Series: “A Leap of Faith: Navigating the Shadows of Doubt"
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— This is our series for the next 6 weeks or so.
— On the back of your bulletin there are some fill-in the blanks to guide you as we work through the message.
— Today’s message is rather personal. It hits at the core of our personal beliefs.
— It hits at the core of our confidence and the assurance of our faith.
— At the end of the service we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper.
— Today’s message
“A Leap of Faith: I’m not Supposed to doubt… but I Do.”
“A Leap of Faith: I’m not Supposed to doubt… but I Do.”
— Here is what is said about “Doubt”
— The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence. — Charles Bukowski [American Poet & Novelist]
— Not sure what you know about General George Patton
— Truly one of the great warriors from World War 2 that America has produced.
— Patton was not a man who used a lot of words… Here what he said about “doubt.”
“In case of doubt, attack.” — General George S. Patton [4-Star General, WWII]
— He dealt with “doubt” in a direct fashion
— I am not advocating for those of us that have some doubts, to turn and attack or to acted stupidly as our quotes said.
— It is critical to address our own "doubts" in a manner that we align with biblical principles.
— This includes actively engaging in a discipleship relationship, 1-on-1, small group, Adult Sunday Learning or with another individual or group.
— We will wade through “doubt” and hopefully come out with confidence that you did not have before.
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— Over the next 6 weeks or so we will be exploring this idea of “doubt”
— What is it? who has it? should we have it?
— With each message we will look at a particular “doubt” that you may have.
For this week here is the question… How can the Bible be historically true?”
— or… I have doubts about the reliability, the truthfulness of Scripture.
— So what’s the problem..?
“Is the Bible historically reliable? Is every doctrine in the Bible to be believed? How can Christians believe that the Bible is trustworthy?”
— Listen as we answer these questions
— So… first let’s look at what the Bible is and is NOT.
The Bible is NOT… The Bible is not primarily a history book.
— Yes, it does contain a great deal of history, especially about the Jews, but biblical writers were highly selective in the subjects they chose to cover.
The Bible is not a scientific book.
— Yes, it does deal with the creation of the world, but the Bible does not answer the question “How was the world made?”
— It alludes to many, many scientific, medical and results of Godly living.
— But if you are a scientist… it answers few questions… directly.
— Let’s focus on what we DO know… Not on what God has left a mystery.
— With that in mind…
— Let’s move to those areas that are “truth.”
These FACTS lead us to believe The Bible - The Accuracy of the Bible
— Archaeologists have discovered hundreds of thousands of ancient writings, and have deciphered inscriptions on walls and stones.
— These discoveries have led us to more belief that the Bible is true
— Here are…
Two examples of prophecies given long before Jesus’ birth that were true.
— There are approximately 300 prophecies that reveal the coming of Jesus to earth as a baby in a manger.
— These two scripture were written hundreds of years before Christ came to earth.
Micah 5:2 (ESV)
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
— Jesus was born and came from Bethlehem
— From this “little town” came the Savior of the Universe.
— Christ will rule Israel… from His throne in Jerusalem.
— Christ is coming from the “Ancient of Days” from God, the Father
— The next prophecy given that is significant for us today is from Psalm 22.18.
18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
— This Psalm was written some 575 years before the prophecy was fulfilled and it happened just like He said .
— And was fulfilled at the crucifixion of Christ
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,
24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things,
— A couple of observations.
— The Bible and extra-biblical sources verify this truth… accepted as fact at the time of Christ
— Now we can work yourself crazy like doing a rubics cube, trying to work the solution to this doubt
— Or you can toss your rubics cube aside
—- and look at scripture, look for those areas of belief and then dig into those that are more of a mystery.
— Along the way we can believe what is written… delivered to us by Faith
— From 2Tim
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
So… Why do we doubt? What is the Nature of Doubt.
— Some would say that we shouldn’t have doubts
— I would say that the disciples, those closet to Christ doubted
— Doubted like Thomas did… and didn’t believe until he could see, touch and put his fingers inside the Saviors side.
— God does not slay those asking questions or doubting…
— He does provide ample evidence that doubt can be and should be resolved in scripture, prayer, and during discipleship times.
Understanding the Nature of Doubt
— Doubt is a universal feeling
— All people have at some time have doubted…
— Listen to James 1.
— James is a book that was written to more mature Christians in the late first century.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
— Doubt leaves us in a tough spot.
— It leaves us weak and vulnerable
— Easily influenced by our world and the evil that we see around us.
— tossed by the wind
Principle #1 - The Reality of Doubt
— God knows
— He knitted us together in our mother’s womb
— He made us into the people that we are.
— What we are is frail human beings
14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.
— Yet He sent His very own Son, a perfect reflection of the Father to save… “DUST?”
— Yes, we started as dust but God made us HUMAN by His breath. By breathing life into us.
Application #1 - “Doubt” is part of the human experience. Doubt does NOT have to define our relationship with God. We can live beyond “DOUBT.”
— AND To God we are much more than DUST!
Principle #2 - The Source of Doubt
— Sometimes the source of our doubt is a misunderstanding of the truth
— Sometimes we just want to ignore the truth and go our own way
— Sometimes it’s external influences… listen to Gen 3.
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”
4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
— Is this case… doubt was caused by a LIE, It was caused by satan or his minions.
— This LIE was a SIN!
— And led to Adam and Eve’s eventual death instead of enjoying The Garden forever and ever
Application #2 - Regardless of the source of doubt; We must fight the distraction that is pulling us away from God.
— A LIE that ended in staining humanity and will continue to stain our world with SIN until Jesus returns to straighten our world, once and for all.
Principle #3 - God's Response to Doubt
— God does not want us to “stay in doubt.”
— He wants to live victoriously in Jesus
— He wants us to live BEYOND our doubts.
— And in the truths of scripture
— Here is a bit of encouragement for us to do so
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
— Ah… we finally get there, FAITH!
— Biblical faith is considered a belief and trust in God based on evidence but without total proof.
— There is a VERY important truth here… Listen carefully…
We cannot, nor should we try to PROVE the Bible as TRUTH. We must have FAITH that leads us to the conclusion that the Bible is… TRUTH!
— This can be quite a process that for some takes years… even most or all of a lifetime to develop Faith.
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
— But God is patient with us
Application #3 - Faith is a “doubt-killer.” Thank God, often and regularly for His patience with you!
— He is a PATIENT God, He is merciful, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in Love… AND PATIENT.
Next Week: "A Leap of Faith: Overcoming Doubt through Faith" Mark 9.23-24
Communion - (Elders/servers Please come forward)
— Dear God we come again to your table
— We are here to remember the sacrifice that you ordained. May we never forget what Jesus endured
— By turning our hearts and prayers toward you.
— We asked that you forgive our sin and make us once again Holy
— Able to come to your table clean.
— AMEN!!!
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.