From Courageous to Doubt to Courageous
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· 5 views“Turn the Page” by courageously living out my convictions.
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Have you ever had a time when it felt like you had unwavering faith and belief?
Have you ever been in such a dark place in your life that all you could see is doubt?
The calling on John the Baptist life was to prepare the way for the coming Messiah.
26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
John must have had a level 10 faith and belief at that moment. John was already courageous now it was hyperbolic.
Then life's circumstances entered in. Have you been there? You are on cloud 9 with the Lord then.
Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Was John doubting the very one that he was called to prepare the way for?
It must have been difficult for this man, accustomed to a wilderness life, to be confined in a prison. The physical and emotional strain were no doubt great, and the long days of waiting did not make it easier.
It seemed Jesus was doing nothing to help him.
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,
Proclaim freedom for the prisoners - Hey Jesus what about me?
If He came to set the prisoners free (Luke 4:18), then John the Baptist was a candidate!
It is not unusual for even great spiritual leaders to have their days of doubt and uncertainty. Moses was ready to quit on one occasion.
10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”
If this is how you are going to treat me, please kill me
Even Paul knew the meaning of despair 2 Cor. 1:8
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.
We despaired of life itself
There is a difference between doubt and unbelief.
Doubt is a matter of the mind.
We cannot understand what God is doing or why He is doing it.
Unbelief is a matter of the will.
We refuse to believe God’s Word and obey what He tells us to do.
In John’s case, his inquiry was not born of willful unbelief, but of doubt nourished by physical and emotional strain.
“Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong; it may be a sign that he is thinking.”― Oswald Chambers
2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
John - I need to know.
20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ” 21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “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.
Vs. 21: Quoted from Isaiah 35:5, 6; 61:1. These were messianic promises. John’s disciples were to report that Jesus was doing precisely what Scripture foretold of the Messiah —even though the grand plan of prophetic fulfillment was not unfolding quite the way John the Baptist had envisioned it.
When John’s disciples returned with the answer. How do you think he reacted? Do you think his doubt subsided and he returned to being courageous again?
God can handle our doubts, and he welcomes our questions.
The people heard Johns doubting questions. How did the courageous John become the doubting John?
24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: “ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John - Put him on blast?
Vs. 28: I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John
On Johns worst day, Jesus speaks the best about John.
And it is the same with us.
Besides the day of Crucifixion what was Jesus worst day? - The Garden?
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.
44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. 45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.
prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
Our worst day with Jesus will be better than our best day without Him.