What does Jesus think of us when we are full of doubt? I’ve
written about doubt before (Do Your Doubts Make You a Loser?), but I had
another insight from the life of John the Baptist.
John was an unusual man. More than anyone of his day, he
knew the identity and mission of Jesus first-hand. He heard the Father’s endorsement
at Jesus’ baptism (This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased) and saw
the Spirit’s descent like a dove upon the Savior.
John’s purpose in life was to point to the Messiah. God had
laid this call upon his life before he was born, with the visit of an angel to
his aged father. John grew up knowing his mission was to call
people to repent and to prepare themselves for the one true King.
He fulfilled his mission. He preaching and baptizing mission
drew thousands of people from all over Palestine. Jesus’ first disciples had
originally followed John, and it was John who introduced them: Behold, the Lamb
of God… (John 1:29)
But for John, there was no storybook ending. Because he
publicly condemned the adultery of Herod Antipas, he was thrown in prison and
eventually beheaded. And in this last chapter of his life, he began to doubt. I
don’t blame him. After proclaiming the rule of Messiah, he must have expected
that Jesus would have wrested political power from the corrupt Herod dynasty
and restored Palestine to the Jews. Instead John found himself in the dungeon,
and things seemed worse, not better.
So he did what we should all do when doubt assails us. He
brought his doubts to Christ. He sent two of his followers to Jesus, and they
interrupted Jesus’ ministry to the crowds to ask this one question on behalf of
John: Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else? (Luke 7:20b)
I said all this to underscore how Christ
responded to John’s doubt. It must have hurt the Savior. His staunchest
supporter and divinely appointed forerunner was expressing doubt, and doing it
in public.
Yet Jesus answered John’s question with great kindness and
patience. He told John’s disciples, Go back and report to John
what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who
have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good
news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me”
(Luke 7:22-23). In other words, “Go remind John of what he already knows to be
true: I am the Messiah, and I am fulfilling the very prophecies that he himself
knows must be fulfilled.”
When the two men left, Jesus addressed the crowd, commenting
on John’s life and mission. If it were you or me, we might have expressed
frustration or even anger at what might have felt like John’s lack of loyalty.
Christ could have pointed out some of John’s shortcomings and failures.But the Savior spoke not one word of rebuke or
recrimination. Instead He used the opportunity to bless and commend John. I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than
John…(Luke 7:28a)
Jesus knows our hearts—even when we’re struggling. He knows
us better than we know ourselves. We can bring our doubts and second guesses to
Him without fear. We belong to Him, not because of our great faith, but because
of His great mercy.
As I’ve said more than once in this blog, What a Savior!
