I Doubt It

Sermon Outlines for Seekers I Doubt It (Matthew 11:1–11)

three little words

Matthew 11:1–11 NKJV

1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. 2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” 7 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ 11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

“I Doubt It”

Sermon Outlines for Seekers I Doubt It (Matthew 11:1–11)

“I doubt it.” These three little words have become a byword for our age. We have become the age of the question mark. It’s not that people find believing in the possibility of the supernatural difficult. People today choose to believe in all kinds of supernatural things except Jesus and the Bible.

Actually a little doubt wouldn’t hurt if applied to the superstitious and the cultic. It may be that doubt is a doorway to true faith.

Submitted to you today is the story of John the Baptist. John emerges as the voice crying in the wilderness. He was not afraid to take on the powers that be. Herod arrests John, and he is now alone and in prison. That is enough to discourage any man. He is facing death. Let’s learn along with John something about what happens when a believer says, “I doubt it.”

Sermon Outlines for Seekers I Doubt It (Matthew 11:1–11)

“I doubt it.” These three little words have become a byword for our age. We have become the age of the question mark. It’s not that people find believing in the possibility of the supernatural difficult. People today choose to believe in all kinds of supernatural things except Jesus and the Bible.

Actually a little doubt wouldn’t hurt if applied to the superstitious and the cultic. It may be that doubt is a doorway to true faith.

Submitted to you today is the story of John the Baptist. John emerges as the voice crying in the wilderness. He was not afraid to take on the powers that be. Herod arrests John, and he is now alone and in prison. That is enough to discourage any man. He is facing death. Let’s learn along with John something about what happens when a believer says, “I doubt it.”

These three little words are probably some of the most used words of our time and our existence. People have questions about everything. We’ve become a society that doesn't trust in anything, least of all God. People believe in super natural things and they do it all the time. It’s just that the Bible and Jesus are not very often one of those things. It’s gotten to the point where God and Christianity are looked down on in more than a few circles. But you know sometimes doubt can be a good tool.

A little doubt won’t hurt and is often a good thing in this day and age, especially with dawn of social media and other philosophies that around these days. It may be that doubt opens the door to true faith.

I submit to you today the story of John the Baptist.

The New King James Version Chapter 1

4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

John emerges as a voice crying in the wilderness. He was not afraid of the powers of the time. The upper echelon of the temple were not immune to his preaching.

Matthew 3:7–9 NKJV

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

He had told Herod that it was not lawful for him to have Herodias, so Herod had him arrested. If you upset the establishment, even if it is undeserved, this is what you get. If you were alone in prison with only your own thoughts to keep you company, would you not also become discouraged as John did. He was facing death and he new it. Let’s learn along with John something about what happens when a believer says, “I doubt it.”

It’s all right to come with honest questions

I’m sure you’ve heard some say and you have maybe thought it yourselves, that we should never question our faith. this thougth is wrong. It is a superstition or maybe a better word would be ignorance. You’ll notice that in our scripture read earlier, Jesus never gives any rebuke to John’s question “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another.

John was the one who said “Behold the Lamb that takes away the sin of the World”. He all so said “I am not worthy to untie His sandals” and “He must increase and I must decrease” He was convicted of these things when he said them. Now he wonders in his depression “Are You the One”? Have I believed a lie?

We all have doubts. Doubts come in every form, shape, and size. We have doubts about our health, about our jobs, whether we’ve done all we need to to keep them. We have doubts about relationships. Sometimes doubt is intellectual, especially with spiritual things. John may have needed simple reassurance that his thoughts were in the right place. Or his doubt could have been emotional. John may have been thinking “I was the forerunner. I deferred to you, and this is how I get treated.” We, when we get discouraged, do the same thing with our thoughts.

Did you notice in our passage for this morning, that Jesus was not the least bit afraid of an honest doubt. He didn’t respond negatively like we would do. We would try and justify and explain ourselves to convince the person questioning us. Are we afraid that our faith is so fragile that it can’t stand up to a few questions? We need to develop our faith so that it can withstand any thing that Satan throws at us.

John is described by Jesus as the greatest man ever born of woman. Would that we could have that compliment from Jesus. Look again at John’s request. He didn’t say “Are you the one, or do we give up?” He says, “Are you the one, or do we look for another?” That’s faith. Where did John develop that faith? We can get a clue from from his comment to the people listening to him preach. Isaiah prophesied that he would be the voice of one crying in the wilderness. John was able to get that kind of faith from his wilderness experience with God. Now I will admit that we can’t all find a desolate place to focus on our relationship with the Lord, but we can focus our time and energies on getting to know our Lord. So I ask, do we have that kind of faith when we ask for things?

How many other people in the bible can you think of that have questioned and doubted God?

3 jump out at me right away. Moses, Job and Judas.

Moses questioned God about His choice for the person to lead Isreal out of Egypt. Several times no less, until the Lord got exasperated with him. Yet Moses was the “the friend of God”.

Job also told God that he had made a mistake. He told God “It would have been better if I had not been born.” He asked time and time again what he had done to deserve the things that had happened in his life. God did not blot Job from off the earth, he had to set him straight and come down and talk with him, but that was another matter. Job received back many fold of everything he had lost.

Judas, his doubt came into play when he thought Jesus needed some help and direction in setting up His kingdom here on earth. He figured he Judas could be a part of Jesus’ kingdom and be the financial adviser so to speak, a position of power and authority was what he was looking for. His doubt fully applied itself when he failed to realize what kind of kingdom our Lord had for this world and what kind of saviour Jesus would be. His life ended with 30 pieces of silver and a tree.

It’s important to ask the right kind of questions.

It’s important to ask the right kind of questions.

What kind of questions could John have asked?

“Lord. Why am I still in this prison.”

“What did I do to deserve this”

“Lord, I did all that I did to put you where you are, what are you going to do for me”

John didn’t ask any of these types of questions, he had one thing on his mind and it revolved around the thought of the messiah. His thoughts were, “Have I put my faith in the right person?”

Our thoughts should center around the same concept. If we are going to question our faith, let us make sure that the reasons we are questioning are faith are worthy of the question and not trivial. We must remember, just like John, the important questions revolve around our eternity and not just our physical needs on this earth.

3 jump out at me right away. Moses, Job and Judas.

Moses questioned God about His choice for the person to lead Isreal out of Egypt. Several times no less, until the Lord got exasperated with him. Yet Moses was the “the friend of God”.

Job also told God they he had made a mistake. He told God “It would have been better if I had not been born.” He asked time and time again what he had done to deserve the things that had happened in his life. God did not blot Job from off the earth, he had to set him straight, but that was another matter. Job received back many fold of everything he had lost.

Judas, his doubt came into play when he thought Jesus needed some help and direction in setting up His kingdom here on earth. He figured he Judas could be a part of Jesus’ kingdom and be the financial adviser so to speak, a position of power and authority. His doubt fully applied itself when he failed to realize what kind of kingdom our Lord had for this world. His life ended with 30 pieces of silver and a tree.

How many other people in the bible can you think of that have questioned and doubted God?

3 jump out at me right away. Moses, Job and Judas.

Moses questioned God about His choice for the person to lead Isreal out of Egypt. Several times no less, until the Lord got exasperated with him. Yet Moses was the “the friend of God”.

Job also told God they he had made a mistake. He told God “It would have been better if I had not been born.” He asked time and time again what he had done to deserve the things that had happened in his life. God did not blot Job from off the earth, he had to set him straight, but that was another matter. Job received back many fold of everything he had lost.

Judas, his doubt came into play when he thought Jesus needed some help and direction in setting up His kingdom here on earth. He figured he Judas could be a part of Jesus’ kingdom and be the financial adviser so to speak, a position of power and authority. His doubt fully applied itself when he failed to realize what kind of kingdom our Lord had for this world. His life ended with 30 pieces of silver and a tree.

Our thoughts should center around the same concept. If we are going to question our faith, let us make sure that the reasons we are questioning are faith are worthy of the question and not trivial. We must remember, just like John, the important questions revolve around our eternity and not just our physical needs on this earth.

John’s question of Jesus identity is the ultimate question of the age and crucial to our christian faith. Satan failed to find the right answer. Satan had decided that he was his own savior and should be right next to God. Now he’s trying to take down the whole world with him.

So what are the right questions? Anything that evolves a saving relationship with our Lord. No don’t get me wrong we can ask any kind of question of God and we will get an answer. But if we have doubts about God Himself, then we can’t be afraid to ask.

It’s crucial to take your questions to the right person.

If you have questions about a physical problem, you ask a physician right? How about a pipe or water problem in your house. I think a plumber in your area would get a call. If you have a question you got to and expert right?

In the context of our discussion today, it’s interesting that whatever doubts John had about Jesus, he still believed that Jesus would give the right and honest answer. Why do you suppose that was? John had been following Jesus ministry hadn’t he. He understood that Jesus’ insights and teaching had so far proven very dependable. As far as I know John had never been able to watch Jesus minister to people, but he had heard about the results.

So even with all of the insight that John had, what made him doubt? We in this day and age have more insight than John had, why do we doubt? Why do some believe in everything that Jesus taught, but don’t believe in what he taught about Himself? Could it be that they have never taken the time to understand Jesus as there friend and companion?

There are answers to our questions

There are answers for the person who comes in the right spirit. Having said that, let’s look a little closer at this idea. What is the right spirit?

The NT concept of doubt is a wavering or halting between different thoughts. Doubt suggests a faith, but one that is uncertain of its object (God and His promises), lacking full confidence and trust.

Matthew 14:30–31 NKJV

30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Matt 14:30-31

Matthew 28:16–17 NKJV

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

Jas 1:6-

James 1:6–8 NKJV

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The right spirit must indicate someone with questions, but along with those questions, there has to be and open mind to instruction and reproof if need be. It can’t be, “I want to ask my question, but only give me answers I want to here!”

So what did Jesus do for John’s question?

Luke 7:21–23 NKJV

21 And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. 22 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Jesus didn’t and doesn't debate the questioners. He gives them a simple response, “Tell John what you have see and heard.” I don’t know how many times I told my boys when they were with me yet, “Actions always speak louder than words.” Jesus is the only one who could impress with that kind of example. It must have satisfied John, because nothing else is said after that. I think the Lord knew that was what he needed. John was looking for affirmation. Jesus showed what he needed.

Who holds the answer to our questions, who can drive away our doubts? Is there anyone else who you are willing to trust your life too?

Doubts?

So is God disturbed by our questions and our concerns? Is faith so fickle and feeble that it falters when ever a question arises? Will God leave us forsaken and without answers because we have honest questions, doubts and concerns? I doubt it. (prayer)