Building a Palace You Can't See

We are familiar with Thomas as the one who doubted.  There's much more to him than that.  See John 20: 19-31 for the gospel reading.

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Transcript

Sermons from 

Mission Hills UCC

San Diego, California

Rev. Dr. David Bahr

david.bahr@missionhillsucc.org

April 12, 2026

“Building a Palace You Can’t See”

John 29: 19-28 – Common English Bible

 Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jewish authorities, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.” Then he showed them his hands and side.

20-21 The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were awestruck. Jesus repeated his greeting: “Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you.”

22-23 Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?”

24-25 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We saw the Master.”

But he said, “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.”

26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.”

27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.”

28 Thomas said, “My Master! My God!”

He is so often simply reduced to Doubting Thomas.  The one who demanded proof.  He is much more interesting than that – or at least, there are traditions about him that are much more interesting.  As I was preparing for today, I wanted to dig into not just the biblical story of Thomas but to also find stories about him in other “extra-biblical” writings, as they are called.  

As you heard, in the gospel of John, he is known as the twin.  In one early writing, however, Thomas is described as the twin of Jesus himself.  Say what now?  But not born of Mary.  The point being made – Thomas more than any other disciple was the twin reflection of the nature of Christ.  That’s in The Acts of Thomas.

There’s a collection known as The Apocalypse of Thomas which describes the details of the end of the world as allegedly revealed by Jesus to Thomas.  A number of these “extra-biblical” writings emphasize hidden or revealed knowledge, what later came to be associated with what are called “gnostic” traditions.

Among them, you may have heard of the Gospel of Thomas which became popularized because of the novel The Da Vinci Code. It’s a collection not of stories but short sayings of Jesus, many of them familiar like, “The kingdom is inside you and among you.”

There is also the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which offers a few truly unique takes on the childhood of Jesus – some miraculous, some unsettling.  As Richard Loesch describes Jesus in them, he is “an arrogant little miracle-worker with no sense of responsibility or compassion.”  In one story, Jesus kills another boy who beat him in a race… and then brings him back to life.  

Some of the stories are charming – like when Jesus formed birds out of clay and brings them to life and they fly away.  But these stories are about Jesus, not Thomas.  

According to the book of The Acts of Thomas, he traveled with merchants to India to share the good news and form communities.  And in fact, that’s where he is buried.  In Chennai.  Tradition says he traveled there in the year 52.

There’s a group of Christians in India known as St. Thomas Christians who remember him not as the one who doubted but as the one who went the farthest, who crossed more cultures, languages, and worlds than anyone else to share the good news of Jesus Christ.  It’s a source of pride for them that Christianity came to India much earlier than most of Europe.

In my favorite story, Thomas finds himself in front of a king named Gundaphorus. The king asks what he does for a living.  Thomas says, “I’m a builder.  I build things.  Even palaces for kings.”

“Good.  Build me one.”  “Sure!”  Thomas agrees but says, not right away.  “I’ll build it in the winter,” which makes no sense to the king.  Everyone builds in the summer.  But he agrees and gives Thomas a bunch of money to start.  And then sends him more every month.  A lot of it.

Thomas takes the money but instead of building anything, gives it away.  To anyone he saw with a need.  To the poor. To people who are sick.  He just keeps giving it away.

One day the king sends word and asks how the palace is coming along.  Thomas replies, “Spectacular.  It’s almost done. Just the roof is left.”  So the king sends the final chests full of gold and silver to finish it.  Which Thomas promptly gives away.

Someone reported to the king that nothing has actually been built. Nothing.  Not one wall, not a foundation.  

Gundaphorus brings Thomas in and asks him directly, “Have you built my palace?” Thomas says happily, “Oh yes, absolutely.”

“Then show it to me.”  “Well, you can’t see it here.”

That doesn’t sit well with the king.  Thomas is thrown into prison, and the king prepares to have him executed.  But just then, the king’s beloved brother dies briefly.   

He tells the king that during the time he was dead, “I was taken up and shown a palace.  A beautiful one.  I asked if I could live there but was told, ‘No.  That one belongs to your brother.  It was built by Thomas.’”

The king was so grateful that his brother’s life was spared that he spared Thomas.  And asks again, “Where is this palace you built for me?”  Thomas said, “I built it.  But you’re looking for it in the wrong place.”

For many people the meaning of this story is that he built the palace in heaven. That someday, only after death, the king would see it.  Maybe.

The palace was built.  Not with stone or walls.  You’re just looking in the wrong place.    

You can see it in the people who were fed.  You see it in the people who were healed.  You see it in lives of people the king doesn’t pay any attention to.  That’s why he doesn’t see it.

But isn’t this ironic because in today’s gospel, wasn’t Thomas the one who demanded proof?  The one who is famous for doubting until he saw with his own eyes?

Let’s go back to that story.  Notice, Jesus doesn’t argue with Thomas about this.  He doesn’t shame him.  He just says, “Here. Take a look.”

And with that detail taken care of, they can get back to the conversation the disciples were having before Thomas arrived.  What are they going to do now?  

That’s when Jesus said, “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good. If you don’t, what are you going to do with them?”

The disciples were being sent out.  To do what?  To build beautiful churches and grand cathedrals?  No.  To build palaces – ones you can’t see.  Other than in people who are being set free.

Free from what they carry.

Free from what’s been held against them.

People like you and me freed from what we can’t let go of – either against someone else or against ourselves.

Knowing how difficult forgiveness really is, Jesus breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

There’s a song by Matthew West that tells the story of Renee Napier, a woman who lost her daughter Megan to a drunk driver.  Her daughter was barely out of high school, ready to start her life, and then she was gone in an instant because Eric Smallridge chose to get behind the wheel after drinking. He was arrested, tried, and sent to prison.

For a long time, Renee carried what anyone would carry in that situation. Grief, anger, and the kind of questions that do not have satisfactory answers. 

And then, at some point, she made a decision that perhaps most would not even consider.  She agreed to enter into a victim–offender mediation program.  She went to the prison, sat down across from him, and began having conversations with the man who had taken her daughter’s life.  And over time, in the midst of those conversations, she chose to forgive him.  Not in abstract but to his face.

This became public knowledge because she then supported a reduction in his sentence.  Many struggled to understand.  Some people admired her for that. Some were critical of her.  Forgiveness like that is not simple or clean.  

But then she took it even further.  She didn’t just move on.  Renee began speaking publicly about drunk driving, about accountability, and about what it means to forgive without pretending that what happened did not matter. 

She has since spent years working for a different kind of justice, one that tells the honest truth about harm and still makes room for something new to happen.  It’s what is called restorative justice.

The king said, “Show me what you built.”  When you look at Renee’s life, you begin to see it.  In her life.  In Eric’s life.  In forgiveness and any life set free, changed, in ways you can’t point to in the usual way, but no less real.

Like the palace Thomas built, you can’t see it.  And yet, you can’t help but see it everywhere in lives changed by the love of Jesus for humankind.  Through compassion, mercy.

The disciples were not sent out to build cathedrals.  That’s true for our church too.  Not to have an impressive, imposing structure but a base from which to serve our neighbors with love.  

For example, providing a place where seniors can come not just for free meal every Wednesday but a smile and a hug and an activity that draws forth life-giving creativity through art.  (like this)

A place where 100 kids can run through, well, stampede through, with excitement discovering treasures we have hidden for them to find.  Ultimately more than candy, but love.

A place where people in recovery can show up and find support – five different groups here each week for AA, Al-Anon, Debtors Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and a very large 12 Step Study group.  Each person a palace being built.

When we talk about what we can give to the community, it’s not a beautiful building on the corner.

It’s plumbing that works, heating and air conditioning that works, roofs that don’t leak, sidewalks people where people don’t trip on while coming and going, termites that have been… exterm…  Well, just think of it as a big tent rented for a $30,000 funeral.  And so many other things that no one will ever see.  

When someone asks how did you spend that million dollars you raised?  In lives changed.  Happening in this place, every single day, all week long.  

And in worship and music and children and creativity every Sunday.  Leaving here filled and ready to make a difference at home.  “If you forgive someone’s sins, they’re gone for good.  If you don’t, what are you doing to do with them?”  At home, and in our families and in your neighborhood and in our country.

You are the palace.  Right here.  Can’t you see it?