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.”

With gas prices approaching three dollars a gallon the last few weeks have proven to be rather challenging, and they say the worst is yet to come. I was listening to one analyst noted the problems are the echoes from the last twenty-five years of our energies policies. Some say our problems with funding Social Security echo decisions and polices or lack there of for the past three decades. We see the echoes of being overly permissive a people now are struggling with the rampant use of drugs, pornography, and abortion. The echoes of overindulgence and immediate gratification have left many swamped by debt and many families on the edge of bankruptcy. The echoes that “all truths are equal” have cut us loose from the foundation of God’s True Word. Truly the echoes of past decisions and actions can and do haunt us today.

Now it is comfortable to think in terms of the echoes that are out there somewhere, but we too have to live with the echoes of what we’ve done or should have done. In our lesson we have Peter addressing a crowd that has gathered. Peter and John in the name of a risen Jesus had healed a crippled man and thus creating an uncomfortable echo for the leaders of the temple and a curious echo in the minds of the people. Peter says, Men of Israel lets look at what you had done; You handed Jesus over to be killed and you disowned Him before Pilot, though Pilot had decided to let Him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life….” It is easy for us to look at them and say, look at what they did. Shame on them - Crucifying Jesus! It is easy for us to see the mistakes and sins of others. Self-righteously we whisper, “Shame on you, and you and you!” Oh, how many of us are good at saying or at least thinking when others have made mistakes and misjudgments, “I’d never have done that,” or “I told you so”? But what about those echoes in our past? How many of us have days, events, or decisions we’d love to be able to do over; decisions we made or should have made that may have even seemed so right at the time that didn’t turn out as we hoped or came back to haunt us? How many of us are haunted by the echo of our harsh words or deeds or our failure to act or the actions we took?

How many of us also struggle with God’s promises as if they were an echo that is fading away: “I forgive you,” declares Jesus, but we live as though we aren’t forgiven. How many of us live with the echo of doubting that God is really for us on a day-to-day? Oh, we believe in the manger, the cross, and the empty tomb but somehow we loose sight that He is at work in our lives day-to-day, and our lives rather than echoing hope and promise echo something much less? Sadly, how many of us live not with the echo of God building in intensity – encouraging and inspiring us – rather we live allowing His Echo to some how fade away?

Where the echoes of this world and the echoes of our sinful nature confuse and discourage us, we need to turn to an echo that is sure and clear, an echo that rather than fading away builds in intensity and clarity. We need an echo that comes from the hearing of God’s Word!

Now remember God’s Word is different from our word for , The Word of God is living and active. (Hebrews 4.12) Where our words and the words of this world will fade, His Words are sure and certain. Look at the effect on the paralytic who at the command and by the power of that Word was forgiven His sins and could now take up his own mat and walk. (Matt 9.1-9) The echo of Jesus’ Words changed a life. We need to listen to the clear and certain echoing declaration of God the Father at the transfiguration of Jesus, This is My Son, who I love. With Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him (Matthew17.5)

We ought to listen to the testimony of the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus (at the cross). they saw (at Jesus’ death) the earthquake and all that happened (when He gave up Spirit), (and they) exclaimed, “Surely He was the Son of God.” (Matt 27.54) I encourage you to meditate on those words “Son of God,” let them echo around in our heart and mind. What was the Son of God really doing on a cross? How might that kind of love and sacrifice impact my life? I want you to say the words of John 3.16 with me only this time when it says God so loved the world, I want you to put in your name. Join with me. For God so loved _________ that He gave His only Son that if _________ believes in Him __________shall not perish but have eternal life. Allow these words to resound within you. It is the echo of what was said there at the cross that we need to hear, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” In those words is the certainty of our forgiveness no matter what the world and Satan may try to whisper in our ears. We need to let God’s declaration of forgiveness and the transformation of that forgiveness echo in our ears, repeating it time and time again.

We need to hear, when we confess our sins, a certain and resounding echo that we are forgiven our doubts, our weak and often faltering faith, our idolatries, our selfishness, and sinful pride. We hear that certainty when Jesus’ Words of absolution are pronounced, “In the stead and at the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Whether we feel forgiven or not, whether the world forgives or not, it does not change the resounding reality that God forgives us.

Come and again listen to the words of the angels echoing in the empty tomb, “Why do look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He is risen!” (Luke 24.6) The empty tomb certifies our promise of forgiveness. For if Christ had not been raised then I’d still be dead in my sins but He has indeed been raised the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.(1st Cor 15.16-17) He, this Jesus, this Son of God, has risen and He comes to us with some incredible words, not words of condemnation for our sins and shortcomings but with the Words, Peace be with you!

Now you need to know that I love Thomas. He doubted for all of us. Because he echoed uncertainty we have certainty. Jesus said to him, “Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas’ response echoes for each generation and for each of us, “My Lord and My God.”

That same Jesus comes to us in very real ways that His peace can echo in our hearts, minds and lives. He comes to us through the promises of baptism. In Baptism we have been clothed with Christ. (Gal 3.27) He comes to us by and through His Supper, proclaiming I am here, I am here take hold of Me as I take hold of you. He comes to us by and through the hearing of His Word. These Words 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. (John 20.31)

Where worldly echoes fade away, His Echo is made more certain, and now to those who have by the power and working of the Holy Spirit heard it, He sends us out to repeat it and to live it. For some us, living it will come as Peter declares by repenting, repenting of sins and seeking with God’s help to turn from them. For others it may be a time in our lives when we seek to draw near to God’s Word and allow it to refashion, refresh, and/or renew us, possibly setting our feet upon a new path or in a new direction. The resounding of God’s echo draws some to minister to the needs of others, and still for others it may mean living out our faith in new ways: loving where others would not, giving and sharing when others would horde, forgiving when others might wish to seek revenge, sitting out the opportunity to go along with others if going along means compromising the Word and commands of God. And for some of us the echo of God will give us the quiet strength to live one more day in the knowledge that is at work in our lives, the trust to know that He does hear our prayers and even if we can’t see it that He is at work in our lives.

Now all around are people who need to hear the echoes of our eternal God. Apart from the certainty of that Echo the world will follow after fading, confusing, and conflicting noise. Recently, I met a lady who wants Christ at her wedding but not in her life, “thank you very much.” I met another person who is in a life and death struggle with cancer but doesn’t know our triune God. As I visited with her I thought of Paul on Mars Hill before the statue of an unknown god; she needs to know Jesus. There was another person who sees logic and reason in gods, and still others who haven’t given God a second thought as they race down the highway to hell. These people and the people all around us need to hear the sure and certain building Echo that come from the likes of Peter, Thomas, you and me, they need to hear of Christ.

Amen