They Worshipped, but Some Doubted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA6TXc7t-Tg

Gospel

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

MATTHEW 28:16-20

Sermon: The Rev. Dr. Maryann Amor

How many of you have perfect faith? How many of you never doubt anything about God, about the Bible?

Doubt is not usually viewed positively, especially when it comes to faith. It is often treated as the opposite of faith, as though doubt means failure, weakness, or lack of belief. We tend to imagine that the goal of Christianity is to cultivate perfect faith, to be completely, 100% certain that all of this is true.

But that is not reality.

To doubt is deeply human and completely natural, especially in the face of all we experience in life. There are moments that seem to contradict what we believe about God. There are times when parts of life and faith feel difficult to hold together. And there is also our own ability to think critically, ask questions, and wrestle with difficult things.

Doubt plays a central role in today’s Gospel reading, which is often called the Great Commission. It appears right at the end of Matthew’s Gospel and we hear it on Trinity Sunday because it is one of the few places in Scripture where we have Father, Son, and Holy Spirit named together. However, although this text names the three persons of the Trinity, the focus of the passage is not an explanation of the Trinity itself. Instead, this is the pivotal moment when the disciples are sent out into the world to begin the work of the Church.

The eleven men who walked with Jesus, learned from him, witnessed miracles, and experienced the resurrection must now go out and spread the mission. But as they gather on the mountain before the risen Christ, Matthew tells us: “they worshipped him; but some doubted.”

All of them worshipped. But even then, as they worship, doubt still exists.

In some ways, this feels very familiar. Outwardly, they are worshipping. They are present. and doing what Jesus’ disciples are supposed to do. But inwardly, not everything is understood. There is uncertainty.

Matthew never tells us exactly what they doubted, but what matters is that even these disciples, even after everything they had seen and experienced with Jesus standing right there before them, did not have perfect faith. And that is where the real hope of this passage can be found.

Because notice that Jesus does not separate the faithful from the doubtful. He does not get angry at them or call them out. He does not say, “Only those with perfect faith may go and do this mission. The rest of you are cut off.”

Instead, he gives the same mission to all of them: “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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”

Both the faithful and the doubtful are called to go, to teach, to baptize, and to serve.

And to all of them Jesus makes the same promise: “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

As we gather here today, we are so much like those disciples on the mountaintop. None of us has perfect faith either. Many of us carry some doubt, even while we pray, sing hymns, recite the creed, and come faithfully to worship.

And that is okay.

It is nothing to be ashamed of. Even the eleven disciples stood before the risen Christ with uncertainty in their hearts. So maybe faith is not about never doubting, but maybe faith is about continuing to worship, continuing to hope, and continuing to follow Christ even in the midst of our doubts.

Because, as we see today, God does not cast anyone aside for imperfect faith...there is room in the mission of God even for those who struggle and question.

And maybe the reason for this is that doubt can be a gift in our mission. When someone we love is hurting, questioning, or struggling to believe, what a gift it can be for us to say to them: “I understand. I struggle too. I have doubts too. But I still hope.”

Even those who doubt are called to love, to serve, to teach, to share hope, and to help others encounter Christ.

And to all of us, even the most doubtful, the promise remains the same: “I am with you always.” Not I am with you only when your faith feels strong. Not I am with you only when you are certain. Not I am with you only when life is easy. But I am with you always, no matter what.

Today’s Gospel, while read on Trinity Sunday, is ultimately not about explaining the Trinity, but it is about the disciples. It is about these eleven men, some with doubt in their hearts, receiving the Great Commission.

Their call to go into the world and share the good news is a call that is given to all of us too, with our own questions, fears, and doubts.

So if you have doubts about faith, about God, about your life, or about anything at all, know that this is okay. Even Jesus’ disciples doubted and he still called them. Because with Christ, both the most faithful and the most doubtful have a role to play in the kingdom of God.

And as we go out to live our imperfect faith, to do our best to be the disciples of today, into all the uncertainty of our lives Christ gives us all the same promise: “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Amen.