Doubt
Notes
Transcript
Have you ever thought about which disciple you are most like? Like if you had to choose one, who would you be in Jesus’ rag tag gang?
I would most definitely be Thomas. Aka doubting Thomas. Am I the only one?
I struggle with constant doubt. I know, shocking that such an obviously holy man would have doubts! Lots of times I doubt if I’ve heard accurately from God about a sermon - especially if it’s a tough one! I sometimes doubt people’s spiritual experiences - was it the Spirit or were you just being weird. When my grandkids spend the night and I ask them in the morning if they brushed their teeth, I usually doubt their answer. And when I smell their breath, my doubts are confirmed!
But some doubts are bigger. Several years ago I went through a period that could be called deconstruction. I began questioning certain things I’d been taught - particularly about how to understand and read certain things in the Bible. I’d been taught that you had to read and interpret certain things in the Bible a particular way. Yet, as I grew in my understanding of the Bible and ancient cultures, it seemed the interpretations I’d been given were maybe not the best ones. It was disorienting. At times I was afraid I was losing my faith altogether. It turned out that there were answers to my questions - better explanations than I’d been taught before - but in the early stages I couldn’t see them. Doubt was a constant companion for a season.
How about you? Ever have doubts? Barna reports that about 65% of self-identifying Christians have struggled with serious doubt at some point, and 26% struggle on a regular basis. That’s me. Yay! In fact, the report reveals that only 35% of Christians have never struggled with doubt. Which actually tells me that 35% of Christians have issues telling the truth! He goes on to report that Christians struggle with doubts about the Bible’s authority, its inerrancy, and younger Christians in particular struggle with doubt about the Bible’s relevance. There’s lots of doubts surrounding the age of the earth, the flood story, and how history is going to end. And of course, the hypocrisy that is so prevalent in churches adds to people struggling with doubt about the veracity of their faith.
But Barna also reported a bright side to this. 95% of Christians who admitted to struggling with doubt say that doubt actually made their faith stronger. It seems that being faithful to God while wrestling with doubt is actually a good thing! That’s my testimony. Doubt made my faith stronger, not weaker.
Doubt is common, but there is a dark side to doubt. The enemy would like to make us think that our doubt somehow disqualifies or disables us from faithfully following Jesus. If I’m having doubt then I’m not worthy to serve Jesus. If I have doubt then I’m not capable of blessing others. The result - and what the enemy desires - is that we are sidelined from the kingdom of God. The passage we will look at today shows us that this is categorically untrue. What does Jesus think about our doubt? The risen Jesus is here with us, loving us, even in the midst of doubt.
————————————————————————————————————————————-
Matthew 28:16–20 “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
I want to focus this morning on the word “doubt”. Had you ever noticed that before? The first time I noticed it I thought “What?!”
What kind of doubt could they possibly have?? The one they saw crucified is now alive! They’ve seen the scars. Maybe doubt about future, about what he was asking them to do, about what it all means?? What I love is that is shows that Jesus only calls normal people - people who struggle with doubt even when they know he’s alive.
Here’s the cool thing about Jesus; doubt isn’t a disqualification. You can love Jesus, serve Jesus, worship Jesus - and still struggle with doubt. Just like on that mountain side, Jesus is present with you even in your doubt. Wherever you are, Jesus is here.
Doubt doesn’t disqualify, and neither does it disable. And it doesn’t have to sideline us. It’s hard to go for it when you have doubts. But that doesn’t need to be the case. In fact, there are at least four things we can still do in the midst of doubt.
You can worship in spite of your doubt.
Even though the disciples aren’t sure about everything, they recognize that Jesus is more than a mere man. That somehow God stands before them in human form. In every other case in the Bible when people encounter divine beings who they try to worship, the divine being stops them, directing them to worship God alone. Jesus receives their worship. It is right that they worship him.
And they offer their worship mixed with their doubt - and Jesus accepts it “as is”. He doesn’t condemn or belittle them. He loves them where they are. And he loves you where you are. And so even in a time of doubt we can bow our head and our knees and our heart and worship Jesus the risen son of God. And the truth of the scriptures is that worship becomes a powerful act of defiance against the doubts that attack us. Another early doubter, James the brother of Jesus, says, James 4:7 “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Worship is your act of resistance against doubt. Jesus is here, so worship.
You can obey in spite of your doubt.
The women who discovered the empty tomb had an encounter with Jesus. Matthew 28:9–10 “Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”” And guess what. They did. They went and told the disciples. And the disciples, in spite of their doubt, obeyed. They went to Galilee and gathered on the mountain Jesus had directed them to.
We also can obey in the midst of doubt. We can do what Jesus tells us to do, even when we’re not totally sure of the outcome. Even, dare I say, when we aren’t totally sure it’s Jesus telling us to do it. Like if we’re not sure it’s Jesus, but it sounds like something Jesus would say, then we can do it. Jesus called his disciples to gather on that mountain, and they came. Jesus calls you to gather, and you can come. Even when you don’t feel like it. Even when the weather is nice. Even when it’s raining. Even when your not sure Jesus will show up. Another really cool thing about Jesus is that, if you show up somewhere he didn’t tell you to go, he sees that and loves you heart - and probably shows up anyway.
Most of us are probably familiar with the most famous line in Jesus’ dialogue with the Pharisee Nicodemus - John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” We are less familiar with the closing line of that chapter: John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.” Notice John doesn’t say “those who believe… but those who doubt...” He contrasts belief, not with doubt, but with disobedience. Isn’t that interesting. He’s pointing out that obedience is a choice. Jesus is here, and we can choose to obey Jesus even when we still have doubt.
You can "go" in spite of your doubt.
This passage is called The Great Commission. Jesus is telling his disciples - present and future - that he has all authority. As a result he now sends them with that authority to spread the message of the gospel. To go into all the world and make apprentices to Jesus - people who follow him, become like him, and do as he did.
And so they went, in spite of their doubts. If you are a Christian, it’s because this first group of followers spread the message even though they had questions, concerns, and doubts. And so again, your doubt doesn’t disqualify you from being an effective messenger. The truth is that, if you’re a Christian, you have a God-story to tell others about how you met Jesus and what he’s done in your life. It’s that uncomplicated - it’s just telling your story. You don’t have to be a Bible scholar. You don’t have to have all the answers. And you can struggle with your own doubts - and still be faithful at telling others the good news.
I think the devil tries to tell us that if we have doubts then it’s a lack of credibility to talk to others about faith. I think the opposite is true. To have doubts and be honest about them - while still being faithful - is the highest form of integrity. To say to someone, “I don’t know. I have questions too. But this is what I do know, Jesus changed my life and he can change yours too.” That is the kind of authenticity that seekers are looking for. Jesus is here, and you can go be his witness even with your doubts.
You can trust in his presence in spite of your doubt.
Jesus sent out his first disciples simply with his promise that he’d be with them. That was the only guarantee they had. The risen son of God said so. And they chose to trust his promise.
This is the same promise we have. This was written, not just for their sake, but for ours. If you’ve committed your life to Jesus, he promises to be there through thick and thin. Jesus is likely drawing from God’s promise to Israel as they are about to enter the Promised Land: Deuteronomy 31:8 “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” This is what Jesus is telling those disciples on the mountain, and it’s what he’s telling you today.
“Faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods… That is why Faith is such a necessary virtue: unless you teach your moods ‘where they get off’, you can never be either a sound Christian or even a sound atheist.” C.S. Lewis
What he’s saying is that we can tell our feeling to buzz off. This is a choice that is within our power. We can either let our feelings have control, or we can choose to trust Jesus. Both are a choice. Only one leads to any kind of peace or happiness. Jesus is here; even in our doubts we can choose to trust in his ongoing presence.
————————————————————————————————————————————-
What do I want them to do as a result of this message (how - VIM)?
I can’t paint a picture for you today of a life without doubt. I think doubt is normal, and maybe even necessary for a fully mature faith. The picture I can paint for you is that doubt doesn’t have to be a hindrance. You can still be a faithful follower while wrestling with your doubts. You can still walk with God even though you’re unsure about some things. Perhaps most importantly, when your faith is flagging, you can gather with other believers and let their faith bolster you. When I went through my season of doubt, that’s what you guys did for me - whether you knew it or not.
Because the risen Jesus is here, you can be faithful in your doubts. But hear me: this is a choice. You’re feelings will not agree with you, and so in CS Lewis’ words, you must tell your feelings “where to get off”.
How can we begin to put this into practice? I talked about four things you can do even in the midst of struggling with doubt. You can still:
Worship
Obey
Go
Trust
Where do you sense the Spirit prompting you this morning?
Maybe you are being prompted to spend more time and worship. Worship includes singing, but it’s not only singing. It also includes reading the scriptures and spending time in prayer. Engaging in these practices is one of the shortest ways to help dispel your doubts. As you encounter the big truths in the gospel, it tends to put your doubts in perspective.
Maybe you sense that God is calling you to be more obedient in a certain area. The truth is that we become susceptible to attack when we are not walking in obedience. Part of this may be in choosing to gather more consistently with other believers. Church events, yes, but also outside the church. Our current season of small groups is ending. But guess what? You can invite other Christians over to your house to hang out and fellowship anytime you want. There doesn’t need to be any agenda other than meeting together and enjoying each other’s company.
Maybe what you feel the spirit drawing you to this morning is to be more vocal about your faith. So often we think having doubts makes us unfit to share our faith. But just because you’re not sure exactly how long it took God to make the world doesn’t make you a bad witness. And it’s highly unlikely that anyone you talk to is going to ask that anyway. But if they do simply say, I don’t know, but I’ll ask my pastor. Because he knows everything...
And maybe this morning you just sense the Lord calling you to deeper trust. Here’s the thing about trust; it’s a muscle that must be exercised. It’s not a switch that we can turn on and off. We must cultivate it. How do we cultivate deeper trust in God? I think John Wimber is partially right when he says that faith is spelled RISK. But the truth is that taking risks for God for something God never told you to do is not faith, it’s presumption. So risk should be spelled OBEDIENCE. It’s stepping out to do what God has prompted you to do. And as you do, you will grow in faith and you’ll notice your doubts getting smaller.
You probably can’t do all four of these things. Pick one and ask the HS to grow you in that area.
You may be here today unsure if you can surrender your life to Jesus because you still have some doubts. Anselm, the 12th century archbishop Canterbury, wrote, “I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but rather I believe in order that I may understand”. The point he is making is that there will always be doubts. If you wait for absolute certainty, you’ll wait forever. At some point we have to decide that the majority of our doubts are resolved and go for it. You take a step of faith trusting that understanding will follow. Is Jesus calling you to go for it today? To go “all in” even though you still have some doubts. If so, as we come forward for Communion in a moment, I will be down front and would love to pray with you about following Jesus.
If you are here this morning and feel like your doubts are winning, or that maybe its a form of spiritual warfare, then we want to pray with you as well. I’ve asked a few people to be ready to pray for this and they will be on the other side of the stage as you come forward for Communion. Let others help with your burden today.
A final word for all of us. If you have doubts, above all, just keep showing up. Just don’t quit. Stay in the game and you will see Jesus again. The risen Lord is here even in our doubt.
————————————————————————————————————————————-
Communion
Have them stand… Invite the worship team forward…
Let’s pray together as we rejoice with all God’s people in the words of Psalm 139:
Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.
Father, we give you thanks that even in our doubts you are with us. You will never leave or forsake us. Right now we pause to rest in your presence...
We remember the One who for us and for our salvation, on the night that he was betrayed...
Come Holy Spirit and overshadow these elements.
Let them be for us your body and blood
so that we can participate in your redemptive work for us.
May we find mercy, healing and salvation
through the finished work of the cross. Amen.
