“Traveling Thomas”
A sermon skit by Sid Burgess with John Philpot
Second Sunday of Easter, April 15, 2007
Text: John 20:19-31
Sid as “Traveling Thomas”
John Philpot as scared child
Enter Thomas from “stage right,” dress for travel, carrying suitcase and map.
Thomas: Where am I? (Looks at big map) Let’s see. It’s Sunday so . . ., I must be in Alabama! And if I’m in Alabama, I must be at Edgewood Church!
Thomas: Oh, hello folks, you must be wondering . . . My name is Thomas—I was one of the 12—“Doubting Thomas” I have been remembered in Church history. But there is more to me than a few good questions. Legend has it—and I must say I like my own legend. . . . Legend has it that I am the most well-traveled of all the Great Apostles. I am known as the missionary apostle, traveling east from Jerusalem, to Syria and on to Persia (modern day Iran). It is said that I founded churches in India, and during the great age of exploration, a Spanish explorer claimed to have found my footprints in South America!
Don’t ask me, I don’t remember. After all, it’s been a long time. But I do know this: once you get hooked on travel, it’s hard to stop. Earth is spinning and I’m spinning
I’m here today because I’ve been told you have some special guests today. Now where would they be. Ah ha! Looks like this great looking group of kids from the Birmingham Children’s Choir. And over here, looks like a big family all primed for a baptism. I should say you do have some special guests. I’m glad I came today!
Truth be told, I travel the globe because I have story to tell. Though I was one of the original 12 disciples, you will recall from the story you have just read that I was not present when the church first met on Sunday night. The Sunday night of Easter day. You see, I was predestined to become a Presbyterian, and we don’t do Sunday night church. We think once on Sunday is enough.
So I was not there when the Risen Jesus preached his first Easter sermon, but I heard about it. His message was, “Peace be with you.” So, the following Sunday I made an exception so that I was there when Jesus preached again. And again his message was, “Peace be with you.”
Now there is a story about a little country church that called ‘em a new preacher. Young fellow, straight out of seminary. He came and preached his first sermon—a fine sermon it was. And the next Sunday he came and preached the same sermon. Folks wondered about, but they figured he was just getting started and all so they didn’t say anything. Third Sunday, he did it again. Preached the same sermon. So the moderator of the pastor nominating committee went to him and asked, “Don’t you have more than one sermon?”
“Oh, yes, I have several,” said the young man, “and when ya’ll finally start doing what that first sermon calls for, I’ll preach another one.”
So, on the first Sunday, Jesus preached, “Peace be with you.” And on the second Sunday, Jesus preached, “Peace be with you.” But then he was taken up into heaven, so I have taken up his sermon, and I just keep on preaching it because looks to me like folks still need to hear it. Maybe now more than ever. What with all the fighting in the Middle East and in Africa, all the crime in the streets, the feuds in politics, and the conflicts on the home front, now more than ever people need to hear and believe Jesus’ message of peace.
Enter Child from “stage left,” in a frenzy—wearing a beanie, carrying a teddy bear
Child: Momma says I’m gonna' get a shot.
Thomas: “Peace be with you.”
Child: But I’ve got homework.
Thomas: “Peace be with you.”
Child: But my friend Paul is mad at me.
Thomas: “Peace be with you.”
Child: But the kids at school are making fun of me.
Thomas: “Peace be with you.”
Child: But I’m in trouble at home.
Thomas: “Peace be with you.’
Child: Looking askance, You got anything else you’d like to say?
Thomas: “Peace . . . .”
Child: I know, “peace be with me.” Well, I’d like some peace. I wish I wasn’t so scared and nervous, but how do I get it. Can I buy some? Can I grow some? Could I borrow some from you?
Thomas: Not to worry, Child, you don’t have to “beg, borrow, or steal” for this kind of peace. The peace of Christ is freely given, freely received.
Child: But tell me how? How can I get this peace?
Thomas: First, you gotta' believe that you are a beloved child of God, a very much loved child of God. Remember what it was like when you were a little kid sitting in your parents’ lap, what it was like to be hugged close. This is the kind of love you have from God every minute of every day!
Child: Wow! All that love? Just for little ol’ me?
Thomas: Well, not exactly. (Child shows concern) The key to experiencing the peace of Christ is the realizing that just as God loves you, so God loves all the children of the world, “red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in God’s sight.”
God loves your friends at school—and your teachers. God loves your parents--and brother and sister. God loves your neighbors every bit as much as God loves you. That is something we all have in common. And since God loves us all, we can—and should loves ourselves and love each other. And when we do—love ourselves and love each other--we will be at peace.
Child: But Mr. Preacher, there are some mean people out there! Bullies, and bad guys!
Thomas: You’re right. Jesus, who was crucified by some mighty mean people, knows them better even than we do. But, when we know that God loves us--and them, too . . . .
When we know and accept that Jesus died so that we might know just how much God loves—that God would give up the only son that we might have life and have it abundantly . . . .When we know this, we can face the bad guys and challenge them with words that have challenged us: “Peace be with you.”
Child: Well that all sounds wonderful to me, so tell me how I can earn God’s love. Tell me what I need to do, or what I need to say so that I can be confident that God loves me.
Thomas: Child, you don’t have do or say a thing. In fact, there is nothing you, or any of us, can do or say that would make God love us more.
Child: Well gosh, I’m gonna' need help remembering this. Remembering that God loves me---and love them, too. It there something I could wear—a sticker maybe, or a sign—to help me remember. So that when I get nervous, or scared, or angry, I can remember that God loves me?
Thomas: Glad you asked that question, Child. (Thomas moves to font, Child follows)
Thomas: Because we Christians have the sacrament of baptism. We believe that here at this font, God claims us and marks us as God’s own. We baptize babies, especially, to demonstrate that God loves us long before we can love God. At baptism, we give them the sign of the cross, an invisible sign that assures them—and their parents—that they have been marked as Christ’s own forever. As these children grow up, their parents, and the good folks here at the church, will assure them time and again, that God loves them.
Loves them so much that they have love enough to share with others. And when we do that, when we share our love, we experience “the peace of Christ.
Thomas: The peace of Christ be with you.
Child: And also with you!