“They Worshipped Him, But Some Doubted” (Ready to Worship S12E4)

September 11, 2020

Ready to Worship Season 12, Episode 4 for Friday, September 11, 2020

This season on Ready to Worship, we are examining worship in the gospel of Matthew. This week, our study comes from the end of the book. In the twenty-eighth chapter, Matthew records, “And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted” (28:17). Did you catch the contrast at the end of the verse? Some worshipped Him, but some doubted. It seems clear that the eleven disciples were the ones who worshipped Him. After all, they had seen the empty tomb. They had seen the linen burial clothes lying empty on the floor. They had seen the nail-scarred hands. They were convinced. They worshipped Him, but some doubted. Isn’t inspiration wonderful? It tells us that some doubted. Inspiration doesn’t hide the doubters. It records them. In fact, inspiration even tells us that the eleven disciples were once among them. When Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women first reported the resurrection to the appstles, “their words seemed as idle tales, and they did not believe them” (Lk. 24:10-11). You might say that some worshipped Him, but some doubted. Another clear-cut case of doubting was Thomas. In fact, most still know him as Doubting Thomas. Even after his fellow-disciples reported seeing the Lord, Thomas held firm in his doubt. He defiantly declared, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). You might say that some worshipped Him, but some doubted. To Thomas’ credit, when he saw the risen Lord eight days later, he exclaimed , “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Thomas was no longer a doubter. He was a worshipper! As we get ready to worship this week, we must ask ourselves whether we are among the worshippers or the doubters. With all of the proof that inspiration has given us, there is no reason for us to be in the wrong crowd (Acts 1:3; Rom. 1:3-4).