Jesus and Faith

It is really quite amazing that anybody believes that Jesus was the Messiah, that he was resurrected form the dead, and that he will return someday to rule the world. Considering how difficult it was for the first Eleven disciples to believe Jesus, how much more difficult for us today? Jesus himself shows up to the disciples with holes in his wrists and feet, he talks like Jesus, looks like Jesus, moves like Jesus - and they still think he is a ghost. Even though he told them - and at this point there are eyewitness accounts by others... - that he would return to them - they doubt.

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.

He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.

And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"
They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
Luke 24v36-45 [TNIV]

Maybe we Christians should go easy on people who don't believe Jesus. Maybe we shouldn't take for granted our own faith. Maybe we should attribute our experience of faith to the category of miracle. And maybe we shouldn't be so hard on ourselves when we lack a stronger faith. Maybe it's no wonder Jesus was hoping for at least mustard-seed sized faith from his followers. Or the man who told Jesus he believed, but then cried out for help with his unbelief. Maybe to believe in Jesus we need Jesus himself to show up.

Jesus' strategy is interesting, upon his departure he promises that the Father will send the Spirit to become at home in each disciple. Follow the reasoning here: if the Same Spirit that was in Jesus is now in some disciples, and if it is this Spirit that helps people believe and serve and love and endure and rescue and heal and feed and clothe and celebrate and share... and if it is this Spirit that made Jesus capable of accomplishing what he did, and if that Same Spirit is in us... then Jesus is among us. It's a miracle that anybody believes Jesus, but Jesus is everywhere these days, and he's opening hearts and eyes in every city, in every country, in every continent.

Maybe it's not helpful to focus on all the people who don't have faith in Jesus. Maybe it's more helpful to notice everyone who does have faith. Maybe we'll be surprised at who does believe. Maybe we'll be surprised at how a "little" faith goes a long ways. Maybe in our work to see Jesus in the world, to see and partner with those who do believe, we'll let Jesus plant more seeds of faith in the least expected places.

Nobody expected the Jewish Messiah to come from Nazareth. Nobody expected the Galilean fisherman Peter to lead a movement. Nobody expected Jesus to be popular with corrupt tax agents and starving prostitutes. And so maybe nobody should be surprised that they have their doubts about Jesus - he doesn't seemed to be deterred by our expectations or assumptions. He just goes about doing his rescue work through the most unlikely of people in the most unlikely of places. Maybe he might just continue his work through you!