“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the
mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped
him, but some doubted” (Matthew 28:16-17).
What?! Some of the 11 doubted?
I think today we’d toss the doubters out on their ears!
At Corinth (really no surprise there) some did
not believe in the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12). Paul does not simply
ignore this as he spends a lot of time defending the reality of the resurrection,
but he doesn’t withdraw from them either. Today preachers would vilify this
church on Facebook. (It takes too much time, effort, and love to talk to people
face-to-face.)
I mention these things because doubt is normal, and it
may be that we sometimes doubt and feel that if we let anyone know about our
doubts that we’d be criticized. The truth is we would probably be criticized,
but that’s other people’s problem as they struggle with their own insecurities.
The apostle John said this:
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:18-20)
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. "Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and recline at table'? Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink'? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'" (Luke 17:5-10)
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