Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Matthew 28:17, “When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.”

Background

When candidates begin their campaign in search of the Presidency of the United States, the sole purpose of all of the travel, speeches, public appearances and debates is to win the election. The candidate is solely focused on convincing the voters to vote for him rather than someone else. And when the election is over and all of the votes are counted, one person is declared the winner. But for all of the work and promises and attempts to convince, the voters usually remain starkly divided in their support for the candidates. In spite of hearing what the nominees have said, almost as many disagree with them as agree. In 2008, Barack Obama convinced only 53% of the voters to choose him over McCain, and that was the highest percentage in twenty years. In 1992, Bill Clinton became president by convincing a whopping 43% of the people to vote for him. Even the giants like Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and FDR fell far short of even convincing two-thirds of the nation to vote for them. Getting people to agree and follow you is a difficult task.

Application

Jesus was not running a campaign while He was on earth. He was and is forever the supreme King and Lord of lords. But He was in search of followers. And He did travel, deliver speeches, make public appearances, have debates, and even make promises. He also performed many miracles and came back to life after being dead for three days. So naturally, when He appeared to His followers, they worshiped Him. How else do you respond to someone who conquers death? But we learn that some doubted, even as Jesus stood before them. All He had said and done still was not enough for some. But that didn’t stop Him from declaring His message. His mission for them was not to be deterred. The perfect audience didn’t exist among the twelve, the many, and it doesn’t exist today. And so, we must share the gospel, regardless of the listeners. Some may believe, but many may not. But we cannot hide behind that. The 100% will be there in heaven.

Charge

As we seek Him today, don’t let the fear of rejection or failure keep you from sharing the message of Jesus. Don’t wait for the ever-elusive perfect scenario before you’ll speak up.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words