A GREAT THING HAPPENED! . . . AND I MISSED IT!
Has this ever happened to you: you showed up at work one day, and everybody all around you was talking and jabbering excitedly. Something wonderful had happened in the lives of all of
them -- but you hadn't been there to experience it with them. Somehow you managed to miss this good thing or this good news. Somehow you had been at the wrong place, at the wrong time, while everybody else was at the right place, at the right time. They got the big prize, but you didn't. And now all that's left is to hear them smile and buzz back and forth about what a wonderful event or experience this was.
It would sort of be like finding out that our military men had killed "Old bent ladle", one week after this occurred. You would be going along wondering why all these happy people were rejoicing and celebrating in Applebee's or McDonald's Restaurants. I mean Americans (and all non-muslims, of course!!) of all ages, everywhere. Embarrassed, you would have to lean over and ask a young man with a cold beer in his hand just what was the deal? He would answer, "haven't you heard? Where you been all week? Our Navy guys killed O. B. L.! Killed him dead! The big, bad, muslim witch is gone, ding dong!! So everybody here is celebrating over this significant victory in the war against muslim based terror!"
And you would respond by picking up someone's ice cold malt from the table, saluting everyone with a smile, and downing the thing in ten seconds flat! Then you would leave very
quickly, before others could react, if you knew what was good for you! In reality you would probably just be kicking yourself that you had chosen the previous week to camping out on some state park. You had fun, but you missed the really big news. And now, you feel bad at being left out.
But I don't have to imagine such a scenario for I have lived it. Back in about 1970 something big happened in the world of the church and Christianity, at least in my part of the world. It was something called the Charismatic Movement. It was basically a movement of the Holy Spirit across the nation and indeed the entire world. It affected local churches and youth groups especially where I lived. They youth groups there in Ft. Stockton had even gotten a good dose of this new infusion of God's Spirit. Young people suddenly began to be interested in God's Word, and in Sunday School and worship attendance. They began to be interested in starting small groups and joining bible studies. They were even talking about their cool experiences with Jesus Christ at school during the day. To me it was all very strange.
This affected a lot of people my age -- particularly the ones who went to the Methodist and Presbyterian churches there in town. They had clearly been touched somehow in their respective churches, and touched by God. There was one revival in particular and a lay
witness mission which a number of my friends had gone to; but I hadn't. I kept seeing their joy, their love for each other. I could tell something important and big had happened in their lives, but I didn't know precisely what and could not understand it all. What could have happened to get them all so excited? Some of them tried to tell me they had heard some people from other towns talk about Jesus Christ and what He had done in their lives. I kept hearing that this had taken place over the previous weekend over at First Presbyterian Church. They kept saying, "Man it was cool!" And "Man it was really something," and "Man, you should have been there! Man!" and "It was about Jesus, Man!"
But I had not been there. And I had missed it. I could sense their contagious joy; but I did not know it myself. I had missed that moment. I don't even remember what I had been doing instead that previous weekend. Nor do I remember even being invited to this revivalistic event. Perhaps I was not high on the list of the "in-crowd" among those young people whom I regarded as my closest friends. So maybe I never got an invitation. But
when I saw the change in their lives, I was deeply moved. I wished that I had been where they had been and received what they received.
And I have often wondered if that was some of Thomas' problem. Thomas the disciple also missed out on a really big event during his life time. Namely, he missed out on the first "group appearance" of the risen Jesus Christ to His disciples. They got to see Jesus and hear Him speak. Presumably they also got to talk to Him as well. But not Thomas! This one really big deal that happened to the rest of them had bypassed him, so that he did not experience what they experience. But the story indicates there was something about Thomas that was more important than this: he was apparently the kind of man who needed visual and tactile evidence. He needed it in order to believe that Jesus was alive again. Here is the way John tells that story:24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Thomas missed what they all got. And because of that he stubbornly refused to believe the testimony of the others. Their second-hand report simply wasn't enough. He needed to have the visual and the tactile evidence as well as the second hand report.
I suppose I would have been like Thomas too if I had known about this story. Back when I was young I suppose I could have said to all of my young friends, "well you may have had an experience of some sort. But I won't believe it was of any use or value, until the same thing happens to me; until the Jesus who became real to you becomes real to me!" If I had
said that back in 1970 they would have just looked at me funny or laughed. And it would have served me right!
But go back to the story of Thomas for a moment. He was not present with the other disciples, and he was too stubborn to believe their testimony. I personally wonder why he was not with the others.
". . . Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
And in some ways today, my doubting friend, this is God's answer to all of those times when we believe we have missed out on something good. We may have actually missed
something big in the way of an event or person or experience. But in the final analysis that does not matter! We have not missed the BIGGEST of all events or experiences. We have not missed Jesus Christ Himsefl. He is alive to see to that.
So at all such times when we are feeling left out, we are still not deprived of the opportunity
to believe in this One whom we have not seen. (At least we have not seen Jesus in the way that those first disciples did). But we openly believe in Him; we profess our faith in Him, and we live out that faith. Jesus is alive and lives in us through faith; He reveals Himself to us in our faith. And as time goes by that faith of ours, weak though it may have begun, becomes vindicated; and one day it becomes strong.
I will not say "think about that" next time you miss out on something that seems really important. I will say instead, simply think on Him! And of course, believe in Him whom you have not seen.
With love.
BIBLE TEXT FOR YOU TO READ, USE, AND LOVE!
John 20:19-29
19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
LBC
Has this ever happened to you: you showed up at work one day, and everybody all around you was talking and jabbering excitedly. Something wonderful had happened in the lives of all of
 |
| Are you crying because you missed the big party? |
them -- but you hadn't been there to experience it with them. Somehow you managed to miss this good thing or this good news. Somehow you had been at the wrong place, at the wrong time, while everybody else was at the right place, at the right time. They got the big prize, but you didn't. And now all that's left is to hear them smile and buzz back and forth about what a wonderful event or experience this was.
It would sort of be like finding out that our military men had killed "Old bent ladle", one week after this occurred. You would be going along wondering why all these happy people were rejoicing and celebrating in Applebee's or McDonald's Restaurants. I mean Americans (and all non-muslims, of course!!) of all ages, everywhere. Embarrassed, you would have to lean over and ask a young man with a cold beer in his hand just what was the deal? He would answer, "haven't you heard? Where you been all week? Our Navy guys killed O. B. L.! Killed him dead! The big, bad, muslim witch is gone, ding dong!! So everybody here is celebrating over this significant victory in the war against muslim based terror!"
And you would respond by picking up someone's ice cold malt from the table, saluting everyone with a smile, and downing the thing in ten seconds flat! Then you would leave very
 |
| These Americans are singing, "Ding, Dong, the wicked muslim witch is dead! OBL gone, gone, forever, GONE!! |
quickly, before others could react, if you knew what was good for you! In reality you would probably just be kicking yourself that you had chosen the previous week to camping out on some state park. You had fun, but you missed the really big news. And now, you feel bad at being left out.
But I don't have to imagine such a scenario for I have lived it. Back in about 1970 something big happened in the world of the church and Christianity, at least in my part of the world. It was something called the Charismatic Movement. It was basically a movement of the Holy Spirit across the nation and indeed the entire world. It affected local churches and youth groups especially where I lived. They youth groups there in Ft. Stockton had even gotten a good dose of this new infusion of God's Spirit. Young people suddenly began to be interested in God's Word, and in Sunday School and worship attendance. They began to be interested in starting small groups and joining bible studies. They were even talking about their cool experiences with Jesus Christ at school during the day. To me it was all very strange.
This affected a lot of people my age -- particularly the ones who went to the Methodist and Presbyterian churches there in town. They had clearly been touched somehow in their respective churches, and touched by God. There was one revival in particular and a lay
 |
| They all got revived by Jesus Christ . . . but not me. I wasn't there! |
witness mission which a number of my friends had gone to; but I hadn't. I kept seeing their joy, their love for each other. I could tell something important and big had happened in their lives, but I didn't know precisely what and could not understand it all. What could have happened to get them all so excited? Some of them tried to tell me they had heard some people from other towns talk about Jesus Christ and what He had done in their lives. I kept hearing that this had taken place over the previous weekend over at First Presbyterian Church. They kept saying, "Man it was cool!" And "Man it was really something," and "Man, you should have been there! Man!" and "It was about Jesus, Man!"
But I had not been there. And I had missed it. I could sense their contagious joy; but I did not know it myself. I had missed that moment. I don't even remember what I had been doing instead that previous weekend. Nor do I remember even being invited to this revivalistic event. Perhaps I was not high on the list of the "in-crowd" among those young people whom I regarded as my closest friends. So maybe I never got an invitation. But
 |
| Jesus came back to his disciples as He said He would . . . but Thomas wasn't there!! |
And I have often wondered if that was some of Thomas' problem. Thomas the disciple also missed out on a really big event during his life time. Namely, he missed out on the first "group appearance" of the risen Jesus Christ to His disciples. They got to see Jesus and hear Him speak. Presumably they also got to talk to Him as well. But not Thomas! This one really big deal that happened to the rest of them had bypassed him, so that he did not experience what they experience. But the story indicates there was something about Thomas that was more important than this: he was apparently the kind of man who needed visual and tactile evidence. He needed it in order to believe that Jesus was alive again. Here is the way John tells that story:
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Thomas missed what they all got. And because of that he stubbornly refused to believe the testimony of the others. Their second-hand report simply wasn't enough. He needed to have the visual and the tactile evidence as well as the second hand report.
I suppose I would have been like Thomas too if I had known about this story. Back when I was young I suppose I could have said to all of my young friends, "well you may have had an experience of some sort. But I won't believe it was of any use or value, until the same thing happens to me; until the Jesus who became real to you becomes real to me!" If I had
 |
| Where was Thomas during that first big meeting with Jesus? |
But go back to the story of Thomas for a moment. He was not present with the other disciples, and he was too stubborn to believe their testimony. I personally wonder why he was not with the others.
The others were there (presumably the other ten), but not Thomas. Why not? Was there some errand that he considered more important than meeting with the others that evening? Perhaps visiting a local relative?
And then note his response to them when they told him what was what. He sounds as if he does not even believe that Jesus will appear -- again! That is, he did not even seem to hold out hope that what had happened once for the others might also still happen to him -- only a little later on. Had Thomas shut out the possibility that he might soon also get to see Jesus just like the others?
Well, of course we don't know the answer to such questions. What we do know is that 8 days later, they were all together again, and this time Thomas was present. It was then that he finally got to see Jesus; but he sure did get more than that! Jesus reprimanded him severely as you can see by reading the lesson below. Thomas also got to respond by bowing low in worship and confessing Jesus Christ as His Lord and God.
The lesson for all of us today is pretty obvious and has been restated best of all by Jesus Himself:
And then note his response to them when they told him what was what. He sounds as if he does not even believe that Jesus will appear -- again! That is, he did not even seem to hold out hope that what had happened once for the others might also still happen to him -- only a little later on. Had Thomas shut out the possibility that he might soon also get to see Jesus just like the others?
Well, of course we don't know the answer to such questions. What we do know is that 8 days later, they were all together again, and this time Thomas was present. It was then that he finally got to see Jesus; but he sure did get more than that! Jesus reprimanded him severely as you can see by reading the lesson below. Thomas also got to respond by bowing low in worship and confessing Jesus Christ as His Lord and God.
The lesson for all of us today is pretty obvious and has been restated best of all by Jesus Himself:
". . . Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
And in some ways today, my doubting friend, this is God's answer to all of those times when we believe we have missed out on something good. We may have actually missed
 |
| I don't care what he missed the first time; I feel sorry for what happened to that stubborn guy during that second visit of Jesus Christ! |
So at all such times when we are feeling left out, we are still not deprived of the opportunity
to believe in this One whom we have not seen. (At least we have not seen Jesus in the way that those first disciples did). But we openly believe in Him; we profess our faith in Him, and we live out that faith. Jesus is alive and lives in us through faith; He reveals Himself to us in our faith. And as time goes by that faith of ours, weak though it may have begun, becomes vindicated; and one day it becomes strong.
I will not say "think about that" next time you miss out on something that seems really important. I will say instead, simply think on Him! And of course, believe in Him whom you have not seen.
With love.
BIBLE TEXT FOR YOU TO READ, USE, AND LOVE!
John 20:19-29
 |
| So are you still crying over having missed something really big? Stop that right now, you big Cry Baby! Jesus is alive for you now! |
19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
LBC
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