Doubt
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Last week we talked about. briefly, Jesus life death and resurrection. We ended on the note that Jesus was missing from the tomb, he had risen again. He is now alive. But some of his disciples were doubtful, and one famous example of this is Thomas. Lets read .
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although 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, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
I do not like those converts who have no enthusiasm; if they do not burn at first, what will they do afterwards? If in their first love there is no zeal, no holy flaming fire, what shall we make of them by and by? It is well to see, in those who have newly come to Christ, even if it be possible, a little too much enthusiasm; we can very well put up with that. There is a novelty to the soul that begins to see the light, a novelty in the light itself, which suggests to it something sparkling and brilliant; and we do not wonder if the words of confession that the newly-converted utter should burn and glow.
What is doubt?
Spurgeon, C. H. (1894). Hopeful, Yet Doubtful. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 40, p. 230). London: Passmore & Alabaster. 20:24-29.
English Standard Version Chapter 20
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although 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, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Simply put, doubt is unbelief
Thomas was in disbelief that Jesus had risen from the dead.
His general attitude was, “Look i’m not doubting Jesus’ lordship, I believe that he is Lord, but until I touch his wounds I wont believe he has risen from the dead.”
We have to understand how the disciples felt. They just witnessed Jesus being brutally murdered. It seemed for a moment that their lives were over. We have to sympathize with Thomas a little bit here.
So Thomas was doubting, and his doubt was the unbelief that Jesus had risen from the dead.
We are in unbelief all the time!
Every believer knows that God answers prayer. But we don’t believe that he will answer our prayer until our prayer is answered.
Turn with me to Mark chapter 9. We are going to read verses 14-29.
14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
90% of the time we throw that “if” at God. “God if you can please do this or that”, but 100% of the time we should respond to God with “I believe! Help my unbelief!”
Unbelief is expected
Through out the Bible there are stories of unbelief. Its normal, its expected. We are sinful human beings who have never seen the physical Jesus. So dont let unbelief freak you out. It is normal for all believers to have some unbelief.
Now I dont mean that believers should be in unbelief about the Gospel. I mean things such as prayer and such.
Unbelief is sinful
Why? Becuase unbelief hinders us from doing good, righteous works.
If I am in unbelief that God is going to accomplish something great in my life, then I will not do what is required for that blessing to come.
Its a lack of trust in God, we dont trust or believe in his soverignty.
Unbelief is forgivable
But the glorious thing is that this sin of unbelief is forgivable! All the father of the sick boy had to do is say “HELP! Help my unbelief!” and Jesus does so!
We see a similar example in , turn there now.
31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.
Jesus didn’t rebuke Peter first while he was sinking saying you of little fait! He saved him first. Peter said help and Jesus did, only afterwards did he discipline him.
If you are in unbelief, belief one thing: Jesus Christ is risen from the grave and his blood is sufficient to forgive all sin, even your unbelief. Believe that Jesus will restore your unbelief.