Evangelism : How Jesus responds to Doubt

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 In Matthew 28, we hear about the section in Scripture where Jesus gives what now has been named The Great Commission to his disciples.

Most Christians can probably quote this verse from memory without any prompting: Go into all the world, and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, .and so on.

What was the precursor to this bold statement and final command? It may not be what you might think. The precursor to Jesus giving this bold command to his disciples is interesting. The disciples were on the mountain where Jesus told them to meet him, and it says in the verses leading up to the Great Commission that the disciples were worshiping, AND SOME DOUBTED.

Some of the disciples doubted. The disciples were EYE TO EYE with Jesus. They could touch Jesus. They are the literal first hand witnesses to Jesus's life and ministry. They saw EVERYTHING that Jesus did while on earth, and it says that some of them DOUBTED.

It is so encouraging to me to hear that some of the disciples doubted Jesus, because it gives permission for the rest of humanity to doubt our faith at times. There is nothing wrong with doubting your faith. 

The second thing that is mind blowing to me in this passage, besides the Disciples doubting, is the response that Jesus gave to the disciples doubt. He didn't shut their doubt down. He didn't deny their doubt. He didn't avoid it and pretend that it didn't exist in their hearts and minds. He addressed it head on. He didn't shame them for their inadequacies. He didn't wack-a-mole their heads. He didn't smite them. He didn't scoff at them. You know what he did? He responded as any loving Father responds to their children. He spoke to their identity. He spoke to the truth and inserted love in place of doubt. His response to their doubt is this : "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefor, go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And sure I am with you always to the very end of the age."

I see Jesus entering in to the world of the disciple's doubt, and turning the light on. Jesus wasn't turned away because of their doubt. He simple walked into their rooms of doubt and turned on his light, turned on his reality and reaffirmed their identity. He didn't agree with the doubt, he didn't avoid the doubt, he spoke truth to the lies and pointed all attention back to himself. Jesus doesn't solve problems by staring and obsessing about the problem. Jesus solves problem by bringing himself back into focus. He does NOT share the stage with doubt, he reminds your heart and mind of the truth of who HE is and who YOU are in him. 

After He affirms your identity and reminds you of who HE is, he gets the focus back on the mission. We are called to share our faith with ALL people. If we get stuck on doubt, we lose and the enemy wins. Jesus needs us to share the faith with the rest of the world. 

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