April 18, 2004; The Second Sunday of Easter Readings: Acts 5:12a, 17-22, 25-29; Revelation 1:9-19; John 20:19-31; Psalm 118:19-24.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith The Hands-On Experience Every now and then, I hear a person say that he or she does not believe in God. Or sometimes, more specifically, he or she cannot believe in Christianity. Then I wonder: "What exactly does this person not believe?" When I delve a little deeper, I find their idea of God is so limited. Often the God that people don’t believe in is some childhood God forced on them. This is the God who quickly became unreal. This God became unreal and inaccessible when childhood questions were met with condemnation. A friend of mine spoke of asking questions as a child. There were curious, good, searching questions. He was told that it was wrong to question. He should just believe. He hasn’t gone to church since high school. We do have the gift of faith that comes to us through the generations. The traditions that we have inherited are good and right and rich. For some, faith does come at an early age from their parents or grandparents. Belief for some comes early, through positive teaching and examples, and matures at a steady pace as they grow. Faith for them has always made sense. That is a wonderful and true experience of belief. Such faith is rare among people I have known. It was not a gift that I would experience. Thankfully, the grace of God comes in many different ways. Faith comes in different ways. The ways are distinctive, but in every case, faith comes through experience. Simply being told is not enough. The story of Thomas shows that personal experience is everything. Thomas has such a bad rap. Everyone knows that being labeled a "doubting Thomas" is a bad thing. Is this really fair to Thomas? After all, the other disciples had seen Jesus. Thomas demands a hands-on experience. He will not be satisfied with theoretical knowledge. He will not be satisfied with second-hand accounts. Nor should he be. Thomas is a great example of Christian discipleship. He wants to experience the story for himself. We all need to experience the story for ourselves. Belief is never something "out there." Belief, faith, grows within us as we are touched by the presence of God. Belief comes through experience. Thomas opened himself to the possibility of an encounter with Jesus and he was not disappointed. Believing is not passive, but requires taking part in the life of Christ. We are told that Thomas touched the wounds of Jesus. We all need to touch the Risen Christ. We may need to enlarge our vision of what touching the Risen Christ means. We touch the Risen Christ when we participate in the church—in yard sales, outreach projects, educational opportunities, fellowship times, and of course through worship. When we get involved in the struggles of our times, we met God there. We touch the Risen Christ when we reach out to those in need. If you are wondering what faith is all about, get involved in ministry. Get the hands-on-experience. I find the god that people do not believe in has nothing to do with their lives. That makes sense. The God who exists has everything to do with our lives. God does not hide out in heaven. God comes to us and dwells with us in the good times and in the bad. As I think about all the conflict in the world, I am struck by Thomas’ demands to see the wounds. He wanted to see and touch them. We see so many wounds in our world today. Our God is not one who hides out in heaven. God is known in the struggles and in the joy of real life. The wounds are there; the resurrection does not erase the fact of suffering. The wounds are there for Thomas to touch. "Put your finger here Thomas and see." See that the violence, fear, hatred, and pain while real, have been transformed. Expect to experience God in the reality of your life. Don’t settle for second hand account. Jesus died and rose for you and for me. We are all invited share in the Risen life of Christ. Amen.