For many followers of Jesus, doubt is the real D word.
The one we rarely speak, at least out loud.
The one that stays in our head, and as a result, seeps into the heart.
At the end of His account of how Jesus had lived with them, laughed with them, eaten with them, been taken from them and finally returned to them, Matthew records these words about the remaining eleven disciples:
The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. (Matthew 28:16-17 CSB, emphasis mine)
I’m not sure how many “some” is, but it’s more than 1 and more than a few. So let’s divide it at 7 worshippers and 4 doubters. That’s a lot of doubt and not a lot of room to hide it. More than a third of these men have arms crossed while the others have hands raised, and while we want to point out how much doubt can kill the perfect church atmosphere, take special note of what happened in this environment marked with doubt:
Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 CSB, emphasis mine)
Jesus came near.
Their doubt didn’t increase His distance. On the contrary, it seems to have increased His intimacy, like a good friend drawing close to a hurting friend in her pain.
But keep reading. Doubt didn’t stop the plan. Jesus looked at a mixed group of worshippers and doubters and sent all of them. All of them. Doubters included.
He sent them with His authority because He knew that they would doubt their ability.
And He reminded them that He would always be with them. Always. Now in their doubt, but also later in the danger that would more than likely increase their doubt.
One of the beautiful takeaways from this closing scene in Matthew is this: there is room for doubt in our worship. There is a generational hemorrhage happening in the current church landscape because people don’t feel like their doubt is welcome in the church, and yet Jesus drew near to doubters, and He still does.
Don’t let doubt keep you from worship, from being in the gathering of other followers of Jesus, or from being sent by Jesus. Doubt doesn’t stop Jesus; don’t allow it to stop you, either.
