04-11-21 Holy Humor Sunday

First Congregational Church
April 11, 2021
Holy Humor Sunday
John 20:19-31
“The Very Serious State of Joy”
Rev. Dinah Haag, preaching


Because it is only appropriate to hear from Sven and Ole on a day such as this, it happened that Sven appeared on ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ and toward the end of the program had already won $500,000.

“You’ve done very well so far,” said Regis Philbin, best tv host ever.
“But for a million dollars, you’ve only got one life-line left: phone a friend. Everything is riding on this question. Will you go for it?” “Sure,” said Sven “I’ll have a go!”
“Which of the following birds does NOT build its own nest? a) Sparrow, b) Thrush, c) Magpie, d) Cuckoo?”

“I haven’t got a clue,” said Sven, ”so I’ll use my last lifeline and phone my friend Ole.”
Sven called up Ole, relayed the circumstances and repeated the question. “Vell, Sven!” cried Ole. “Dat’s simple. It’s a cuckoo.” “Are you sure?” “Yah, sure, ya bettcha.”
Sven hung up the phone and told Regis, “I’ll go with cuckoo as my answer.” “Is that your final answer?” asked Regis. “Dat it is.” There was a long, long pause and then Regis exclaimed, “Cuckoo is the correct answer! Sven, you’ve won 1 million dollars!

The next night, Sven invited Ole to the Stormcloud to celebrate. “Tell me, Ole, How in Heaven’s name did you know it was da Cuckoo that doesn’t build its own nest?” “Because everyone knows they live in a clock!”:) When I thought about it yesterday afternoon, I was a little sad that so many children will not understand that joke one day.

Speaking of a little sad, this morning’s scripture passage picks up the story line after the famous Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. One could guess that there was still a lot going on in town, being that it was just after Passover, probably a lot like the energy of the day after the 4th of July. Except that there were twelve men who had lost their friend, crucified on a cross for being a perceived threat to the king. And the Jewish leaders were in an uproar because Jesus had caused so much disruption to the way that life had always been, and now there were rumors flying that Jesus wasn’t dead after all. Fear of Romans and of Jewish leaders was a very closes and present enemy.

John 20:19-31
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of John’s Gospel
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Thank you, Melissa. Over the years, I have come to change my understanding of Thomas. I think for a long time, he’s received the short end of the stick. Maybe it was his turn to go out and pickup dinner for everyone when Jesus showed up to the eleven. And just imagine, eleven of your friends all piling around you telling you that the one you all were grieving over stopped by.

How ticked would you be that it was your turn to run to the A&W that evening to get supper? And you’re supposed to believe the others, who very well might be playing a dastardly practical joke on you? And then they have the gall to say that Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit onto them. And they keep at it, passing it off as a reality for the whole next week. Very funny joke.

I wonder how many of us have really thought about the exchange between Thomas and Jesus, when Jesus uses Thomas’ words - almost exactly verbatim - in the invitation to confirm Jesus’ identity. Could those words be a code - of healing over what may have seemed as an exclusion, because Jesus “knew” of the situation after he left the disciples, after his first appearance.

This past week, the ministerial association met, and as our devotional, this passage was read, and we were asked what things popped out at us - maybe something that we’d not heard before. I don’t remember who it was that pointed out that Jesus, offered Thomas an answer to his dismay and hurt; that he met Thomas at his point of pain and offered healing - like Jesus meeting you where you are so you can be healed.

It was also brought up that this scenario was not indifference to Thomas’ “need,” but that it was turned into acceptance - like Christ not being indifferent to your needs, loving you where you are, just as you are.

Of course, my interpretation was influenced by the interweaving of the passages and the timeline of Jesus’ last week that was included in the Palm Sunday bulletin. (If you’d like that, let me know and I’ll get it to you.)

My 2021 experience of Thomas’s encounter with Christ was colored by all the fatigue of that Holy Week - of all the back and forth walking between Jerusalem and Bethany, of trying to mentally keep up with his friend, who was taking on individuals and ways of life that were exhausting, the fear of the Romans and the Jewish leaders and of course, the grief of his friend’s passing.

What caught this ol’ heart was all the fear, fatigue and grief over the course of two weeks (interesting how those things have been such a part of our current culture for the last year), and Jesus’ response, which was to bestow the Holy Spirit - like Pentecost for the other disciples and to pronounce “peace” three times. And you know, if it’s repeated more than once, it’s a thing.  Three times and it’s holy.

Holy peace - because Jesus had it all in hand. He’d defeated death, overturned evil’s stronghold, and had officially begun the fulfillment of a life without end for all God’s beloved. That was the peace on which the disciples could rest on. It’s the peace upon which we can rest, too, despite those times when it may seem as if our world is crazier than its ever been.

Knowing that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit have all in hand, that’s what can bring us peace, which is where we can see the joy of all that has been done for us. Even if you were the only person in the world, Christ would still have defeated death, overturned evil and promised eternal life - for you. And that’s where joy grows best. Believing that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, we may have life in his name. And that is why we can laugh as the priests of old after celebrating Easter.

So we can appreciate one of the latest headlines, that Bigfoot is sometimes confused with Sasquatch, Yeti never complains. So we need not worry about our smartphones and tvs spying on us. Our vacuum cleaners have been gathering dirt on us for years.
And so it is that we don't hav to believe what we see in the cartoons - that no matter how hard you throw a toilet plunger, it won't actually stick to someone's face. Don't ask me how I know this.

Stephen Garnaas Holmes said it so well this week. “The Damaged One emerges from trauma with peace. His wounds, his brokenness, evidence of what such peace endures. Through doors of pain, walls of despair, he comes with peace. Your, beloved, he comes through. Gravestone, locked door, unbelief do not keep him from you. Now and yet to come, he’e here. Now your pain can breathe. I think we can finish that poem with “Now our peace can smile.”

At a hotel restaurant, a man sees an attractive woman sitting alone at the next table. Suddenly, she sneezes, and a glass eye comes flying out of her eye socket. It hurles by the man, and he snatches it from the air and hands it back to her. "This is so embarrassing," the woman says, and she pops her eye back in place. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you. Let me buy you dinner to make it up to you. May I join you?" He nods.

The woman is a stimulating conversationalist, stunningly beautiful, and the man finds they have a lot in common. He gets her phone number and asks, "you are the most charming woman I've ever encountered. Are you this nice to every guy you meet?”
“No,” she replies. “You just happened to catch my eye.”

Amy Weatherly once said, "Some people could be given an entire field of roses and only see the thorns in it. Others could be given a single weed and only see the wild flower in it. Perception is a key component to gratitude. And gratitude is a key component to Joy.”

During the “time for children” at the morning worship at Hoytville United Methodist Church, the pastor was explaining that Christians are the “light,” “salt,” and “leaven” of the world. The children understood “light” and “salt,” but when the pastor asked them what “leaven” is, they were silent. Finally young Michelle Williamson spoke up: “It's what comes after ten.”

A teacher asked why a little boy was late for Sunday school. The boy answered: “I got behind a slow dog.” Not in our church bulletin, but in a church bulletin, “Don’t let worry kill you off - let the church help.” “Joy is the flag you fly when the Prince of Peace is in your heart.” - Wilfred Peterson.

Rev. David Elsensohn, St. Peter’s by-the-Sea, Sitka, AK: “The Christian faith is based on an empty tomb. On the third day after the world did its very worst to Jesus, God won. God would not allow God’s Son to remain dead and raised him to new life again. “Easter shouts to every dark place in the world that brokenness, disappointment, failure, heartbreak, and death are not the final words. The final word is the love of God. The gift of Easter - a second, third, or infinite number of opportunities to start all over again. This is the very practical message of Easter.” So let us pray.

God of holiness and joy and grace and love, thank you for loving us to the point of sending your son to us and raising him again, that we might have hope and joy, too. Help each of us to look for those places of healing in difficult times, and for those who bring light in darkness. Let us be such healing and light to those who are suffering. And thank you, too, for faith - the ability to believe that you have all things in hand and will help us through to that place of peace and rest and joy. For your love and attention to all of life, all your people thank you with our, Amen.