Prone to Doubt
Background Story: The prophets and Psalms foretold that the Messiah would be rejected by those He came to save, beaten to the point of unrecognition, crucified next to robbers, die on a cross, lay in the tomb for three days, and rise from the dead (See Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, Psalm 119:19-29, Isaiah 50:6, Isaiah 52:13-15). And even though Jesus had told His disciples this (Matthew 16:21), when it happened, they still did not understand.
Read Luke 24:1-39
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet.
Big Idea: We can rest by focusing on Jesus.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” With all your heart, in all your ways, at all times… we are to trust in Him. To fully rely on Him. To remove our hands from the steering wheel and give the controls to the God who is greater. But why does that fill us with fear and why do we struggle with this?
No matter how many times God has been faithful. No matter how many times He has proven Himself. We still deal with doubt. The disciples were no different. As they approached the tomb and saw it empty, their faces were downcast and doubts filled their minds. Jesus met them and said, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet.”
Doubt and fear fade when we fix our eyes on Jesus and the finished work of the cross. When we see Him as the risen Savior. The One who conquered sin and the grave and is seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. The One who is returning soon, not as a baby in a manger, but as the conquering King.
Today, look up from your worries, circumstances and fears. Like the disciples, look upon His hands and feet. Jesus came not only to save us from our sin, but to give us abundant life. We can trust Him not only with our eternal salvation, but with the worries and cares of today.
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