Read: Matthew 28:16-20
When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. (v. 17 NIV)
Whenever I’ve preached on the Great Commission, I’ve skipped over those three words in verse 17, because I haven’t known what to do with them. Jesus is about to ascend back to heaven, so he gathers his disciples for one last meeting on “the mountain where Jesus had told them to go” (v. 16). They have seen him a number of times after he rose from the dead. Now they see him again.
They did what we would do. They gave the risen Christ the kind of homage that only God deserves. By this time Thomas had met Jesus face to face. John’s Gospel tells us that after doubting the reality of the resurrection, Thomas responded to the flesh-and-blood evidence by saying, “My Lord and my God!” (20:28). No wonder they worshiped.
But then comes something we would never expect—“but some doubted.” Can you imagine—doubting in the very presence of Jesus in the middle of worship? Of course you can. We’ve all done it, many times. How can that be?
We can begin to answer if we ask, was it really doubt, or was it something else? Some of us are stuck in our walk with Christ because we don’t understand what doubt is and isn’t, or how it relates to belief and unbelief. Please join me as we use this text to explore the foggy land of doubt.
As you pray, ask the Light of the world to shine into the dark places of your faith.
About the Author
Rev. Stan Mast is a retired pastor, who served four churches in the West and Midwest regions of the United States. He finished his career with three years of teaching at Calvin Seminary. He is happily married to Sharon, and they have two sons and four grandchildren.
