate – at least, he seemed likely to the
(2:47).
rest of us. Mark, on the other hand, was a trifle reluctant (think
• Then “many of those who had heard the word believed,
understatement). However, as he and his wife, Kim, began to
and the number of the men [not including women and
explore the possibility, talking more with the rest of RBC’s
children] came to about five thousand” (4:4).
leaders, and praying like crazy, the Lord started to implant and
• Then “the word of God continued to increase, and the
then increase a desire to move in the direction of assuming the
number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem”
responsibility of planting a church in Shakopee – not yet a yes
(6:7). The gospel kept picking up momentum and new
to the role, but moving in its direction.
churches were multiplying.
With their increasing desire, the issue of our readiness to
• Then “there arose…a great persecution against the
launch a church plant came into sharp focus. As we carefully
church…and they were all scattered…except the apostles….
examined the question of our preparedness, it became
[And] those who were scattered went about preaching the
increasingly clear that it would be unwise to launch Redeemer
word” (8:1, 4). Now it’s not only the apostles preaching the
Shakopee this year (2013-14). Two reasons dominate:
gospel. It’s everyone. The gospel is running like wildfire. It 4
be stopped!
witnesses “to the end of the earth.” They were to win the
MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
First, we have not hit our financial targets that would allow
the launch. Our giving is not currently on a trajectory to get us
money and administrative help rolling around in their heads.
where we need to be in order to establish Pastor Mark as our
What would disappoint me is if the Shakopee site never really
church planter.
got off the ground because of a failure to take these things into
Second, the administrative team needs further development
account before pulling the trigger.
in order to assume the added dimension of overseeing a
So while we’re still preparing to launch a second site, we’re
second site. We need to make sufficient improvements here
pressing the pause button on the timing of it. As we do, join us
at Redeemer Minnetonka before we can venture out into
as we continue to pray for the Lord to allow us to do our part to
something as administratively challenging as planting a church.
realize the fruit of the gospel for the good of the world through
In light of this, people at RBC closer to the situation have
the essential ministry of church planting. //RBC
asked me as the Pastor of Preaching and Vision whether or not I’m disappointed that we can’t begin the process this year. My answer without hesitation is, “Not at all!” Our strategy is to “prepare to launch a second site,” not to launch one. Discovering our current capabilities both financially and administratively is an essential part of that preparation. But more than that, I want the second site to succeed! I want Pastor Mark and Kim to be able to focus completely on the task of evangelism and discipleship without the added burden of questions about
FOOTNOTES 1
Adapted from Richard P Kaufmann, Church Planting Team
Manual (Harbor Presbyterian Church, 2008), 12-13. 2
From John Piper, “Treasuring Christ in Planting Churches and
Loving the Poor” (2007), available at www.desiringgod.org.
REDEMPTION HOUSE //
REDEMPTION IS THE KEY TO RECOVERY
BY: JOHN LEONARD, FOUNDER & CEO
PREVAILING WISDOM
6
RESCUED FROM OURSELVES
I recently attended an annual leadership retreat in Nashville
There is no doubt that understanding our own pathology is
with a group of colleagues from the addiction treatment
crucial, but the solution is not found in a pill and it’s certainly
industry. We get together every year to learn about leadership
not found within us. Only the Holy Spirit knows the heart and
and to work on ourselves. It’s a great opportunity to network
can change the human condition. We don’t need mindfulness,
and to build intimacy and accountability with other men. It’s
we need redemption. We need to be rescued from ourselves.
hosted by an organization that specializes in treating trauma
We are so radically corrupt that it takes an external force
with intensive psychodrama therapy.
to penetrate our hearts and change us from the inside out.
The prevailing wisdom in the field is that trauma is one of the
Reorienting our affections toward Christ and resting in our
leading causes of addiction. There is, of course, some truth to
identity and union with Him and His family is our only hope.
that. The little “t” trauma that I experienced as a child through
Once we are swept up into God’s redemptive story, we begin to
a lack of proper nurturing and love certainly contributed to my
experience real and lasting transformation.
own pathology and addiction. And while the secular humanistic
As I watched these psychodramas unfold in Nashville, I was
solutions ranging from psycho-pharmacological intervention to
struck by the fact that the gospel is sufficient to address the
increased self-awareness, self-acceptance and mindfulness can
most complex problems of the human condition. And love is the
be useful, they fall far short of addressing the corrupt nature of
key to it all. Since we are loved, we can love others and learn to
the human condition.
love ourselves. Because we are accepted, we can accept others
MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
even when they have sinned against us. But without the Lord we are incapable of love. He is the author of all love. It must come from Him, through Him and to Him.
WE WANT
Believe it or not I was very encouraged by the whole affair. Watching the futile and profane attempts to address our pathology with mindfulness reassured me that the gospel is the only real solution. Every problem presented to the group could be explained by a lack of belief and disunion with Christ and His family. Now more than ever, I remain convinced that the grace-oriented and worship-focused approach of Redemption House is desperately needed. EMBRACING THE RECOVERY CULTURE As an organization, Redemption House must resist the temptation to pull away from the field and to serve only our own. We must embrace the treatment industry and the recovery culture so we can shine a bright light on the gospel of
YOUR PICS
grace. People in recovery are broken and hungry for a solution. They intuitively understand that life is all about dependence and that they can’t do it on their own. They are searching for Jesus and don’t even know it. It’s fertile ground for the gospel. Growing an organization from within the culture gives us a level of credibility, acceptance and perspective that most Christian
#rbcmnlife
programs do not enjoy. We have a unique and glorious opportunity to demonstrate that Christianity is all about love and acceptance and that it’s not about what we can do for God but about what He has done for us. STATUS REPORT The Lord continues to smile on our efforts. We are truly humbled by your prayers and support. We received $20,000 through December’s mercy offering. Thanks to those of you who supported us! Our capital goal is $1.1 million. We now have $420,000 in the bank and another $250,000 committed (including the 1:1 match). With the matching gift, we only need to raise another $215,000 to hit our goal. I recently left The Retreat to become the Chief Executive at Redemption House so I can pursue this effort full time. We are currently searching for a suitable property to start our men’s program here in the Twin Cities. We have also begun looking for a Program Director who has a heart for addiction and an infectious love for Christ. If you know someone who may be a good candidate or that may have a passion for our mission and the means to support us, please have them contact me at 651-270-2358 or john@redemptionhouse.net. Please pray specifically that the Lord would provide the right property and a Program Director soon. //RBC
GOT PICTURES? We want to share all of the exciting things that are happening at RBC, but we need your help. WE WANT YOUR PICTURES! They don’t need to be fancy or professional, just fun to share. If you have a smart phone and attend any event put on by one of our ministries, please consider contributing your photos to us instantly. You never know when you will see it on RBC’s Facebook or Twitter page. USE THE HASHTAG ABOVE WHEN UPLOADING TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITE (THIS MAKES IT EASY FOR US TO FIND YOUR PHOTOS). OR SEND YOUR BEST QUALITY PHOTOS TO: Lorie@redeemerbiblechurch.com.
FIVE POINTS OF PRAYER FOR OUR VISION
• Attend a weekly prayer meeting, Wednesday nights in the Fellowship Hall, 7 – 8:30 p.m. for a meaningful time of fellowship, worship and prayer, and ALSO on Sunday mornings in Room 104, 10:30 – 10:50 a.m. for focused prayer for the ministry of the word and worship during our Sunday services.
WEEK 1
• Subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter, “5 Points of Strategic Prayer”, which features prayer focuses for our vision, our city, our leaders, our ministries and our members.
WEEK 2
GET INVOLVED • Check this column for monthly prayer points relating to our vision.
Pray for unity among our leaders – elders, deacons, ministry directors and staff members.
WEEK 3
The Strategic Prayer Team is excited to help bring a fresh focus on corporate, intense, prevailing, kingdom-centered prayer. We are asking for the presence of God among us and for the fulfillment of our vision, “The Fruit of the Gospel for the Good of the World”. We hope you will join with us in committed prayer for a spiritual awakening in our body, our city and beyond.
Pray that discipling one another and living out the “one anothers” of Scripture would be the heart and soul of our Community Groups.
Pray for the Planning Team as they continue to define the strategies and tactics for our 2014–2015 ministry year.
WEEK 4
PRAY FOR
Pray for God to raise up more Community Group leaders in our desire to meet our goal of 30 groups by September and 50 groups by January.
WWW.REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM/SUBSCRIBE
DEEP HAVEN COUNSELING CENTER UPDATE //
MEASURED IN MIRACLES BY: PASTOR WARREN WATSON
D
eep Haven Counseling Center has been up and running for a little over a year. The best way to update how things have gone can be measured by real miracles that attest to God’s sovereignty and kindness with Deep Haven.
• A year before Deep Haven opened, while praying for startup funds, a benefactor came forward and offered them. • Four months before Deep Haven opened, while praying for an appropriate office including size, specifics to costs, location and aesthetics, a friend who rented offices called and asked if there was any need for a counseling office, one that met all the desired metrics, and at half the cost than originally anticipated. • 10 months after opening, enough counselees came through the doors to fill a full-time counseling load. This happened with zero marketing, zero advertising, and zero community
• New and developing relationships have been established
awareness, something that usually takes from between 12
with Twin Cities ministries and churches that support Biblical
months and 2 years for most ‘start-up’ counseling agencies,
Counseling and desire a relationship with Deep Haven, as well
assuming they make it.
as have and continue to become good referral sources for Deep
• Deep Haven developed strong ties with the Christian
Haven.
Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) beginning in This list could go on and on, but the above points are salient
December of 2012 that still continues. • In the initial conceptual development of Deep Haven,
and profound miracles of Deep Haven being the recipient of
one and a half years BEFORE it opened, prayers were that a
God’s kind intentions and rich mercies. It is easy to see that all
second counselor could be hired after a year and after having
of the above points have little or nothing to do with the people
established a large enough counselee base.
running DHCC and can only be explained by God’s work.
The hope was
that the counselor would be a CCEF trained younger woman
While the blessings of Deep Haven have been many and the
who could see a different group of counselees than the first
miracles clear, Deep Haven does need ongoing contributions
counselor. Then after nearly a full year of putting ‘feelers’ out
to get to a “break-even” or better status, and the ministry
for just such a person, including ongoing conversations with
would be very happy to be the recipient of contributions made
the primary contact at CCEF to no avail, we received a call in
to sustain it. As we continue to wait for 501c3 status (not
late November from a young woman who met not only all the
for profit), we have learned that because we are in process,
criteria noted, but continues to work on a part-time remote
charitable donations can still be made and the contributor can
basis for CCEF and who used to work for the main contact at
claim the contribution as one to a not for profit. If someone
CCEF. She was given Deep Haven’s name by that contact as
would like to help financially support Deep Haven, they can call
THE Biblical Counseling Center in the Twin Cities to pursue.
or e-mail Carol Burr, Deep Haven’s Office Manager, and discuss
• That young woman was just hired by Deep Haven in the second week of March. • Deep Haven has been blessed with all but zero bad debt the first year. • We have witnessed two conversions to Christ through this counseling ministry.
with her the many different ways contributions can be made. Contact information for Carol is: 952-300-0556 and carol@ deephavencc.org. It is so fun to describe this to people who are interested in a Biblical Counseling ministry, which has become and is Deep Haven Counseling Center. Now, as you take your reading further,
• Many, many people have been helped with increasing
please enjoy meeting Lexie Martin, Deep Haven’s second
understanding of their condition and their need for the gospel,
counselor, the very one for whom Deep Haven prayed one and
resulting in more gospel oriented lives, marriages and families.
a half years before it opened its doors. //RBC
DEEP HAVEN COUNSELING CENTER //
INTRODUCING LEXIE MARTIN… INTERVIEWED BY: BRITTNEY WESTIN
CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR PERSONAL BACKGROUND WITH US? I come from Virginia and have never lived in the Midwest and have no ties here, so living here came out of the blue! My husband is also from the Southeast and his job brought us here. We’re doing our best to survive the winter but it’s been a little tough! My whole family is pretty spread out now with my parents still living in Virginia and my three brothers all in different areas of the country. I grew up in a pretty small reformed church that is probably similar to Redeemer in a lot of ways except that it was a Presbyterian church. I stayed in Virginia for college and then moved around quite a bit afterwards, gaining experience in the field before going to seminary. I met my husband while in seminary and we’ve been married for about four years now. My husband was in seminary for just a year and now we’re headed in a completely different direction. He’s working in advertising and we’re trying to figure out how to do that well as Christians. It’s actually been helpful for me, though, when counseling non-Christians since I grew up in a Christian home, worked for a campus ministry, and went to seminary. In some ways that makes me pretty sheltered, and the field of advertising is completely opposite from that. But it’s been very good for us; it’s been very stretching. As far as things I enjoy, well, I love to cook and we eat pretty much everything that I make from scratch. I love to feed people and have been cooking since I was in elementary school. It’s always been something that I’ve loved to do. And we love traveling and meeting new people and visiting new places, so whenever we can we try and get out. We’ve both really been blessed to see a lot of places and meet a lot of people in different contexts, both through travel and missions work. I also love to read and if I had more free time I’d be devouring books. HOW DID YOUR INTEREST IN COUNSELING FIRST BEGIN? I never thought I was going to be a counselor, and certainly not a biblical counselor because I didn’t even have the terminology for that, but in high school a lot of my friends were struggling in a lot of ways and I always listened to them. Listening has always
know how to help people better, and I thought that, because of my Christian background, I could simply filter secular psychology. I thought I would be able to frame everything from a Christian perspective. So that had been my plan through college: to become a counselor and speak into people’s lives from a Christian perspective through filtering. In college, I again found that a lot of my friends struggled, and I began to see that a lot of the churches in the area didn’t have a way to minister to them beyond just farming them out to get counseling. I saw there were two very separate voices speaking into people but that the burden was on the individual to figure out how to align the things they were hearing from the counselor and from the church. Or to figure out what the church wasn’t saying at all. A lot of my friends had a lot of sexual brokenness issues, whether it was addiction or identity or abuse, that the church didn’t speak much about. I began to sense the need that was out there. And all of my professors who were really great had actually practiced counseling before teaching, so I thought I needed to get some experience before going on to more schooling myself. Wanting more life experience, I went and worked for a campus ministry at Stanford out in California. At Stanford, the students seemed to have it all together as far as the world was concerned; they’re considered the movers and shakers of tomorrow. But a lot of the students there were really suffering. I saw a lot of sin patterns and hopelessness. Outwardly, they were performing beautifully, but inwardly they were really dying. Again, I felt this desire to be more equipped, wanting to be able to offer gospel truth and hope for change. WHAT HAS YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY LOOKED LIKE? I went to the College of William and Mary in Virginia and then as I mentioned, moved to California and got really heavily involved in the campus ministry at Stanford. My campus minister, who was really wonderful and who knew me well, understood I wanted to serve the church and get experience at the same time, so he suggested working for Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) which is the Presbyterian Church of America’s campus ministry. So that’s what I did. Then, when I decided to go back
come pretty naturally to me and I enjoyed being invited in to people’s struggles and the things that were hurtful to them. But I began feeling my lack of ability to do anything more than listen, and that was really frustrating to me, so when I went to college I pretty quickly chose psychology as my track and I loved it. I was thinking I just needed more training so I could 10
MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
I really do want to see lives...it makes sense that
dependent on Him. In the same way, we as biblical counselors want to relieve suffering, but part of it is also, on this journey, how do we suffer well? What does it mean to lean into the Lord while we’re doing it? It’s tempting to think that there’s something really wrong with us if we’re struggling or suffering or stuck in sin patterns. We think, there’s just something we need to do to fix this, to get past this. And yes, we do want that, but in the process, what do you do with it? So that’s one of the goals of biblical counseling, to reframe that for people. AS A COUNSELOR, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN HAVE to school and was trying to think of a good place, my campus
TRUE SUCCESS WITH SOMEONE APART FROM BIBLICAL
minister told me I could actually get a degree at seminary for
COUNSELING?
counseling which might also be a lot easier than for me to try
I would probably have to redefine success. But can people
and do all of that filtering I had planned on doing on my own.
change? Definitely. Methods of behavior can change, addiction
He had gone to Westminster, I had friends who’d also gone
patterns can change. There are many success stories and
there, and I had family in that area so it made a lot of sense for
people definitely can be helped. But as far as the change that
me to do that. So I went to Westminster and loved it. In a lot of
people need, real life giving change? No, I don’t think that’s
ways, biblical counseling just made sense then. My background
going to happen. I think biblical counseling is, in a lot of ways,
and understanding of scripture and of who people are meshed
about reorienting your gaze from an inward focus to a focus
perfectly.
that’s on someone else: the Lord and worship. All of us are always worshiping different things, so if all we’re ever doing is
WHAT’S YOUR VIEW OF BIBLICAL COUNSELING? WHAT
working on the horizontal relationship and never working on
DO YOU THINK IT CAN DO FOR A PERSON?
the vertical relationship, it’s going to be limited as far as what
My hope is that it connects them more with the Lord. Sort of
change looks like and how deep you can go. But that isn’t to
going back to Calvin, it’s understanding God and understanding
say I don’t appreciate anything in the secular world or can’t
yourself and knowing those two are always interplaying with
learn from it.
each other. So the more you understand who God is, the more you understand who you are and those continue to grow in
WHAT DREW YOU TO DEEP HAVEN?
tandem. I think for anybody, whether you’re in counseling for
There were a few things. One, it feels familiar because Warren
severe OCD or chronic depression or dealing with chronic pain
modeled Deep Haven after CCEF which is the Christian
or suffering, whatever the case may be, the Lord speaks richly
Counseling and Educational Foundation and where I cut
into those areas and my hope is for people to see more of how
my teeth. So that’s very comforting in a lot of ways. I also
the Lord is present within those struggles. Even if the Bible
telecommute for them for their Distance Education program,
doesn’t ever talk directly about OCD, I think the Lord speaks to
so when I moved here, a coworker forwarded me an email from
that through scripture and through His people, and I think there’s
Warren asking if there was anyone within CCEF who might be
a lot of freedom and hope there. That’s not to say everything
planning to move to Minnesota. I love the education program
goes away, but I think there’s a difference between wishing you
I work for but I also really love counseling and was looking for
weren’t struggling and learning how to struggle well. It makes
something out here and so it really was fortuitous. I had googled
me think of today in my women’s Bible study, we’re reading a
jobs out here but never found Deep Haven. So, after the email
book called Extravagant Grace, which is a sort of rewriting of
from Warren, I met with a biblical counselor who lives here
the letters of John Newton on sanctification, and it was talking
and talked with a few others all who said that Deep Haven was
about the difference between outward obedience and inward
really, for a lot of reasons, what I was looking for. Another thing
dependence. So in thinking about things like temptation, we
that drew me to Deep Haven is that I’ve worked as a counselor
can see that it’s a garden reality, not an effect of the fall, and
but I’ve also worked in the counseling services departments
so temptation is something the Lord uses for our good to be
and have learned about what it takes to run a counseling
the church regain a voice to speak into areas in people’s the church would be the place where counseling begins. APRIL 2014 \\ MOMENTUM
11
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 office. So the thought of coming in to a newer agency was also
speak richly into all aspects of people’s lives. I think biblical
exciting. And then there’s the connection Deep Haven has with
counseling is one of the ways they can do that. Again, even if
the church. I really do want to see the church regain a voice to
scripture doesn’t speak specifically about someone’s struggle,
speak into areas in people’s lives. I would still work for Deep
for instance chronic pain, it does speak richly to suffering and
Haven if it wasn’t associated with the church, but I really like
what that looks like. And so it makes sense that the church
that it is. I think that’s important and I love that there are local
would be the place where counseling begins.
churches here interested in biblical counseling as well. WHAT IS IT ABOUT COUNSELING THAT CONTINUES TO IT SEEMS LIKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN BIBLICAL
DRAW YOU AT THIS POINT IN YOUR LIFE?
COUNSELING AND THE CHURCH (OR THE LACK OF IT) IS
When I first started it was more out of a desperation to want to
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND HAS REALLY PLAYED A ROLE
help people and feeling ill equipped to do so. And so I pursued
IN YOU BECOMING A COUNSELOR.
more and more education. I would say now it’s even more
Yes, I think that connection is extremely important. When I was
about loving people and loving to watch the Lord at work in
trying to decide where to go to school, I had also thought about
their lives. I think feeling hopeless is one of the places Satan
going into a sex therapy program, not knowing much about sex
wants us to be. He wants us to feel isolated and alone with
therapy programs. Now I realize that would’ve been a terrible
our struggles. Being able to meet with one other person and
idea. But I felt like the church still didn’t know how to speak into
talk about your struggle is, I think, really powerful. And I love
those kinds of things very well and I really wanted to be able
to provide a safe place for people to do that and to be able to
to minister to people dealing with those kinds of hardships.
talk about the things that they might not feel the freedom to
If you think about it historically, for centuries the church was
talk about with other people. And in some ways anonymity as
where people went for answers when they were struggling. It
a counselor provides that: a sort of aspect of safety—you know
wasn’t until the last hundred years or so that the church started
you’re not going to see me getting the mail in the morning!
to lose that voice with the onset of psychology. Suddenly
Also, I typically only get to be there with a person for part of the
the church was pushed out, in part because I don’t think the
journey. It’s not like everybody arrives and after three months
church engaged like it should have a hundred years ago. I think
with me will no longer struggle. That’s ridiculous. But I get to be
the church has lost a lot of ground, so I’m really excited when
there for part of that struggle and hopefully expand their vision
churches want to regain that lost ground. When they want to
for what it looks like to walk with the Lord through the rest of it.
know how to care well for people’s souls and to know how to
It’s a privilege and a big responsibility, and I love it. //RBC
DOWNLOAD THE GOSPEL PROJECT APP FOR KIDS ON APPLE OR ANDROID. The Gospel Project for Kids Family App enables parents to reinforce each week’s Bible story at home. Each quarter, the app provides a unit introduction and a five-day calendar filled with simple family activities and links to Bible story and discussion starter videos, key passage songs, and fun games. If kids are sick or traveling, parents can use the app at home so their kids won’t miss a thing! DOWNLOAD IN iTUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY STORES.
12
MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
KIDS CORNER // LUKE 24:46-47
REDEMPTION FULFILLED THROUGH JESUS’ RESURRECTION Instructions: Uncover the message the angel gave to those who visited the tomb looking for Jesus.
Use this decoder to crack the code.
Easter
6/*5 r 4FTTJPO r :PVOHFS ,JET "DUJWJUZ 1BHFT
KIDS’ MERCY UPDATES
© 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources.
• In March, Miss Glory reminded the 1-6th graders about what mercy is and is not. • The kids’ mercy offering in April and May will go to RBC’s Mercy to the Cities fund. • The April Cross/Easter project done by the 4 –K classes on April 5th will be brought to the residents of Elder Homestead by the Kid’s Choir when they sing for them on Wednesday, April 9th at 6:15 pm. Photo: Our little ones are learning how Jesus’ love encourages them to help others.
LifeWay
LIFE ON LIFE DISCIPLESHIP
PARALYSIS
BY: ANDY DAHMES
GOSPEL LIFE BLOG
A CONFIDENT CRY
BY: KIM SUCHTA
I
’ve learned the gospel is counterintuitive. I’ve gone through my life building MY resume. I’m not completely independent and selfsufficient; I have had a very comfortable living with a family and friends to lean on in
hard times. However, for the most part, I’ve relied on the ingenuity of man to get things done. When I look at my life, I’ve usually received what I deserved. That is, I WORK for something and receive what is OWED to me as my wage. The discipleship experience at RBC, rooted in the gospel, has reminded me my work is in vain. I cannot earn my salvation. The Father has graciously bestowed Jesus Christ’s resume on me. I could never achieve this perfect resume--no one could. The gospel, which is the core of the RBC discipleship program, does not get old and is not a message easily forgotten. It is a humbling thing as a man to realize my own ingenuity does not suffice. We are all in a hole from which we are incapable of climbing out. We are all paralyzed, and we need to be reminded of our paralysis—not as a way of commiserating, but rather done in praise and adoration. I’ve rediscovered the joy of the counterintuitive gospel. .//RBC IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF THE DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRY PLEASE CONTACT: Women: Tammy Hoyt at tammy@redeemerbiblechurch.com Men: Mark Suchta at marksuchta@yahoo.com WANT TO SHARE? Have you been blessed by being in a discipleship relationship? Do you have a story of how the gospel has changed your life because of this connection? If so, we want to hear from you! Each month Momentum will be highlighting a life-on-life testimony from someone whose life has been impacted for the gospel by another. If you are interested in sharing your experience with the greater RBC family, please email Lorie Schnell at lorie@ redeemerbiblechurch.com.
W
hen we first brought our adopted son home at 17 months old, one of our biggest concerns was whether he would bond with us. The first few weeks we had him, we did what our social worker suggested and made sure that
my husband and I were his main caretakers at all times. We also carried him with us everywhere. Picture a little Asian boy in a baby carrier attached to the back of a large white man as he works on his hunting boat in the front yard. That was a typical sight in our household back in those days. Those first nights were the hardest. The only way our son would sleep without crying hysterically was if he was lying right on top of one of us. Needless to say, we had many sleepless nights. After a few months went by, he was able to sleep without us right there with him. But when he woke up, he went into instant panic. I would become so anxious when I anticipated him waking from his nap. I wanted to make sure I was close by and could rush to his side so he would know that he had not been abandoned. What else would a little boy think who had spent the first year and a half of his life in an orphanage with minimal care? Shortly after we brought our son home, I unexpectedly became pregnant. After our daughter was born, one of the first things I noticed was her cries. They were so different from my son’s cries. When she woke up and was wanting to be fed or changed, I would first hear her little fusses, and then if I didn’t get to her right away, her cries became louder like she was saying, “Come on, Mom! I am hungry! Hurry up!” She wasn’t always happy with me, but she knew I would always come. I could tell it in her cry. Even at just a few weeks old, she trusted me. I can’t help but think about the differences in my children’s cries and wonder how I cry out to my father in heaven? Are my cries that of an orphan? Or that of a child that truly believes her father is there? Do I really believe he cares for me? Do I really believe he loves me? The only place I can look for complete assurance to those questions is the cross. It is there I see the depths of his love for me. It is there that I see the cost he paid to make me his child. It is there where I see his great suffering and know that he understands mine. It is only at the cross that I can rest in my father’s arms with certainty and know that I am safely hidden in Christ.
14
MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
/RBC
OTHER GREAT BLOG POSTS FOUND AT: REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM/RESOURCES/BLOG Making Sense of the Chaos // Gayle Glenn The Pressure is Off // Gabe Zepeda Silent Demands // Kim Suchta
WHEN LOVE LOOKS LIKE DYING BY: BETHANY HWAY
C
ontrary to the message of our culture, love is not sexy. It is not glamorous, nor is it very often romantic. Real love is repugnant to our senses. It has a cost. It demands a payment. In its rawest form, love is death.
To love well requires a rigorous routine of regular death to
your desires. A blatant disregard for your feelings. To love well is painful because it entails a constant commitment to forgetfulness of self. When deeply, devastatingly wronged, love requires that you step into the wrongdoer’s shoes to see the world from their vantage point. That you seek to understand the source of their pain. Instead of examining how every word and deed looks through the set of YOU-centric glasses, love means that you throw the glasses away, stomping them to smithereens on the pavement. Love means that you take the pain on as your own, never heaping it back on the head of the one who caused it, never making them pay the cost of their offense. Love heaps upon the wrongdoer permanently forgetful forgiveness. Not a cold shoulder. Not a snappy remark. Love takes the burden of pain and grants freedom. This model for love by death IS Jesus, who literally stepped into our shoes, walking this earth with dusty feet. Doing this so that he might take the full brunt of our offense against him, bearing the pain of our scorn and embracing love by death in order to grant us a life of freedom from wrath.
excruciating death. Nevertheless, I must set my face like a flint toward the cross
In The Gospel Primer, Milton Vincent speaks of what death looks like for the follower of Christ:
and embrace this crucifixion in everything that I do. I should
God is committed to my dying every day, and He calls me to
expect every day to encounter circumstantial evidence of
that same commitment. He insists that every hour be my dying
God’s commitment to my dying; and I must seize upon every
hour, and He wants my death on the cross to be as central to
God-given opportunity to be conformed more fully to Christ’s
my own life story as is Christ’s death to the gospel story. “Let
death, no matter the pain involved.
this same attitude be in you,” He says, “which was also in Christ
So in order to love, we must die. We must embrace that
Jesus…who became obedient unto death, even death on a
“gasping and bloody affair.” Not only our own excruciating
cross.”
death, but Christ’s excruciating death on the cross which gives
Crucifixion hurts. In fact, its heart-wrenching brutality can
us the motivation and the power to die to ourselves daily.
numb the senses. It is a gasping and bloody affair, and there is
Because it is his death that sets us free in love, to love by dying.
nothing nice, pretty, or easy about it. It is not merely death, but
//RBC
APRIL 2014 \\ MOMENTUM 15
FINANCE REPORT //
WHAT KIND OF GIVER ARE YOU? BY: PASTOR PAUL BURR
I
n Luke 19:11-27, Jesus tells a parable to help the Jews who thought His kingdom was going to appear immediately. He told the story of a nobleman who went to a far country to receive
MARCH 2014 - YTD
BY THE NUMBERS
the authority to rule over his people and gave
each of his servants 10 minas, about 3 months wages, telling them to conduct business while he was gone. In the meantime, the citizens that he left behind sent after him to tell him, “We
GENERAL GIVING FUND
do not want this man to reign over us.” The people of the land did not want him to return. You know the rest of the story. When the nobleman returns, most of his servants have been faithful to use his resources and present him with various returns. One servant did nothing and
OPERATING EXPENSES | $ 547,441 GIVING | $ 475,513 FORECAST | $ 523,553
BASE FORECAST
gave back the 10 minas to his master. He was chastised for his laziness and stripped of his minas. So we see two groups of people in this parable: those who
$ 71,928
EXPENSES GIVING
want the nobleman to return and are investing in his coming, and those who do not want anyone to rule over them. When we honestly look at our use of our money, which of the two groups do we fall into? Are you investing in Christ’s future kingdom with joy and hope of future commendation, letting the gospel change your heart and fuel your generosity? Or are you in essence saying to Jesus, “I do not want you ruling over
EXPANDING OUR GOSPEL VISION
me?” Yes, Jesus is returning and our prayer is that all of us will hear his words, “Well done, good servant!” If what
you this
have view
questions of
money
or
want
looks
like,
paulburr@redeemerbiblechurch.com. //RBC
to
talk
contact
about me
at
EXTRA COMMITMENTS | $ 41,427 // 1.9 % AWAITING | $ 200,372 // 9.2 % RECEIVED | $ 1,978,628 // 90.8 %
9.2 %
90.8 %
16
MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
HERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO
GET INVOLVED BUILDINGS & GROUNDS JOB TITLE
SPRING CLEAN-UP HELP 30 PEOPLE NEEDED DESCRIPTION: Sprucing up the church grounds. RESPONSIBILITIES: Various projects including planting flowers, laying mulch, removing debris, raking leaves and organizing the garage. If you have gloves, rakes or other gardening equipment please bring them along. HOURS: Saturday, May 3rd, 9-11:30 a.m. CONTACT: Troy Williams at troydonaldwilliams@gmail.com to sign up.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY JOB TITLE
EASTER WEEKEND CHILDCARE 25 PEOPLE NEEDED DESCRIPTION: Caring for RBC’s children. HOURS: Friday, April 18th 7-8:30 p.m. or Sunday, April 20th from 9-10:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. -12:30 p.m. CONTACT: Nancy Axelson at nancy@redeemerbiblechurch.com or sign up in the church nursery.
MISC JOB TITLE
TGC-TC: PASTOR’S CONFERENCE HELP 15 PEOPLE NEEDED DESCRIPTION: Assist at our annual Conference for Pastors with a variety of tasks. RESPONSIBILITIES: 1) Assist with check in 2) kitchen help 3) greeting 4) set up and take down 5) other additional tasks as needed. HOURS: One Time Event - May 19th (evening) and May 20th (morning); one day availability is just fine. CONTACT: Emily Boyer at emily. rose.boyer@gmail.com or 952.220.3410
Friday MAY 2ND 7:30 - 9 PM FELLOWSHIP HALL CALLING all artists!! It’s a spring art exhibit for a great summer cause. Parents, students, and anyone artistic for that matter, here is a chance to display YOUR artwork along with others in our Fellowship Hall. It’s all part of an opportunity to see and express beauty through art. We are encouraging everyone to attend for just a suggested donation of $3 at the door. On this night, the RBC students will be preparing everything – greeting at the door, serving refreshments, etc. – all to raise funds to offset the cost of their summer camp. Be on the alert…several of the art masterpieces might even be auctioned and our artists might even be selling their work! To participate: Contact: Rebekah Zepeda at grzepeda@live.com.
Christian education that engages your mind, challenges your heart, and transforms the way you live.
The Ministry of Mercy Weekend Seminar
April 25th – 26th //
Register by April 23rd
Fri: 7:00 – 9:00 PM Sat: 9:00 AM -12:00 PM Fellowship Hall, Main Building Every individual Christian and every local church is called to be engaged in the ministry of mercy, the essential gospel work of meeting people’s needs through deeds, with special emphasis on the poor, the orphan, the widow and the refugee. This course establishes the principles and practices for a gospel-centered approach to social justice.
The Gospel and the World Weekend Seminar
May 16th – 17th //
Register by May 14th
Fri: 7:00 – 9:00 PM Sat: 9:00 AM -12:00 PM Worship Center, Main Building Speaker: R W Glenn The gospel of Jesus Christ gives us the only perspective on life in the world that coheres with reality. This course lays the groundwork for a thoroughly biblical approach to life in a very good, yet fallen world.
Sign up today! Email: lsummers@redeemerbiblechurch.com.
FEATURED BOOK // SCANDALOUS: THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS
BY: D.A. CARSON
CHAPTER 5 DOUBTING THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
TAKEN FROM SCANDALOUS: THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS BY D. A. CARSON, © 2010, PP. 143-168. USED BY PERMISSION OF CROSSWAY, A PUBLISHING MINISTRY OF GOOD NEWS PUBLISHERS, WHEATON, IL 60187, WWW.CROSSWAY.ORG.
D
oubt can have so many causes.
I returned home about 2:00 a.m. The next Saturday they were
1) For some, doubt is grounded
back again. He had completed the readings I had assigned,
primarily in simple ignorance. A
and he had a new set of questions. This happened every week
number of years ago I served a
for about thirteen weeks. What this was doing to my Sunday
church in Vancouver, Canada.
morning sermons, I have no idea. But at the end of those weeks
That church had a substantial
he said, “All right. I’ll become a Christian.”
number of university students in it. One of
Yes, Fred married Peggy. Today they are on the mission field.
these, a young woman with boundless energy
Nevertheless, I have to admit very frankly that I have seen few
and enthusiasm for Christ, came to me one
people become Christians in such a straightforward, linear
day and said, “There’s this guy at the university
fashion. Still, that it happens at all demonstrates that sometimes
who has invited me out on a date to ask me
doubt and unbelief are related primarily to sheer ignorance,
some questions about Jesus. Do you think
and the first obligation in remedying the situation is instruction.
that would be okay?”
2) Sometimes doubt is grounded in systematic moral choice.
“Peggy, Peggy,” I said, “be careful. Your
Consider the following passage from the famous writer and
motives may initially be excellent, but our
social cynic Aldous Huxley in his book Ends and Means. In
hearts are deceitful, and pretty soon you may
this passage, Huxley unpacks themes that, historically, pushed
find yourself deeply emotionally committed
many people to adhere to a philosophy of meaninglessness, of
to an unbeliever.” She protested that there
a valueless world:
was no danger. “I don’t want to compromise
For myself, as no doubt, for most of my contemporaries,
anything,” she said. “I just want to talk to
the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an
him about Jesus.” We had a couple more
instrument of liberation. The liberation we desired was
exchanges of this sort, and then I said, slightly
simultaneously liberation from a certain political and
exasperated, “Fine! By all means go out with
economic system and liberation from a certain system of
him. Talk to him about Jesus. And then bring
morality. We objected to the morality because it interfered
him to see me.”
with our sexual freedom; we objected to the political and
I didn’t think she’d take me literally, but
economic system because it was unjust. The supporters of
that Saturday night I was in my study about
these systems claimed that in some way they embodied
10:30 when a knock came on my door, and in
the meaning (the Christian meaning, they insisted) of the
bounced Peggy, with Fred behind her. “Hi,” she
world. There was an admirably simple method of confuting
said, “this is Fred. He wants to meet you.” Well,
these people and at the same time justifying ourselves in
I could see right away that that wasn’t true. As
our political and erotic revolt: we would deny that the world
far as I could tell, the only reason he wanted to
had any meaning whatsoever.1
see me was that I was a barrier on his way to
A little earlier in the same chapter, Huxley confesses that he
Peggy. But we went out for a bite to eat at an
himself adopted this stance for a while. He writes:
all night café. I tried to get to know him a little.
For, like so many of my contemporaries, I took it for granted
He was a big man, on the football squad at
that there was no meaning [in the world]…I had motives
the university (North American football!). He
for not wanting the world to have a meaning; consequently
was biblically illiterate, and he was as taciturn,
assumed that it had none, and was able without any
direct, and linear in communication as Peggy
difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption.2
was chatty, tangential, and evocative. We
At least this is honest and the sentiment is not rare. For
were there until 1:30 a.m., but I didn’t think I
instance, I have found a similar paragraph in the writings of
had gotten very far.
Michel Foucault. Here, then, is doubt sliding into systematic
The next Saturday night, about the same time, I heard the same knock, and in came
skepticism grounded in fundamental moral and philosophical choices.
Peggy and Fred. They had been to see a movie,
3) Sometimes doubt is a rite of passage, a function of
and now they were seeing me. Off we went to
maturation. A child is born into and reared in a strong Christian
the café. This time Fred had a list of serious
home. Perhaps he or she attends a Christian school. Once
questions. We started in on them. I suggested
they reach university such young people may find their ideas
some things he should read, and we worked
assaulted on so many sides that it takes a while to check the
through some biblical passages and teachings.
foundations. Perhaps a lecturer in sociology says, “So, Jim, you
20 MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
say you are a Christian. Do you come from a Christian home?”
are whole, complicated beings: our physical
“Yes,” he replies.
existence is tied to our spiritual well-being, to
“Do you think that a big part of why you are a Christian is
our mental outlook, to our relationships with
because of the shaping you received in your home?”
others, including our relationship with God.
“Of course,” our Jim replies.
Sometimes the godliest thing you can do in
“Take Abdul, here. He was reared in a Muslim home. Do you
the universe is get a good night’s sleep—not
think that a big part of the reason why he is a Muslim is the
pray all night, but sleep. I’m certainly not
distinctive heritage in which he was reared?”
denying that there may be a place for praying
“Well, I suppose so.”
all night; I’m merely insisting that in the normal
“So if you are a Christian because of your family, and Abdul is
course of things, spiritual discipline obligates
a Muslim because of his family, who has the right to adjudicated between rival claims?”
you to get the sleep your body needs. 6) Doubt may be generated by some deep,
Suddenly, on a dozen fronts, the straightforward clarity this
existential crisis—the loss of a loved one, for
Christian young person once enjoyed seems painfully muddied.
instance, or the memory of abusive parents,
It may take a season of doubt, wrestling, reading, talking, self-
or some other great suffering. Sometimes, of
examination, even despair, before coming through to a stable
course, such experiences prompt the believer
stance at the other end. Granted that this is a broken world that
to put great confidence in God’s providential
will cough up many reasons for unbelief, surely a time of doubt
sovereignty and goodness; at other times,
can in some instances be part of a God-sanctioned process by
believers think they are well supplied with
which young Christians wrestle with how much of their belief
faith until something goes wrong in their lives.
structure is merely inherited and how much is deeply their own.
Suddenly doubt leaps to life.
4) Sometimes doubt is generated not by a deliberate
These six causes of doubt are not the only
philosophical and systemic moral choice but by ten thousand
ones, of course; there are others. But why
atomistic choices. A man may begin his adult life with full,
have I taken time to list these? The point is
Christian
godliness,
that just as the causes of doubt are diverse, so
disciplined prayer and Bible reading, and thoughtful witness.
convictions,
worked
out
in
faithful
also are the remedies. The remedy of sleep will
Somewhere along the line, the Bible reading dries up; prayer
not help the person whose doubt is prompted
becomes spotty; the pressures or rising obligations at work
by moral defection; the remedy of instruction
reduce church attendance to a bare minimum. A charming
to combat ignorance will not help the person
colleague or assistant at work seems far better able to
whose doubt springs from fatigue; and so on.
empathize with his challenges than does his wife. Several years
So in the passage before us, we must not
on, he wakes up one morning after spending the night with
think that John intends to provide us with a
someone with whom he should not have been sleeping. He
universal answer to doubt. John here addresses
heads off to the washroom, looks at himself in the mirror, and
the specific doubt of Thomas—so it becomes
mutters, “I don’t believe all that religious rubbish anyway!”
important to understand the precise nature of
But what has brought him to this point? It has not been a
Thomas’s doubt, or we will be expecting the
deeply thought-out philosophical problem, still less new
passage to do something it is not designed to
scientific evidence. It has not even been a principled decision.
do. All the kinds of doubt I have listed so far
Rather, it has been ten thousand little decisions, all of them
surface somewhere or other in the Bible, but
wrong. The result is the same: this man now doubts the
in this passage a particular kind of doubt is in
fundamentals of the faith.
view.
5) Doubt may be fostered by sleep deprivation. If you
We should begin by reminding ourselves of
keep burning the candle at both ends, sooner or later you
the context in which this narrative of Thomas
will indulge in more and more mean cynicism—and the line
is set. Jesus has been crucified. Quite frankly,
between cynicism and doubt is a very thin one. Of course,
his own disciples had not expected this
different individuals require different numbers of hours of sleep;
tragic turn of events. Although Jesus had
moreover, some cope with a bit of tiredness better than others.
spoken frequently of his impending death and
Nevertheless, if you are among those who become nasty,
subsequent resurrection, his own disciples
cynical, or even full of doubt when you are missing your sleep,
had not understood. Perhaps they thought
you are morally obligated to try to get the sleep you need. We
he was speaking in symbol-laden ways. The
problem was that they had no category for a Messiah who would be crucified. Messiahs win;
springs from moral degeneration or from fatigue. So what kind of doubt is this?
messiahs triumph. By the same token they
The context shows that Thomas’s doubt is the skepticism of one
had no expectation whatsoever that he would
who has gone through stupendous religious disappointment,
rise again from the dead. The most powerful
such that he does not want to be blindsided again. Thomas had
evidence lies in the stance they adopt once
passionately believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
Jesus is buried. They are not having a party
Now that belief was vitiated by the barbarous crucifixion Jesus
in an upper room, quietly slapping each other
had suffered. Jesus was gone; he was dead. There was no
on the back and exulting, “I can hardly wait
bringing him back and no nobility in wishful thinking.
until Sunday!” Rather, they find themselves in
Thomas’s doubt was the sort that wanted to distinguish
profound gloom compounded with fear that
between genuine faith and mere gullibility, the doubt that has
the Jewish authorities might turn on them
been through profound religious disillusionment and that does
next.
not want to be snookered again.
On that first resurrection Sunday the reports
A number of years ago there was a faith healer in California
of the empty tomb and of the resurrection
by the name of Popoff. Popoff had a habit in his ministry that
appearances began to come in. Jesus had
soon attracted the interest of the media. Right in the middle
appeared to some women. Peter and John
of his meeting, he might say something like this: “The Lord is
had witnessed the empty tomb; Jesus had
telling me, the Lord is telling me, that there is a woman in seat
appeared to Peter and then to two disciples
J42 who has severe back pain. Come forward and be healed.”
on the road to Emmaus. And then on that
Sure enough, there was a woman in seat J42, and she did have
first Sunday evening Jesus appeared to his
back pain. Some media people interviewed these folk, but they
apostles—but not to all twelve of them, for
could not find a single one who would admit to collusion.
Judas Iscariot had committed suicide and
Eventually an ABC television crew went into one of these
Thomas was absent. So now we pick up the
meetings not only with a tiny video camera but with a radio
account in our text. It may be helpful to follow
scanner. They had noticed that Popoff had a hearing aid, and
it in three steps.
they had their suspicions. (What a faith healer is doing with a hearing aid is a separate question I will not attempt to explore.)
THE CRY OF A DISAPPOINTED SKEPTIC
It turned out that when people poured into the great hall,
(JOHN 20:24-25)
attendants encouraged them to fill out cards detailing their
The first step is the cry of a disappointed skeptic:
When someone wrote on one of these cards that he or she was
Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the
suffering from, say, a vicious melanoma and had only months
Twelve, was not with the disciples when
to live, the card was jettisoned. By contrast, if someone wrote
Jesus came. So the other disciples told
that he or she was suffering from something that had at least a
him, “We have seen the Lord!”
good chance of being at least partly psychosomatic, like back
But he said to them, “Unless I see the
pain, Mrs. Popoff noted where the person sat and wrote, for
nail marks in his hands and put my finger
example, “Woman J42. Severe back pain.” Then, in the midst
where the nails were, and put my hand into
of the service, she would radio down to her husband. Popoff
his side, I will not believe it.”
would pick up her signal by the device in his ear, which was
So what kind of doubt is this? This is not the
not really a hearing aid but a radio receiver. He might hear his
skepticism of the committed philosophical
wife say, in effect, “Dear, we’ve got one. There’s a woman in
materialist—that is, someone who believes
seat J42 with severe back pain.” The audience would hear only
that all that exists is matter, energy, space, and
the words of Popoff himself: “The Lord is telling me, the Lord
time, and that miracles are simply impossible.
is telling me, that there is a woman in seat J42 who has severe
Thomas, after all, was a devout first-century
back pain. Come forward and be healed.” On national television,
Jew. He believed in the God of the Bible, the
the ABC television crew played what the scene looked like from
God of what we call the Old Testament—
the perspective of the audience filling the hall, and then played
and the God of the Old Testament certainly
it again dubbing in the signal from Mrs. Popoff. I cannot resist
performed miracles from time to time. Nor
saying that, at least for a while, Popoff’s ministry popped off.
does Thomas succumb to the doubt that
22
prayer requests. Among these attendants was Mrs. Popoff.
MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
Now why do I tell you this story? I am certainly not saying
that God cannot perform a miracle of healing if he chooses to
Perhaps, too, Thomas demanded so much
do so. Nor is this to assert that all faith healers are charlatans
because he found it difficult to imagine how
and tricksters. The reason I tell you this story is to point out that
the genuine Messiah could have been made
doubtless many of the thousands of people who were swept up
to suffer such shame. Crucifixion was not only
in Popoff’s ministry were Christians—but Christians who were
physically agonizing, but it was associated
frankly naïve. They were snookered by Popoff’s scheme; they
in the ancient world with the most horrific
were unable to distinguish between genuine faith and sheer
degradation and shame. It was going to
gullibility. So eager were they to believe in the miraculous that,
take pretty remarkable evidence to convince
quite frankly, they were foolish and gullible.
Thomas that Jesus was truly the Messiah he
Thomas did not want to belong to the number of the gullible. So what he asks for in this passage is the most personal and concrete demonstration he can think of, something that would prove that this ostensible resurrected apparition has genuine,
had hoped for all along—and now risen again, alive, triumphant. Here, then, is the cry of a disappointed skeptic.
physical continuity with the Jesus who was put into the tomb. There needs to be convincing evidence that the Jesus who died
THE ADORATION OF AN ASTONISHED
was in genuine continuity with the ostensible resurrected Jesus.
SKEPTIC (JOHN 20:26-28)
Thomas does not want to be deceived by, say, an identical twin who conveniently pops up. So he says, “Unless I see the nail
The second step in the adoration of an astonished skeptic:
marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and
A week later his disciples were in the house
put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (v. 25).
again, and Thomas was with them. Though
The Romans deployed three methods of execution; crucifixion
the doors were locked, Jesus came and
was by far the cruelest. It was reserved for slaves, scumbags,
stood among them and said, “Peace be
traitors. No Roman citizen would be executed by crucifixion
with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put
except by the explicit sanction of the emperor himself. The
your finger here; see my hands. Reach out
victim was tied or nailed to a cross. There he pulled with his
your hand and put it into my side. Stop
arms and pushed with his legs so as to keep his chest cavity
doubting and believe.”
open in order to breathe. Pretty soon he was wracked with
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my
muscle spasms, and collapsed in agony. But then he needed to
God!”
breathe, so he pulled with his arms and pushed with his legs,
The text tells us that this scene takes place
and the cycle started again. This could go on for days, until
the next week, that is, the second Sunday after
eventually the victim died of suffocation. If for some reason
the resurrection. The circumstances are similar:
the soldiers wanted to finish off their victims more quickly—for
the apostles are in a house, meeting in a room
instance, if there was a holy day coming, and the bodies had to
with locked doors. As he had the first Sunday,
be taken down from the cross and buried, as in this case—they
Jesus suddenly appeared among them. This
would simply smash the shin bones of the victim. The victim
was not something he ever did, so far as the
could no longer push with his legs, and he would suffocate
records go, before his resurrection. Again, as
quickly.
he did the first Sunday, Jesus greets them
But when they came to Jesus, they found him already dead.
with the same greeting: “Peace be with you!”
Instead of breaking his legs, one of the soldiers shoved his
At a superficial level, this is probably simply
short spear up under Jesus’ rib cage, piercing the pericardium,
“Shalom!”—the Hebrew equivalent of modern
causing blood and water to flow out of his side. That meant that
Arabic’s “Salaam!” Yet the word shalom often
Jesus’ body, carefully laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea,
connotes total well-being before God. The
had unique wounds. Thomas knew it. That is why he demanded
word in this context may be pregnant with
to see and touch not only the wounds in Jesus’ hands and
eschatological expectation: this side of Jesus’
feet, but the wound in his side. He wanted to be sure, beyond
cross and resurrection, men and women may
all possibility of ambiguity, hallucination, or trickery, that this
truly enjoy the ultimate reconciliation, peace
ostensible resurrected Jesus had genuine continuity with the
with God himself, in anticipation of perfect
dead Jesus who was taken down from the tomb. Only that
peace with God on the last day.
would overcome his doubt, he insists, for he does not want to succumb to mere gullibility.
But Jesus’ next words are what grab our attention. He turns to Thomas, and, even
though he had not been physically present to
No, the text must be taken at face value. Thomas, a first-
what evidence Thomas demands, and so he
century monotheistic Jew, addresses Jesus, the resurrected
says to him, “Put your finger here; see my
Jesus, with the stunning confession, “My Lord and my God.”
hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my
That brings us to the second matter to consider.
side. Stop doubting and believe” (v. 27). And Thomas says to him, “My Lord and my God!” (v. 28).
24
the blasphemy uttered was “My Lord and my God!”
hear Thomas’s robust challenge, Jesus knows
2) If Thomas’s confession is read in context, it is, quite frankly, initially astonishing. Why does he confess so much? Unlike his earlier skepticism, he now knows that Jesus has returned from
This is a stunning confession. In some ways
the dead. He sees the wounds and is assured that the Jesus
it brings out, toward the end of the book, what
before him has continuity with the Jesus who was taken down
John the Evangelist has already asserted in the
from the cross and laid in the tomb. So why does he not simply
very first verse of his Gospel: “In the beginning
exclaim, “Jesus, you are alive!” Or even, “Oops!” On the first
was the Word, and the Word was with God
reading, we cannot help but wonder what drove Thomas to this
and the Word was God” (1:1). We must not
sweeping conclusion, which seems more than the immediate
skip over the confession too quickly. There
context warrants.
are depths to be plumbed here, depths that
We must place Thomas within the framework of the larger
are interpretative, historical, and theological,
narrative of John’s Gospel. An entire week passes between
before we press on to the closing verses of the
verse 25 and verse 26. Verse 26 carefully notes that Jesus
chapter. I would like to mention four.
appeared to Thomas a week after Thomas had expressed
1)Most of us, I suspect, are aware that
his doubt. One can easily imagine the nature of the probing
friendly neighborhood Jehovah’s Witnesses
reflections that occupied his mind and imagination throughout
find it difficult to accept this verse at face
that week: “Jesus alive? It can’t be! But the other ten are so very
value. They do not believe that Jesus is truly
sure. They simply have to be mistaken. But suppose they’re
God; he is, at best, a junior god. They therefore
not? Is it possible that Jesus really is alive? What would that
offer two quite different interpretations of
mean? No, it can’t be. I need some evidence. He can’t possibly
verse 28 in order to domesticate it and make it
be alive. But suppose that he is?”
come out with a meaning congruent with their
In the matrix of such mental wrestling, he could not help but
understanding of Christ. I shall mention only
remember the strange words that Jesus had said just a few
one of these two interpretations. They suggest
days earlier, the night that he was betrayed, condemned, and
that what Thomas said, in an ejaculation of
crucified. Jesus had said to one of them in the hearing of all,
sheer surprise, was in effect, “My Lord! My
“Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among
God!”
you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen
It is difficult to take this interpretation
the Father” (John 14:9). Doubtless, at the time, Thomas and
seriously. It would mean that Thomas’s first
the others heard this as just one more enigmatic utterance of
response to seeing and being invited to touch
Jesus that still did not make too much sense. But if Jesus really
the resurrected Jesus was blasphemy. Every
had arisen from the dead, would not such utterances provoke
culture, of course, develops its own forms
renewed reflection about what Jesus was claiming? “Anyone
of vulgarity, profanity, and blasphemy. But
who has seen me has seen the Father”—what a massive claim.
it is just about unthinkable to imagine that
Indeed, John’s Gospel preserves an array of other equally
a devout Jew like Thomas would take on his
startling claims found on the lips of Jesus. For instance, Jesus
lips the word “God” as a profane exclamation.
insists that God has entrusted all judgment into Jesus’ hands, in
But worse, even if we could somehow imagine
order that “all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father”
that Thomas would blaspheme in this way,
(John 5:23). Elsewhere, Jesus declares, “Before Abraham was
it would then seem that Jesus approves the
born, I am” (John 8:58): again, “Whatever the Father does the
blasphemy, since he approves Thomas’s words
Son also does” (John 5:19). On the face of it, the claims were
in the next verse. Above all, the little word
stupendous. This side of the resurrection, Thomas is doubtless
“and” stands against this interpretation. Even
forced to think about them more deeply than he has to this
if we could somehow imagine that Thomas
point.
could blaspheme by saying “My Lord! My
All of this falls right out of the narrative text of the fourth
God!” it is simply ridiculous to suppose that
Gospel. John’s Gospel provides the narrative matrix in which
MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
Thomas’s mental wrestlings take place during that week,
how can those still living extend forgiveness on
bounded at one end by his articulation of doubt in Jesus’
behalf of the slain? So there is no forgiveness
resurrection and at the other end by his confession, “My Lord
for the Nazis! In that little room with the
and my God!” But there are two larger contexts we must not
dying Nazi soldier, Wiesenthal worked this
ignore. The first of these is the other canonical Gospels. Thomas
all out in his mind, and then, without saying
was present not only for the incidents already referred to in the
a word, he simply turned and left the room.
Gospel of John but also for other incidents recorded only in the
After the war was over, Wiesenthal wrote up
Synoptic Gospels. Let me mention only one of them. You will
his experience in a memorable little book
recall what takes place in Mark 2 when Jesus was preaching
titled The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and
in a house packed full of eager hearers. A paralyzed man was
Limits of Forgiveness.3 Many of its pages are
carried to the house on some kind of litter, some kind of bed
given over to Wiesenthal’s internal agonizing
or mattress, by four of his friends who hoped that Jesus would
as he weighed the request of this young Nazi
heal their friend. Those listening to Jesus tried to shoo them
soldier. He sent his work to many of the world’s
away: “Shhh! Jesus is speaking! Be quiet! Wait your turn!”
leading ethicists and asked them the question,
Desperate to find help for their paralyzed friend, the four carry
“Was I right? Was I right to behave as I did?”
him up onto the flat roof (a very common construction at the
Well, was he? Surely we cannot take issue
time), carefully listen for Jesus’ voice, and remove the tiles over
with his insight that only the offended party
the place where Jesus was speaking. They then lower their
has the right to forgive. Do you recall the
paralyzed friend down in front of Jesus. As for the crowd, if
illustration I used in chapter 2, in connection
it will not make way, out of courtesy and compassion, for the
with Romans 3:21-26? The same illustration
paralytic when he is at the door and his friends are trying to get
speaks powerfully to this situation as well,
him in to see Jesus, they now make way for him, to avoid the
so let me remind you of the crucial point.
bed coming down on their heads.
Suppose on your way home from a meeting
Jesus looks at the paralyzed man and tells him, “Your sins
you are attacked, brutalized, perhaps gang-
are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). Immediately some of the Jewish
raped, and left for dead. Suppose, further, that
theologians in attendance are quietly outraged, muttering
tomorrow I go and visit you in the hospital.
to one another, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Their
Suppose, too, that by some amazing fluke I’ve
rhetorical question is hugely important and deserves further
found your attackers, so when I see you in the
reflection.
hospital, I say to you, “Take courage! You will be
Toward the end of World War II, Simon Wiesenthal was in a
greatly relieved to learn that I have found your
work gang in the horrific concentration camp at Auschwitz. All
attackers, and I have forgiven them!” What will
his relatives had been killed. Wiesenthal did not then know that
you say to me? I suspect you will sputter in
he was only weeks from being rescued by the Russians who
fury and outrage, “Who do you think you are?
would shortly reach the camp and free it. On this particular
You’re not the one lying here in a body cast!
day, Wiesenthal was pulled out of the work gang and shoved
You weren’t gang-raped! You haven’t had half
into a room where he found a young German soldier, perhaps
the bones in your body broken! What on earth
nineteen years old, severely wounded and clearly dying. The
gives you the right to think you can forgive
young German had asked to talk with a Jew before he died—
anybody for what was done to me?”
and in the peculiar providence of God, Wiesenthal was the one
And, of course, you’d be right, just as
who was shoved into the room with him. The dying German
Wiesenthal was right; only the offended
soldier was frankly terrified in the face of his impending death.
party can forgive the offense. Yet there was
He knew he would shortly face God. He knew something of
one additional detail that Wiesenthal left
what Nazis had done to Jews. Staring eternity in the face,
out of his calculations, a detail that the Bible
the young German soldier asked Wiesenthal for forgiveness,
makes very clear. Do you recall the rather grim
treating Wiesenthal, in effect, as a representative Jew.
account of how King David seduced a young
Wiesenthal agonized over the desperate request. His
wife next door, while her husband was away
reasoning, in brief, was this: surely only the offended party has
at the front, fighting David’s wars? I referred
a right to forgive. How can those who have not suffered extend
to it in the second chapter of this book; I
forgiveness on behalf of those who have? Since most of the
want now to return to it one last time. The
victims of the Nazis were killed, Wiesenthal argued to himself,
woman, Bathsheba, soon discovered she was
pregnant and let David know. As commander-
forget that the first commandment, according to Jesus, is the
in-chief,
young
commandment to love God with heart and soul and mind and
husband to come home, ostensibly bearing
strength. Thus the first sin—first sequentially, first in fundamental
a communication from the commanders at
importance—is not to love God with heart and soul and mind
the front for David. David assumed the man,
and strength. It is the sin we always commit when we commit
whose name was Uriah, would go home and
any other sin. At the most profound level, whenever we sin, God
sleep with his wife before returning to the
is the most offended party. If, like David, we commit adultery,
battle lines, but this remarkable young man so
God is the most offended party. If we cheat on our income
empathized with his mates who were still on
taxes, God is the most offended party. If we puff ourselves up
the front line that he did not even check in at
in pride, indulge in slander, demean a colleague, or nurture
home. Why should he enjoy the pleasures of
bitterness, God is the most offended party. If we watch porn on
home when his mates couldn’t? So King David
the internet, God is the most offended party. David understands
knew that he was snookered. He sent Uriah
this: “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is
back to the front, carrying a secret message
evil in your sight.” And that is why, whatever other forgiveness
to the unit commander. The commander was
we try to secure, we must have God’s forgiveness, or we have
to arrange a skirmish in which everyone in the
nothing. Yes, you and I need to forgive one another. Yet in the
unit would know about a secret signal to fall
most profound analysis of what sin is, only God can forgive sin.
back at a set time—everyone, that is, except
And here is Jesus forgiving this paralyzed man his sin. “Who
David
arranged
for
the
this young husband, Uriah the Hittite. The
Who, indeed? Jesus’ words are surely the raving remarks
the signal was given, and everyone fell back
of a megalomaniac who thinks of himself as God. Or—is it
except Uriah, who was left at the sharp end.
possible?—Jesus really is God.
He was killed. After a barely decent interval,
And Thomas was there.
David married Bathsheba and thought he had
Or perhaps during the week between the Sunday when
gotten away with it.
26
can forgive sins but God alone?” some in the crowd asked.
inevitable happened: the skirmish grew warm,
Thomas expressed his doubt and the Sunday when Jesus
Eventually, however, he is confronted by
appeared once again inside a locked room, Thomas recalled a
Nathan the prophet. You might fool a lot of
still larger context. Perhaps he let his mind roam over some Old
people when you sin, but you never fool
Testament Scriptures that began to blossom with new meaning.
God. As Hebrews 4:13 puts it, “Everyone is
Doubtless Thomas knew words that we Christians today recite
uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of
every Christmas: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
him to whom we must give account.” God
and the government will be on his shoulders” (Isa. 9:6). On the
knows what David has done, he lets his
one hand the prophet Isaiah writes, more than seven hundred
prophet Nathan know, and Nathan confronts
years before Christ, “Of the increase of his government and
David. I do not have time to remind you of
peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne
everything that happened in the wake of that
and over his kingdom” (V. 7); but Isaiah also says, in the same
confrontation. But one of the most remarkable
context, “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
psalms ever written was penned by David
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (v. 6).
after he had repented in desperate tears for all
How does one put all such pieces together? Thomas had an
the sin he had committed. In that psalm, Psalm
entire week to mull the matter over. Doubtless he still could
51, David addresses God, and he says, “Against
not put together what would later be called the doctrine of the
you, you only, have I sinned and done what is
Trinity. But he had progressed far enough in his understanding
evil in your sight” (Ps. 51:4).
to grasp that if Jesus was truly alive, this was more, even, than a
A superficial reading of these words might
spectacular resurrection: it was the visitation of God Almighty.
prompt us to think that David is utterly
3) Perhaps that is as much as we can say about Thomas’s
mistaken: he seems to have sinned against
beliefs. There is not enough evidence to warrant assertions
just about everyone. Yet at a deep level, what
that at this early date he also thought through the implications
David writes is exactly true. What makes sin
of asserting that the one whom he confessed as “Lord” and
sin, what makes it so profoundly heinous, what
“God” had actually died. And what a death: by crucifixion,
makes it so deeply repugnant and culpable,
condemned by the Roman government, hanging from a tree
is that it is offense against God. We dare not
under God’s curse, and yet transparently vindicated by being
MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
raised from the dead. But even if we cannot be quite certain
Thomas does not say, “Our Lord and our God,”
how much Thomas himself understood at this turning point in
as if he were reciting some sort of liturgical
his life, we are on much more solid ground when we reflect
slogan. His confession is intensely personal:
on what the evangelist John understood when, some decades
“My Lord and my God!” It is never enough
later, he reported these events by writing this book. For John
merely to confess the truth of something that
has already announced that Jesus is the Lamb of God who
is out there in the public arena. Even the Devil
takes away the sin of the world (1:29). He has likened Jesus to
himself could affirm, however begrudgingly,
the serpent hanging on a pole for the saving of the people of
that Jesus is both Lord and God. But a true
God after their horrific rebellion and the onset of the curse that
child of God is making more than a public
fell on them (3:14, referring to Numbers 21). He likens Jesus to
statement about a public truth. The Christian
bread: either the grain dies so that people may live, or, if nothing
is not simply affirming that Jesus Christ is the
dies to provide human beings with life, the people themselves
Lord and God of the universe but that in the
must die. John reports that under God’s providential hand, even
most intimate sense he is the Christian’s Lord
the high priest Caiaphas speaks prophetically, in words more
and God. The confession is intensely personal.
pregnant with meaning than Caiaphas himself can understand,
If you cannot utter the words of this confession
when he asserts that Jesus must die so that the people of God
with similar deeply personal commitment, you
will not perish; what Caiaphas wants is a substitute death, and
have no part of Jesus and the salvation that
he gets more than he expected (11:49-51). Jesus is like a kernel
flows from his death and resurrection. Your
of wheat (12:23-24) which, if it dies, is multiplied in the new life
heart and mind must confess with wonder,
that springs forth.
“My Lord and my God!”
So when John reports these words of Thomas’s. “My Lord and
These, then, are four reflections that flow
my God!” he cannot help but see that there is a marvel on top of
from the adoration of this astonished skeptic.
a marvel. Two thousand years later, we who read John’s words observe not only the mind-bending notion of the incarnation,
THE FUNCTION OF A CONVERTED SKEPTIC
God becoming a human being, but the utterly shattering fact
(JOHN 20:29-31)
that this God-man died a substitutionary death, the death of a redeeming lamb. It is staggering to contemplate the God
The third step in the function of a converted skeptic:
of the Bible becoming a man; it is even more staggering to
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have
contemplate him as he dies our death—and is then vindicated
seen me, you have believed; blessed are
in resurrection. Yes, yes, no lesser words of acclamation will
those who have not seen and yet have
do: “My Lord and my God!” The confession is scandalous: the
believed.”
confession is glorious.
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in
The closing months of World War I, that bloodiest and most
the presence of his disciples, which are
stupid of wars, witnessed the rise of a number of important
not recorded in this book. But these are
poets whose work reflected on the war. One of the minor poets
written that you may believe that Jesus
of this group was Edward Shillito. Although the body of his
is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by
work is not particularly distinguished, his poem “Jesus of the
believing you may have life in his name.
Scars” is immortal. In two of the verses of that poem he uses
I suspect that verse 29 is frequently
language that recalls this occasion in John 20 when Jesus
misunderstood. Quite mistakenly, some think
appears in a room with locked doors. Shillito writes:
that Jesus is saying that faith not based in
If when the doors are shut, thou drawest near,
signs, and perhaps not based in truth, is
Only reveal thy hands, that side of thine.
superior faith. It is as if Jesus were saying,
We know today what wounds are, never fear:
“Well, all right, Thomas, now that you’ve seen
Show us thy wounds: we know the countersign.
me, you have believed. Fair enough. So now
The other gods were strong, but thou wast weak.
you have faith. But you must understand that
They rode, but thou didst stumble to thy throne.
those who believe in me even though they
And to our wounds, only God’s wounds can speak—
never have enjoyed the signs given to you
And not a god has wounds, but thou alone.
have a superior faith; they are truly blessed.
All this, transparently, the evangelist John understood. 4) We must also reflect on the repeated little word “my.”
You missed out on that, Thomas, because you insisted on seeing before believing. Your faith
is at best second-class faith.”
faith. Indeed, I have heard distinguished clerics say that if Jesus’
cannot legitimately be interpreted that way.
tomb were found, with the body still in it, and virtually no doubt
The reason we are tempted to misinterpret
that the body truly is that of Jesus, their Christian faith would
verse 29 in that way is that in much of
not be at all troubled. After all, they say, Jesus has risen in their
contemporary Western culture the word faith
hearts.
has come to have meanings it never has in the
The apostle Paul certainly did not see things that way.
Bible. In our world, the word faith tends to
Writing to the Corinthians, he argues that if Jesus has not
mean one of two things. First, it may function
risen from the dead, while you believe that he has risen from
as a synonym for religion; that is, there are
the dead, then your faith in Jesus’ resurrection is futile; it is
many “faiths,” there are many “religions.”
worthless. In other words, one of the things that validates faith
Second, more commonly it means something
is the truthfulness of faith’s object. Faith is more than believing
like “a personal, subjective, private, religious
the truth, of course; after all, the demons themselves believe
choice or commitment.” In other words, it
that Jesus rose from the dead, but that doesn’t do them any
has nothing to do with facts or historical
good. But although saving faith is more than believing in truth,
realities; it is a personal, subjective, private,
it is never less. That is why the Bible never urges us to believe
religious choice. You have your faith, and I
something that is not true, or something that may not be true.
have mine, and it is impossible to adjudicate
It is also why, in the Bible, one of the crucial ways by which we
the disparities between your faith and mine
strengthen faith is by articulating and defending the truth.
because there are no hard data to enable us to draw intelligent comparisons.
28
that is enough; that is what makes it genuine faith, God-blessed
I must say, as strongly as I can, that verse 29
But once we have successfully eliminated a false interpretation of John 20:29, what this verse means becomes readily
Indeed, it is not uncommon for people to
transparent. John closely links verse 29 with verses 30 and 31.
feel superior because they believe something;
The flow of thought then runs like this: John reports that Jesus
they have faith in something, for which there
says to Thomas, in effect, “Thomas, you have seen, and you
is no justifiable support. This understanding
have believed.” All along, of course, John’s Gospel has taught
of faith is well exemplified in the book by
that believing in Jesus is necessary if a person is to have eternal
Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code. In that book,
life. Many chapters earlier we read the words, “For God so loved
Sophie exclaims to the hero, Langdon, “But
the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
you told me the New Testament is based on
believes in him…[may] have eternal life” (3:16)—so of course it is
fabrication.” Langdon replies, “Sophie, every
wonderful to see that Thomas truly believes. But Jesus knows,
faith in the world is based on fabrication. That
as John knows, that many people will come to put their faith
is the definition of faith—acceptance of that
in Jesus who have never seen the resurrected Jesus as Thomas
which we imagine to be true, that which we
did. Jesus will ascend and not be physically available until his
cannot prove.” Certainly some objects of faith
return. Yet countless millions will come to believe that he rose
in the Bible, matters disclosed by revelation,
from the dead. They were never invited to touch the wounds
cannot in any sense be “proved,” but other
as Thomas was; they never saw the resurrected Jesus eat fish
objects of faith in the Bible are disclosed in
on the shores of Galilee as did the seven disciples described in
the matrix of history. In such cases we have
John 21. On what basis, then, will they believe? Jesus says that
access to these historical claims by the same
those who have not seen and yet have believed are blessed.
means by which we have access to any history,
Why? Because they have believed without any evidence at all?
namely witness.
No, of course not.
But if “faith” means that there is no access to
John immediately goes on to say that Jesus did many
verifying any of faith’s objects, if faith means
miraculous signs, and of course they could not all be written
that fabrication of faith’s objects is part of the
down for us. But these are written, the ones in John’s Gospel,
game, then verse 29 is readily misinterpreted:
including the appearance to Thomas, in order that later
that faith is superior that has nothing to
generations who will never see the signs, who will not in this
support it! That faith is superior that desires
life see the resurrected body of Jesus, might believe that Jesus
no evidence! That faith is superior that doesn’t
is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing they might
care about whether Jesus actually rose from
have life through his name. The means by which we believers
the dead. If you believe he rose from the dead,
of later generations have access to the historical witnesses of
MOMENTUM // APRIL 2014
the resurrected Jesus is through the written records the first
Don’t you believe the words the prophets said? Christ had to suffer first, then enter glory.” Then he unveiled their eyes in the breaking of the bread.
generation left behind. Thus Thomas becomes part of this chain of evidence, this chain of attestation. He saw and believed, and by his witness, by his confession, recorded in this book, he still
He heard their words, but not for him that easy faith That trades the truth for sentimental sigh. Unless he saw the nail marks in his hands himself, And touched his side, he’d not believe the lie. Then Jesus came to them, although the doors were locked: “Cast away doubt and reach into my side. Trace out the wounds the nails left in my broken hands, And understand I am the resurrection and the life.”
speaks and, by God’s grace, generates faith in countless later generations who come to share his faith because of his witness to the truth. Like Thomas, because of Thomas, they believe, they have eternal life, and they are blessed. Thomas begins as a skeptic; he continues in personal adoration when his doubts are overcome by the appearance of the Lord Jesus; and now he functions as part of the chain
Long years have passed, and still we fear the face of death; It steals our loved ones, leaving us undone. It mocks our dreams and calls to us with icy breath, The final terror when life’s course is run. But this I know: my Lord traveled this way before, His body clothed in immortality. The sepulcher’s sting is drawn, the power of sin destroyed. Death has been swallowed up in his mighty victory.4
of witnesses who call forth faith in the Lord Jesus, among generations yet unborn. Just as Peter, in John 21, is restored to the Savior and to useful, lifelong service after his terrible betrayal of Jesus, so Thomas, here in John 20, is restored not only to faith but to useful, ages-long witness to the truth, to the One who is the truth, after his painful doubt. His confession and witness come down to us in the words of Holy Scripture, and by God’s mercy, countless millions who have never seen the resurrected Jesus as Thomas saw him, believe and are blessed. Here is the function of a converted skeptic. CONCLUSION In the most profound sense, of course, it would be wrong to end this chapter by talking about Thomas. For although these verses, at one level, can truly be said to be about Thomas, they are, of course, more deeply about the resurrected Jesus. Indeed, this narrative is embedded in a book we call “a gospel.” More accurately, it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John. This gospel, this good news of Jesus Christ according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, is irreducibly bound up with Jesus’ person and work, with his reign and his cross, with his death and his resurrection. And where men and women across the ages, whether in Bible times or in our times, come to believe, truly believe, that Jesus rose from the dead to be Lord
FOOTNOTES:
and Savior, utterly vindicated by his heavenly Father, they find
1
it changes everything. That is one of the great lessons of all the
into the Nature of Ideals and into the Methods
resurrection accounts:
Employed for Their Realization (New York:
Aldous Huxley, Ends and Means: An Enquiry
Greenwood Press, 1937), 316 They came alone: some women who remembered him, Bowed down with spices to anoint his corpse. Through darkened streets, they wept their way to honor him— The one whose death had shattered all their hopes. Why do you look for life among these tombs of stone? He is not here. He’s risen, as he said. Remember how he spoke to you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must die—and must rise up from the dead.”
2
Ibid., 312
3
New York: Schocken, 1997.
4
D. A. Carson, “They Came Alone,” track 5, in
For the Love of God, vol. 2 of New Songs for the People of God (2005). Taken
The two walked home, a portrait of defeat and loss, Explaining to a stranger why the gloom— How Jesus seemed to be the King before his cross; Now all their hopes lay buried in his tomb. “How slow you are to see. Didn’t this have to be?
from
Scandalous:
The
Cross
and
Resurrection of Jesus by D. A. Carson, © 2010, pp. 143-168. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.
GOOD FRIDAY // APR 18th, 7 PM EASTER SUNDAY // APR 20th, 9 & 11 AM
952.935.2425 // INFO@REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM 16205 HWY 7, MINNETONKA, MN 55345 // REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM
SUN
APRIL 6 GATHERED WORSHIP | 9 & 11 AM REDEMPTION | Youth SS 9 AM NEWCOMERS LUNCH 1:00 - 2:30 PM THE LORD’S TABLE | 6:00 PM
13 GATHERED WORSHIP | 9 & 11 AM REDEMPTION | Youth SS 9 AM
20 EASTER SUNDAY | 9 & 11 AM NO REDEMPTION YOUTH
27 GATHERED WORSHIP | 9 & 11 AM REDEMPTION | Youth SS 9 AM
MON 7
14
21
28
DATES TO REMEMBER
SAT
11
FRI 10
WOMEN’S RETREAT | A LIFE CYCLE OF DISCIPLESHIP - 5 PM Friday - 2 PM Saturday
THU
9
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 7 PM - 8:30 PM
18
WED
8 GATHERED PRAYER | 7 PM MUSIC MAKERS | 7 - 8:30 PM REDEMPTION YOUTH ONE BIG PARTY | @ Wooddale
17
TUE WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
16
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 7 PM - 8:30 PM
12
15
GATHERED PRAYER & REDEMPTION | 7 PM
24
SGF - THE MINISTRY OF MERCY SEMINAR 7 PM - 9 PM // 9 AM - 12 PM
25
19
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
23
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 7 PM - 8:30 PM
2
MUSIC MAKERS | 7 - 8:30 PM
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE (Including the Lord’s Table) 7 PM
22
GATHERED PRAYER & REDEMPTION | 7 PM
1
26 WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
30
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 7 PM - 8:30 PM
3
29
GATHERED PRAYER & REDEMPTION | 7 PM
SPRING CLEAN-UP OUTSIDE 9 AM - 11:30 AM WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
REDEMPTION YOUTH - ART FUNDRAISER 7:30 PM MUSIC MAKERS | 7 - 8:30 PM
The Ministry of Mercy Seminar Every individual Christian and every local church is called to be engaged in the ministry of mercy, the essential gospel work of meeting people’s needs through deeds, with special emphasis on the poor, the orphan, the widow and the refugee. Taught by our lead deacon, Mark Summers, this course establishes the principles and practices for a gospelcentered approach to social justice.
Details below.
FEATURED EVENTS Fri & Sun APR 18TH & 20TH
Fri & Sat APRIL 25 - 26TH
Friday MAY 2ND
Saturday MAY 3RD
EASTER SERVICES
THE MINISTRY OF MERCY SEMINAR
YOUTH ART FUNDRAISER
SPRING CLEAN-UP!
7:30 - 9 PM | FELLOWSHIP
9 - 11:30 AM | OUTSIDE
HALL // CALLING all artists!! It’s a spring art exhibit for a great summer cause. Parents, students, and anyone artistic for that matter, here is a chance to display YOUR artwork along with others in our Fellowship Hall. It’s all part of an opportunity to see and express beauty through art. We are encouraging everyone to attend for just a suggested donation of $3 at the door. On this night, the RBC students will be preparing everything – greeting at the door, serving refreshments, etc. – all to raise funds to offset the cost of their summer camp. Be on the alert…several of the art masterpieces might even be auctioned and our artists might even be selling their work! To participate: Contact: Rebekah Zepeda at grzepeda@live.com.
MAIN CHURCH BUILDING
TIME: 7 PM ON FRIDAY, 9 & 11 AM ON SUNDAY | WORSHIP CENTER // Invite your friends and join us as we give praise to our Risen Savior! We will celebrate the Lord’s Table on Good Friday and rejoice with songs of adoration over the empty tomb on Sunday as we remember the love God has shown us through the death and resurrection of His Son.
7-10 PM, 9 AM - 12 PM | FELLOWSHIP HALL // Every individual Christian and every local church is called to be engaged in the ministry of mercy, the essential gospel work of meeting people’s needs through deeds, with special emphasis on the poor, the orphan, the widow and the refugee. Taught by our lead deacon, Mark Summers, this course establishes the principles and practices for a gospel-centered approach to social justice. Registration is open now until April 16. Contact: Laurie Summers at lsummers@ redeemerbiblechurch.com
SIGN UP TODAY!
// The snow will be melting soon! And what better way to enjoy the fresh, spring air than to join a group of RBCers in sprucing up the church grounds after this past winter. We’ll focus on projects such as planting flowers, laying mulch, removal of debris, raking leaves leftover from the fall, as well as organize the garage. No need to bring anything, except a few buddies from your community group. Having 30 volunteers would be fantastic! If you have favorite work gloves, rakes, shovels, gardening equipment, wheelbarrows or gas blowers, please bring them along. For more information or to volunteer, contact: Troy Williams at troydonaldwilliams@gmail. com.