(First preached at Belfast, 21 December 1856.)
John 20:24. “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus,
was not with them when Jesus came.” This occurs in the account of an
interesting meeting of the disciples at which Thomas was not present.
- What kind of meeting was it?
- Why was Thomas not there?
- What was the effect of his absence on
him? Will indicate my line of thought.As to the kind of meeting, reference
is had, both as to its character, as
decided by its exercises, and as to the time & circumstances
& attendants.This was a Sabbath evening meeting. The Saviour
rose from the dead early in the morning, & this meeting was held on the
evening of the same day—“the same day at evening.”How many were present we
are not informed. At one very interesting meeting we are told there were 120
present, & all of one accord. Probably there were not so many at this
meeting. But John was there, & Peter was there,–as many as 10 or 11 of the
Apostles were there. And others were there. “And them that were with them” it
is said. “The disciples were assembled,” including more than the apostles. It
would seem natural that they should be found there, & Mary Magdaline [sic],
whose interest in the Saviour led them very early that morning to the
sepulcher, & “other women” who went with them & saw that the stone was
rolled away from the sepulcher & that Christ had risen, & who ran, with
mingled sadness & joy, to report what they had seen. We know that the two men who walked out to Emmaus that
afternoon were there, with whom an interesting stranger walked and talked along
with them as they went. And very likely others were in that room, whose names
are not given, who were no less active and less interested than some whose
names are mentioned but who were really disciples. And for aught we know, a
few thoughtful & serious minded persons, who were not disciples, might have
found their way into that room that evening, more or less interested to see
what those christians would say & what sort of meeting they would have that
night. No matter about the exact number who were there,
whether 15 or 40; it was a meeting of the disciples.It was a social meeting.
No bell was rung, no trumpet sounded, no heralds went through the streets to call
the multitude in. How the appointment was given out we do not know, but
it was understood by christians that there was to be a meeting. Not a public
one, in the largest hall in Jerusalem, but in some quiet place; for
when their Lord had been put to death, their safety led them to keep the doors
shut “for fear of the Jews.”It had been with them an exciting & sad day.
It was the resurrection day of the Son of God, a day full of interest to them,
to angels & to the world. Early that morning Mary Magdalene, & perhaps
one or two other interested & warm hearted women, went to the sepulcher,
& found that the body of Jesus was not there. Peter & John rand there
& found it was even so. When they had gone, Mary stood there at the sepulchre weeping, & Jesus spoke to her so that she knew him.In
the afternoon of that day, two of the disciples went out to Emmaus—some 7 or 8
miles distant–& as they walked on talking & reasoning & wondering
as to what had transpired, Jesus drew near, as a stranger, & walked with
them, & expounded the scriptures to them, “the things
concerning himself.” They became so much interest[ed] in him, that they pressed
him to go in & stop with them. He did so. And as the took bread with them
“their eyes were opened & they knew him, & he vanished out of their
sight.” Filled with astonishment & joy they instantly hastened back to
Jerusalem to tell that Christ was risen. They found “the eleven & them that
were with them” just gathered in this meeting in the evening.
In they came, & in came Mary & others, to tell the wonderful news that
the Lord was risen. It was a social meeting. It was not a preaching meeting—a regular Sabbath afternoon service. It was not for Mark to offer the
invocation & read a hymn, & James to make the “long prayer,” &
Peter to preach the sermon, & John to pronounce the benediction. Not so. But it was a social meeting.
They got together to speak about Christ—to speak to each other about his sufferings,
his wonderful resurrection, & the glorious surety of salvation in him.This was the meeting,–a Sabbath evening meeting,–a social meeting,–a meeting
of disciples, to think about and speak about Christ, their common Saviour,
risen from the dead. Nobody doubts that they had an interesting meeting. But
Thomas was not there.And now II. Why was he not there? Thomas not there!
When he was a disciple, & when there had been so much to make every
disciple sad, & now when there was so much to make every disciple glad!
Thomas not out to that Sabbath evening meeting! No, he was not there. It seems
very strange. Where was Thomas that night? What can be the reason?Shall it
be supposed that he did not know of the meeting? But perhaps it was understood there was to be a meeting every
Sabbath evening, & if so, he must have known about it. And if not, it seems
others got the notice, & very likely he did. And if he did know of the
meeting, he knew it was not to be a mere business meeting; he knew it
was not to be a dry lecture, on some dry subject, by some dull speaker,
but to pray & praise, & speak about Christ & the common salvation.
And yet he was not there.Was he sick? That would have been a sufficient reason.
Has any body seen the doctor going to his house? Did he have watchers the night
before? Is Thomas down with rheumatic fever? Now it has come to be more
convenient & more fashionable to be unwell on the Sabbath rather than on
other days, but the history of diseases does not show that the “Sunday
sickness” prevailed then as it does now. And was not Thomas
absent his business the day before? And who that has noticed how it is now with
men–& chh. members too—will venture to assert that he was not hard at
work, or in the street driving his business eagerly as any man the next morning
before 8 oclock?Was he too weary to go out that evening? What has Thomas
been doing to tire him so? There is no evidence that he attended a morning
prayer meeting, & then walked a mile & a half & attended the
meetings & the Sabbath School; & if he had, it might
not be so tiresome as what he did on other days. Men now often say they work so
hard during the weak [sic] & get so tired, that they are unfit to go to
meeting on the Sabbath–& they tell the truth. But I am not purposed to
have Thomas offer an excuse like this—are you? The two disciples who walked
hence to Emmaus—7 miles–& then came back again to Jerusalem were not tired–& those women, who were so early at the sepulchre in the
morning & were in such a state of excitement all day, were not too tired to
be at this meeting. Was Thomas a feeble man & too much fatigued?Shall we
find a reason for his absence by supposing anything in regard to his opinion
about evening meetings? Many now think it is very well to have religious meetings in the day time on the Sabbath, but who shake their heads
about evening meetings, & very
rarely or never are seen in them. They have some respect for religion
in daylight, but piety after sunset, religion after dark, meetings to pray & praise & speak of the things of
Christ & his kingdom in the evening, they regard as foolishness[,]
imprudence or fanaticism. And yet they can attend to anything else by lamp
light, & give the evening & the night to anything else.We are not
prepared to excuse the absence of Thomas from this meeting on account of any
such squeemishness [sic] about evening meetings & evening air. Was the walking bad? No worse for him than for others. And was not
Thomas seen out in all weather, driving through the rain & splashing through
the mud on other occasions?Did he have objection to the place of meeting?
that it was a damp, gloomy room, not well lighted, & the seats hard? Poor man! We think he was sometimes found in a poorer room, to sit by
the hour talking about secular matters, & was he afraid he
should get cold if he came in here? The other disciples would have been as glad
as he of a pleasanter room, where they could meet
within bolted doors, & fear of the Jews; but they
were glad to meet here, or anywhere, for conference & prayer.Was he
afraid he should get to sleep? In our times, men too often do get asleep in
meetings & allow themselves to do
so, as a habit, tho’ they often feel
ashamed of it, s well they may. Was Thomas afflicted with this lethargy &
infirmity? And did he fear that he should be unable to keep awake if he went,
& so feel mortified himself & mortify others? He must have been a
strangely stupid man, if he could have got
asleep in the meeting that evening.Did he stay away because he would be
expected to take a part & say something in the meeting if he was there? We
presume Peter would not have “called on him” to speak or pray, for we
presume no disciple there that evening expected or waited for any such thing.
What a different meeting they would have had if only one or two
had said a word, if John had given out a Long Metre hymn & made a long
prayer, & read a chapter & made an exposition, & they had all
waited till finally he called on James to make some remarks, & then asked
Peter to close with prayer. No. Nobody waited in that
meeting. They were all ready to speak. Their hearts were all full. They were
all ready to speak & pray & thank God for the glorious things that had
transpired. There was no waiting. Every heart was full of love to the risen
Saviour, & every tongue ready to bless him for assured hope of salvation in
him. Yes, we presume it would have been expected that Thomas would speak &
pray & sing if he had been there. What
kind of disciple would he have been, if he had not felt inclined to? Can
it be possible this was the reason he staid away?Really—we cannot tell why
Thomas was not at that meeting. It seems strange. We do not know how to explain
it. None of the suppositions we have made seem satisfactory. We cannot
understand the reason. We confess, his ignorance & unbelief, as indicated
to his brethren as they spoke to him afterward, lead us to fear that is heart
was not right, & he staid away for no good reason.Let us see then, III.
What was the effect on him of his absence.They had a glorious meeting that
evening. They had wonderful things to speak of. The Lord was risen. Of this
there was the best evidence. Those who went to the sepulchre had seen him. They
had spoken to him, & he had spoken with them, & they
could not be mistaken. Mary saw him & heard him. During that day he had
appeared to others. The two men who walked to Emmaus had seen him & talked
with him. This was the theme of the meeting. As one & another spoke in the
meeting, this was their testimony. “The Lord is risen—we have seen him &
heard his voice—it is true—the Lord is risen.” The minds of the disciples had
been in darkness as to his resurrection, & now they were slow to believe
the fact. But when one & another spoke & testified to the fact, &
especially when the tow who had walked to Emmaus spoke, & “told what things
were done in the way, & how he was known of them in breaking of bread,”
& how they had seen his hands & his feet, their unbelief gave way,
& they begun [sic] to believe & rejoice in the fact. This was the theme
of the meeting. And more & better still, while they were thus
speaking about it, & doubting & wondering & believing, Jesus himself came into the meeting, “& stood in the midst.” He stood
before them in person, & lifted up his voice, & said unto them, “Peace
be unto you.” And to show that there was no collusion & no mistake, “he
showed unto them his hands & his side.” Their unbelief was removed; their
doubts were all dissipated; their faith was established.The testimony of
others had been given, & now the Lord was with them, with the unmistakable
marks on him. “then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.”
Glad they well might be. No doubt was left. They saw him. They knew him &
believed. And he blessed them there. “He breathed on them, & said unto them
Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” It was such a meeting as they had never attended.
No words could utter their emotions, no tongue could tell their joy, as their
risen Lord was with them, & as his blessing & the Holy Ghost rested on
them.Thomas lost all this. He was not there to hear one &
another speak, & testify that they had seen him, & communed with him
that day; he was not there to share the wonder & the joy
that spread from heart to heart. He was not there to see Christ with his own eyes,
as others did; he was not there to receive his blessing & the H. Ghost, as
the others did.He lost all this. While his brethren had been ignorant,
doubting & disbelieving, but are now established in faith & filled with
peace & joy, Thomas is ignorant still, doubting still, disbelieving still.When his brethren who were in this meeting went to him, perhaps the
next morning, & said to him, Thomas, “we have seen the Lord,” his mind was
in such darkness & unbelief that all they could say did not convince him.
Poor & guilty man, if he had been at that meeting he would have believed,
& his heart would have been filled with peace & joy. But no,
no, says he, “I don’t believe—Except I shall see in his hands the print of the
nails, & put my finger into his side, I will not believe.” So stupid, &
hardened, & unbelieving a disciple may be. If he had been at that
meeting, he would have had his faith established, & his heart melted.What his thoughts were upon &
what was said to him during the week we do not know, but he was at the meeting
the next Sabbath evening, & Christ was there again. And the Saviour
spoke to Thomas in person & convinced him. It was wonderful condescension
in Christ thus to bear with & thus to bless him, when he had been so
faithless. And how Thomas must have felt abased & grieved with himself when
he came to think of his inconstancy & unbelief we can easily imagine.–It may be well to notice that the disciples, who must have noticed & felt
his absence from this meeting, went to Thomas & conversed with him. They
addressed him “We have seen the Lord.” What more they said to him we do not
know, but we can imagine. It is very possible that this conversation put him to
thinking, & led him to be present & to believe in his risen Lord at the
next Sabbath evening meeting. The duty of looking after a negligent brother or
friend has often been blessed. It is too often neglected.–How many
we have in our chhs. Who are like Thomas in not being in the social meeting. My
christian brother, are you like him in this respect? You know of no good reason
why he shd. not have been in the meeting hat evening. You see what he lost in
not being there, to see his risen Saviour & believe & mingle his joy
& thanksgivings with his rejoicing brethren. You think it
inconsistent in him. You see how unbelieving he was, how far he was from a
right state of mind, in consequence of his neglect. Are you a disciple of
Christ, & do you resemble him in your state of mind, in your neglect, &
inconsistency? You must think that if Thomas had felt as he should, & been
consistent, he would have been at that meeting, to see & hear & feel
& speak with his brethren, & to share the blessing with them. And if he
had been there, he would have spoken of the common theme, & the
common salvation, & given thanks to God for Christ’s
presence & blessing. Have you a better excuse than Thomas had for not being
present where christians meet to pray & speak of Christ, & where Christ
often meets with them? Is not your state of feeling, & is not your
course quite as inconsistent? Do you feel satisfied with yourself? Does Christ
feel satisfied with you? Think of it.@jewishhenna said: I love this!!! “In our times, men too often do get asleep in meetings & allow themselves to do so, as a habit, tho’ they often feel ashamed of it, as well they may.” INDEED!
I am astonished that anybody read this, you sweet people ❤ But yes, I was utterly delighted to come across this sermon. Not only is it an excellent source on the practice of social worship, but also because I know Rev. Parker from his spiritual journal of the 1820s-’30s (in which he’s a high strung, continually despairing young clergyman), and I was delighted to learn that he grew up, mellowed out, and developed a sharp tongue : D
& wrote callout posts about doubting Thomas
Mooncustafer 