See for yourself

Welcome.

Yeah, there we are.

My name's Dave.

Welcome if you're visiting this morning.

There goes my notes.

Could I get someone to turn that fan off?

That'd be great.

Well, back in 2017, my wife Emma and I had the privilege of going to see for ourselves parts of Europe.

And what I thought would be the best thing when we were setting off didn't turn out to be my favourite thing.

We'll come to this one later.

I thought my favourite thing was going to be Liverpool.

I bought tickets and it was the highlight of our itinerary.

We got to see firsthand Mo Salah.

I'm going to use my right foot.

He's left footed.

I'm sure this really matters for the sermon.

But he half volleyed into the back of the net just before my eyes.

And I just wanted to jump.

I wanted to cheer.

But I feared for my life because I was in the opponent's seating area.

But it was amazing.

We didn't know where we were staying that night.

We had somewhere booked.

But we're going to be really late into our hotel room.

And Emma was worried about whether we get in or not.

I didn't care.

We got to see Liverpool.

Like, why are you worrying about that, Emma?

Like, we saw Liverpool.

Anyway, I thought that was going to be the highlight.

It wasn't.

As you can tell, it was up there.

But we saw some amazing things.

Like, we saw the classics like Eiffel Tower.

We saw Venice.

Saw Michelangelo's statue of David.

We saw, what else did we see?

Saw the Colosseum.

Saw all these amazing things.

None of them were my highlight.

None of them came even close to my highlight and my favourite thing.

I was watching Grand Designs the other night.

If you come to this church, I've used Grand Designs as an illustration,

so you know what I've been watching lately.

But this episode was about a guy called Brahm and his wife.

And they, on the Isle of Wight, they built this massive, massive modern home for their family.

They spared no expense.

They set a record for Grand Designs for money spent, which is saying something like three million pounds.

I don't know what that is in our currency.

They spared no expense.

Like, for his young family, he wanted huge rooms for his two children,

along with the games room and everything else that you could imagine.

Now, what motivated them was that a few years earlier, Brahm had a brain hemorrhage

and he spent 11 days in a coma.

And then months and months, you could imagine recovering.

And so he just wanted to seize life after that.

He wanted the perfect family home for peace, overlooking the ocean for his family.

He can understand that.

And they said it multiple times when they were talking through that there might not be a tomorrow.

He might not be here tomorrow.

You can understand that motivation, can't you?

The sad thing by the end of the episode was that Brahm, he couldn't enjoy the house

because he took out 11 different loans to pay for this thing.

Like, one of them was 540,000 high interest loan, as well as other bank loans, loans from his friends,

from his family.

And he even got a loan from a supermarket chain.

I don't even know how you go about doing that.

But he couldn't enjoy it.

Like, the host asked them, was it all worth it, how much you spent?

The wife was just like, yes.

I'm not sure I believed her.

But his face, he's just loaded with debt.

He couldn't even enjoy it.

I think we're all a bit like Brahm.

I think we are going all in on something.

Brahm put his faith in this house, this perfect family home, to give him life and peace.

But it didn't deliver in the end.

But I think we're all like that.

It may not be a house that you go all in on.

But I think we all go all in.

We put our faith in something or someone to give us that peace and life.

I don't know why you're here today.

If you've come to church for the first time in a long time,

I'm guessing that whatever you're putting faith in,

whatever you're going all in on, isn't going so well.

We're going to hear a bit of the Bible now from John's Gospel.

And I just want you to imagine and hear a different kind of house,

a different kind of family home that Jesus offers.

John 14, 1 to 7.

Let not your hearts be troubled.

Believe in God.

Believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many rooms.

If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again and will take you myself.

That where I am, you may be also.

And you know the way to where I'm going.

Thomas said to him,

Lord, we don't know where you're going.

How can we know?

The way.

Jesus said to him,

I am the way,

the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you had known me,

you would have known my Father also.

From now on,

you do know him

and have seen him.

Jesus' promises,

they're unique.

Like all other religious leaders,

they point and they say,

here's the way to God.

Here it is.

That's the way.

Here's what you need to do to get there.

But here's a guy who's saying,

I'm the way.

His claims are unique.

His promises are unique.

He says he can guarantee our tomorrow.

He's saying,

and the day after,

and the day after that,

into forever.

He's saying that we can have a place

in God's family,

in God's family home.

Huge promises.

He's unique.

And he's saying that there's no back door.

He says,

I am the only way.

So Thomas at this point,

he knows that Jesus has to go somewhere

and prepare a place for him

in God's family home.

But he wasn't ready for what Jesus meant.

He wasn't expecting it.

He wasn't ready for it.

It caused Thomas severe doubt

because that very night

after speaking these words

and the next day,

he's betrayed by a close friend.

He's arrested.

He goes to a courtroom

where it is totally rigged

and they sentence him to death.

He's beaten

and he's just weak

and mocked

and publicly ridiculed

and then

he's nailed to a cross

until he suffocates.

We're just going to read

the end of

Jesus' death

just to get a feel

for

why Thomas

doubted

Jesus.

John 19,

31 to 35.

Since it was a day

of preparation

and

so that bodies

would not remain

on the cross

on the Sabbath

for that Sabbath

was a high day,

the Jews asked Pilate

that their legs

might be broken

and that they might

be taken away.

So the soldiers

came

and broke

the legs

of the first

and of the other

who had been crucified

with him.

But

when they came

to Jesus

and saw

that he was

already dead,

they did not

break his legs.

But one of the soldiers

pierced his side

with a spear

and at once

there came out

blood and water.

He who saw it

has borne witness.

His testimony

is true

and he knows

he is telling

the truth

that you also

may believe.

Well,

Jesus was

cold,

pale,

lifeless,

dead

and his promises

with him.

The words

that he spoke,

I am the way,

the truth

and the life,

they just seem

empty.

There's a solid line

we all understand,

isn't there?

It's universally

understood that

the death of the body

is the end.

That's it.

Game over.

Thomas had gone

all in

on Jesus.

Like,

Bram had gone

all in

on that house,

Thomas had gone

all in

on Jesus

and it just

seems

that darkness,

evil,

death

had won

again.

Now,

they spent

three dark

days

in that space

but then

Thomas hears

amazing news

and he finds

it unbelievable.

He can't

believe it

so let's

hear that now.

John 20,

1 to 25.

Now,

on the first

day of the week,

Mary Magdalene

came to the tomb

early

while it was

still dark

and saw

that the stone

had been taken

away from the tomb.

So she ran

and went

to Simon Peter

and the other

disciple,

the one whom

Jesus loved

and said to them,

they've taken

the Lord out

of the tomb

and we do not

know where

they've laid him.

So Peter

went out

with the other

disciple

and they were

going toward

the tomb.

Both of them

were running

together

but the other

disciple

outran Peter

and reached

the tomb

first

and stooping

to look in

he saw the

linen cloths

lying there

but he didn't

go in

and Simon Peter

came following

him

and went

into the tomb.

He saw the

linen cloths

lying there

and the face

cloth

which had

been on

Jesus'

head

not lying

with the

linen cloths

but folded

up in a

place by

itself.

Then the

other disciple

who had

reached the

tomb first

also went

in

and he

saw

and believed

for as yet

they didn't

understand the

scripture

that he must

rise from

the dead.

Then the

disciples

went back

to their

homes

but Mary

stood weeping

outside the

tomb

and as she

wept

she stooped

to look into

the tomb

and she

saw two

angels in

white

sitting where

the body

of Jesus

had lain

one at the

head

and one

at the

feet.

They said

to her

woman

why are

you

weeping?

She said

to them

they've

taken away

my lord

and I

don't

know

where

they've

laid

him.

Having

said this

she turned

around

and saw

Jesus

standing

but she

didn't

know

that it

was

Jesus.

Jesus

said to

her

woman

why are

you

weeping?

Whom

are you

seeking?

supposing

him to

be the

gardener

she said

to him

sir

if you've

carried

him away

tell me

where you

have laid

him and

I will

take him

away.

Jesus

said to

her

Mary

she

turned

and said

to him

in

Aramaic

which means

teacher.

Jesus

said to

her

do not

cling

to

me

or I

have

not

yet

ascended

to

the

father

but

go to

my

brothers

and

say

to

them

I'm

ascending

to

my

father

and

your

father

to

my

God

and

your

God

Mary

Magdalene

went

and

announced

to

the

disciples

I

have

seen

the

Lord

and

that

he

said

these

things

to

her

on

the

evening

of

that

day

the

first

day

of

the

week

the

doors

being

locked

where

the

disciples

were

for fear

of the

Jews

Jesus

came

and

stood

among

them

and

said

to

them

peace

be

with

you

when

he

had

said

this

he

showed

them

his

hands

and

his

side

then

the

disciples

were

glad

when

they

saw

the

Lord

Jesus

said

to

them

again

peace

peace

be

with

you

as

the

father

has

sent

me

even

so

am

I

sending

you

and

when

he

had

said

this

he

breathed

on

them

and

said

to

them

receive

the

Holy

Spirit

if

you

forgive

the

sins

of

any

they

are

forgiven

them

if

you

withhold

forgiveness

from

any

it

is

withheld

now

Thomas

one

of

the

twelve

called

the

twin

was

not

with

them

when

Jesus

came

so

the

other

disciples

told

him

we

have

seen

the

Lord

but

he

said

to

them

unless

I

see

in

his

hands

the

mark

of

the

nails

and

place

my

finger

into

the

mark

of

the

nails

and

place

my

hand

into

his

side

I

will

never

believe

well

Thomas

I

think

we've

been

a bit

unfair

to

Thomas

he's

been

given

the

nickname

doubting

Thomas

I

think

we

should

give

him

the

nickname

rational

and

reasonable

Thomas

he's

heard

Mary

and

Peter

and

John

say

that

they've

gone

to

the

tomb

and

it's

empty

that

his

grave

clothes

are

just

lying

there

in

a

neat

pile

he's

heard

Mary

say

I

have

seen

the

Lord

he's

heard

his

ten

friends

who

he

would

trust

say

we

have

seen

the

Lord

none

of

these

people

were

expecting

this

and

Thomas

who's

even

inclined

to

believe

it's

too

unbelievable

so

he

speaks

I

think

he

speaks

for

all

of

us

in

our

skepticism

it's

just

too

unbelievable

but I

think

that

puts

us

in

a

dilemma

because

if

Jesus

is

unique

unique

if

what

he

promises

you

is

unique

if

what

he

came

to

do

was

unique

then

you'd

want

him

to

do

something

that

you've

never

heard

of

in

the

history

of

the

world

and

it's

never

happened

so

if

I can

put it

this

way

unless

Jesus

does

something

unbelievable

he

wouldn't

be

worth

listening

to

because

what

he's

offering

and

who

he

claims

to

be

is

so

unique

so

we're

going

to have

one

final

reading

and

here's

what

Thomas

saw

for

himself

now

John

20

26

to

31

eight

days

later

his

disciples

were

inside

again

and

Thomas

was

with

them

although

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

and

put

out

your

hand

and

place

it

in

my

side

do

not

disbelieve

but

believe

Thomas

answered

him

my

Lord

and

my

God

Jesus

said

to

him

have

you

believed

because

you

have

seen

me

blessed

are

those

who

have

not

seen

and

yet

have

believed

now

Jesus

did

many

other

signs

in the

presence

of the

disciples

which

are

not

written

in

this

book

but

these

are

written

so

that

you

may

believe

that

Jesus

is

the

Christ

the

son

of

God

and

that

by

believing

you

may

have

life

in

his

name

imagine

let's

go back

to

Brahm

imagine

if

Brahm's

beautiful

expensive

house

with

his

ridiculously

expensive

front

door

someone

knocks

on the

front

door

one

day

and

he's

invited

in

and

they

sit

down

at

the

dining

room

table

he

opens

his

laptop

and

this

guy

just

starts

transferring

money

540

grand

paid

all

his

11

ridiculous

lines

just

to

his

friends

paid

to

his

family

paid

just

all

of

them

this

guy

just

and

he's

not

using

it

to

blackmail

him

it

is

just

pure

gift

and

how

would

you

feel

if

you

were

Brahm

like

who

are

you

why

are

you

doing

this

when

Thomas

saw

Jesus

for

himself

I'm

guessing

it must

have

just

been

a

very

overwhelming

experience

I doubt

he could

probably

put it

into

words

what

he

intuitively

knew

straight

away

he

must

have

known

intuitively

darkness

and evil

and death

did not

win

you

were

stronger

you

were

stronger

and if

that's

the

case

you

went

to

the

cross

on

purpose

to

pay

my

debt

and so

his

famous

words

my

Lord

and my

God

I want

to show

you my

favourite

thing

from my

Europe

trip

here it

is

it's

tiny

it's

like

I don't

know

it's

less

than

10

centimetres

and

we

were

running

so

late

trying

to

find

a

park

we

only

got

10

minutes

to

see

this

thing

but

it

was

tiny

we

squeezed

it

into

our

itinerary

but

it's

my

favourite

thing

because

this

is

I

think

it's

still

the

earliest

fragment

of

the

New

Testament

and

it's

dated

so

close

to

the

original

time

it's

called

P52

Papyrus

52

Clay

I

think

this

is

your

slideshow

I

didn't

ask

you

for

permission

I'm

assuming

it's

okay

it's

from

John's

Gospel

what we're

reading

here

now

well

we

haven't

read

the exact

bit

it's

from

when

Pilate

the

Roman

governor

is

sentencing

Jesus

to death

even though

he's

finding

him

innocent

it's

hard

to put

into

words

why

it's

my

favourite

thing

I

think

it's

my

favourite

thing

because

I

can't

touch

Jesus

myself

I

can't

see

him

I

can't

touch

his

scars

but

it

means

what I'm

reading

here

I

can rely

on what

I'm

reading

on what

they

have

recorded

for

us

it means

that

through

them

when

Mary

says

I

saw

the

Lord

I've

seen

the

Lord

when

the

ten

other

disciples

say

we have

seen

the

Lord

when

Thomas

says

my

Lord

and my

God

it means

through

them

I

can

see

the

Lord

myself

through

their

testimony

it

means

that

it

means

for

me

that

the

resurrection

is

is just

solid

ground

it

is

he

is

the

stronghold

of my

life

he

is

my

light

and

my

salvation

it

means

my

debt

for

what

I've

racked

up

towards

my

friends

and

family

and

God

paid

paid

paid

it

means

my

tomorrow

is

sure

like

he

promises

just as

much

as

he

bodily

was

raised

I

will

be

in

a

world

that

is

raised

and

made

new

my

tomorrow

is

sure

it

means

that

whatever

darkness

comes

he

is

stronger

it

means

he's

experienced

any

pain

I go

through

and

way

more

first

hand

because

of

his

scars

he

knows

it

and

he's

my

friend

I

know

he

hears

my

prayers

he

hears

my

cries

he

he's

present

I

know

he's

present

because

he's

alive

and

I

know

that

when

he

promises

that

I've

got

a

place

in

God's

family

home

forever

he's

already

done

everything

to bring

me

into

that

it's

guaranteed

so

that

little

fragment

it

just

helps

me

know

that

when

I

go

all

in

on

Jesus

because

he's

risen

from

the

dead

it's

hard

to put

into

words

it's

everything

so

I

don't

know

whenever

you

doubt

God's

forgiveness

Jesus

is

inviting

you

to

come

and

look

at

his

scars

come

and

see

for

yourself

in

the

words

of

scripture

recorded

for

us

as

we

learn

about

him

together

in

church

come

and

see

for

yourself

whenever

you

doubt

whether

you

have

a

real

place

in

God's

family

in

God's

household

come

and

see

whenever

you

doubt

whether

he's

stronger

than

the

darkness

you're

facing

right

now

come

and

see

come

and

see

for

yourself

so

I don't

know

what's

brought

you

here

today

if you

keep

looking for

life and

peace

in

things you

can see

with your

eyes

like a

physical

house

I don't

know

Brahm

didn't

find it

I

haven't

found

it

I

don't

think

we

can

find

it

but

Jesus

gives

it

to

us

he's

where

life

and

peace

really

is

found

but

don't

take

my

word

for

it

who

cares

if

you

go

to

Europe

or

not

who

cares

if

you

see

the

Eiffel

Tower

so

touristy

anyway

who

cares

what

really

matters

is

whether

you

experience

Jesus

for

yourself

and

John's

Gospel

says

Jesus

is

inviting

come and

see

come and

see

for

yourself

well

happy

Easter

and

may

God

give

you

life

life

and

peace

thanks

for

listening