Dear St. Lukers,
This Saturday, the 152nd Kentucky Derby will take place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Twenty horses, along with their owners, trainers, and jockeys, will step onto one of the most iconic stages in sports. For a brief two minutes, everything they have prepared for will be tested. The race is about tradition, celebration, and proving something. Each competitor is there to demonstrate speed, strength, discipline, and the possibility of greatness, including a shot at the Triple Crown. The Kentucky Derby reminds us how much we value proof.
We want proof that something is real, proof that something works, and proof that something can be trusted. We look for proof in our work, in our relationships, and even in our faith. We’re often not satisfied with simply hearing about something, because we want to experience it for ourselves in a way that feels certain and personal.
That same desire shows up in our text this Sunday (John 20:24-29). Here, Thomas is not present when Jesus first appears to the other disciples after the resurrection. When they tell him, “We’ve seen the Lord,” he refuses to believe and does not accept their testimony alone. He responds by saying, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger in the wounds left by the nails, and put my hand into his side, I won’t believe.”
Thomas is longing for something real. He’s witnessed the suffering and death of Jesus, and now he’s trying to understand whether hope still exists. He wants a personal encounter that assures him that everything he believed still matters.
Jesus responds to Thomas with grace, not judgment. When he appears again a week later, he meets Thomas where he is and invites him into that personal encounter. Jesus says, “Put your finger here. Look at my hands. Put your hand into my side.” In that moment, Thomas moves from uncertainty to confession, declaring, “My Lord and my God.”
This Sunday, we will explore this passage and reflect on the truth that belief is relational. Faith is something we claim, as it grows out of our encounters with Jesus and our life together in community.
Together, we’ll remember and recognize that Jesus is no longer physically present for the world to see his hands and his side. Meaning, the way people encounter him now is through the lives of us, his followers. The church is called to become the visible and relational expression of Christ’s presence in the world.
I am proud to be one of your pastors because I see this happening at St. Luke’s in powerful and tangible ways.
This past Saturday, we had 248 volunteers partner with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build 81 beds for children in need. This was more than an act of service, making the love of Christ visible. Now, those beds need to be delivered, and I encourage you to stop by the bunk beds after worship if you would like to help continue that work.
We are also living as proof through opportunities like this Sunday’s Civics for Change Makers: A Basic Guide to Government, where we’re equipping one another to engage faithfully and thoughtfully in the world. In addition, our Partnership Class on Sunday invites people to take the next step by formally connecting their lives to the mission and ministry of St. Luke’s.
Of course, there are many more opportunities to grow and serve, and I invite you to explore upcoming events at st.lukes.org/events.
This is what it means to be the church. We don’t just talk about the power of resurrection; we live in a way that reflects it… even proves it. We become people whose lives point to his grace, his love, and his ongoing presence in the world.
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday, as we discover what it means to be Living Proof.
Oh, and we’ll save a seat at the Communion Table… just for U.
With love,
Pastor Corey
