“When they saw him, they worshiped him;
but some doubted. (Matthew 28:17)”
Matthew tells us that after the resurrection, the disciples returned to Galilee to a mountain top as they had been instructed. They were to meet with Jesus there. According to the text, Jesus appears but the response was a mixed review. Some worshiped but some doubted. The post resurrection experiences are watershed experiences. The resurrection is a watershed experience for us today. Some believe, we call it faith, and others doubt.
Perhaps to put it a bit crudely, it reminds me of some sort of ralley that people come to. The candidate is convincing but the audience leaves divided. I have seen magicians pull rabbits out of hats but I do not necessarily believe the trick is genuine power. I have heard the words, “I love you,” and seen the ardor and know the disappointment of broken promises. People can see the risen Christ but many did not necessarily immediately believe.
Most of us have had those experiences in life that impact the direction of our lives. We say, “I do” to marriage amd our life changes forever. There is no going back, only out. A baby is born and life changes. We accept a job and life changes. I love Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Less Traveled.” Two paths in a woods lead in two different directions and the person chooses the one less traveled. It has made all the difference. When faced with the resurrected Christ we choose, worship or doubt.
I like this definition from the Internet of what Christians mean by worship:
“Put simply, worship is declaring the greatness of someone or something. … It is the act of giving up your own glory to make sure everyone knows that the thing being worshiped is pretty awesome. To put it even more succinctly, worship is bowing down to lift up.”
So doubt is questioning the greatness, the right to glory, the truth of someone. Not everyone believes or worships the risen Christ. Let’s ponder for a moment what we worship, what we think is great and worth lifting up above ourselves. What are we willing to bow down before? I can believe Pres. Biden is president of the United States but I may not bow down to that belief. The disciples believed the reality of the risen Christ and it led to worship, to bowing down to lift him up.
Bowing down is a relinquishing of our rights. I bow down and worship by going to church on Sunday rather than sleeping in. I bow down and worship when I sing music that focuses me on eternal values. If you are discouraged today, think of what makes you forget yourself and leads you to bow down in awe. The disciples when they saw Jesus, alive, worshiped. He meets us today. Let us not be doubters but worshipers.
On the Way to Wonder 