Doubt moves us to greater faith

Matthew 11:1–6 ESV

1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

“Are you the one who is to come or, should we seek another?”

REPLY: “Go and tell John what you hear and see.”

Introduction

“I doubt it.” These three little words have become a hallmark of our age.

We live in the age of skepticism. Everything has become a question mark. People today choose to believe in all kinds of supernatural things and phenomenons, but when it comes to the Bible and Jesus they become skeptical.

It may be that doubt is the doorway to true faith and belief.

Historical Note: John was in trouble because he had publicly rebuked Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee, for his marital affairs. Herod had visited his brother in Rome and seduced his wife. He had then divorced his own wife and lured his sister-in-law to leave her husband and marry him. John had denounced his behavior, and paid the penalty in prison.

John the Baptist, the voice of the one crying in the wilderness. He has never been accused of being afraid to take on the powers of his day and time. Herod arrests John, and he is not alone and in prison. That would be enough to discourage even the strongest man. He is facing death, and King Herods prisons were known for their cruelty to the prisoners. What happens when a believer says, “I doubt it.”

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke a. John’s Question and Jesus’ Response (11:2–6)

2–3 According to Josephus (Antiq. XVIII, 119 [v.2]), Herod imprisoned John the Baptist in the fortress of Machaerus, east of the Dead Sea. The bare fact is recorded in Matthew 4:12, the circumstances in 14:3–5. Apparently John had been in prison during Jesus’ extensive Galilean ministry, perhaps as long as a year. The one to whom he had pointed, the one who would come in blessing and judgment (3:11–12), had brought healing to many but, it would seem, judgment to none—not even to those who had immorally and unlawfully confined the Baptist in a cruel prison, doubtless made the more unbearable for its contrast with his accustomed freedom (cf. Luke 1:80).

As long as you have faith, you will have doubts. I have a twenty-dollar bill in my hand who believes me. I am about to destroy your faith. The reason I can say I am destroying your faith is that now you know I hold the bill. You see the bill and therefore no longer need faith. Faith is required only when we have doubts, when we do not know for sure. When knowledge comes, faith is no more.

Sometimes a person is tempted to think, I can't become a Christian because I still have doubts. I'm still not sure. But as long as doubts exist, as long as the person is still uncertain, that is the only time faith is needed. When the doubts are gone, the person doesn't need faith anymore. Knowledge has come.

This is exactly the point Paul was making in his first letter to the church at Corinth: "Now we see [that a 'knowing' word] but a poor reflection [now we have confusion, misunderstanding, doubts, and questions] … then we shall see face to face [we don't see face-to-face yet]. Now I know in part [with questions and doubts]; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (13:12).

BIG IDEA: Doubt is the birth pangs of a true faith

1. It’s alright to come to Jesus with honest questions.

NOTE: Doubt: Is defined as a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.

How do I know God exists?

How can I be sure Jesus is the only way to heaven?

How can God be good when there is suffering in the world?

If God is my heavenly father why did I lose my job?

Not only was John the baptist demoralized, like his namesake Elijah, but the Baptist had preached in terms of imminent blessing and judgement.

By contrast Jesus was preaching in veiled fulfillment terms and bringing much blessing but no real judgment.

Some people say that we should never question our faith.

But they are wrong; Jesus never gives any rebuke to John.

“You have to show people that it takes faith to doubt Christianity.”

C. S. Lewis argued with God before his conversion that the universe seems so cruel and unjust.

But then he asked himself, ‘But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust? . . . Atheism turns out to be too simple (Mere Christianity, Book 2, Part 1).’

John is the man who say’s “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29) John is the man who said, “I am not worthy to untie his sandals.” John is the man who said, “He must become more and more and I must become less and less.” Now he says, “Are you the one?”

NOTE: Even the disciples did not fully believe the resurrection had taken place util Jesus actually entered the upper room and opened their eyes.

There are basically 3 Kinds of doubt

Sometimes our doubt is intellectual

John may have needed simple reassurance.

Cultural Context: Our minds are unsure of whether the teachings of Christianity are true; questioning God’s creation as it relates to science.

Sometimes our doubt is emotional

John may have been thinking, “I was the forerunner. I have deferred it to you, and this is how I get treated. It would have been very human for John to have looked for judgement on those who had brought his ministry to a halt and had him suffer many things in jail.

Cultural Context: maybe our suffering causes us to wonder if God really is there and cares about us; losing a job or marriage falling apart and we doubt Christianity is true.

Sometimes our doubt is Moral

Cultural Context: This is typically when we disbelieve because we don’t want it to be true. Maybe we are doing something wrong and don’t want it to be true.

Jesus is not afraid of honest doubters.

Do we think our faith is so fragile that it can’t stand up to a few questions?

He described John as the greatest man ever born of woman, even greater than Elijah. That’s quite a compliment from Jesus.

Notice John does not say, “Are you the one, or do we give up?” He says, “Are you the one, or shall we expect someone else? That is faith.

The comforting reality is that questioning what you believe about religion or God is commonplace for most American adults who self-identify as Christian (or have in the past) (65%). Just over one-quarter (26%) say they still experience spiritual doubt, while four in 10 (40%) say they have experienced it in the past but have worked through it. Only about one-third (35%) claim to have never experienced it at all. Even devout groups like practicing Christians (19%) still experience doubt, though perhaps because they are the most active in their faith practice and enjoy the support systems and resources of a church community, they are also one of the most likely groups to have worked through their doubt (42%).

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

Scripture teaches us how to ask the right questions.

When the Son of God walked the earth, people came to him with dilemmas, doubts, and questions. He had all answers available to him. And yet he met their questions with questions of his own.

In Luke 10:25-26, "An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. 'Teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?'"

Jesus didn't give the answer. Instead, he asked a question in return. "'What is written in the Law?' he replied. 'How do you read it?'"

In Matthew 18:12, Jesus asked, "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go look for the one that wandered off?" The heart of the parable is nothing but two questions!

He responded not to the question, but to the person behind the question.

In the natural world the strong eat the weak, and there’s nothing wrong with violence. Where do you get the standard that says the human world shouldn’t work that way, that says the natural world is wrong? You can only judge suffering as wrong if you’re using a standard higher than this world, a supernatural standard. If there’s no God, you have no reason to be upset at the suffering in this world. It takes faith to get mad at this world.” – Tim Keller

Doubt is a part of our day-to-day life. It is neither good nor bad. It is our response to that uncertainty that will determine whether it was good for us or not.

But what about doubt concerning our faith and relationship with God?

NOTE: God tells John what you have seen and heard.

NOTE: In Mark 9 Jesus process three different kinds of unbelief. He processes the unbelief of the scribes, the unbelief of his disciples, and the unbelief of the father of a demon possessed boy.

1) The scribes wanted to get in an argument and ask all kinds of condescending self-righteous questions making themselves the prosecutor and Jesus the defendant.

2) The disciples had more of a “forgetful unbelief,” when they could not cast out a demon mere words without praying and fasting first.

John Calvin paraphrases Christ’s response to the disciples’ inability:

“You seem as if you were engaged in a mock-battle got up for amusement; but you have to deal with a powerful adversary, who will not yield till the battle has been fought out.” This might sound familiar to us.

3) Only one person in this story admits his struggle with doubt. He’s the weakling, right? After all, he admits that life’s struggles shake his faith. Rather, Mark holds up this father as a model of sincere, struggling, saving faith.

This father sincerely wanted to believe that Christ could help his son; otherwise he wouldn’t have asked.

Rather, Mark holds up this father as a model of sincere, struggling, saving faith. But, he also sincerely doubted whether Jesus could actually heal his boy.

John is not asking about trivial things. He has gone to the very heart of the matter.

If we are going to take time out to question our faith, let us make sure that the issues before us are monumental, not trivial. Are they things that really matter in faith and eternity.

The question of the identity of Jesus is extremely crucial to the Christian faith.

Be Honest about your doubts

The Invalid man at the pool of Bethesda, simple question from Jesus, “Do you want to be made well” the response of the man seems to indicate he probably had some doubts. Note, Jesus comes to us in our moments of doubts and crisis of faith. Jesus enters our story in our story in the middle of our brokenness and fear. Jesus see’s you, he comes to you, and he heals you of your unbelief.

3. It’s Crucial to take your questions to the right source.

Big Tasks are Accompanied by Big Doubts

In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Batman assembles a team of super-champions to take on a rising tide of super-villains. An ancient entity named Steppenwolf is leading an army in a hunt for a weapon powerful enough to destroy the planet. Humanity needs a team of heroes.

The film’s world of CGI heroics and villainy is humanized when high school student Barry Allen is invited to join the league. Initially, Allen (aka Flash) is super-excited to be in a super-hero league. It is always more exciting to “be” than it is to “do.” But when it comes time to do what superheroes do (i.e. save people), the Flash finds himself paralyzed with uncertainty. Preparing to take on the evil Steppenwolf, the Flash tries to explain his emotional struggle to Batman:

Here’s the thing. See, I’m afraid of bugs, and guns, and obnoxiously tall people. I can’t be here! It’s really cool you guys seem ready to do battle and stuff, but I’ve never done battle. I’ve just pushed some people and run away!”

Batman brings clarity to fear with two simple words:

Batman: “Save one.” The Flash: What? Batman: Save one person. The Flash: Which one? Batman: Don’t talk. Don’t fight. Get in. Get one out. The Flash: And then? Batman: You’ll know.

Big tasks are commonly accompanied by big doubts. We need God’s power in our weakness. It’s important to ask the right questions.

There is a parable many of us are familiar with in Luke 6, about two men who build houses for themselves. One builds on the rock (Christ) and one builds on the sand.  About the one who build his life on the ‘rock’ (Christ), Luke 6:48  says, “He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.”

We may know the story, but how many of us have though about this: we don’t know how much time passes in verse 48 between “on the rock” and the word “and.” This man could have built that house and years passed before this massive storm came that destroyed the other man’s home. Imagine that for a minute: What if he goes to all the trouble building this house? He selects the right piece of property, with solid bedrock. He digs deep. He does the hard work of laying the foundation. He builds his house. His neighbor finished a long time ago and is just lounging in the sun, playing in the sand with a nice home. And here he is, slaving away, building this home. Then it’s done. Year after year, it’s a mild rainy season. The sun shines. He begins to doubt himself. What was he thinking? Why’d he go to all this trouble? His neighbor’s home is still standing, and his back isn’t sore. The man who built on the rock spent a lot more money on the foundation, and his neighbor had all that money to spend on himself. They’ve gotten a bigger TV. There’s no rain. There’s no wind. There’s no storm. Sometimes obedience is like that. You do all this work. You invest all this time and money, and meanwhile, your neighbor seems to be living it up and doing whatever they want. You’re denying yourself, and they’re indulging themselves, and it seems as though, in the end, it doesn’t matter. What happens’ when the storms come, where does he go with his doubts and fears?

If you have a question where do you go? You go to the expert.

NICODEMUS CAME TO THE RIGHT SOURCE OF HIS STRUGGLE

NOTE: Nicodemus came to Jesus seeking answers to his questions. “How can a man be born again when he is old?” Jesus does not turn away the one who honestly is seeking answers.

Doubts can lead us to the right answer.

Whatever doubts John may have had about Jesus, he still believed jesus would give him the right and honest answer.

Jesus’ teaching and insights have been repeatedly proven to be dependable.

Ask for Help

When this father cried out, “I believe, help my unbelief” he had a specific doubt in mind.

He needed to entrust his son to God’s care. We should ask God for help in our unique arenas of doubt. Remember, God “will deliver the needy when he cries” (Ps. 72:12).

Psalm 72:12 ESV

12 For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.

4. There are answers to your questions.

There are answers for the person who comes in the right spirit.

Doubts often start small. Is there any point in praying? Yet one question quickly leads to another. Does God hear? Does God care? And finally, Is God even there?

You might not get your answers in a mathematical formula or under a microscope, but there are answers for every person who comes in the right spirit.

1 Peter 3:15 “Being prepared to make a defense for a reasonable hope that is inside of you.”

Jesus keeps it simple.

Jesus does not debate the questioners. He gives them a simple response, “Tell john what you have seen and heard.” Only Jesus would dare make such a reply.

5 Things to remember about doubts

1) Every unbeliever has faith.

Everyone, even the most hardened atheist has some kind of faith. They will rely on principles and foundations that they cannot prove. We all take for granted the regularity of the universe, the reliability of our senses, and the rationality of our minds. We appeal to ultimate values like goodness, truth, beauty, and love. None of these can be proved scientifically; they’re all matters of faith.

But without Christ, they have no true, beautiful, and loving foundation. If you think you’re having a crisis of faith, you can be sure it’s nothing compared to the crisis of faith that is atheism.

2) Every believer has doubts

Doubts are a part of being human. We may doubt our marriage, job, purpose. It would be odd if I didn’t doubt God at times. Even Jesus closest followers had their share of doubts. This is why Jesus was constantly correcting his disciples, “Oh you of little faith.”

A doubt-less Christian is as impossible as a sin-less Christian. Sin, in fact, springs from unbelief (John 16:9).

It’s not much of a stretch to rephrase 1 John 1:9 this way: “If we say we have no doubts we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our doubts, God is faithful and just to forgive us our doubts and purify us from all unbelief.”

3) Faith isn’t feelings

Feelings can betray you and actually kill your faith. Feelings go up and down as much as high blood pressure. Peter is a good case study on letting his feelings run crazy at times.

Add to this point the presence of mental health such as clinical depression. This can have a huge affect of the expression of a persons faith. But, faith is something else all together, therefore I can be depressed and have faith.

4) Faith isn’t fantasy

We don’t believe Jesus in spite of evidence; we believe because we have been persuaded.

Faith isn’t blind faith, we don’t step blindly into Jesus. Faith is more like opening our eyes to the dazzling light that’s already shining.

Faith isn’t anti-rational. It’s a response to a compelling truth that grabs us and wont’ let us go.

5) Faith isn’t the point

Faith isn’t a thing we muster up and push out; faith is simply resting on Jesus. In John 1:12, “receiving Jesus” and “believing in his name” are parallel.

Since faith is embracing Jesus, in times of doubt I don’t need more “faith,” I need more Jesus. And when I get more Jesus—through preaching, Scripture, sacraments, prayer, community—then, maybe even in spite of myself, my faith is revived.

When we focus on the him of Jesus rather than the what of “faith,” doubts are reduced, relativized, replaced, and even redeemed.

It might just be that the path of doubt was God’s way of bringing you to a deeper, richer knowledge of Jesus himself.

CONCLUSION

We are born questioners. Look at the wonderment of a little child in its eyes before it can speak. The child's great word when it begins to speak is "why." Every child is full of every kind of question, about every kind of thing that moves, and shines, and changes, in the little world in which it lives. That is the incipient doubt in the nature of man. Respect doubt for its origin. It is an inevitable thing. It is not a thing to be crushed. It is a part of man as God made him. ... Doubt is the prelude of knowledge.

Is our God so puny that he trembles at our questions? Is faith so feeble that it falters before the question mark? Will our Christianity crumble into pieces because we have a few questions? I doubt it.