There used to be a singing group called the Fisher Folk so long ago CDs hadn't been invented yet. I don't know if they are still around, but they had one song about faith with this refrain: "You've got all you get, you just exercise it." It was pretty catchy. Maybe the beat and the music and their harmony doesn't translate well to plain conversation (or sermons), but I've tried. Once, one of my friends told me that he wanted to believe, but he just didn't have the faith. So I quoted the song. "Faith-you've got all you get, you just exercise it." He just looked at me in bewilderment. It was so far from anything his rational, grown up mind could even grasp. Exercise it? You've already got it? If faith is a gift, why isn't it more noticable?

This is the Sunday in the church year that we think of as "Thomas Sunday," because this is the lectionary gospel text every year for the first Sunday after Resurrection Sunday (Easter). Sometimes people call this "Doubting Thomas Sunday." Why does this text come here? Is it because so few people come to church the Sunday after Easter, that the lectionary committee thinks the few die-hards who do show won't be upset by hearing about doubt? Or do you think Thomas might have something to teach us?

This season-Easter plus the six Sundays after Easter that lead up to Pentecost-is called Eastertide. As if the resurrection of our Lord is so fabulously amazing, so mysterious, it takes a week of Sundays just to begin to unpack the implications. The first implication comes to us through the disciple from Missouri. You know, Thomas-the "show me" disciple.

Actually, none of the disciples believed the improbable resurrection right off. Depending on which gospel you read, the disciples variously doubt Peter who just sees an empty tomb, or they doubt the women who say they saw the Lord, or they doubt the folks who walked to Emmaus with the risen Lord. Thomas is only asking for the same proof the other disciples got while he had run out to pick up some extra bread and milk, in case they had to stay locked up for any length of time.

It isn't inhuman or unchristian to want some sort of explanation for the resurrection. We all need some answer to the "what" of what happened Easter morning. Thomas just happened to be the pioneer for the rest of us. Thomas asked the question we couldn't ask because we weren't there yet: "What am I supposed to believe about Jesus when I can't see him?"

Notice that the rest of the disciples-the ones in the room when Jesus showed up the first time-they had advantages that Thomas didn't have. First, they were together. I'll talk more about that later. Second, Jesus blew in their faces. That was a Pentecost thing, and Thomas wasn't there to receive it. In blowing on them, Jesus was giving the disciples the Advocate, the Comforter, the Helper he'd been predicting for several chapters before his crucifixion. The Holy Spirit, which he bestowed on them with his breath, would be the invisible presence of Jesus when the Incarnation of God was no longer visible. This was good news for those of us who never got a chance to press the flesh of God-made-flesh. Just think: this means that the faith we have in the 21st century is just as valid as the faith of folks who walked the dusty roads of 1st century Israel with Jesus.

But what's this about "being together"? Did the disciples in the locked room have an advantage over Thomas because they were together? In a manner of speaking, yes. Jesus' appearance in that locked room was about more than proving the Risen One was the Crucified One. Jesus was commissioning as well as blessing. That business about forgiving and retaining sin-it's not about sitting in judgment of others. Jesus is reminding his disciples that they need each other to be "in faith." They need each other to know they are forgiven and to know they need forgiveness.

Oh man, is this the part of the sermon where she says that praying on the golf course isn't as good as praying in the sanctuary? Is this where she announces her office hours for hearing private confession and giving absolution? Is this where she says that unless you are a member of the church-any church-you are going to hell?

No. Please hear me. No! But you have got to know that the writer of the gospel of John believes that living faith is not possible apart from the community of faith. Thomas needed to be with the others to experience the reality of the resurrection. Why do you think we affirm our faith together during worship? Why do you think we read unison prayers of confession to hear the Words of Assurance? This is about experiencing "reality." Because we need each other. Because "believe" is stronger than "think."

Now, that is a dangerous thing to say to a room full of modern Americans! We set great store by "thinking." We like to be logical and reason things out. We function better with explanations and evidence. To us, "believe" sounds subjective, personal, not measurable or empirical, just a little less convinced, and therefore "weak." Therefore suspect. When Thomas asks for the same evidence the other disciples got, he's probing the situation with his "thinker." And I'm not saying that's wrong! Nor am I saying that hanging with the crowd and buying party-line for the sake if its being party-line is better. When I say that it's hard to "believe" on your own, I'm telling you why God put us in faith communities. If your faith is going to be just a head trip, then go ahead and worship on the golf course or think good thoughts about God because it's nicer. Your "faith" is not going to make a difference-to you, to God, or to the world.

But what you believe is supposed to make a difference to how you live. Our reading in 1st Peter tells us that because Jesus was raised, we have a brand new life. That is a logical conclusion to the writer. Jesus was raised, therefore the ones who believe in him get a new life, starting Easter evening, according to John. Jesus stops by to see the disciples, to let them know, "resurrection" means more than "Jesus is out of the tomb." There is more to do, and Jesus needs human folks to do the rest. Yipes! We're supposed to carry on for Jesus?! Yep. Just this morning we stood together at the beginning of the service and said that.

Look at the Affirmation of Faith in your bulletin insert today. It comes from the Confession of 1967. As we read these words throughout Eastertide, we mentally say the words, "I believe" before we read our faith affirmation. So today, we said in part what we think the resurrection asks of us. "I believe . . . The resurrection of Jesus is the sign that God will consummate God's work of creation and reconciliation beyond death, and bring to fulfillment the new life begun in Christ. To be reconciled to God is to be sent into the world as God's reconciling community. The kingdom of God represents the triumph of God over all that resists his will and disrupts creation. Already God's reign is present as a ferment in the world, stirring hope in humans and preparing the world to receive its ultimate judgment and redemption."

That's us, friends. This is what resurrection asks of us. Easter is not the end of the story for Jesus, nor is it for us. Jesus gives his disciples two gifts and sends them out to forgive in his name. We've been given the same gifts, and the same commission. May we continue the Easter activity of the church: forgiveness. Christ is risen!