Who is God?

Second Reading Revelation 1.4-8

John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.
So shall it be! Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Gospel John 20.19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 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 it.”

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!” 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.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Sermon

Might seem perverse to ask question ‘Who is God?” If the proverbial Man from Mars arrives tomorrow and asks this question – what would we answer?

On ‘Doubting Thomas Sunday’ – might seem equally perverse to preach on anything other than today’s gospel from John 20.

Continuing theme of expectation – disciples did not have long to wait after burial of Jesus before word of resurrection forced them to confront just this question. Who is God? Thomas was otherwise engaged. What was he doing? His comrades were hiding in Upper Room. Was he braver than they were – risking arrest and crucifixion or hard labour himself? Or was lying low alone? We don’t know.

Anyway, on the evening of the first day of the week, the disciples encountered the risen Jesus. They were overjoyed. He breathed on them God’s Spirit. But did they associate the risen Christ with the one true God?

Thomas famously doubted. He wanted not only eye witness evidence but physical contact too. Thomas was not one to be won over by an apparition. Only Thomas declares Jesus “My Lord – and My God” when he is convinced. This was the greatest blasphemy of all for any Jew – so did he mean what he actually said?

This year we are reading from Lectionary Year C. It’s a 3-year cycle. Only this year do we get a string of readings from Revelation. They start today – Easter 2 – and last until Easter 7. I wonder how many preachers will stick with Thomas, and how many will even mention Revelation?

It would be a shame not to – especially as today’s passage seeks to answer the very question: “Who is God?” After the opening greeting, John the Seer starts with 3 points:

· First - the greeting is from One who was and is and is to come. This tells us God has not changed. The God of OT has not retired.

· Second – greeting is from seven spirits who are before God’s throne. 7 in scripture is the number of completion. John addresses Revelation to the seven churches that are in Asia. To write to 7 is to address all churches. Greeting from 7 spirits around the throne is greeting from all.

· Third – greeting is from “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” Jesus has three attributes.

* First – ‘faithful witness.’ Word for witness here in Gk is martyr. A martyr is one who has died. This means Jesus was faithful as a witness even unto death.

* Second – Jesus has been resurrected. He is firstborn from the dead. Those in the Upper Room and the early Christians faced persecution and martyrdom themselves. The knowledge that Jesus himself, the first martyr, was resurrected must have been a great encouragement and comfort to them.

* Third – it is now Jesus who ultimately is ruler over all the kings of the earth.

So in answer to question Who is God? – answer in v8 is God is God. The constant battle in Revelation is between the true God, the God of Israel, the incarnate God who is Jesus, and the false gods of this world.

God is the One “who is and who was and who is to come.” God is, was, and will be the Alpha and the Omega. Alpha, of course, is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. Omega is the last letter. So in answer to our question, God is before the beginning and after the end.

In John’s day, the false gods and kings of the earth over whom Christ will reign included the Roman emperors (who also claimed the title lord and god.) This morning we can ask ourselves who are today’s equivalents? What are our false gods? Who are the powers and rulers of this world that stand in opposition to the one true God? In other words, what are the gods and powers of this world that are attracting people in this day and age, and what does the true God have to say to us about them?

When Thomas declares Jesus is “my Lord and my God” Revelation helps us flesh out what he is actually saying about him. All of those titles – faithful witness; the One who freed us from our sins by his death; ruler over the powers of this world; the one who loves us – all describe for us the risen Christ in all his fullness.

They open up the Almighty to us, just as on TV The Wonders of the Solar System reveal to us what we had only previously observed by looking at the night sky.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ... to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.