Doubters Welcome

DOUBTERS WELCOME

INTRODUCTION:

Words from my own intellectual struggles as a young adult...

“He who has never truly doubted has never truly believed.”

a. Doubts in your own personal relationship with Christ...• Doubts that you are “really even a true Christian.”

o “Did I really mean it when I asked the Lord to forgive me for my sins?”

o “I still mess up!”

o “I didn’t feel it enough when I prayed.” or “I felt it then and I don’t feel it now.”(Faith has nothing to do with your feelings.)

• Doubts that “I’m really someone special to Him.”

o “After all, there are a million people who are better, more spiritual, and more talentedthan me...”

• Doubts about whether faith and prayer really work.

o “That would have happened anyway. It’s just a coincidence...”

: Doubts about the reality of the whole Christianity ball game.

Doubts about Christianity being for real.

“How do I know that any of this is a reality?”

“What makes Christianity any different from all the other world religions?”

DOUBT DOES BECAUSE ITS PUTS YOU IN THE BERY SIGHT OF CHRIST...God doubted God

Jesus on the Cross

Feelings will come and go. Know what you chose to believe in.

You cant harbor Doubts about key components of the Scripture.

You have to believe all of the Bible or none of it. You can’t choose the parts you like.

“Is there really a literal heaven and hell?”

“Is the whole Bible really the inspired Word of God, or only parts of it?”

“Is Jesus Christ the ONLY Way to God or are there ‘many ways’ that a sincere person canfollow and still get to heaven?”

TWO KINDS OF DOUBT THAT WE FIND IN BIBLE

Type #1 = Skeptical, cynical, willful doubters

Like lots of the Pharisees and other religious leaders in Christ’s time.

, “Then the Pharisees came to Jesus and began to question, asking Him for a sign from heaven that He was truly the Son of God. When Jesus heard this, He sighed and said, ‘Why do so many people in this generation demand a sign? I say to you, ‘There shall be no other sign given to this generation.’”

Why did Jesus say this? He knew they were not sincere in their search for reality.

They just enjoyed being cynical and questioning too much. If they had truly wanted toknow the truth, they already had all the signs they needed. Right before this conversation,the men had watched Jesus miraculously feed 4,000 people with 7 loaves and a few small sh. Then they had 70 baskets of food left over!

You see, these guys didn’t really WANT TRUTH or they would have already had MORETHAN ENOUGH SIGNS to give them their answers.

Type #2 = Un-willful, honest doubting

As shown in by the father who had a son who was tormented by demons, was deaf,and could not speak.

(excerpts), “Then a man brought a young boy to see Jesus. And the evil spirits inside of the boy began to throw him on the ground. Jesus asked the boy’s father, ‘How long has this been going on?’ The father told Jesus that this started when he was a young child.Jesus said to the boy’s father, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible.’

But the father immediately answered back with tears, “I believe, Jesus. Please help my unbelief!” And Jesus healed his son.”

What an awesome model of how we are all supposed to approach times of doubt in our life: “LORD, I BELIEVE. BUT PLEASE HELP THE PARTS INSIDE OF ME THAT STILL HAVE UNBELIEF!” That kind of honesty and humility are things Jesus honors quickly.

WHAT ARE SOME SPECIFIC STEPS TO HELP DEAL WITH DOUBT?

1. Get serious about reading the Word of God.

, “Faith comes by hearing....and hearing, by the Word of God.”

, says every one of us is given a “measure of faith.” It’s up to us whether our“seed of faith” remains little or is “watered with the Word” and grows to eventually become strong and fruitful.

c. ARE YOU SAYING TO YOURSELF, “I don’t know how much I can intellectually buy into the accuracy of the Word of God?”

I understand your challenge because intellectually, I needed “hard core evidence” just like you. But plenty of biblical writers and historians have MORE THAN proven Christianity to be for real.

It’s called the study of BIBLICAL APOLOGETICS. Just Google, “Apologetics for the Bible,”and you’ll see tons of great books with mountains of research...from history, science,archeology, and more...all proving the REALITY and ACCURACY of Jesus and the Word ofGod.

One of the other biggest reasons to trust the VALIDITY of the Bible is the incredible accuracy of biblical prophecy which so consistently PROVES TO BE TRUE. Let me give you just one example of indisputable facts.

HUNDREDS of prophecies given in this SAME BIBLE have ALREADY been perfectly FULFILLED.

Just take the 333 prophecies about Christ given in the Old Testament. Someone has figured out that the PROBABILITY of all those things happening would be ONE IN 33MILLION! And the scientific probability of those happening to the SAME PERSON would be almost INCONCEIVABLE! Yet it was perfectly predicted in the Bible over 400 years before Christ was even born...and all t together perfectly!

Years ago, a probability experiment was conducted at California Tech. Twelve basic prophecies in the Old Testament were put into a computer there. The probability that they would all be exactly fulfilled in one single person’s life was COMPARABLE TO:

• “Bury the entire state of Texas under 35 feet of silver dollars. Drop a marked coin at random from a HELICOPTER into the 35 feet of silver dollars anywhere in the state. The probability that all 12 of the Old Testament prophecies be fulfilled is the same as the ridiculous probability that if you dropped a BLIND MAN FROM A PLANE AT RANDOM and told him to find the one marked coin, HE WOULD BE ABLE TO PICK IT UP ON HIS VERY FIRST RANDOM TRY!!!”

2. Feed your faith and doubt your doubts.

a. , “Cast down imaginations and thoughts that rise up against your pursuit toknow God. Bring into captivity every thought in your mind, bringing your thoughts to a point ofobedience to Christ.”

3. Don’t assassinate your brains!

a. Christianity and belief are so much more than a fantasy or a “shot in the dark.” IT IS A GENUINE HISTORICAL FACT.

• Emotions will come and go but the reality of God’s Word will stay forever.

b. If the resurrection of Christ can be proven historically outside of the Bible (and it can)...thenChristianity sets itself apart from EVERY OTHER WORLD RELIGION.

• No other leader has ever been historically proven to COME BACK TO LIFE after His historically verified death. That’s a pretty powerful indicator.

c. SOME GREAT APOLOGETIC BOOKS TO READ (YOU CAN GET EASILY ON AMAZON)that will give you all the FACTS AND SCIENCE you need to mentally be excited about the trustworthiness of your faith in Christ:

Apologetics For A New Generation by Sean McDowell

Don’t Check Your Brains At The Door by Josh McDowell

The Case For Christ, by Lee Strobel (A bit more adult in its orientation...but not tough to read)

4. Get out of the “boat” and USE the faith you already have!

, talks about Peter walking on the water.

Often our faith doesn’t grow because we don’t do anything with it.

• If you’re just coming to church (even if you grew up in a family that is Christian), your “faith muscles” will become weak and abby if you don’t choose to exercise them for yourself.

5. Finally, tell Satan “I CHOOSE to believe!”

Make a determined choice of your will to do the things listed above, weigh out all the evidence,and make a decision.

“True faith is sometimes like coming to the edge of all the light you have...and then taking one more giant step.” — C.S. Lewis

, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for...the evidence of things NOT YET SEEN.”

Are you a fair weather friend to God?

• Be the kind of friend to God that you want people to be to you on earth.

e. “God doesn’t always pay on Friday, but God always pays on time.”

CLOSING STORY: “Polycarp: A Faith Strong Enough to Produce Martyrs”

Polycarp was a 2nd Century Christian bishop of Smyrna. He was a leader in the early Church as it was suffering so much persecution for believing in Christ. These Early Church guys let their faithCOST THEM SOMETHING. So let me close out tonight with Polycarp’s true story from way back in the 2nd Century.

The famed 2nd Century church leader, Bishop Polycarp, was resting upstairs in a country home.The Roman solders came after him, fully armed, as if they were arresting a dangerous criminal. Polycarp was 86 years old at this time. He knew that capture by the guards meant he facedCERTAIN DEATH for his unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.

The elderly man’s followers and friends wanted desperately to sneak him out. They knew he had enough time to escape. But Polycarp refused. “God’s will, will be done.”

As the soldiers came to his door, Polycarp himself went to greet them. “Come in,” he said, “I was just having dinner made. Why don’t you join me?” So Polycarp ordered his loyal servants to serve the Roman soldiers a lavish meal at his own table.

As they finished their meal, Polycarp made only one request. He requested an hour to pray before they took him away. The soldiers, then overhearing Polycarp’s prayers, began to have second thoughts. What were they doing arresting an old man like this? What harm could he actually do the Roman government? Their only charge was that of Polycarp’s being a follower of Christ.

Despite the cries of the angry crowd, the Roman authorities saw only senselessness in making

a martyr out of this old man. So when Polycarp was brought into the Roman arena for public humiliation, the Roman leaders tried to privately cut a deal with him. “All you have to do,” they said to him privately, “is to denounce your faith in Jesus Christ. Then we will release you!”

With boldness in his eyes, Polycarp quickly responded: “86 years I have served Jesus Christ. He has never done me any wrong. How could I ever DENY HIM NOW?”

The Roman leaders again tried to get Polycarp to mellow in his proclamation. The 86-year-old man said loudly and with great authority, “If you imagine for even a moment that I would do that -- then you pretend not to know who I am. Hear it plainly. I AM A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST!”

The Roman leaders were so moved by the courage of this 86-year-old man that they again begged him privately. “Polycarp,” they said, “all you have to do is say it ONCE and you will be set free. You can go home. What cause is so worthy that you would risk your life for it?”

“Sirs, you do not understand,” Polycarp answered. “It is an HONOR to die for my Lord. I consider myself a blessed man. Jesus has set me free...and this day, I will go home to be with Him forever.”

Confused by Polycarp’s words, the leaders grew more and more angry. They threatened Polycarp with wild beasts. At last, they proclaimed that they would publicly BURN HIM ALIVE at the stake if he did not renounce his faith.

POLYCARP ANSWERED, “What are you waiting for? Do whatever you please.” The restlessRoman crowd demanded Polycarp’s death, gathering wood for the re and preparing to tie him to the stake.

“You do not need to tie me to the stake,” he said. “The same God who will give me strength to endure the re will also help me not to inch or run away at this hour.”

So the people bound him but they did not nail him to the stake. As the re was prepared, Polycarp lifted his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, I bless You that You consider me worthy to drink from the martyr’s cup for Jesus Christ’s honor this day. May You and all the earlier martyrs welcome me today to join all of you...as an acceptable sacrifice to Your honor.”

As soon as Polycarp nished his prayer, the re was lit. But unbelievable as it was, the re jumpedaround him...NEVER TOUCHING HIM. It was as though the angels were protecting him on everyside from the ames.

The screaming crowd grew silent in disbelief as they stared at the impossible ring of re which wasnot touching Polycarp.

Furious, the Roman leaders had one of the soldiers plunge a sword straight through Polycarp,piercing his heart and major organs from one side of his body to the other. As the sword piercedthrough Polycarp’s body, so much blood gushed from him that the re was actually extinguishedfrom the torrents of blood that gushed from his organs. Deafening silence lled the Roman arenafrom every corner.

The two guards who placed Polycarp on the stake were overwhelmed by his display of faith. Rightthere, before his lifeless body...with their knees in the dirt, and ashes, and blood...they TOOcommitted their own lives to Christ and were immediately sentenced to die.

WHAT A PICTURE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE WILLING TO PUSH THROUGH THEIRDOUBTS...and STAND FIRM FOR A FAITH THEY WERE WILLING TO PAY PRICES FOR.