It is really quite amazing that anybody believes that Jesus was the anointed King of Israel, was crucified, resurrected from the dead, ascended to his throne, and that he will return someday to make everything all right.
Considering how difficult it was for the first Eleven disciples to follow and believe Jesus, how much more difficult for us today?
Jesus shows up to the disciples with holes in his wrists and feet, he talks like Jesus, looks like Jesus, moves like Jesus – and they still think he is a ghost.
Even though he told them – and at this point, there are eyewitness accounts by others – he would return to them – they still doubt.
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. [Luke 24v36-45, TNIV]
Maybe we Christians should go easy on people who don’t believe Jesus.
Maybe we shouldn’t take for granted our own faith. Maybe we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves when we lack a stronger faith.
Maybe it’s no wonder Jesus was hoping for at least mustard-seed-sized faith from his followers.
Maybe to believe in Jesus we need Jesus.
Jesus’ strategy is interesting; upon his ascension, he promises that the Father will send the Spirit to become at home in each disciple. Follow the reasoning here:
- the Spirit that was in Jesus is now in the disciples
- this Spirit helped Jesus serve and endure and rescue and heal and feed and clothe and celebrate and share
- that Spirit is in us
- through the Spirit of Jesus, we have a powerful helper so that we can believe amidst our doubt, live boldly in the shadows of death, and speak the truth in love and grace amidst the lies, greed, and anger of our world.
It’s a miracle that anybody believes Jesus.
Maybe it’s not helpful to focus on all the people who don’t have faith in Jesus. Maybe it’s more helpful to notice everyone who tries to walk by faith.
Maybe in our work to see Jesus in the world, to see and partner with those who do believe, we’ll let Jesus plant more small seeds of faith in the least expected places.
Nobody expected the Jewish Messiah to come from Nazareth. Nobody expected the Galilean fisherman Peter to lead a movement. Nobody expected Jesus to be popular with corrupt tax agents and starving prostitutes.
Maybe we should let ourselves be surprised by who has faith and who has doubts.
He goes about doing his rescue work through the most unlikely of people in the most unlikely of places.
People like you.