WHAT DOES THOMAS NEED?

I don’t know why God puts certain people on the hearts and minds of certain Christians but I know that he does.  Some of you may have a burden for children.  It may break your heart to see these little ones mistreated and alone.  You may realize that without your help or someone’s help they will be raised without the knowledge of God or the knowledge that Jesus loves them.

Some of you may feel a heavy burden for the teens who are so bombarded with the temptations and high tech distractions of our day.  I was a teen once (believe it or not) as you have been but I am not sure I was ever faced with the assault from Satan like the young people are today.

I have known some who feel a call or a pull toward the elderly or nursing home people. They carry a burden for those who it seems not even their families care about.

I’m not saying that we don’t all care, that we are not all concerned for all the lost but there is a difference between being concerned and being burdened for someone.                                                                                                                                                        

It may be the emergency responder in me.  It may be the fact I was trained when someone is in trouble, their boat is sinking, their house is burning, their car is overturned and they are perishing and need someone to come to the rescue that I am drawn to them.  I am burdened for their souls. I don’t know.  But it seems that the people God gives me a burden for are the ones who are sick, injured, old and dying.  I feel like someone has to stand in the gap. Someone has to call out to God for them.  Someone has to care for them or they will slip over the edge into the blackness of hell.

Some of you may remember that a few years back, God placed three men on my heart.  I did not know them very well.  I only had scattered dealings with them.  I didn’t see them all the time.  I didn’t talk with them very often.  I knew very little about them.  I felt that all three were not Christians and were lost.    For several years now I have had a heavy burden for them.   I won't use their real names but I want to tell you about them.  

PETE:  A little over a year ago I told you about one of those men whose name was Pete.  Pete developed cancer and was dying.  God placed him on my heart but I didn’t know how to approach him, after all I didn’t know him that well and we just didn’t travel in the same circles.  I prayed for him.  I put a rock on my altar for him.  I asked God to help me minister to him.  Several times I was able to speak to him and insert a few “Churchy words” into the conversation with seemingly no results. 

 Pete got worse.  He looked worse.  Death warmed over was a phrase that seemed to fit when you looked at him.  I learned that he was in the hospital in Birmingham and since I had to go to Birmingham that day, God pressured me to go see Pete.  I hate to visit in the hospital.  I hate to visit sick people but I went.  I walked into his room that day to find Pete lying there in a fetal position.  No one was there in the room with him.  He was obviously under a lot of medication because he couldn’t keep his eyes open as we talked.  I would have to keep bumping him to get him to wake up and talk to me. 

“How you doing Pete”?  I asked.  I knew that was a stupid question but it’s all I knew to say.  He told me that just that morning; the doctor had come into his room and told him that he only had 2 months to live.  He was devastated to say the least.  I talked to him about how that sometimes cancer, heart problems and other long term conditions were actually good for us because it gave us time to talk to people we needed to talk with and to get our hearts and lives right with God. 

I asked him, “Pete, have you done that?  Have you asked God to forgive you”? 

He was honest with me that morning.  Death bed honest.  “I’ve confessed everything I know to confess”.  He said.  I’ve asked Him to forgive me.”

“Then you must believe that He does just that”.  I said.   I prayed with him and left the room.  I never saw him again. 

Pete was not saved in the traditional way that you and I, good, holiness, church-going people think folks should be saved.  There was no altar call, no soft music, no walking down the aisle or kneeling at the altar.  He didn’t say all the right words or give a glorious testimony.  But I believe just like the thief on the cross….Pete went to be with Jesus in paradise when he died.

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My prayers continued for the other two men on my list.  I called out their names to God each morning and looked for opportunities to speak with them about Jesus.  The last time I saw the second man, he was very sick and weak.  His family, instead of calling 911 and dealing with the fire/rescue, called me. I checked him out and recommended that he go to the hospital.  He didn’t go. I was able to speak with him briefly about how important it was to be ready to die.  He didn’t respond.  I never saw him again. I have lost contact with him. I don‘t know where he lives.  I don’t know his family. I believe that he died but am not sure.

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The third man on my list is named Thomas. You’ve heard me speak of him before.  If there ever was a man who was like Otis on the Andy Griffith show, it is Thomas.  He is the embodiment of the “town drunk”.

He was taught to drink when he was 8-10 years old and hasn’t missed many days between then and now.  He is in his mid-70’s now.  He worked hard and drank hard and cussed hard and lived hard.  Many times as a paramedic I have picked him up from behind garbage dumpsters.  I have found him asleep in the rain.  I have found him on the streets when he was so drunk he couldn’t stand up.   

I don’t know why God placed him on my heart.   It may have been that he looked like my old drunk grandfather looked.  He was short, stooped over, bald and just reminded me of my grandfather.  I have prayed for Thomas for years.

I have invited him to church.  Some of you have visited him when we were doing the DARE TO CARE program here at the church.  He attended church a couple of times.  I remember him sitting on the same bench as my Mom and singing the hymns as we worshiped.  But my heart broke for Thomas. 

My wife and I bought him Christmas gifts.  We invited him to eat Thanksgiving meal with us.  I took him quilts when he said he was cold.  I would stop from time to when I saw him on the street and talk to him but the conversation never got around to Jesus. 

I made my weekly trip into town last week.  While stopped at the traffic light and I looked across at the place where old Thomas usually sits.  He rides the “need-a-ride” bus into town, walks over to the convenience store and buys himself a 6 pack of beer and sits there next to the building and drinks it.  Law enforcement does not bother him.  They don’t want to have to take care of him. 

I said a prayer as the light turned green, drove over where Thomas was sitting and rolled down the window.  Thomas walked up to the truck. We talked and for some reason the conversation got around to music on the local radio station.  Thomas called out the names of the people who had gospel music programs on the local station.  He knew them all.   

“I listen to THE LITTLE WOMAN, SISTER MARGO, Lyle Samford and BRO. KEN”, Thomas said.

 “Thomas, I didn’t know you liked gospel music”, I said.  “Hell yeah, I love Gospel music”, he replied.  You will have to excuse me but that’s the way Thomas talks.  I almost laughed out loud. 

 We talked on for a few more minutes.

 “Thomas, I’ve got to ask you something.  You may think it is none of my business but I’ve just got to ask you.  Thomas, are you a Christian”?

“Sure I’m a Christian.  I know the Lord and He knows me”.  Thomas said emphatically.  Oh, you say, but Christians don't drink.  Christians don't cuss.  Christians go to church every Sunday.  Who am I or you to doubt him?  If Thomas has a relationship with The Lord, I am not going to judge him.

“Thomas, I am so glad to hear that.  I’ve prayed for you for years”. 

We talked a bit more and I moved on.  My heart was exploding inside of me.  If I had been an old time Christian I would have jumped out of the car and ran down the street shouting. 

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QUESTION:  But what I want to discuss with you and what I want to challenge you with this morning is this:   

 WHAT DOES THOMAS NEED?

Your answers may be varied; money:  Yeah, he was waiting on his daughter to bring him some money so he could go buy groceries.  Cloths, yeah, he talked about needing to buy him some more blue jeans.  His were torn and had holes in them.  But those are not Thomas’ greatest needs .

Does Thomas need anything we are offering here at our church?   

Does Thomas need to know the Greek meaning to words in the Bible?  Does he need to be able to determine what the original Hebrew words actually meant when written so many years ago?  Should we be concerned about teaching Thomas the doctrines of our church?  Does he need to know the differences between Calvinist and Wesleyan?    

 WHAT DOES THOMAS NEED?  Tell me.   

My statement to you this morning is this:  Hear me.   What Thomas needs is exactly what millions of others need.  It’s what the people who live on your street, the people you work with, the people in your family…..THOSE FOR WHOM YOU HAVE A BURDEN.  . 

There are people who are “hungry and thirsty” for the Word of God.  They need to, NOT JUST HEAR THE WORD TAUGHT, HEAR IT PREACHED OR HEAR SONGS ABOUT GOD BUT THEY NEED TO SEE IT LIVED OUT IN OUR LIVES.     

Like the blind man by the way side they call out for help.  Like the beggar they sit by the road side and shake their cups.  They need someone who cares enough to put something in it.  Oh, not gold or silver or money….but something of real value.   

Oh, folks we have enough churches.  We have enough programs.  We have enough music and lessons and books and T.V. preachers and radio preachers.  What our world needs it CHRISTIANS who will love folks enough to get involved in their lives. 

Wednesday night the pastor talked about how certain issues in our nation might lead to the punishment of Christians and the breakup of the Christian church today.  I know it’s tough to hear and I don’t want you to take it in the wrong way but maybe, just maybe that is what needs to happen.   

Let’s stop worrying about “having church” and start worrying about lost souls!

Let’s stop playing church and start serving God. 

Pick out someone.  Ask God to place someone, JUST ONE on your heart and get to work!

It may cause you pain and suffering.  It will be a challenge. Your heart will break.  You may lose them you may not be successful in wining them to Christ.  But maybe, just maybe you can help them find the way home.  That's what they need.