“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came” (John 20:24). Thomas missed the first worship service of the risen Christ. Ten of the disciples were assembled behind closed doors when Jesus appeared. But Thomas wasn’t there. It’s understandable that the disciples were all together, given the events of the past days but it’s not clear why Thomas was absent. Not forsaking the assembly (Hebrews 10:25) is vital for the body of Christ. The body needs all its parts to function properly. When we fail to assemble, our excuses reveal our priorities. Judas wasn’t there either because he was a turncoat but to the world Thomas appears the same.
