Miriam:
Some questions, like the ones in our reading from Genesis help us or others remember who they really are. Let me set the scene for you. Abraham is visited by two strangers – angels, heavenly beings maybe. After Abraham provides hospitality they tell him the good news – he is going to be a father! Sarah is going to have a baby. From the moment Abraham first asked, “What’s in it for me?” this has been God’s promise. Sarah heard about it and laughed. Then we find out that the strangers are on another mission. God is not happy with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Let’s be clear, the age old tale that God is unhappy with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuality is just that, a tale. As Samuel Giere writes, the real problem is, “Inhospitality. Greed. Theft. Deception. Disregard of the poor and the orphan. Inhumanity.” (https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2935) In short they show no mercy.
In verse 17, God has a little chat with himself wondering whether or not he should tell Abraham what is going to happen in Sodom and Gomorrah. After some deliberation, God tells Abraham of the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The guests head to Sodom and Abraham stays with the Lord. Abraham draws near to God and says, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty who are in it? For be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Fare be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:23 – 25)
Oliver:
What a question! I wonder if God paused before answering Abraham? God says, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” (Genesis 18:26) Abraham doesn’t stop there. He keeps going. “But God what if five of the 50 are not quit up to par? Will you still go ahead with the destruction?” God says, “For 45 righteous, I will not destroy the city.” With every questions Abraham is forcing God to remember who he is. There is a wonderful word that is often used in the bible for God – in Hebrew it is Hesed – it means loving kindness. It is the way God loves us. Abraham seems to think that God has lost sight of Hesed – loving kindness. So he keeps up the questions until reaches the final conclusion, “For the sake of only 10, I won’t destroy the city.” (Genesis 18:32). Then the two part ways.
Miriam:
Questions can help us remember who we are and whose we are. The disciples are certainly experts in asking questions and getting the answers, very, very wrong. But that doesn’t stop them from asking more!
In our gospel reading this morning, we hear a great question from Thomas. It is in the part of John’s Gospel called the final discourse where Jesus is getting the disciples ready for a time when he will no longer be with them. Jesus just told the disciples about the many dwelling places in his Father’s house. He says to them all,
Oliver:
“You know the way to place where I am going.”
Miriam:
The disciples start to look at each other nervously, shifting in their seats, side-eyeing one another, until Thomas is brave enough to ask the awkward question that is on everybody’s mind,
Oliver:
“Uh, excuse me, Lord, we do notknow the way where you are going. How can we know the way?”
Miriam:
Sometimes in our life we have those moments of awkward questions, sometimes they are more challenging, thought provoking ones. Some give us pause for thought. Others rattle around in our brains and cause us to lose sleep. Our lives are full of questions and answers.
Oliver:
Some are practical questions:
Did I remember to take the dog out? Did I remember to pay that bill? Who is picking the kids up from school today? Wait, was it supposed to be me?
Miriam:
Some are more personal, inward thinking questions:
Am I following the crowd or am I doing what I know deep down is right? Am I a good example to those around me? Is this the life that I want to be living? Am I being too hard on myself?
Oliver:
Others are questions you might ask of others:
Did you do your homework? Did you remember to get juice on your way home today? How much longer can we continue doing this? How can I help you?
Miriam:
Some are questions we might ask of God:
Why is there so much suffering in the world? What do you want me to do? Why me, O God?
Oliver:
Often the answers come easy, other times challenging, but sometimes it can seem like there is no answer at all. We can ask questions like “Where have you laid him?” and find unexpected resurrection as the answer. We can be like Abram and ask, “Lord, what will you give me?” and see what is in it for ourselves. Even Jesus had questions, he asked if the cup could be taken away from him. On the cross he wondered why God had seemingly abandoned him, “My God, why have you forsaken me?”
In our reading today, Thomas wants to know to know what we want to know.
Miriam:
“Lord, we do notknow the way where you are going. How can we know the way?”
Oliver:
How can we know other than by asking those tough questions? How can we enter into deeper relationship with each other and with God without asking those questions? How can we know if we do not ask? Are there questions that you’ve always wondered about?
Miriam:
Over the summer here at Cochrane we’re going to be doing a sermon series on your questions of faith, the things that puzzle and perplex you, the things that keep you up at night, the things that you’ve always wondered about. Perhaps have been afraid to ask because you assume that everyone else already knows the answer. It might be something that is simple or it might be something that you might think is controversial. We want to hear your “hot topics;” your wonderings. We invite you to be like Thomas and to ask those questions that are burning on your hearts.
Oliver:
In your bulletin you’ll find a blank sheet on the opposite side of the list of questions we’ve provided for you. We invite you to write down the question or questions of faith that you have. There might be something that you know right away, or you might want to take some time to think about it. You can submit as many questions as you like, and we will choose from those to form our summer sermon series.
Miriam:
The pathway of faith may not always take the way that we expect, through the methods that we want, or in questions that are convenient. Perhaps one early morning to you find yourself at the empty tomb, with the stone rolled away asking, “Where have you laid him?” only to find new life and resurrection.
Oliver
For that good news, thanks be to God! Alleluia! Amen.