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In touch

Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues

 

Too good to be true?

‘Why do doubts arise in your hearts?’ (Luke 24:38). Questions and doubts are recurring companions on the journey of faith.

 

Context

• The resurrection stories in the Gospels are full of disciples struggling to believe the good news of the resurrection. Thomas isn’t the only one to have his doubts. In different ways they each need evidence to confirm for themselves the news that Jesus is risen. Methodist minister Revd Rod Hill, writing on p.8 of the Connexion magazine, explains how as a scientist he was trained to follow the evidence and how this has been important for him on his journey of faith.
• Trauma and grief can make believing even the best news difficult. For Palestinian Christians, Easter this year has been particularly challenging. And yet the news of Christ risen has been celebrated.
• Michael and Anne (names changed) had hoped, prayed and tried for a child for many years. Three days before one final operation was scheduled, a blue line appeared in the pregnancy test window. Their reaction was stunned silence and a quick trip to the chemist to buy two more tests to double and triple check the result. Nine months later Matthew (which means gift of God) was born.

 

Ideas for sermons or interactive talks

• Our readings from Luke and Acts remind us there are different ways of believing. The disciples in Luke needed evidence of a physical nature. In Acts, the evidence presented by Peter comes from the Hebrew Scriptures and Peter’s testimony. Elsewhere, Mary Magdalene, for example, needed the emotional evidence of Jesus calling her name (John 20:16). You might like to present some different ways of believing that are apparent in the Easter stories and invite people to share with one another what sort of evidence is important for their faith.
• Because we know how the story ends it is easy to underestimate how traumatised by grief and fear the disciples would have been in the wake of the horrors of Good Friday. It is notable how many times Jesus had to provide the reassurance they needed to move from a place of trauma to a place of new life. You might like to reflect on the nature of grief and trauma and how resurrection faith can take time to form. Note the importance of the characteristic greeting of Jesus, ‘Peace be with you.’
• In our Acts text, Peter needed to explain the good news of Jesus to a disbelieving crowd. In our predominantly secular and sceptical age and society, how might we share the good news of Christ risen to those who think Easter is just about chocolate and bunnies? Is it too good to be true?

 

Questions for discussion

• Have you, like Anne and Michael, ever experienced something that seemed to be too good to be true, but was actually the case? Looking back how do you now understand this? Is it appropriate to use the word miracle?

• What forms of evidence are important to us in forming our faith? And if we are seeking to share our faith with others what sort of evidence may be important for those we share with?

• For those grieving or in trauma, how can we be bearers of the words of the risen Jesus, ‘Peace be with you’? How might these words help to form our prayers as we continue to pray for those in Gaza and Israel and Ukraine?
• From the horrors of Good Friday to the joy and wonder of the resurrection and post-Pentecost stories: How does this transition give you hope in the midst of the trying times we are living in and any personal trials that you, or those you love, may be experiencing?

Andrew Roberts is a husband, father, Methodist minister and the author of Holy Habits. He enjoys watching football and, despite that, supports Aston Villa.

 

Check-in

Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people

We all make mistakes – ranging from the silly to the very serious. In this week’s news, we see a German art gallery worker who hung up his own artwork without permission, through to the Post Office staff who ignored tech problems leading to many sub-postmasters going to prison unjustly.

When we look at mistakes we have made we should not be defined by the mistake itself but how we have responded in the face of it. In our Bible reading, Peter points out the mistakes that many, including he himself made. Denying that Jesus was the Son of God, the people handed him over to the authorities and demanded his death, thus killing the ‘author of life’. But Peter does not simply attack the people, he suggests how to respond to the mistake and make amends. He says that they acted in ignorance but now, having seen signs that Jesus has risen and is truly the Son of God, they must repent and receive God’s favour.

Peter himself denied Jesus three times, which was a grave mistake. Yet he owned up and turned his life around, overcoming his ignorance. As a result, Jesus entrusted him with building his Church on earth. The life of Peter shows us how to live after our mistakes – with courage and by making amends. And Peter teaches us that Jesus offers repentance, no matter what we have done. No matter our mistakes, we can always go to Christ for forgiveness and new life.

We all make mistakes. But do not let the mistake define you – live boldly and confidently through your response. Take courage to pick yourself up, commit to doing the right thing where you did the wrong, offer your mistakes up to Jesus, and you will find forgiveness and newness of life, in this life and in the next.

Joe Allen is a Theology postgraduate and works as a Pastoral Assistant in the Anglican Diocese of Southwark.

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