(John) the Sudden Appearance of Thomas — Willie Mullan

The Purpose of John's Gospel: Believing in Christ

Seeing that we're commencing the Bible study with this evening, looking at our Lord's sudden appearance to God. And then John closes this chapter with two very remarkable verses, verses 30 and 31, and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name.

These two verses show us the reason why John recorded these wonderful 20 chapters. This is the recorder giving his reasons for recording these wonderful chapters. These are written that ye might believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and we want to deal with these two verses very carefully this evening.

Then we're going on into the next chapter, to the first three verses, and because these set the stage for the last words in this wonderful Gospel of John, and we shall just go and see these disciples, apparently discontented and very deftly defeated, and we shall see the Lord coming through the next week in a wonderful way.

So, these are the things that lie ahead of us this evening. His appearance to Thomas, the closing verses of chapter 20, and the setting of the stage for chapter 21. Now, we're going right back now to chapter 20 and to verse 24.

Thomas’s Absence and the Grip of Unbelief

That's where this third scene really commences. You see, in the previous verses, the Lord hath suddenly appeared, and he hath blessed, and he hath really thrilled the disciples. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.

But the recorder, John, in writing this, in verse 24, he reminds us, but Thomas, but Thomas, but Thomas, one of the twelve called Gedimus, was not with them when Jesus came. So, we start with the absence of Thomas.

Thomas was absent on this, the first day of the week, when our Lord wonderfully appeared to his disciples, and really thrilled and blessed them. Now, how can we account for the absence of Thomas? Very definitely, it seemed quite clearly here, that it was not geographical distance.

He wasn't away somewhere in the north of the land, at Galilee, or somewhere like that. Oh no, the geographical distance was not the cause of his absence. You see, the moment that these people were thrilled, it says in verse 25, the other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord.

So that they hadn't got to go very far to look for him, he was quite close at hand, so that the cause of his absence was not geographical distance. And it most certainly wasn't physical image. The moment that they found him, they didn't say, You're feeling better now.

You went out last Sunday. Are you quite well? Oh, not at all, they didn't talk like that. There wasn't one thing wrong with him, physically. And geographically, he was quite close at hand. I think the reason is found very simply in the reply he makes to these disciples.

Verse 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 eye, I will not believe.

Oh, you can see the state of the man, can't you? Oh, it was something spiritual that was wrong. It wasn't anything physical or geographical. It was something physical. He was depressed, he was downcast, he was despondent, he was running about down in the dumps.

He didn't know where he was. It kept him away on Lord's Day from meeting with God's people, and he missed the blessing. And you know, my dear, if you ever get depressed, and who doesn't? Well, when we even have an Elijah under the juniper tree, any one of us can get there.

And my dear, if you ever get depressed, and downcast, and despondent, and you feel that the whole bottom has fallen out of the boat, and you sigh dark, and you're almost in despair, the first place you should make for is God's house on Lord's Day.

That's where you'll really get lifted, and never let it keep you away by the very thing that should bring you there. But all the other disciples were just as bad as he was. You remember they'd shut the door for fear of the Jews, and they're all huddled up together, and they don't know what's going to happen.

But when the Lord appears, and his word comes to the why they're thrilled, they enter the meeting distressed, they leave the meeting delighted. The reason that so many of God's people keep down in depression, is because they forgot to go to God's house on God's day, to hear God's message.

Remember each Lord's Day morning, the Lord stands in the midst of his flock, and he has got a word, and it's usually a word of comfort for his people. And if you're not there, you'll have a weep down in the dumps, and you deserve it.

He was absent. But I think you can see something more here, can't you? From the wording here, you not only see the cause of his absence, but you can see that not only was he depressed, and downcast, and despondent, but you can see that Thomas is in a state now where he's going to question everything.

Why, here he is. He's in the grip of unbelief. It's a horrible thing, you know. You see, these men whom he had traveled down the years with, and who had been his brethren in the service of the Lord, these men whom he had learned to love and to trust, these men come out and say, Thomas, we have seen the Lord.

He also has seen it shining in their faces. They were thrilled. He said, unless I put my finger into the print of the nails, and so on, I will not believe. He's skeptical now. It's a horrible thing when God's children get into this state of being skeptical.

I've seen this in all life. I'll tell you this, if God ever blesses you, you feel the Lord has come upon you, and he has blessed you, or he blesses the assembly that you belong to. And time after time, they've had the experience of having the Lord in their midst, of power poured on their heads, and they've seen the arm of the Lord again and again, when they've had a brief experience with the Lord.

There's a lot of boys that never kissed, never said, oh God, you're right. They begin to question it. They've never been here to see it. They're the boys that say, I will not believe. They think they're big fellas, don't they?

They know it all, don't they? They're in a state of being skeptical. I've had a whole lot of them. I get fed up looking at them, and I get fed up listening to them. They've never had a text of God's blessing for years, but they can be skeptical of the man who's had experiences with the Lord.

They wouldn't have a Bible class with such men to listen to them for two weeks, but they can be skeptical about men that God uses. They want to go and find out the state they're in, because that's where Thomas was.

I will not believe. That's where he was. Not a very happy company to be in, I can tell you. You know, my dear friends, I think it always works the other way. If God ever comes and blesses your soul, and blesses the assembly you belong to, as soon as you hear a blessing in some other part of the country, be it in the Presbyterian, or the Methodist, or anywhere else, you just shout hallelujah.

That's what I do anyway. I praise the Lord for every, no matter where, they've got to learn that they're just skeptical, that's all. It's a tremendous thing. You see, this was very imprudent, because I shall be proving this to you in a moment or two.

You know, you might stand outside the church, down the street, and we'd better say a few things, but let me tell you this, the Lord hears what you say, because he very soon let Thomas know that he heard.

He says, reach other your finger, not to scare the lady. Why the Lord heard them? Very unwise to talk out of turn, you know, because the Lord's at your elbow. And by your word, you shall be justified, and by your word, you shall be judged.

It was imprudent. Now, watch this, because this is very important. Let's read the whole story, verse 24. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called him up, was not with them when Jesus came. 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 nail. May I just stop and say that that's the only place in the Gospels where you have got the word nails, and think, I think I'm right in saying it's the only place in the New Testament.

The one word in the New Testament that proves that Jesus was crucified, and his hands and feet were pierced. Crucifixion is not always, and was not always, by piercing. Sometimes they only tied the feet and the hands for the cross, and let them die of exhaustion.

But on this occasion, there is no doubt that they pierced his hands and his feet, because the word is there. But Thomas is talking out of concern. Verse 25, in the middle of the verse, 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 sides, I will not believe.

It is a lovely wee bit, don't jump it too quick. And after it's day, I want you to get the word after. After it's day. It's counting by Jewish time here. It's the first day of the week again. A whole week has gone by.

I want you to be very careful here, and go very slowly with me. You see, Thomas had a great opportunity of going to God's house with God's people on the first day of the week, and meeting the Lord, and getting blessed.

But he was so down in the dumps he didn't go. Well, let me tell you this, that the Lord never spoke to him all week. The Lord didn't speak to him again until next Lord's day, when he was in his place.

Let me say to all you saints something. You see, by this very action of the Lord, the Lord is honoring, honoring the downing together of his people on the first day of the week. If you want to hear me properly, just get under your seats.

I'll tell you this, the Lord is not only honoring the gathering together of his people on the first day of the week, he's honoring the very place where they gathered. Now you people, talking to Baptists now, can fuck them as hard as I like.

Talking to you Baptists. Some of you, you know, can lie on in your bed Sunday morning. Sometimes my boys are here, I know whether I'm telling the truth or not. Sometimes the old pastor is up all night with his hands to get a message for God's people, to get that very word of comfort that they so much need.

But that's coming in so cold and so far away from God. Blessings. Even on Sunday morning, can't you? It's miserable that you're looking for the pastor in the middle of the week. You're treating the Lord.

Let me get this over for once and for all. If it's only the pastor and a few headings that are here on Sunday mornings, lie on in your bed. I wouldn't get out of it if I were you. It's in the midst, and this is the Lord with people.

I wonder why you're staying in your bed. He tells you, let me teach you. That you'll go through the whole week and the Lord will not speak to you. He didn't run stuck enough for Thomas that week. He says, all right, my boy, you'll not turn out with my people, and you don't want the blessing.

How will you go a week without it? Mind you, it's very important to be in your place on Sunday morning if you want the Lord to talk to you. You see, the Lord hath ordained the point of the day. I am the Lord hath appointed a way.

He's got teachers to teach you. Men that sit in his presence and give his message and bring it for you. All this stuff for you to have if you don't have it. My dear friend, do you think the Lord will run after you, do you?

I hope you'll learn like the early disciples to come on the first day of the week. And here's what it says in Acts chapter 20 and verse 7. The disciples met together on the first day of the week to break bread and Paul preached unto them.

Have a look at it, some of you brethren boys, in case you think there's not a picture on Sunday morning. You never read it. Well, have a go at it now, and come round and have a go at me afterwards, and I'll give you more.

Well, do what you think God's gifts are for. Treading under your feet, God has given gifts to the church. And there's such a thing as the ministry of the world, and it can only be ministered by men who have been made able ministers of Christ.

Breaking of bread is a place where we all worship the Lord in this place. Absolutely free to any saint to worship the Lord as he will. But the early disciples met on the first day of the week, and Paul preached.

And if you're not there, you'll miss the Lord and the message. And you might go eight days before you hear his voice again. It's important. I hope you're learning. You can see he's present now, can't you?

Christ’s Peace for the Downcast

Oh, what an experience he has. Verse 26. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Tom was with them, then came Jesus, the doors being shut. That's almost like a verse we read last week, except for one thing.

Look at verse 19. Then it came there, even, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews. But this time there's no fear of the Jews in it.

Did you notice that? It's not there this time. Oh, they've seen the Lord. Last week they'd met the Lord. My, they'd gazed upon him. It had dawned on their toes that he's really alive. And being occupied with the passion of Christ, the fear was driven out.

It's not there this week. They're assembled and the doors are shut, but there's no fear of the Jews in it, that's it. Verse 26. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Tom was with them, then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, isn't that lovely?

Peace. And the answer is you. Remember last week, when he came, verse 19, the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst and said unto them, peace.

And the answer is you. You know, again and again, in these resurrection messages, you will find that the Lord seems to be deeply concerned for his disciples. Very wonderful. Lord, dear, if there's something has depressed you, and you're under the juniper tree, and you're downcast, and you're afraid and frightened, and you're living in that gloomy place where Tom has lived for eight days, the Lord doesn't want you there.

Sure enough, why, the Lord wants his people to experience his peace. And he never changes at this thing. Last week, he came in and the first thing he says, peace. And next week he comes in, and the first thing he says, concern, you know, with you getting peace in your mind.

How many of God's people don't seem to get it. Peace, that passeth all understanding. And mind you, the old book of declared long ago that he will keep them in perfect peace, whose mind has stayed on him.

And if you can only see him in the midst, if you can only get occupied with him, if you can only gaze upon his beauty, if you can see the Lord, you can get peace, you know. Well, he can get you peace.

So, that's the first words again, peace be unto you. And then here's what he said, verse 27. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach thither thy finger, and behold my hand, and reach thither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing.

You know, I think he's shocked, Thomas. You see, Thomas had stood at the street corner, and the disciples had gathered round them, and had said, We have seen the Lord. He said, Exactly. I put my finger into the pit of the nails, and I thrust my hand into the side, I will not believe.

And the Lord was listening to him. Do you remember me telling you that right through John's gospel, the Lord knew everything? I knew always. Tell me, Ross, as Thomas was talking, Oh, we must be careful with these cynical and skeptical remarks.

We must be careful, for the Lord will make us take them back. You know, I think that the thing that really struck Thomas more than any other thing, it was not the sudden appearance, but was the very word, Reach thither thy finger, and thrust thy hand.

These were the very words he had used himself, and it was the word of the Lord that hit him harder even than the appearance of the Lord. The word of the Lord. The word of the Lord. Faithless, but believing.

Oh, I feel you could take that little phrase out and hold it for quite a while tonight. Why, there's a whole crowd of us to do with it, with the Lord coming near to us and saying, Look, Mr. Businessman, be not faithless.

I think he could go to some of you fathers, be not faithless. And I think he could come to some of you young women and say, be not faithless, but believing. And very often he's got to come to the pastor and say, be not faithless.

Rebuke for the whole crowd of us, for there are times we miss the Lord, and we don't believe at all. What an experience he had, when the Lord suddenly appeared and used his very own words, and then touched him with this rebuke.

And out of the soul of this man, who was so skeptical that he would not believe his brethren, comes one of the greatest twitchments in the whole Bible. Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord, what a moment this must have been.

Oh, you can see the eloquence that's there now. You know, friend, let me say this before I forget. Some of you people that are depressed and downcast, if you would only get into God's house and sit at the Lord's feet and let him show himself to you, before very many minutes you begin to pay them, and your whole life's drawn.

Why don't you let nothing occupy you, your own misery? And if you did, mother would hear music in heaven like they never had before. That's what happens here. My Lord, a little carefully at the statement, my, my, the moment that we lay the emphasis on the my, we're showing Thomas how to have personal trust in Christ.

This is Thomas, personally trusting Christ. This is your mind. For anybody else here, your mind. It's a very personal thing. Thomas, personally trusting Christ the Savior. But the moment he says, my Lord, this is Thomas, clouding, he says, Lord, Lord, that subjection now, is the my Lord.

And the moment that Thomas says, my God, this is adoration. And this is adoration of the highest, the highest God. My God, for a Jew to look into a man's head and say, my God. And there's not a Unitarian in the land can say it.

And the land can call Jesus Christ God, because they don't believe he's God. But they couldn't say it. My God. Mind you, when Peter went into the house of Cornelius, the Gentile, and this very great preacher among the Jews was coming into the house of Cornelius, Cornelius got down before him.

Peter says, no, don't do that, for I'm just a man like yourself. I wish all the poor would have this land. It would be good, wouldn't it? No, they just walk the other way round. They love to have somebody cringing at their feet.

Well, Peter didn't. Why didn't they learn from the boy they're supposed to follow? He says, don't you do it, I'm just a man like yourself. But Peter, diabolical potpourri, doesn't be as honest as that.

Not at all. Doesn't, nor doesn't. You remember when John was in the Isle of Patmos and the angel appeared, and he got down to worship the angel, said, don't do it. He heard a rebuke from Jesus. He's really God.

Tell me, is he your savior? Is he your Lord? Have you prayed him about this matter of baptism? And don't be talking about the Lord, if you're not obedient. Tell me, is he your God? He's my God. When you get home to heaven, who do you think you'll see on the throne?

You'll see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. He's my God. What a wonderful thing, that promise. You can see his absence, his imprudence, his presence, his experience, his eloquence. Jesus put a little word there, verse 29, Jesus says unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, and the fact that the Lord is laying the emphasis on the word seen, because thou hast seen me, it would make me believe that Thomas never reached a finger forward at all.

The thing that really assured Thomas was just the vision of the Lord. He says, thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. If you go to Matthew's gospel sometime, you'll read all the Beatitudes.

Blessed are they, blessed are they, blessed are they. Well, here's the last Beatitude in the book. This is Jesus talking. Blessed are they which have believed and have not seen. Are you in the clouds?

Do you believe? With all your heart and soul tonight, come from the glory, and went to the cross, and died an atoning death, and bore your sins, and his own body to the tree, and rose again to be your own savior.

Tell me, do you believe? Man, if you do, you're blessed. Blessed are they which believe and have not seen. Now, we come to the last two verses in the chapter, a very wonderful one. I must be honest with you about these verses.

I'll read them over to you, see if you can see the problem. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that he might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing he might have life through his name.

Why John’s Gospel Ends with a Postscript

Now, there are a great many scholars in the world, and they believe that the gospel of John ends at chapter 20. And they believe the gospel of John ends at chapter 20, because John is talking about the things which are written in this book, just as he had it finished.

There's an honest problem there, isn't there? Some of them say that John 21 is not in the book at all, that John 21 was written by somebody else. But I shall prove to you next week without any doubt that John was the writer, and that chapter 21 belongs to John's gospel.

You see, all that he is saying is this. These signs are written in this book, ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye have might have life through his name. What I believe about the problem is this, that John took 20 long, wonderful, thrilling chapters to tell us who Jesus is, the Christ, the Son of God, and what Jesus brings when he believes.

He not only tells us who he is and what he does, but he put a postscript to the book. Did you ever write the letter and then put a postscript to it after you had your name signed? Of course you did. He put a postscript to the book to let us see how Jesus pulls for his saints, one of the greatest thrilling chapters in John.

That's what I'll be up next week, the tenderness of our Lord for his killing saints. It's the best chapter in the book, and I'll take time to finish the whole chapter with you next week. John took 20 chapters to tell you that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that ye got life through believing.

Took 20 chapters to do that, but when he had signed the book, he put a postscript to let you see how the Lord feels for his killing saints, and what a thrilling chapter it is. So, there are no problems, but look at this.

He didn't write these 20 chapters just for historical information, though not at all. First and foremost, he wrote these 20 chapters for national confirmation. He's proved in this book, time and time and time again, that Jesus is the Christ.

There are no doubts. And you know, if I ever had a real chattel with a Jew, and I've had many of them, I would always come to some of these great, thrilling, wonderful chapters in John's Gospel, and you can tie them up every time, because it's here that you can prove that Jesus is the Christ.

No doubts about that. I would have no doubts, none whatsoever. But it is written not only for national confirmation, but it is written for a testimonial revelation. You see, this book, 20 chapters, are revealing in a wonderful, unique testimony that Jesus is the Son of God.

And that's about that. And why that's what John wanted to do in the beginning was the worst. He began with. And right through all these chapters, he's been bringing wonderful details, wonderful miracles, wonderful messages.

He's been bringing all these wonderful signs in these wonderful 20 chapters, and he has proved beyond a single doubt to an honest mind that Jesus, my Jesus, when I look at John's blood-stained cross, I'm always compelled to say, the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

That's what the book was written for. But watch again, it's written for just something more. Not only for national confirmation and testimonial revelation, but it's written for eternal consolation. So you young believers, snap this up.

These 20 chapters are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life. I was a capital L through his name. You know, John's a great writer.

It was John the same John in 1 John who put it clear as to, he says, he that hath the Son is the Son. He says, man, if you put the arms of your feet round him, you'll get life. The Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God hath no life.

Don't tell me Jesus tell me of this. On the cross, have you put the arms of your feet round him? If you have, you've got life. If you haven't, you haven't life. Read a picture text, if you'll not take my shouting.

He that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God. You've got the Son. Can you say, my Saviour, my Jesus, my Lord, my Shepherd, my Friend, my God? Best of all, I know whose mind is that powerful.

The Setting of John 21 at the Sea of Galilee

Now, that will do for those two verses. Now, we must set the scene for next week's meeting, as I don't want to waste your time next week in setting the scene. I want you to notice this. Verse 1 of chapter 21.

After these things, after these things, and I'm taking it that it's a good while after these things that happened in chapter 20. I'll tell you for why in a moment. After these things, Jesus shows himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.

That's just the Roman name for the Sea of Galilee. That was the Jewish word. The same place. So, don't get mixed up. Now, in the last chapter, they were in the upper room at Jerusalem. At Jerusalem. I hope you've got that.

But, in the beginning of the next chapter, they're away 70-ish miles off the land. They're at the Sea of Galilee. Almost 80 miles. So, they've gone up there. So, it's a day or two after, all right. It is very possible that it was a week or two.

Now, I think that if we would go to Master's Gospel, I don't think you need to, but you will take this from me, that when the woman met him. You remember, I read this to you last week. When the woman met the Lord Jesus on resurrection morning, he said, All hail!

Go and tell my brethren that I go before them into Galilee, and there shall they see me. You remember that Matthew 28, the last chapter, almost the last word said, that he appeared unto them in a mountain in Galilee, where he had appointed them.

So, that the Lord Jesus had given direction and command to his disciples to go up the country like to a mountain in Galilee. Only some of the boys did as they always do. Do as they like for the world.

Instead of going to the mountain, they go to the sea. That's only half obedience. Oh, there's a whole lot to play at this, you know. They're wonderful fellows. They say, Oh, we're all right, we're in Galilee.

Well, he never told you to go to the sea of Galilee. Happens to be that he told them to go to a mountain in Galilee. So, you see, the crowds were dealing with. They're very like ourselves. They do as the like and try to block it off as obedience.

Now, I want you to watch this. Setting the stage, you see. Now, it says in verse 1, After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. And then it adds another word, And on this wise showed he himself.

You see, this is a very special revelation. It's not just a revelation to let the disciples see that he's really alive. They already know that. Oh, no, no, no, no. That's not what this is for. This is not to let them see that he's the son of God by power with resurrection from the dead.

This is to let them see the tender sympathy that's in his heart for even boys who don't do as they're told. Now, it's on this wise. And I'll prove that that's exactly what happens in the chapter. It's the tender sympathy of a wonderful Lord for a crowd of boys who won't do as they're told, and who will do as they like.

What a Savior. What a glorious Savior. I hope you don't miss next week. Now, watch this. I want you to put an underline on some things. I think you need to underline the disciples. Now, I want you to watch the cloud that's together.

They're where together. Simon Peter is the first one, and Thomas, and Nathaniel. Now, before I read any further, let me say this. Did you ever see these names together before in your New Testament, in the Gospels, just in that order?

Oh, no, you never did. Well, it's given you the names of the apostles. It's always Peter, James, and John, and then it goes on and on, doesn't it? You never saw this crowd bunched together before, did you?

You wonder how Thomas got shoved up against Peter, wouldn't you? And you wonder how Nathaniel came away from the background and got incurred, wouldn't you? How did these crowds get together? How does the thing be jumbled up here?

Now, you just take a good look at the boys that's here. First of all, there's Peter. Well, he's the one who stood yonder at the world's fire undenied, the Lord. That's who he is. And there's Thomas. He's the fellow who a day or two back, or a week or two back, was so sceptical that he said out loudly, I will not believe.

That's who he is. And Nathaniel is the boy who said at the very beginning, can any good thing come out of gathering? Well, that's the crowd that's getting bunched up together now. That's the crowd. And remember when we underlined their denial, and their unbelief, and their terrible remarks, that we are not very much better.

Men have all said things we should never have said, and done things we should never have done, and been places we should never have been, and we're not very much better. That's the crowd that's bunched up together here.

The Holy Ghost is very particular, you know, when he gets the crowd together. He's giving us the details. You should never run over them. Here they are, Simon, Peter, and Thomas, called Diddy Musk, and Nathaniel, of Canaan, Galilee, and the two sons of Zebedee.

See them fellow boys? They're the boys that fought for the place on the right hand and on the left. Well, so they are. And David just very wonderfully says, I'm two of his disciples. Didn't tell you who they are.

And there is no use guessing. I've seen all the common papers today, I read about a dozen of them, they're all guessing. They're like me, they don't know. No, they don't. What's the use of guessing when you don't know?

Sure you could say it was Andrew, and you could say it was anybody, but sure you could be wrong. I believe when the Holy Ghost left this just as it is, it might be possible that any two in this meeting will fit in when we get into the details of the chapter.

Why, any two of you might fit in very well, and you'll see the kind of sympathy that the Lord has for you. So you'll put a line under the disciples, won't you? And then you'll notice this, verse 3, Simon Peter saith unto them, I go official.

Peter’s Decision and the Influence of Leaders

Now that was a decision that he made for himself. I go official. There's a tremendous lesson here for me, of course, and there's a tremendous lesson here for any other man in the meeting who may be a leader among God's people.

Decisions that you make are very important. There's not a lot of way to follow you men, you've got to be very careful. I wonder you fellows can do a whole lot of things that I can't do. Because I'm one of the leaders in this place, only one of them, remember, we've got a plurality of leaders.

And when a leader makes a decision for himself, you can be perfectly sure there's a crowd going to follow. Perfectly sure. You know, Paul was very particular about this. In the days when Paul preached, you know, down at Curran's, they offered meat in the market to the idols.

Oh, they'd got big stone idols down there, and they offered meat to them. Great big pieces of meat were left before these idols. Sat there for a day or two, and then they removed it because there were other offerings coming.

And they took it to the market and they sold it. Oh, they weren't going to lose that. They sold it. And some of the Christians said to Paul, is it right to eat it? And Paul says, sure, the thing that's sitting up there is only a big stone, what does that matter?

He says, I can eat it rightly. He says, I know that's not a gardener, there's nothing wrong with the meat. But then he said this, but if my eating it would cause my brothers to stumble, no meat, why will the world last?