Dealing with Doubt
Easter 2025 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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If you have your Bibles, please turn to John 20:24. and following. John is in the NT. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and then John. His book is all about the life, and especially death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Want to give a warm welcome to you...
As we gather here today...I recognize there might be several types of people here...
whether you are here for the first, or this is your first Easter or 95th—we are glad you are here
or here b/c you grandma or mom made you-that was the requirement to get Easter lunch
or here because you need hope and are curious.
We pray that you would encounter Jesus Christ.
Let me read John 20:24-31 where one of Jesus’ 12 apostles named Thomas meets the risen, resurrected Jesus Christ after Jesus had died on the cross.
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve (that’s one of the 12 apostles who spent a lot of time with Jesus these last 3 years), was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Poor Thomas is known as “Doubting Thomas...”
Can you imagine having that be your nickname for all eternity—for everyone to read about you in the bible.
and yet, I think he is here, because so many of us can relate to Thomas.
I find Thomas’ personality so fascinating.
back in chapter 11 of John. Jesus learned that his friend Lazarus was very sick, about to die. and to go to him, they had to travel through Judea, and Jesus’ disciples said to Him—didn’t the Jews there almost kill you? and you are going back?
but Jesus goes anyways.
and Thomas says this:
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
a lot of us can relate to Thomas....what do we do if we are someone like Thomas or know someone like Thomas...
what do we do if we struggle with doubts before God (I am talking about doubt and the Christian faith, the God of the Bible)—whether we would say we are followers of Jesus or not, or seeking...and we need answers to our doubts...
what do we do? because for some of us, it makes us feel bad, “If I only have more faith or trust or confidence?”
for others, it makes us combative and just really skeptical “I won’t believe until...”
How do we deal with doubt...
Let me give a definition of doubt:
Gary Habermas, professor:
doubt = lack of certainty about the truthfulness of Christianity, one’s own faith, or how it applies to real life situations.
so it’s not just about whether Christianity is true—but how it applies to real life.
Oz Guiness = a state of mind in suspension between faith and unbelief
how do we deal with doubt?
Dealing with Doubt...
Diagnose your doubt. (in other words...what kind of doubt do you really have). because there all different kinds. and you can’t find the cure unless you have the diagnosis.
Think of the different reasons for doubt: (I am indebted to Professors DA Carson’s book Scandal)
Reasons for Doubt:
Reason #1: Ignorance or Assumptions. In other words, do we really know what the Bible says about God, about Jesus Christ, about how God made us for Him, yet we sinned and rebelled against Him—yet God sent His Son on a rescue mission to save us from our sin thru the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
or do we only assume that we know, because we heard about it somewhere else. or perhaps we may have never heard about Jesus or know why He came. Yes that is very possible even here in Adams County, a very churched area.
so we need to learn about him, we need to be told, and ask good questions. (I remember when Jen Sprunger, former LifeWise director here shared briefly that there are kids who come to LifeWise Academy here who have never heard about Jesus)
another reason we doubt...
Reason #2 — suffering—a crisis comes up. a death of a loved on, or trauma in one’s life, or something horrible just happens. makes us doubt God’s Goodness or God’s plan. If you haven’t experienced this yet—just wait. you will.
Reason #3 - could be physical—like sleep deprivation, chemical imbalances, not taking care of yourself. It’s amazing how much we doubt when we are hungry, angry, lonely or tired. or maybe you need to see your family doctor, or a counselor or a psychiatrist. some of you owe it to your fellow man to get 8 hours of sleep or you should not communicate with people.
Reason #4: morality....what do I mean? right and wrong? in other words, we doubt there is a God not because of ignorance, but we don’t WANT there to be a god. I have seen this sometimes with people who grew up in the church for a while, and then go off to college or off on their own working, and start living however they want to, partying, sleeping around. They may talk with me or another pastor and say, “Pastor Rick, I don’t believe in this Christian stuff anymore.” and if they are honest, it’s because they don’t want there to be a God because that would change how they live.
or a slow fade...
in other words, a person may be a really strong follower of Jesus, begin strong, but as they get older and become adults, they slowly fade away. they stop reading their Bible. stop praying. stop attending Church or a Sunday School group or Bible Study. work pressures and life pressures increase—several years later, that person wakes up after spending the night with someone he should not have been sleeping with. he looks in the mirror and thinks, “I don’t believe all this Jesus stuff anyways.” Casting Crowns famously had a song that says “It’s a slow fade, when you give yourself away...it’s a slow fade...when black and white turns to gray...And thoughts invade, choices made A price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Reason #5...part of the maturing process. this is especially true of those who grew up in the church. they go to college and may meet a very bright philosophy professor or someone who doesn’t believe in God, and that professor starts poking holes in their belief. For instance, Carson says imagine a professor saying to a young Christian college student, “So you are a Christian. do you come from a Christian home?” the student says “yes.” the professor says “Do you think you are a Christian because you grew up in a Christian home?” student: yes. but take Abdul here. He was raised in a Muslim home. Do you think a big part of why He is Muslim is because he was raised in a Muslim home.? “Yes” so if you are a Christian b/c of your family, and he is Muslim because of his family, who is to say who is right?”
now I think there are good responses to that...but it starts to shake up a lot of Christian students...and so part of the maturing process is wrestling with your doubts...we need to be introducing doubts (that may sound weird to our kids and teens)...because we need to prepare them for the real world. It’s like giving a vaccine—helping their spiritual antibodies kick into gear so when they face doubts out there in the world, they are ready. (and I just offended all the anti-vaxxers).
doubts can be good! they can press us deeper in maturing in Jesus....
in fact...
(pause) I realized over the years—that everyone, including those who say they don’t have beliefs or don’t believe anything or strongly doubt religious faith—actually have a lot of beliefs...tucked into those doubts...
because think of these categories—every human being has an answer as to:
Does God exist—why do you believe that? (whether yes or no, or maybe so, or I don’t know)
what is He like if He does exist
who defines what is wrong or right? what is true justice or injustice?
what is the meaning or purpose of life? how I find deep joy and satisfaction...
what happens after we die? is there a heaven or hell or is it lights out..
but I bring this up to say that if we are going to deal with doubt..the first step is to diagnose it. what is causing my doubt...what is causing your doubt...if we are going to be able to prescribe the right remedy. (whether you are a believer or non-believer)
maybe you need more sleep
maybe you are wrestling with suffering
think of Thomas’ doubt. Jesus had just died—been crucified—naked, bloody, and bleeding on the cross. It was the worst way to go. the most shameful, humiliating, embarrassing way to go...only reserved for the worst people in Roman society. even though Jesus told Thomas and others he would die like this and rise from the dead, they didn’t understand that.
Carson says, “they had no categories for a crucified Messiah.” they had no categories for a Savior or a God or hero who dies in this way. and they had no idea that Jesus would rise from the dead. they aren’t having a party after Jesus died. they aren’t gathering preparing a barbecue— “Peter you get the steaks, John and James you bring the sides… b/c pretty soon Jesus is going to rise. Take that Satan...”
already, Jesus had appeared to people like Mary Magdalene in the garden, the 2 disciples on the way to Emmaus, and to most of the disciples, but not Thomas.
he won’t believe until he sees FOR HIMSELF Jesus’ distinct wounds—the nails that went in his hands and feet, and the spear that was recorded as to have pierced his side, and blood and water flowed. these are DISTINCTIVE wounds that Thomas knows about.
Thomas’ doubt...is what kind? Reason # 6 Massive Religious Disappointment. it wasn’t ignorance necessarily or morality, or lack of sleep. he believed in God. He believed in miracles. Carson says “Thomas’ doubt is the skepticism of one who has gone through stupendous religious disappointment, such that he does not want to be blindsided again. Thomas had passionately believed Jesus was the Messiah—but now that hope was gone with the crucifixion of Jesus.” Thomas is disillusioned and disappointed.
I think we can relate. have you ever been disillusions and disappointed either..
by God
or by the church
maybe both -
maybe God didn’t answer your prayer, or maybe you challenged him, “If you are real, do this...give me this job, save my loved ones from sickness or illness...then I will believe...”
or maybe it was the church—Christians let you down. They are such hypocrites...a pastor disappointed you - stick around long enough here—we will—I will disappoint you… how’s that for a tagline—come to First Missionary and be disappointed...
YOUR DOUBT is “if that’s what God is like...or if that’s what Christians or the Church is like…I don’t want anything to do with it.”
Thomas is extremely disappointed...by Jesus. that’s his doubt.
after you have diagnosed it...
Take the next step to address your doubt.
which depending on the reason...
or maybe the type of doubt can be varied...
If your doubt is intellectual, do some research. We have a book here by Lee Strobel - the Case for Easter (on screen) - because if the resurrection of Jesus is true—I am trusting that guy—that God....i may not have reasons for everything else in the Bible yet—but if the resurrection of Jesus actually happened—He rose bodily and never died again-_I have to take Jesus seriously...
or you can watch a movie that’s about him—the Case for Christ.
if your doubt is more personal, emotional, based on the circumstances, talk to someone who has gone before you. or maybe you are really hurt, traumatized by God or the church, talk to a pastor or leader or friend, talk to Kim Baer who is a counselor just across the street who specializes in trauma at Soar Counseling. don’t get it alone ((I heard one speaker addressing doubt says whenever he watches a scary movie of some kind, he notices that people always get killed when they investigate things alone—and as you watch - you are like take a buddy—don’t go it alone...)
if you are not sure where to begin, ask God to help you—show you. Even if you are not a believer, ask God. What would it hurt?
if you are not a believer, read a booklet like this 2 Ways to Live —there’s an app for it as well that can help you. (on screen)
I believe one of the best things that can help your doubt is reading the Bible—whether exploring or continuing to go deeper:
Some Bibles...chronologically...
ABC Bible for young, young children, infants...the Bible from A to Z...storyline. (on screen)
the next step up is the Jesus Story Book Bible—designed for ages 2 - 8 ish. I love the tagline “Every Story Whispers His Name...” (on screen)
the next step is this Bible—for ages 7 - 14ish. it has some more stories, goes in-depth—also pointing to Jesus. (on screen)
These 3 are great if you have kids and are trying to raise them in the ways of the Lord. because I realize that we don’t want you to just study God’s Word here at church—you need to be feeding yourself.
and the last Bible we have is an NIV Study Bible.
if you go away thinking, I need to be in God’s Word more, and get a resource to help you and your family feed yourself in God’s Word, that will be a win.
I actually think there can be 2 mistakes when it comes to doubt (from Michael Kruger)
Doubt Shaming on one extreme....and doubt celebrating.
MOST OF ALL—realize that you are not or weird - doubt is encouraged, even welcomed—but we don’t want you to stay there—we want it to stimulate you to get answers.
I wrestle with doubts still.
but we dare not ignore them or even celebrate them - the Bible doesn’t want us to stay locked in our doubts or ignoring our doubts.
3. Look to Jesus because He cares about your doubts. (vs. 26-28) (In other words—He is personal with your doubts)
Look how Jesus responds
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
this is the 2x Jesus just appeared to the disciples out of thin air like this. He never did this while he was alive the first time, but after his resurrection with a new resurrection body. He does.
and Jesus comes to him, and allows Thomas to actually experience Him—to touch his hands and feet where the nails went in as he was crucified to the cross. to touch his side.
If you remember how crucifixion works—criminals hanging on the cross actually died by suffocation. on the cross, one had to lift oneself up to breath, but it would be hard because you had the spikes in your hands and feet hurting immensely, so you would hunch down, but as you hunched down to relieve that pain from the nails, you had a hard time breathing, so it was back and forth until a person just got worn out. soldiers sometimes would speed up the process of death by breaking the legs of criminals so they couldn’t lift themselves up, and they would suffocate and die quicker but by the time they get to Jesus to do that, he already died.
and the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side (we read about it in John 19)
so Jesus had unique wounds that Thomas needed to experienced.
and even though Jesus challenges and encourages Thomas—I find it instructive that he actually comes to Thomas, actually allows him to examine, is concerned with Thomas’ particular form of doubt.
and this passage is written to people like us who doubt.
whatever doubt you are experiencing this morning—Jesus understands.
he cares...he gets it..
he doesn’t come as a harsh boss or leader saying “Pull yourself together...”
or saying “You shouldn’t feel that way” or be dismissive...
no he draws close to Thomas, touch my hands and feet, touch my side.
HE is personal with Thomas.
Same thing earlier in John 20. When Mary Magdalene gets to the tomb and finds it empty, she is distraught.
but look at how Jesus approaches Mary Magdalene:
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
so...is it possible that whatever doubt you are experiencing, Jesus understands and cares? He wants to be personal with you, patient and loving towards you.
to the doubter who is ignorant and doesn’t know about Jesus...he is patient...wanting you to know the truth about Him. that takes time.
to the doubter who has struggled with right and wrong and following Jesus, fading away...he wants to bring you back...to show you He is a good God that these commandments are for your good; they reflect who God is. and God is the designer of your souls—He knows what you need, and He knows best. your way if you are honest is NOT working...
to the doubter who is going through the maturing process as a Christian—ask God for help. ask him to show you good answers to the big questions you have—whether they are intellectual “how do I know God exists?” or emotional “Why would a loving God do ________.” Jesus can take your questions—we see that here. (booklet)
to the one who is doubting because they are facing massive suffering...crises in life—cancer, finances...Jesus understands...because He is a god who suffered on the cross. He is a god who bleeds who knows what suffering and pain is like.
and to the one who has suffered massive religious disappointment—if you have been deeply offended by what God did or failed to do—or the church did or failed to do or a Christian in your life....Jesus would sympathize with that—after all it was also religious people who crucified him, had him killed.
if you know someone who is doubting—follow what Jude 22
22 Be merciful to those who doubt;
23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
When Thomas realized that Jesus met His doubt...look what happened...
let me read vs. 28-31
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
look at vs 28
Thomas’ confession in vs. 28—My Lord and My God is SHOCKING.
to 1st century Jews—they only believed in one God—God the Father. but to say Jesus Christ is also God (He hadn’t worked out the doctrine of the Trinity yet) that’s SHOCKING.
certainly seeing Jesus, raised from the dead, in his resurrected body...changed this...
but over the last week...as Thomas thought about Jesus’ death and supposed resurrection...he remembered words like
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!
or
21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
or
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
or
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
or John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Thomas would have been present for a lot of Jesus’ miracles where he walked on water, or calmed the storm or fed the 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish or healed the paralyzed man or the blind man.
He was starting to piece all of these things about Jesus together...that he Jesus...lived the life we failed to live before God...
and died the death you and I deserve for our sins on the cross.
there was one interesting story Thomas probably remember about Jesus—where Jesus was teaching to a crowded house. and there was a paralyzed man whose friends were carrying him on a mat to the house trying to get him to Jesus. and so the friends take the paralyzed man on the roof, dig through the roof to make a hole and lower the man in front of Jesus and the first thing Jesus says is:
Son, your sins are forgiven!
which is shocking...because say you get attacked and beaten up by someone, mugged randomly on the streets of Berne...so that you get laid up in the hospital. I come to visit you and say, “I want you to know...I have forgiven your attackers.” you would be confused— “You’re crazy, Rick.” Only the offended party forgives—you don’t need to forgive.
but it’s different with Jesus...any sin committed...even against another person—the most offended party is always the God of the universe. what makes our sin sin, so bad, is that it is an offense against God.
If we commit adultery, God is always the most offended party. If we cheat on our income taxes, God is the most offended party. If we are addicted to pornography, God is the most offended party. Yes you are sinning against others, too...but God is always the most offended. because He Made us—He loves us.
we as Christians believe there is a God who exists...and who loves us and made us for Himself.
yet—when given the choice—we tell God—”we know Better. you don’t really love us. I can run my life better than you.” the Bible calls this sin.
and b/c we turn our lives on the author of life—the only result is death—physically and even spiritually.
but the good news of Good Friday and Easter is that Jesus Christ came—God in the flesh...
He lived the life I failed to live before God.
and most of all—He died the death I deserve, paying for my sins on the cross in my place. He paid it all. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
and He rose again—He is the resurrection and the life
so that
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
THAT ETERNAL life is not just eternity in heaven when we die-that’s important!
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
this is why the forgiveness we need most in life—if we are going to have eternal life—is Jesus’.
Thomas realizes that...Jesus is not just a human being or a prophet or a teacher...the resurrection proves - He is the Lord—the King of the universe. HE is God! He truly can forgive sins.
and not just our God—but MY God — that I must surrender my life to.
look at John 20:29
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
sometimes we think Jesus is scolding Thomas. “Your faith is ok, but those who will never see me or touch me, they have better faith.”
in our context today, we often use the idea of faith—as kind of a wish, a hope that we believe in spite of the evidence. that evidence doesn’t matter.
so Jesus would be saying “Yes your faith is good Thomas because you have evidence you can touch me; blessed are those who believe and never have evidence.” I don’t think that’s the case.
because Paul will say that in 1 Cor. 15—if we don’t believe Jesus actually rose bodily from the grave, physically, then our faith is useless. faith is tied to evidence here.
The Bible calls us to believe—but always to a faith that is true, that is supported in history.
so this passage is saying, “Thomas you are blessed because you believe.”
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
but Jesus knows many millions later will read this and put their faith in Jesus, too, who have never seen the resurrected Jesus like Thomas did. they needed an account like Thomas’ to truly believe—they can identify with Thomas because they have doubts...whether intellectual, emotional, religious, spiritual
This testimony here was written for us—to remember...to:
diagnose our doubt
take the next step to address it...
Focus on Jesus
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
don’t you want life—real life? eternal life?
let’s take a moment and talk with God...
most of all talk to God...he gets it...
and maybe you are ready to believe...
if you are, would you pray something like this:
God I admit you are real.
and I admit I am a sinner and have messed up and offended you.
Please forgive me for my sin.
I am trusting in Jesus, who lived for me, died for me on the cross, and rose again.
and I surrender my life to you.
if you prayed that? would you look at me for a second...or respond on line—or scan the QR code.
