When We Are Lost

Scripture Passage

John 20:19-29

Sermon Text

Behind Closed Doors

It’s been 5 weeks since we’ve been behind shut doors of our own places. 5 weeks of me being here in an empty sanctuary, and today, being all along and seeing you all on screen, it’s a very weird feeling. The sanctuary is empty, but I know you’re all there because I can see your faces. I know you’ve all been dealing with the situation in your own ways. For the young couples or single people, you’ve been enjoying time alone. I know it’s challenging at times. For the younger kids, I know it’s been a hard time trying to juggle your school work and what not. For our Hi-C and college students, I know there are times when you are bored, when your schedule’s been thrown off routine. Some of you guys have become nocturnal creatures; awake at night, asleep during the day. And some of us, with elderly parents, have been dealing with separation from loved ones and worries about them. All in all, as human beings, we’re resilient. We’ve accepted the situation and we’re all dealing with it in our own way behind closed doors. 

The disciples of today were also behind shut doors. They were in fear. They were in shock. They were in grief. Because they had dropped everything to follow Jesus. For three years, they spent every day, every waking moment, together with him. They ate together, they walked together, talked together, and they witnessed many wonderful things. They had intimate fellowship together. But now, that leader of theirs, whom they followed, was gone. The powers that had killed Jesus were now looking for his followers to get rid of this new movement. Fear, shock, grief, loss, and cloudiness. They had not processed things yet. They were lost. 

We are Lost

When I think about us, underneath our day-to-day coping with this situation, we too feel lost in many ways. There is still a sense of lament, mourning and grief at the loss of life as we knew it. The immediate and acute shock of it all may have worn off now, but I still sense worry, concern and uncertainty. There is a restlessness at the current status quo. We’re wondering: How long will this last? When will things get back to normal? What will that normal even look like? We don’t know what to expect going forward.

The disciples were lost, scared and disoriented. In this state of being, behind locked doors, Jesus came and stood among them. When they saw Jesus, they rejoiced. In their presence, Jesus gave them a new calling – to carry on the work that he had begun. He empowered them with his Holy Spirit. When the disciples were most lost – when all they saw was darkness and gloom – Jesus’ presence brought about a new reality.

Now this new reality was not an easy thing to believe or accept. When things are dark for us, we don’t easily believe that things will just be alright. We see that Thomas, who was not there when Jesus appeared the first time, did not accept what the others told him. And I don’t think that Thomas was a skeptic and doubtful guy, he was a serious man. Earlier on, when Jesus and the disciples were about to head down toward Judea, he was the one who foresaw what might happen. He said: “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” He saw the seriousness of the situation. What he was being asked to believe now, by the other disciples, was just incomprehensible. Jesus had been crucified and was dead. So, he asked for proof. But I don’t think it was proof that Thomas was really seeking. He was really seeking Jesus’ presence, that’s what he was grieving. And when Jesus did appear to Thomas, he did not need proof that it was Jesus. Jesus’ presence was enough. Thomas was the first to see Jesus for who he really was when he declared: “My Lord and My God!” Jesus’ presence was the peace and the new reality.

Carrying our Cross

My friends, when we are lost, the last thing you need is help or advice. When we are scared, empty words like “everything is going to be alright” by themselves don’t help. When we are lost, there is only one thing that can really help: the comforting presence of someone who cares. The understanding presence of someone who cares brings us peace. A warm presence that empowers us to believe that, “Maybe I can get through this.” My friends, God comes to us when we are most lost. God comes to us when we are most lost. This is the center of our belief as Christians. That is the meaning of the cross. The cross is the place where we are most alone. The cross the place where we are most lost.

As Christians, we believe that to live the most authentic life, we must carry our own cross. A life without the cross is a life of just ignoring the pain, anxiety and lostness that lie underneath our everyday life. My friends, it is at the cross that Jesus is present with us. Jesus’ dying on the cross is the ultimate expression of God’s presence and solidarity with us in all of our pain, in our lostness. It was only through the cross that Jesus was raised up to new life. And, it is only through our cross where we meet Jesus and find peace and a new reality.

When we are lost, let us not seek to go around it or avoid it. In a time like this, let us courageously bear our cross. For when we do, God will be present with us there.

A Time for Presence

This is a time for presence. If there’s anything we should be learning from this pandemic, it’s that nothing matters more than the presence of others. Christ comes to be present with us now. So, let us not ignore what it is that we’re truly feeling or thinking. Let us be honest about it, let us acknowledge it, and let us name it. So, are you feeling lost? Anxious? Uncertain? Whatever it is, it is time to be honest and name it. Then God will come where you are.

This is also the time to be present for one another. We, even thought we’re here virtually, we are the body of Christ: the very Christ who appeared before the disciples in today’s passage. We are his body here on earth, given breath by the Holy Spirit. We are to be the presence of Christ for each other.

I don’t know what the world will be like after this pandemic is over. I read the news, and I’m concerned. I do see so many inspiring examples of selfless service and generosity; like those on the front lines. But I also see so much fear, animosity and division.

What I do believe is that during this time, we, as a body of Christ, have a unique calling and opportunity to become the presence of Christ for one another and this world. This is the time to practice bringing this new reality into existence.

Here are some concrete things we need to do:

1. As I mentioned, be honest about what it is that you’re truly feeling underneath. Name it and claim it. That is your own cross.
2. Ask God to come and be present with us at our cross.
3. Find the courage to invite others behind the locked doors of your own heart and to be present with you there. The truest presence is the presence of others in your heart. During this pandemic, it’s time to get beyond the superficiality of our relationships and go beneath.
4. Have the heart and care to go behind the locked doors of others and be present with them there – just like Jesus did. This can take the simple form of reaching out to someone and asking them how they’re truly doing. It can be a simple random act of kindness, like asking if they have enough toilet paper, or offering to deliver groceries for an elderly person.

It comes down to the sincere question we have for others: “how are you really doing?”

Living a New Life of Presence

I know that none of this is easy. Living a new reality of presence is not easy, because we have old habits of avoiding presence. But a life with Christ is about this uneasy new reality. It’s uneasy, but this is the new reality that brings peace and joy. This is what the world needs; it’s what the world can not understand or offer. And we might find it hard to do by ourselves, but this is why God has given us the Holy Spirit, to empower us in this new life of presence.

So, this is a time for presence everyone. It is perhaps the most important thing for this time, while we are physically isolated from one another. We can and must be the presence of Christ for one another.

When we are lost, presence is what will bring about peace and a new reality. We haven’t had much time to process everything yet. But for now, when we are feelings lost, may the presence of Christ bring peace to your hearts. And may we be the presence of Christ for each other during this time.