What About Doubt?
This is the reflection on Sunday's gospel that was sent to the people of St Timothy Lutheran Church.
Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20
16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
These four verses are chuck full of so many things, but I want us to look at the second half of verse 17, “they worshiped him; but some doubted.” Apparently, you can still worship even though you have doubts.
Something else I find interested concerning those who doubted. Jesus did not send them away. He did not reprimand them, but he commissioned them as well as those who didn’t doubt. Those who doubted were called to go make disciples, to baptize and to teach them to obey Jesus’ teaching. Those who struggled with doubt were still part of God’s mission to the world.
Where does this leave us? In these times of social unrest, pandemic and fear, do we sometimes doubt? Do we wonder what God is up to? Do we wonder if God even knows what’s going on? Even if we cannot see and understand it, God is with God’s people—supporting them, comforting them and using them to reach the world God loves so much.
And don’t you love the last few words of this passage, “And remember, I am with you always…”? I think that’s my favorite part. When we don’t know which way is up, Christ is with us.
Let us pray.
O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20
16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Something else I find interested concerning those who doubted. Jesus did not send them away. He did not reprimand them, but he commissioned them as well as those who didn’t doubt. Those who doubted were called to go make disciples, to baptize and to teach them to obey Jesus’ teaching. Those who struggled with doubt were still part of God’s mission to the world.
Where does this leave us? In these times of social unrest, pandemic and fear, do we sometimes doubt? Do we wonder what God is up to? Do we wonder if God even knows what’s going on? Even if we cannot see and understand it, God is with God’s people—supporting them, comforting them and using them to reach the world God loves so much.
And don’t you love the last few words of this passage, “And remember, I am with you always…”? I think that’s my favorite part. When we don’t know which way is up, Christ is with us.
Let us pray.
O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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