Matthew 28.16-20
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountainto which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth had been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of allnations, baptizing them int he name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountainto which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth had been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of allnations, baptizing them int he name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
“Remember – I (Jesus) am with you always even to the end of the age.” Oh, but sometimes it is so hard to remember. It is hard to remember that Jesus is with me when I feel like I don’t measure up. It is hard to remember that Jesus is with me when I feel lonely, anxious or distressed. It is hard to remember that Jesus is with me when people I love are hurting and people I don’t know are starving or getting maimed or killed in wars. It is hard to remember that Jesus is with me if I watch the news, listen to the radio or look at magazine covers at the market check-out. But Jesus said, “Remember.” He must have known it would be really hard.
ReplyDeleteI guess that is why we need other people, to help us remember. In our darkest moments we need other people to come alongside us, to encourage us, to be a glimmer of light in our darkness, to remind us that Jesus is with us – no matter what. Even though the world is brimming with messages that can distract and confuse us; even though life is guaranteed to serve each one of us a share of loss and suffering, still we are to remember, remember Jesus is with us and for us in the kind eyes or warm welcome, in the comforting touch or wise words of the friends and strangers we meet along the way.
“but some doubted.” Now why did Matthew include that line? Why expose the doubt of disciples when he is writing a document to preserve the memory of Jesus, a document that lifts Jesus up as king and savior. When he is trying to draw people to faith in Jesus, people who had not seen Jesus, who had not heard the teachings, who had not seen the miracles. Why point out disbelief when he is writing to build belief?
ReplyDeleteBut, thank you, Matthew, for doing so. Thank you for showing that here, in the very beginning, when the evidence was strongest, “some doubted.” Blessed doubters. Blessed ones who stayed in the community even though they did not have the assurance that those around them were proclaiming. Blessed ones who hoped, more because others had hope than because they did.
I feel that persevering with doubt is more real and more honorable than the enthusiasm of no-doubt. And this is where I live: seeing and doubting; hoping and doubting; waiting – maybe it is there that I do not doubt.