Quote from Forum Archives on April 28, 2003, 10:03 am

Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

DARING TO DREAM AGAIN #9/9
REKINDLING THE DREAM
April 27, 2003

Text: John 20:24-31

It always seems that at least once during a year, some area of our nation
experiences a devastating, out of control forest fire. The property and
lives of people and wildlife are threatened; some are destroyed.

What is sadly fascinating about this natural disaster is how it typically
begins. Sometimes a lightning strike sets a location on fire. But
probably more often, the out of control blaze begins much simpler and
smaller than that. A cigarette thrown out a car window or dropped along a
trail; a campfire with a single ember left burning. It doesn’t take much
to get a rampaging forest fire started. Like the camp song goes, “It only
takes a spark to get a fire going.”

Our 50-Day Spiritual Adventure this year has been about “Daring to Dream
Again.” Specifically, it has been about daring to revive the dreams that
God has in mind for us as Christians. We have covered topics and listened
to Biblical personalities who teach us how to overcome barriers that keep
us from living dreams of faith. During the past seven weeks of this
Spiritual Adventure, we have learned that in order to dare to dream
again, we need to let God heal our painful pasts, discover God’s present
involvement in our life, establish godly goals, empower what we do with
prayer, confront our ungodly prejudices, identify with God’s heart for
the world, and move beyond our comfort zones.

Like a forest fire, a dream or vision needs a spark to get it going. The
followers of Jesus saw their dreams dashed against the cold, hard rocks
of cruel death several hours before the morning of “the first day of the
week.” The miracle worker, rabbi, and leader of all their hopes had been
snatched from their midst, falsely accused, trapped into taking the place
of the criminal Barabbas, tortured and mocked, put to death on a cross,
and hastily buried. Alongside Jesus in the tomb lay the hopes, dreams,
and visions of his followers. Even those who confessed Jesus as Messiah
now remained hidden so as not to draw attention to themselves. To say
that they experienced a barrier that kept them from dreaming again is to
make an understatement. They had no dreams left to try to dare to raise.
What they needed was a “spark” to rekindle their dreams - or, more
properly, God’s dreams for them.

The apostle Thomas was a man who allowed his dreams to die. Thomas once
held a dream that Jesus was God’s unique messenger who would change the
world. Jesus was the one who would save people from sin and establish
God’s heavenly kingdom on earth. Thomas firmly and fully embraced that
dream as he walked with Jesus for three years. They ate together,
ministered together, laughed together, and cried together. And they
dreamed together. He saw crowds gathered, miracles accomplished, people
healed, and multitudes fed. For a while it seemed he had the world by the
tail.

But now everything had changed. Jesus was more than gone; he was
crucified, dead, and buried. Thomas’s king, his hero, his mentor, his
only hope was dead. The crucifixion changed everything for Thomas. What
once seemed a God-given dream turned into a nightmare!

Then a few days later, Thomas heard from the other disciples that they
had seen Jesus. “I’d like it to be true,” he might have thought, “but I
don’t want to be burned again. I don’t want to get my hopes up again just
to see them dashed.” I’ll be honest with you, if I had been in Thomas’s
position, I would probably have doubted, too. Maybe some of you would not
have, but for those who can identify with me and Thomas, then Thomas’s
lesson for us this morning is necessary. Or, more accurately, Jesus’
lesson to Thomas is necessary.

Before we look at this lesson, let’s review the storyline of John 20.
After the death of Jesus, early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene went to
the tomb and saw the stone had been removed. She ran to tell Peter and
John. Peter and John ran to the tomb and saw the tomb was empty. Peter
entered the tomb and “saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the
burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by
itself, separate from the linen. Finally, the other disciple (John), who
had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed” (vv.
5–8).

After Peter and John leave Mary by the tomb, she sees what she thinks is
the gardener. After she addresses “the gardener,” Jesus addresses her by
name: “Mary.” Mary recognizes the risen Lord Jesus and rushes off to tell
the others.

Then, in verse 19, the disciples are all huddled inside a room with the
doors locked, hiding together. Jesus comes through the locked doors - a
barrier to most people which Jesus overcomes - and says, “Peace be with
you.” Then he shows them his hands and his side. There Jesus was, alive
before them all.

What does it say in verse 24 where I began reading earlier? “Thomas . . .
was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told
him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’” While it’s true that Thomas didn’t believe
his friends, the other disciples didn’t believe when they heard about the
resurrection from Mary. They had to see Jesus alive for themselves before
they believed. Jesus showed them his hands and his side. The disciples
are again in the house, and when Jesus appears, he says, “Put your finger
here (Thomas); see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side.
Stop doubting and believe.” (v. 27) Let’s make a few observations about
the lesson Jesus taught Thomas.

Doubt is compatible with faith. In fact, it is not unusual for doubt to
be the starting point of faith. There are places in the New Testament
that direct us not to doubt, but those were written to churches where
believers gathered. Here, Jesus is addressing one who has yet to believe
that he arose. Jesus did not rebuke Thomas for his doubts.

People have honest doubts. Some more than others. They ask hard
questions. If you have doubts about the reality of Jesus or the ability
of Jesus to do something impossible, I believe if you deal honestly with
doubt, Jesus will give you what you need to move forward. I quote
Tennyson: “There lives more faith in honest doubt, Believe me, than in
half the creeds.”

Remember, the opposite of faith is not doubt. The opposite if faith is
unbelief. I believe that honest doubt and questions are compatible with
faith because they can lead to both belief and growth.

Jesus addresses our doubts and does not leave us hanging. Thomas told
close friends who were trying to convince him that “Unless I see the nail
marks in his hands . . . and put my hand into his side, I will not
believe it.” What did Jesus do with Thomas’s doubt? He used the same
language to address his doubts. Why do you suppose that we have a Bible,
which includes the four gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - which
specifically narrates the life of Jesus? John, along with the three
others, wrote his gospel to give evidence for faith! If his good friend,
Thomas, had doubts, how would anyone else have a chance to believe if the
accounts were not documented? John wrote so that we could have good
historical evidence for the reality of Jesus. You believe that Socrates
and Plato lived in ancient Greece, do you not? There is far more
historical evidence for the existence of Jesus than for anyone else in
antiquity. You have doubts? There are responses to those doubts.

Once Thomas dealt with doubt, he moved to action. Given evidence of the
reality of the resurrection, he responded with commitment, “My Lord and
my God!” (v. 28) Sometimes people can use intellectual objections as a
smokescreen, to avoid real commitment. Not Thomas. When he received the
evidence, he acted on it. Sometimes faith is seen in the waiting, as in
when we “wait upon the Lord.” But when the Lord appears - that is, his
dream which he gives to us - faith is seen in the action. Historians tell
us that Thomas was the first one to evangelize India. I’m told that
Thomas is a hero in India, and that’s why so many Indian Christians are
named Thomas.

What doubts keep you from your dreams? You’re too old; too young; you’re
not yet fully convinced Jesus is the Savior of the world; you’re not from
a Christian family; you haven’t been to Bible school; you’re not equipped
to share Christ. The list can be never-ending. If you are honest with
your doubts, Jesus will help you deal with your doubts. If doubt is what
is keeping you from believing all things are possible, bring your honest
doubt to God! I can’t say that Thomas never doubted again. There is no
record one way or the other. I know few Christians who never doubt.
Praise God for the ones who are able not to doubt; they are an
encouragement to us all. I like the words of Dr. Hutton: “A man who gives
up his Christianity only surrenders a life of faith troubled by doubt for
a life of doubt troubled by faith.” (quoted by Bill Shereos, “Daring to
Dream Again,” 50-Day Spiritual Adventure Pastor’s Manual, Wheaton:
Mainstay Ministries, 2003, p. B308)

Everything is different because of the resurrection. Every God-given
dream is possible! Once more, I want to encourage you to stick with the
lessons learned in this, or any other, 50-Day Spiritual Adventure. Recall
from the many introductory remarks about the Spiritual Adventure you have
read and heard: the 50 days are not meant to be a stopping point; they
are meant to be the time taken to develop new habits. New habits of Bible
study, prayer, fellowship, outreach, mission, evangelism. A dream doesn’t
have to be complicated to be real. In fact, more often than not, the
simpler the dream, the better it will be accomplished. God, I can’t
evangelize everyone in Bunker Hill, much less the world. OK. Then how
about establishing a goal to develop two or three new relationships this
year and pray that when the opportunity arises to share Christ, you take
the opportunity. How about keeping track of some of your church’s special
outreaches - music groups, vacation Bible school, plays, and such -
inviting someone new to attend the special event, and then following up
with an invitation to try out Sunday school and a worship service? How
about taking a fresh look at the spiritual gifts you have discovered
before and seeing where those best work in the life of your church? Or,
if you have never discovered your spiritual gifts, then how about
discovering those that God has given you? We have tools to assist anyone
in that process. How about just taking that first step to believe in
Jesus Christ as your Savior?

The list can go on and on, but the message is the same. Evaluate where
you stand with God; evaluate what dreams you might have dropped along the
way or what new dreams God has given you today; pray to God in earnest
about them; seek counsel from other Christians - we are usually not meant
to do God’s work in a vacuum; with the certainty in belief that God has
called you to do this dream, and with the confirmation and support of
other believers, then take action steps to carry out the dream God has
placed in you. Who knows what kind of faith will be spread from just a
little spark of rekindled dream?

(adapted from Bill Shereos, “Daring to Dream Again,” 50-Day Spiritual
Adventure Pastor’s Manual, Wheaton: Mainstay Ministries, 2003, pp.
B307-B309)

Rev. Charles A. Layne, pastor, First Baptist Church, Bunker Hill, IN

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