Dr. Wayne A. Lawson
Antioch Institutional Baptist Church
Oklahoma City, OK
RevWLawson@aol.com
Preached Sunday, February 14, 2010
TITLE: THOMAS MISSED THE MEETING
SCRIPTURE: ST. JOHN 20:19-29
The Lord lead me to this exciting passage of Scripture in an effort to Help and Encourage our Brothers as we begin to make great strides in the reorganization effort of our brotherhood ministry. I pray that this message will encourage each of our Brothers to become more committed and determined to participate and support all that we are challenged to do for the Advancement of God’s Kingdom. Sisters, would you help me this morning in your responses during this preaching hour and encourage the brothers that are seated around you, a hardy Amen here and there and Clapping your Hands will go a long way this morning as we ignite the fire the Brotherhood Ministries requires.
Brothers, I want you to be encouraged and know that you are of Vital Importance to this ministry. Your support is the accelerator for this Ministry. When you don’t support, our progression suffers, something happens when you are not in attendance. Through the Help of the Holy Spirit, we will examine what happened when Thomas Missed the Meeting – and what happens brothers when you miss the meeting and fail to participate in the Life of the Church.
When we think of the Lord’s disciples, we have certain words that almost always go with them. We think of Judas Iscariot or Judas the Betrayer, we think of Peter denying Christ three times but also Peter the Rock that the church was built on, we think of the John, the one Jesus loves, and we also think of Thomas or as he is better known as Doubting Thomas. Thomas has been branded as a doubter. The truth is the Bible never portrays him as such. Thomas isn’t the only person whom history has defined by a single experience. Consider:
• President Richard Nixon who is remembered more for the Watergate break-in than for the normalization of relations with China
• George Armstrong Custer is known more for his defeat at Little Big Horn than for being the youngest general in the Union Army
• Babe Ruth is known as the "Home Run King" even though he also holds the dubious distinction of being the "Strike-out King."
The outskirts of our text declares Jesus had been crucified on that dreadful Friday. Our text ushers us into the early hours of Sunday morning – the first day of the week – spot light shines upon Mary Magdalene when it was yet dark went to the tomb where Jesus body was hurriedly laid to rest. First thing she took note of was the huge stone that had been placed to seal the tomb had been rolled away. She looked in and he who was crucified was gone. She supposing that someone had stolen the body of Jesus ran and found Peter and John. John only looked – Peter approached and entered. I always thought it interesting, consider this verse with me - Vs. 8 “THEN WENT IN ALSO THAT OTHER DISCIPLE, WHICH CAME FIRST TO THE SEPULCHRE, AND HE SAW, AND BELIEVED.” This however, was not said immediately of Peter.
I don’t know why but after Peter and John left and returned home – Mary remained there hoping for some clue to the whereabouts of Jesus, struggling with her double grief over his death and the disappearance of His sacred form. She looked in again and saw something the two disciples had not seen – two angels. Ordinarily a vision of angels would have brought a feeling of excitement and Awe, but Mary was too overborne with grief to feel any other emotion. She was equally uninterested in another form that loomed up before her as she turned away into the Garden.
Her only concern was to press her search for the body, and there was a chance that this man was the Gardener and might have removed it. Electrified at hearing her name spoken in the familiar voice of Jesus, she burst out – Rabboni. It is not unduly surprising that Mary recognized the voice of Jesus when He spoke her name but not when he first questioned her. Mary did not expect Jesus to be alive – leading to recover his body. This lets me know that even the familiar can seem strange to us when we encounter it unexpectedly.
The author of our lesson tells us that the disciples of Jesus, with the exception of Thomas – because Thomas Missed the Meeting – the other 10 brothers had gathered together on that evening that the tomb was found to be empty, and Mary Magdalene had reported to have seen the risen Christ - They gathered that evening to have a meeting. It was Easter evening. But, instead of celebrating the news of Christ’s resurrection, we are told that they had gathered behind locked doors, in fear of the Jewish authorities.
It is important that we understand their fear and place it in proper perspective. Matthew’s Gospel gives us a hint. He tells us that the Roman guards, assigned to guard the tomb of Jesus, experienced the earthquake, saw the stone sealing the grave moved by an angel, and in awe and fear, fell to the ground and the Bible says they were as though they were dead. They too had witnessed what the women saw that Easter morning.
Then Matthew tells us, that after the women left, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. But instead of receiving the news with joy, they bribed the guards to report that they had fallen asleep, and that the disciples had come and stolen the body of Jesus. The guards took the bribe, and did as the Scribes had said. Their report quickly spread throughout Jerusalem. And so, the disciples huddled behind locked doors, because they were being sought for stealing a corpse and perpetrating a hoax, a crime punishable by death. Perhaps they also remembered the words of Jesus – ST. JOHN 15:20 “REMEMBER THE WORD THAT I SAID UNTO YOU, THE SERVANT IS NOT GREATER THAN HIS LORD. IF THEY HAVE PERSECUTED ME, THEY WILL ALSO PERSUECUTE YOU IF THEY HAVE KEPT MY SAYING, THEY WILL KEEP YOURS ALSO.”
So here, in the midst of the text, we are visiting the very night of Jesus resurrection. The disciples are held up in hiding in the midst of a special call meeting. And with the doors closed, Jesus suddenly showed up in this concealed and confined room. Our lesson tells us that Jesus came and stood among them, with a greeting of peace – an expression that must have conveyed not just a calmness to the disciple’s fear, but also an expression of forgiveness.
• Then Jesus showed them his hands and side
• He was still bearing the marks of his crucifixion and death
• He then commissioned them for ministry, and empowered them for witness with the gift of his Spirit
• Can you imagine the excitement they must have felt?
• Can you imagine the Holy Spirit empowering them at the meeting?
The first thing that Jesus says to these startled men is “PEACE BE UNTO YOU.” I have heard many Theologians expound upon the meaning of Jesus words – quiet them and prepare them for a fresh statement of their commission -- His words were to establish reintroduction -- Consider words in the Greek -- I understand all of that, but if I had been in the midst of that meeting and Jesus who I witnessed three days prior die on that Old Rugged Cross - now here He is standing in front of me and the door is still closed -- I would need for Him to Speak Words of Peace to Me.
The text now calls to our attention at this point Thomas Missed the Meeting. Here John notes Thomas’ absence but does not explain it. All we know is that somehow, Thomas was not present for this supremely important meeting and moment.
• Brothers, Jesus showed up and Thomas was not there
• When you miss the meeting you can miss your blessing
• Jesus is not confined to Sunday morning Worship Experience
• He is able to meet you at the Meeting
• Don’t know why Thomas missed the meeting
• Perhaps he needed to grieve alone away from other disciples
It is not noted why Thomas was not there, but one thing we should note that his absence caused him to miss out on what Jesus was ready for them to do. In fact had you ever missed a service, and everyone that was there would tell about the good time they had. They tell you how you should have been there. Tell you how the Spirit of God during the service and you heard that so many times that you resented the fact that you were not there, and even more you would not want to hear another word about it? Well that is what happened with Thomas, his request was not to show his lack of faith in Jesus, because he knew too well that Jesus was the Son of God, but his lack of faith was caused by his colleagues telling him of the blessing he missed, thus causing him to act as an unbeliever.
The next verse tells us that the disciples in their excitement ran and found Thomas and Vs. 25 “THE OTHER DISCIPLES THEREFORE SAID UNTO HIM, WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD, BUT HE SAID UNTO THEM, EXCEPT I SHALL SEE IN HIS HANDS THE PRINT OF THE NAILS, AND PUT MY FINGER INTO THE PRINT OF THE NAILS, AND THRUST MY HAND INTO HIS SIDE, I WILL NOT BELIEVE.”
• Because Thomas Missed the Meeting his faith was not as strong as the other brothers
• Because Thomas Missed the Meeting his joy had diminished
• Because Thomas Missed the Meeting he walked around with a bowed down head
• Because Thomas Missed the Meeting he walked by sight and not by faith
• Because Thomas Missed the Meeting his Spirituality began to weaken
• Because Thomas Missed the Meeting he could not believe in a Risen Savior
• Because Thomas Missed the Meeting his spirit was not encouraged
• Because Thomas Missed the Meeting he camped out in the City of Doubt
When those who had seen the evidence told Thomas that Christ was alive again, there is not a hint of saintly wonder and acceptance of the miracle. Instead there is the human response of the skeptic: “Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my fingers on those scars, and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” We can almost see Thomas shifting his eyes and folding his arms and raising his eyebrows and saying:
• Peter, how gullible can you be?
• Peter, I know you have better sense than that
• Peter, you poor man, you must be in denial
• Jesus is dead, we witnessed it with our own eyes
• We saw it ourselves and nothing can change that
• All because Thomas Missed the Meeting
The news of the Resurrection was easy news to dismiss. The first reports of the Resurrection took place in the dark cold early morning hours. The first witnesses were women who had been emotionally and mentally strained and overwrought by what they had seen during the confusion of Thursday’s arrest and trials, and during the horror of Friday’s crucifixion.
• With their eyes full of tears
• Their hearts full of sorrow
• Their minds full of confusion
• How could one possibly expect them to see and to think clearly?
• They must have found the body stolen and imagined the rest, thought Thomas
• Or perhaps they had imagined it all
And so, when approached by his friends with this fantastic, unprecedented news that their dead master is alive again. Thomas replies with honest doubt: “Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars, I will not believe.” Because of this overwhelming doubt, nearly everyone has been rather harsh in his or her evaluation of Thomas. We look at him with the disappointed look that a teacher might give to a bright student who has failed the test. “Come on Thomas, surely you could have done better than that. Surely you could have mustered up enough faith.” “Surely you could have filled the shoes of belief and stood side by side with your ten brethren.”
• We are not kind in our treatment of Thomas
• We look at him as a failure in faith
• And yet, whether we admit it or not, in many of us who are so faithful, there exists a bit of doubting Thomas
• Many of us are more like Thomas than we would like to believe, or admit
• We, too, have our doubts
• We doubt that God cares for and loves us
• We doubt our salvation
• We doubt that the Resurrection took place
• We doubt the very existence of God
• We do not deny any of these, for if we made a flat denial, we probably would not be here this morning. We would be back home comfortably reading our newspapers and having a late breakfast. On the Golf Course, Shopping, or having that Cup of Coffee
• We don’t - DENY
• We simply - DOUBT
We all have doubts -- At one time or another, about one matter or another, and the way most of us deal with doubt is to suppress it. We ignore it and refuse to admit it to ourselves and we certainly refuse to admit our doubts to others. As if dealing with some hideous crime or some embarrassing mistake. We hide any evidence of our doubt and we wear a mask of faith and we pretend to believe without question. After all, what kind of Christian would we be - could we be if we admitted that our lack of faith had resulted in doubt? I want to encourage you this morning Brothers as we move closer to reorganizing our Brotherhood Ministry:
• When we come together we are able to draw strength and to share our weaknesses
• When we come together our doubts can be calmed as we draw strength one from the other
• When we come together we can lean on one another
• Like the songwriter said “Lean on Me When Your Not Strong, I Have the Faith, I’ll Help You Carry On”
• But when we miss the meeting, we will continue to struggle with our Doubts.
++++This witness of faith is today being borne in countless communities across the land - BLESSED ARE THEY THAT HAVE NOT SEEN ME AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.
• Thomas Missed the Meeting and his faith was rocked
• Thomas Missed the Meeting and he could not believe
• Thomas Missed the Meeting and stagnated his spiritual growth
• Thomas Missed the Meeting and his faith was confused
• Thomas Missed the Meeting and had a label of Doubting attached
• Thomas Missed the Meeting found it easier to mourn and have pity party
• Thomas Missed the Meeting and found himself separated from the brethren
Brothers I encourage you this morning – Don’t Miss the Meeting - Get Involved and let’s move this Church family forward -- Don’t Miss the Meeting - Let’s take our rightful place as leaders in God’s house -- Don’t miss the Meeting - Let’s take our rightful place as leaders in God’s House - Don’t miss the Meeting
--It is at the Meeting we Are:
- Empowered
- Strengthened
- Encouraged
- Equipped
Thomas Missed the Meeting – Don’t You Miss It Too!
