Some Doubted

…but some doubted.  Three little words that stand out to me like a piece of pepper stuck in someone’s tooth.  The phrase is in Matthew 28:17, When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

Jesus Ascending

Let’s put this in context.  It is the last chapter of Matthew after the disciples had witnessed Jesus’ life, miracles, ministry, death and resurrection.  There, a resurrected Jesus stands before them and when the SAW him they worshiped him, but some still doubted.  What does that passage tell us about human nature?  It tells us many things, mainly that in spite of seeing all of the great events in Jesus’ life, the disciples still doubted.  Why do you think that is?  I think it is because they did not at that time have the Holy Spirit within them.

Now it would be easy to stand in judgment of the disciples at this point.  After all they were THERE.  They saw him, they touched him, they ate with him and saw him die and rise again.  Surely, had we been in their shoes we would not have doubted.  I would not be so certain myself.  How many people do you know of that have had awesome miracles in their lives that they KNEW were from God, only to claim after the excitement wears off that it was just fate or circumstance or the wisdom of the doctors that saved them.  How many times in your own life has the Lord delivered you and afterward you doubted that it was His divine intervention?

The Holy Spirit is what divides the New Testament Christians from the Old Testament Jews.  Through the shed blood of Jesus Christ we are able to have the Spirit of God inside us at all times.  During the Old Testament times the Spirit of the Lord would come upon people for a period, but that was temporary and He did not indwell the believer.  That is the only thing that sets us apart.  That is why those who profess faith in Christ but have never asked Him into their lives struggle.  The ministry of the Holy Spirit is one of the most under appreciated movements in our modern day churches.

Without the Holy Spirit we do not even have faith in the things we can see and touch.  That is why people can go to church their whole lives and know in their mind who Jesus is but never make the commitment to let Him into their hearts.  I think that is why so many professing Christians do not bear any fruit. 

Who are they?  Are you one?  Is the person sitting next to you in church one?  They are Christians in name only.  They come as far as they can in the Christian walk without asking the Holy Spirit to come into their lives.  They have accepted the kernel of doubt in their own hearts as part of everyone’s faith.  They do not believe when others profess to not have any doubts about their faith, because they themselves do not know the truth.

You can go to many churches and never hear a word about the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit within us is the perfecter of our faith.  He convicts our conscience.  He is the guiding force that keeps all of us in line and living for God and not ourselves.  Only through the Holy Spirit are we able to have communion with God and worship Jesus our Savior.

The Holy Spirit

So if you have doubts, in spite of knowing the truth, ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to you.  Ask Jesus into your heart and welcome the Holy Spirit.  Do not be one who knows the truth and does not act upon it.

(This post was written in 2003 and originally published on January 29, 2011)

Time Travel in the Bible

Ground yourself in today and contemplate this:  If at some point in the future you could speak a word of wisdom or rebuke to yourself, what would it be? What are you worried about, what would you change, what choice do you have before you?  If you are old and gray, what would you say to yourself now?  If you are in your incorruptible body, with your heart of stone removed, and your will perfectly aligned with the Lord, what changes?  I think any version of this story has our future self holding our present self is some sort of contempt.

Look at the Scripture below, here's the scene:  The Apostle John has been taken in the spirit to Heaven, he is in the throne room with millions of angels and the 24 elders.  The Scroll is presented, which many scholars surmise is the Earth Lease.  It is obviously a very important document.  Note, John in his human form is the only one weeping.

Revelation 5:4-5 Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Key Point:  Have we just seen John's future self, as one of the 24 elders rebuking his human self?  I think so.  Human eyes or minds can not comprehend the richness of God or His Heavens.  John would have been overwhelmed from a sensory perspective!  His perfected and glorified self had a something to say... cool, huh?

The Throne Room of God

Holy Saturday - The Second Day

Abigail and Dolley readers I have been contemplating today, Holy Saturday for a few months now.  This is the day after Good Friday and the day before Easter.  This is the day that Jesus' body lay in the tomb.  To the followers of Christ, this must have been the darkest day of their lives.  Think about it for a minute, forget your knowledge of the Resurrection, forget that you know the end of the story, simply go to the upper room with me and imagine.

The Apostles are hiding, certain they will be killed if found.  The fear of gruesome death and humiliation torments them.  They have lived with Roman oppression, they know what happened to Jesus.  He was the most powerful man on Earth and they killed him, how vulnerable they must have felt!  How terrified would you be waiting for the knock at the door that signaled they had come for you?

Their friend Judas had betrayed the Lord and was gone.  He had fallen prey to the lies of the Devil himself.  With Jesus out of the way, the poor disciples who had cast out demons in Jesus name must surely know that the hoards of Hell were coming after them.  With Jesus dead, they would be fresh meat for the demons.

Judas was the caretaker of the money for the group and it stands to reason he would have taken all of their funds with him when he left.  So they are broke, with a price on their heads, and they are trapped.  They have no way to pay off anyone to help them escape, how are they going to get food?  The followers of Jesus had scattered and the people of Jerusalem had called for the Lord's Crucifixion, without funds there is no one to help them.

Then there is the disillusionment.  These men had given up everything to follow Jesus - homes, families, business, position in the community.  I am sure there were those in their families that thought they were crazy, that condemned them for not doing the "responsible" thing and leading a normal life.  I am sure there were a few Mother-in-laws who had condemned them for leaving home and hearth to follow this rabbi.  As they sat in the upper room that day, they had to face the crushing possibility that they had been wrong and everyone else had been right.  Had they wasted the last three years?

Jesus had predicted his own death about a dozen times, but from all accounts His words seem to have been hidden from the Apostles.  It was like Jesus had spoken in code and they had not heard or understood what He was saying.  This is demonstrated by their disbelief on Easter morning and Thomas' rejection of the testimony of the ten.  So I do not believe that they took comfort and hope that Jesus would rise again, this Saturday did not serve that purpose.

Holy Saturday was designed to buffet the Apostles.  It was designed for them to reflect.  It was designed to bring them to the lowest points in their lives and to prepare them for the work to come.  Holy Saturday is what Christianity would be without the Resurrection - dead.

I believe we all have Holy Saturdays in our lives.  Our dreams, hopes, aspirations, and loved ones are taken away on Friday.  We curl up in hiding, mourning, and fear on Saturday.  Saturday is lonely and scary but take heart Sunday is on the way.  Sunday their is victory, new life, and resurrection!  Praise God.

The Second Day

Abigail and Dolley readers I have been thinking about the Apostle Thomas lately.  Now stop for a minute, I will bet the vast majority of you thought to yourselves, Doubting Thomas.  Am I right?  I will bet that I am.  Have you ever stopped to consider though that that is not a fair assessment?  Have you ever thought that poor Thomas got a bad rap?  Has it ever occurred to you that Thomas had a moment of weakness and that his faith, his work, and his reputation have been unfairly maligned?

Go with me for a moment, back in time and let's see where it takes us.  Thomas was one of the Twelve, one of Twelve men chosen by the Lord to be his closest confidants, friends, and who would ultimately be responsible for establishing the church.  Thomas left his home and family.  He left his job.  Thomas would have been considered crazy by all who knew him for giving up his life to follow Jesus.  Any time a person is called by God to do extraordinary things there are those in their lives who throw up their hands in frustration!  He should be fishing, he should be farming, he should be staying home and providing for his family - instead he is galavanting around Israel following a Preacher!  The Romans were after them, the Jews were after them, the Darkness of this World was definitely after them.

Thomas gives up everything and follows the Lord.  At Calvary, everyone except the women and John flee, they hide, they are afraid.  Imagine this with me if you will - Jesus is dead.  Thomas had endured ridicule, persecution, the snide comments of his mother in law all because he believed, he believed in Jesus and now Jesus is dead.  In the tomb, buried.

Judas is dead, their friend had betrayed the Master.  The Sanhedrin was trying to find him and he knew what crucifixion looked like and he is afraid.  The remaining 10 hide out but Thomas has had it.  He's sick of the whole darn thing.  He's sick of church, he's done, and he leaves - by himself.  While he is gone the Resurrection happens and all the other Apostles get to SEE the Lord.  They don't believe either until they see, we do not call Peter, Doubting Peter, do we?

So after a couple days he decides to check in with his friends, they tell him the Lord is alive, but Thomas knows better.  You see the pain, loneliness, and confusion of the Second Day are with Thomas and he scoffs and says, "Then show me!"  When he receives the same confirmation the other Apostles had he repents and believes but he is no different than the others.

So I ask you, in his place wouldn't you do the same thing?  If you've ever had a Second Day, you will know what it is like.  Jesus is in the tomb, everything you have believed to be true at this point is in question, and you are scared.  So let's cut Thomas some slack.