SERMON: "Blessed are those who believe.”
One of my favorite church related jokes, is the one about a man who questions his wife as she returns from Sunday Service. “Why are you even going? Do you really believe all that stuff? My intelligence is the greatest obstacle to my faith. My intelligence simply hinders me to believe… “
Then the wise wife replies: “Then that is not a big obstacle!”
“Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, I cannot believe!”
Some people see the world only in terms of obvious physical realties. Others view the world through the lens of blind faith. Both groups are like the Cyclopes of Ancient stories whose vision is limited to what they can see with only one eye. They are both missing the world’s multidimensional glory and beauty.
We truly need both “eyes”: our intelligence and our spirituality.
Seeing is a form of believing but believing is also a form of seeing.
So, often we as modern people are one sighted and might excuse our lack of faith with the fact that we are indeed modern intelligent scientific rational people, who cannot believe anything that we cannot proof, measure, or calculate.
Countless times at a dinner table, when it was disclosed that I was indeed a pastor and in the religious spiritual business, it has been said over the potatoes and gravy: “I cannot believe that there is a God sitting on a cloud somewhere, that there is a heaven nor a hell, that Jesus was anything else that a good teacher…. and then… to ridicule faith and religion even more: and I do not believe in the Tooth Fairies, Nisser, or Santa Claus either.”
Well, I must admit that I do not believe in Tooth Ferries, Nisser or Santa Claus either, - but I do believe that they bring joy and carry good messages with them.
I do believe in God, not sitting on a cloud with a long white beard in human recognizable shape and form, - but a God being the creative force, source, and beginning of our world, lives and beings. I do not need to see God; I need to believe him because the beauty and abundance of creation and because of life is given to me every single day. I see him clearly with spiritual religious eyes.
I do believe in Jesus as one of the finest religious teachers, but I also believe in him as the Son of God, a Risen savior who proved the eternal endless power of love, who could penetrate locked doors and closed minds. Because of his teachings, his healings, his manifested miracles, his suffering and death. I see him clearly with spiritual religious eyes.
I do believe in the Holy Spirit, that breath, that spirit, that shared humanity, moving within us, around us and between us. Uniting us in humanity and in faith. I clearly feel this spirit and feel its power with my spiritual religious senses.
I do believe, but I also know that faith and hope always is accompanied with doubt and questioning. As it is a living breathing faith. Not a blind static faith of monumental dusty statements, but a living faith of spirit, change, love, compassion and hope.
I always say to the confirmands that you do not need to be stupid to be a Christian and you are not required to leave you brains at the church door.
Science, history, sociology, phycology, biology, chemistry, astrophysics, math…. All of these are gifts and tools to try to understand the world we live in. Science seeks to discover more about this world, life and universe, and through time humanity has made incredible and credible discoveries and inventions to explain this life of ours.
Science asks “how” questions, while religion asks “why” questions. And both types of questions are valuable and meaningful for us as humans. Science and faith are not two competing views, but two views that complement each other. If we accept and respect that both science and religion are needed in our lives, we may discover more about truth than if we only accepted one of them. We truly need both eyes to see.
Thomas is one of my favorite people in the Bible. Because he is so relatable. Because we recognize our own human doubt in him and his words. We recognize his longing for proof and tangible evidence.
“Doubting Thomas” he is often called, which might for many put him in a less flattering light.
But rest assure the Thomass’es in the pews today, and especially the two Thomas’es about to be confirmed today, - rest assure Thomas is a great name to hold as to be doubting is part of having a living faith: always trying and struggling to understand, always eager to ask questions, always wanting to believe but keeping a skeptical approach. But remember that doubting Thomas also was hopeful Thomas, who was longing and looking deeper.
As the other disciples experienced the miracle of the Risen Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit, eventually Thomas does too.
“Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.”
27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Do not be unbelieving. Believe.”
28 Thomas said, “My Master! My God!”
29 Jesus said, “So, you believe because you have seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.”
Those who believe without seeing. That is us. Living here in 2022, sitting here in church with our skepticism, our longing for proofs and need for touchable knowledge.
Do we dare to believe? Are we able to leave doubt and fear behind us?
SLIDE 15 Faith is trust. Faith is to trust in God and trust that this life and world of ours is not a hopeless place to be. Faith is to trust that God is with us. Faith is to believe in our shared humanity and dependence even if we cannot prove it – but we feel it and need it.
Faith is to believe that it does matter how we live, which choices we make, how we treat one another and if we dare to have hopes and dreams.
So, today we ask Jesus Christ to come through our closed doors of skepticism and doubt, to instill faith, hope and love in us.
So, today we ask The Holy Spirit to breathe life and faith into us.
so, today we ask God to grant us his Peace and blessing.
Because we do believe without seeing the nails and the wounds of Jesus.
The Story about Doubting Thomas tells us that proof and belief are both powerful ways of obtaining certainty.
We can prove things we find hard to believe. We can believe in things we find hard to prove.
So, aim to make good use of all your senses, your two eyes, two ears, both sides of the brain, your nose, mouth, and touch….
Thus, our intelligence is not an obstacle to our faith, but part of our faith. Which might make us wiser, more compassionate, humble. Just like Thomas. Amen.
Speech to Confirmands.
Dear Confirmands. Dear 11!
How wonderful it is to be here with you today! All 11 of you at the same time in the same place! Today is the first time since we began Confirmation Classes in November 2021 that we have indeed been together in person: the 11 of you and your families! So, welcome and I am so glad to see you all.
We have indeed been a Hybrid Confirmation Class in these strange times of Pandemic and Post Pandemic gatherings. We have embraced the technology to be together even if you are in Encinitas, Los Angeles, Simi Valley, Long Beach, Mission Viejo, Santa Monica, or even out of State in Oregon, Texas, and Georgia.
So, welcome marvelous 11, seated in the red chairs of honor, looking even better than I remember you ever did! Welcome families and friends, congregation. Welcome to this day of Confirmation and Celebration!
Dear Confirmands – this is your day! So let God’s blessing shine on you and let your smiles shine on us!
Through our virtual classes, in person classes, hybrid classes and especially at our wonderful Confirmation Camp in February, - we have had conversations about faith. Conversations about how faith shows in our choices and actions and how faith truly matters in our lives.
Faith gives us hope and foundation: faith confirms that we are indeed loved and blessed: faith gives us guidance and grace: faith shows us the fundamental importance of hope and love in our lives – even and especially as post pandemic young boys and girls trying to find your path in life. Faith matters!
You are seated in the red chairs of honor, but those red chairs are also the chairs of love. Red as passion, love and spirit that you truly need in your lives. Not just to sit comfortable on, but to live on: to act with justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.
You are here with your families: those who have been your closest from your very first breath, and those you can depend on and trust. Those who have tried to bring you up, instill courage and kindness in you and prepare you for life. Those who have graciously driven or flown you here today. Please look at your parents and be grateful for your supportive families.
It has been comforting and encouraging to be in conversations with you, as you truly are a generation of young people with dreams not just for yourselves, but you are a better world. A generation who wants to focus on kindness, care, commitment, and love.
You have all chosen a confirmation word for today. A key sentence from the NT that is your confirmation word today, and hopefully a sentence that will follow you in the years to come and the choices to make:
· Let your light shine before others
· Treat others as you would like to be treated
· Avoid evil, hold fast to what is good
· Overcome evil with good
· Be merciful, give and forgive
· For nothing will be impossible with God.
Today you confirm your faith.
Today God confirms his faith in you as his beloved children.
So be brave, humble, kind and courageous.
Be good and be a good neighbor.
Embrace life. Extend grace and love without fear.
Always let your light shine in a world that too often is filled with darkness.
Put your imprint on this church, this time and this world.
God and be the light of the world.
Congratulations. Tillykke. You beautiful 11 young ones, we wish you long and strong lives!
Disse smukke 11 unge mennesker, gid I laenge leve maa!
Act with justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
Amen