The Diocese of East Tennessee
Sermons

May 7, 2000
Easter III
Delivered at St. Raphael's, Crossville

Sermon: Joy's Disbelief
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

I am grateful to the people of St. Raphael's for your kind welcome of me on this visit. Actually, I divided the visit by spending time here on Tuesday as well. At that time, I enjoyed seeing some of the vestry and the confirmation candidates, as well as attending one of the Bible studies. Annie sends her regrets at not being with us today. One of our sons is preparing for marriage this summer, and this weekend marked a big party in Knoxville. Family and friends have come to share the event, and in fact, it may be that Annie regrets not being here for more reasons than one. In any event, she plans to be with me in the future.

I want to say a word of thanks to your rector as well. I am grateful for Father Paul's good work here in Crossville and for what he does as a priest in the larger Church as well. Thank you, sir, for all that you do.

I once knew a man with a special medical problem. Actually, the problem was in his mind, rather than having a particular physical manifestation. He was terrified of cancer. While most of us have a respect for that disease - and perhaps a bit of fear - this man's fear was excessive. He worried about it all the time.

The day came that he had to enter the hospital for tests. He was certain of what the diagnosis would be, and he had convinced most of his friends of the same. Those of us who dealt with him in the hospital did what we could to console him but without much success. In fact, no one was very hopeful - especially the patient - and that made the situation especially difficult.

And then the test results came back. They were negative. There was no cancer!

We who knew the patient were overwhelmingly happy. We had expected the worst. Indeed, because of our friend's own convictions, we had prepared ourselves for such a diagnosis. Yet, the expected bad news did not materialize. The patient did have a medical problem but one that could be treated fairly simply. And so, we were ecstatic.

But the patient reacted quite differently. It was almost as though he did not believe the test results…and he intended to prove them wrong. Right before our eyes, we saw his condition deteriorate rather than improve. The doctors had no explanation for this strange turn of events, except than one eventually said that the patient had "lost his will to live." And it was not very long afterwards that he died.

Now, that is a dramatic example of a familiar situation…an example, in this case, that turned out very badly. In fact, though, any one of us can become "stuck" in some unhealthy or awkward or troublesome circumstance - a past wrong that plagues us, a relationship gone bad, a hope or a dream that has not materialized. We seem stuck there, without hope of getting unstuck. But, then, we are delivered somehow from that circumstance. Forgiveness is often involved … forgiveness or forgetfulness or some merciful new perspective on life. In any event, we are delivered - wonderfully delivered - from whatever bond had held us. And what is our first reaction? "I can't believe it!" "This really isn't happening!" "It cannot be true!"

A similar kind of reaction is evident in the response of the disciples to Jesus, following his resurrection. Jesus had spoken to them about that resurrection on several occasions, indicating to them something about what to expect. Yet, the disciples did not think of those words after Jesus was killed. They thought only of his terrible death, of the end of the exciting and meaningful times they had shared with him, and of the current threat to their own lives. The disciples, in fact, were a frightened, disorganized, disillusioned group following the death of their leader. And, thus, the prospect of his being alive seemed too good to be true…beyond imagination.

We read the account of one of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances in the Gospel this morning. The risen Christ appeared to those disciples - that frightened, pitiful group. And their reaction is put vividly in the reading - "in their joy, they were disbelieving." This reaction should remind us of the reading about Thomas last week.

The disciples had come to anticipate certain things about their future after Jesus' crucifixion. And that anticipation was filled with pessimism and discouragement and fright. They could see no prospect for good or for hope.

And therefore, when Jesus came, "in their joy, they were disbelieving." The joy of what his appearing meant called forth disbelief from them. It was not what they had expected. It seemed too good to be true.

We, too, have experienced those last days Jesus spent on earth - experienced them as best we can through time. We have remembered Jesus' passion - his suffering and his death. We have reflected on the meaning of those events for us personally. We have walked the way of the cross - at least as observers and, perhaps, as sincere seekers.

Also, we have celebrated Jesus' resurrection. We have proclaimed with joy the "Alleluia" of Easter. Perhaps we have found the Easter eggs, and I hope we have also found something of the message behind the Easter celebration.

And, yet, it may be that our questions remain … the questions of joy's disbelief. "What if Jesus really did appear after his death?" "What if I actually believe that?" "And if I do believe it, is not my whole life different?" "Do I dare put my faith in the message of Easter…or is it simply too joyful, too good to believe?"

The appearances of Jesus after the resurrection - like the appearance we read about today - these appearances serve to undergird the reality of the resurrection. And our Easter faith is based on that reality. Christ's Easter victory may seem too good to be true, and yet, it is precisely there that our faith has its foundation.

Without the resurrection, we have very little to say to this world, for it is a world of death, of disbelief, and of despair. Ours is a world in which apparent healing can be followed by death and where we can get "stuck" in all kinds of unhealthy behaviors and actions and relationships. Yet, with the resurrection, our message is quite different indeed.

We proclaim that even as this world is passing away, a new world is being born. As Easter people, we affirm the values of human dignity and of unselfish love. We hope for eternal life, with the resurrection of Christ as the source of our hope. And we dare to believe with joy that the message of the cross and resurrection provides the answers to our quest for meaning in life.

Therefore, I issue you a challenge this morning. Dare to believe the Good News of Easter. Dare to believe it. Do not disbelieve because of the overwhelming joyfulness of it. Rather, grasp that joy with all your heart, and dare to believe that it is true. Resurrection makes all the difference to our Faith, and it makes all the difference in our lives as well. Dare to believe it!

Copyright © 2000 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee