Dealing with Doubt

Intro

What’s up Everybody! I know that it’s been a dreary and wet day! So i am super thankful that y’all chose to come hang out with us tonight!

In case we haven’t met yet, my name is Matt, and i’m the new youth Pastor here at Gilliam. I really appreciate everyone reaching out, and checking in on us over the past week! We are Finally HERE! We bought a house here in town, and got moved in yesterday! We’re definitely looking forward to having ya’ll over to the house soon!

Last week, I asked yall to take a survey for me. On that Survey, it asked you three questions.

What would you say are the 3 biggest things that students are dealing with today that cause them to doubt God?

If a Non Christian Student were to ask and question about God/Jesus/Bible; what would it be?

If Christian Students could ask any question about God/Jesus/Bible; what would it be?

Y’all will here me say this phrase alot, but your responses proved what i’ve been saying for years! “Teens are not the church of tomorrow, they are the church of today!”

You were open and honest about the struggles that you are facing each and every day, and you brought light to the questions that “Real” people are asking about Jesus.

So tonight, we’re going to set the stage for the next few weeks, by asking the question,

“Is anyone immune to doubt?”

In order for us to answer this question, we need to have a proper understanding of the Christian life, and how doubt can find weak spots in our faith in order to plant its seeds.

It’s important for us to say this up front, Satan’s goal when planting seeds of doubt isn’t to win, but it’s to see us lose.

Because doubt is like a rose isn’t it? It’s appealing, pretty, and even looks important, but really, their dangerous and high maintenance! Their thorns are razor sharp, and they require a ton of attention!

So let’s start by addressing the first thing,

The Call

Every Christian has been “Called” by Jesus to follow Him. We see in Matthew 4:18-21 where Jesus calls to brothers who were in the middle of their day jobs to drop everything and basically said “Aight, Let’s Go.”

Matthew 4:18–21 ESV

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.

And While, the Bible highlights Simon and Andrew’s experience, the same thing happened to all 12 of the Disciples. Jesus came to them, and in just a moment, completely changed every plan that they had for their lives going forward. Matthew 10 lists out the 12.

Matthew 10:1–4 ESV

1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

In this group of people was a man by the name of Thomas. Now we don’t know a ton about Thomas’s personal life, but he gives us a ton of extremely memorable moments!

For most Christians, it’s really easy to relate to thomas!

Why? Well, Thomas’ experience with Jesus is a lot like all of ours. Full of ups and downs, peaks and valleys, basically a rollercoaster ride!

Let’s be real, we’re all tired of fake… We’re tired of the Social media version of people, where everything is perfect. Everyone’s make/up is perfect, their outfits are cute, where they’re making the game winning play, taking selfies in the gym, on and on and on… we could go.

But how often do we post about that thing that we’re struggling with. That thing that nobody knows about us. That family thing that’s causing us so much anxiety that we want to give up.

We look around and see how seemingly “Perfect” that everyone’s life is, and we become discouraged don’t we?

Thomas felt the same way. Let me show you how.

In this roller coaster life that we live, we’re not always the same. Our lives change just like the seasons. Life experiences play a huge part in that! Just like we do, Thomas went through some things. And thus we see different versions of Him.

The first version we see is:

Confident Thomas

After Jesus called Thomas to follow Him, He was on FIRE for the Gospel!! He was ready to Go!! We see this type of selfless passion and love in John 11:5-8

John 11:5–8 ESV

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”

Basically, one of Jesus’ best friends had died, and Jesus wanted to go back there to Mourn with the family, and miraculously revive him, but to do so would mean returning to a place where they had narrowly escaped being stoned to death shortly before.

John 11:14–16 ESV

14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Thomas was ready to give His life for Jesus! He was ALL IN!

This is how many Christian are when they first get saved, or right after God does something awesome in their lives!

They’re confident and bold in their faith!

And while we wish we were always in this place, something happens and DOUBT makes it’s way into our lives.

For Thomas, It was the Public Execution and death of Jesus, the one person in whom Thomas had literally dropped everything to follow. His Job, His future EVERYTHING!!

It’s here that we’re introduced to the more popular version of Thomas:

Doubting Thomas

This was devastating for Thomas! So he shut down. Like many of us do. Have you ever had something happen, or someone let you done that completely rocked your world?

I have…

When I was a teenager, there was a strong Christian man in whom I deeply respected! “He was the model Christian” in my mind. I watched his every move, so that i could plan my own. For years, i learned from him. Then one day, while i was in college, i got a call from a family member, who told me that that man had left His wife and family, to pursue a relationship with a new younger woman. I WAS SICK!! In my mind, everything i knew about being a Christian was now in question.

This would have been how Thomas felt after Jesus died… “Jesus said He was God… God can’t die....”

So it’s really not that hard to understand How Thomas would have felt when his buddies came to him and said this…

John 20:24–25 ESV

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.”

Yea.... Okay....

Leave me Alone....

I’ve already had my world broken… i’m not doing that again...

And again, probably not to dissimilar from how we would have felt...

Are you in that place right now? Where some sort of Loss, Anxiety, Depression, Pressure, Unrealistic Expectations have caused you to doubt not only what the Bible Says, but whether Jesus was even real?

Let me first say, “That’s okay.” The Enemy, Satan, has been doing this for a long time. We are not stronger, smarter, or more committed than He is.

If it were up to us to figure this out, we’d strike out every time, but fortunately for us we have someone who will step up to the plate and bat for us when we can’t handle the pitches that this broken world is throwing!

Check this out! John20: 26-28

John 20:26–28 ESV

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!”

This is the version that should excite us the most!!

Assured Thomas

Like many of us, Thomas had experienced something that caused Him to doubt everything. and even though Thomas basically said, “Leave me alone” Jesus did for him exactly what He will do for us, STAY. When one of His Children began to fall into Satans trap of deception, Jesus reached in and pulled him out!

So let me ask you this evening?

Have you experienced something in your life, that is causing you to doubt everything?

Christian: I want to encourage you tonight:

Jesus has not gone anywhere! It’s you that’s wandering away, and He’s trying to get your attention to bring you back to safety!!

For the person who has never surrendered your life to Jesus:

Jesus loves you deeply, and He’s been trying to show you that for a long time, but for whatever reason you either don’t feel ready, or are pushing Him away. He is the only place in the world where Hope can be found, and the source of eternal life. I pray that you will ask Him to be the Lord of your life tonight!

Response

Whether you’ve wandered and need to ask for forgiveness, need to pray for a situation in your life, or you need to pray to be saved by Jesus! When the band plays, you can do that where you are, or you can come forward and pray Here at the altar. I am here to talk, and pray with you!

This time is yours!