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February 4, 2021 2:00 am
Oswald Chambers quipped, "Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong; it may be a sign that he is thinking." In the message "Jesus Loves Doubters," Skip shares how Jesus addressed the doubts of two people and how He loved them.
This teaching is from the series Jesus Loves People .
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The credentials of Jesus Christ are basically these his impact upon history.
Fulfilled prophecy claims he made about himself and his resurrection just go with those. Look at the evidence that is out there for those things is credentials. Did you know there are more details available about the events just prior to the death during the death and after the death of Jesus Christ than any other single human being in the ancient world. Look at the evidence. CS Lewis said we have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be for today on connect with skip-Skip shares how Jesus handled 2.reviewing the hope you can find for yourself and those encounters then stay tuned after the message. Skip and his wife Linda share how you can guide your loved ones on their search for answers. I think every thinking person has doubts, we struggle through issues theologians, the apologists do it and I think when we do it.
It helps us reason, truth out and come to the right conclusions and solidifies our own faith I discovered unbeliever separate questions and they deserve great answers Thanksgiving be sure to stay with us after today's message to the full description right now want to tell you about a resource that will help you reach others with the deep love of Jesus, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus loves the devout and the doubters priests and prostitutes. The disease and the depressed Jesus just loves people all people, no matter what their past or their present. Sadly, sometimes it's the people who need love the most.
Feel the most rejected even by the church that Jesus loves all people shouldn't leave. We want to help you grasp God's relentless love for people by sending you the complete for booklet Jesus loves people collection my Skip I think these booklets look to Scripture to demonstrate Jesus's love for people from every walk of life. Yet all four Jesus loves people titles including Jesus loves the broken and Jesus loves addicts when you give a gift of $25 or more today to help expand this Bible teaching outreach to give call 800-922-1888, or get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer joy skip. I supported a strategic learn. Matthew 11 in John 20 Jesus said to his men. Let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in my father's house there are many mansions if were not so I would've told you I'm going to prepare a place for you and if I go I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And where I'm going. You know, and the way you know Thomas immediately piped up and said we don't know where you're going and how can we know the way pretty honest and admit I can sort of imagine the scene that all of the apostles were nodding. When Jesus was saying oh yeah amen good profound Tom is going. I don't get a word you just said I'm so glad he piped up and said that you know I because immediately Jesus said what I consider gold in Scripture. He said I am the way the truth and the life.
No one comes to the father but by me. But Thomas was never the guy to try to put on a spiritual mask and a safe glory to God hallelujah praise the Lord. If you didn't mean it. He does that don't know her dog couldn't figure out the way the little boy that came over the bad report card is dad looked at it and said one thing is good with grades like this.
You couldn't possibly be cheating and I would say Thomas was statements like that you couldn't possibly be faking. So Thomas was a doubter, but Thomas was loyal and he was real. So those are the doubters J the B. John the Baptist drawn the baptizer Thomas the apostles John.
He doubted the identity of Jesus Thomas. He doubted the activity of Jesus that he had risen from the dead. So let's now look at the doubts that they had the things they bring that they're struggling with to Jesus. First of all, John now John's doubt was based upon listen on fulfilled expectations, unfulfilled expectations, John expected certain things out of Jesus that he was not seeing or getting and therefore he doubted John had the misconception like even the apostles had that when the Messiah comes in here is Jesus. So when the Messiah comes.
He's not set up his kingdom now he's going to overthrow the Roman oppressors. He's in a stop all about suffering. He's going to judge them and easy to set up his kingdom now that's not happening to John John's in jail and in jail. Now he's rethinking it.
Thoughts probably like this. Didn't Jesus announce he was in the set the captives free. Wasn't this the guy who said I have come to set at liberty those who are bound so you you take those unfulfilled expectations and you add to them emotional and physical strain and you have a recipe for doubt as John's doubt unfulfilled expectations. Let me tell you this is not unusual for strong believers, even Christian leaders to from time to time struggle with uncertainty. Did you know that Moses second-guessed his calling a few times. Jeremiah wanted to quit the ministry altogether.
Elijah wanted to end his life. His seat when a believer has faithfully and sacrificially serve the Lord for years and then experiences, tragedy, or series of tragedies. It's hard to figure that out. The loss of a child, a child going astray cancer entering into the family. The person starts asking questions God where are you when I really, really need to. How come you don't help. Why did you let it happen, you know, it could be that some of your struggling with similar doubts like John as to the identity of Jesus you wonder is Jesus really the same guy that all these Christians tell me that he is and I just suggest that you do what John did. John did just doing his prison cell. You don't just bounce in this questioner. He went to find the answer by sending his men to go examine Jesus. Once you personally examine Christ know if you are a skeptic, even an atheist I give you just a little challenge and I can have you go read reams of material, but simply this, a 21 day challenge.
It will take you 10 to 15 minutes a day early and lets her came up with this and I've always loved that. He said every day for the next 21 days read one chapter of the Gospel of John will take about 1015 minutes to do so. Just read through it and in the 21 days answer one question who is Jesus. John present Jesus Christ to be begin their go to the source and find out about him sought John the Baptist. Now let's consider Thomas's doubt. Thomas's doubt was different than John's in that Thomas's doubt was based upon personal presupposition I need to explain. Thomas had a pre-disposition of presupposition in here it is that people don't get up again when people die. That's it. Okay he had seen Jesus raise people from the dead, but that guy himself is now dead and he was not expecting Jesus to ever die if he's the Messiah he's gonna set up the kingdom now now is dead because he wasn't expecting his death. He certainly was not expecting his resurrection. He wasn't even open to the idea at all, which places his doubt in a different category altogether. I would even label it unbelief, doubt and unbelief are different. Doubt looks for answers.
Unbelief doesn't really care that much about the answers. Doubt says I can't believe unbelief says I won't believe doubt is honesty. Unbelief is obstinacy. See doubt will work through the difficulties and find a faith that is reasonable and satisfying unbelief is different.
It decides against faith and pushes it away at all costs. So Thomas get this.
He was one of the apostles that did not go to the tomb to see if it was empty.
No record of them ever going. In fact the first time Jesus shows up with the apostles. Thomas wasn't even with them.
Look at verse 24. Thomas called the twin, one of the 12, was not with them when Jesus came he showed up showed himself to them. They told Thomas because he wasn't there. He isolated himself from other believers very different from John.
John was put in prison.
He's suffering.
Thomas is in solitude. He isolated himself from the other apostles who he was not with them. Matthew Henry one said there are none so blind as those who will not see there are none so deaf as those who will not hear photographers was I don't talk about. I will not talk about things I want to talk about Jesus as blindness is unbelief. Don't confuse me with the facts now we consider the doubters in the doubts let's look at how Jesus handles these guys to displays of love in Matthew 11 John the Baptist, the question is are you becoming one or do we look for another notice that Jesus does not answer it with a yes or no. Are you coming on all he had to say is I am.
I'm the guy� The job he doesn't do that.
He says, verse four. Matthew 11 go and tell John the things which you hear and you see these disciples of John have been around Jesus long enough to hear his sermons and watches miracles you seen it you vertical. Tell John that and here's the message that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them yet. I know that was a very meaningful answer to John because those were all the signs that the Old Testament prophets predicted that the Messiah would fulfill. There's one such prophecy. Isaiah 35 verse five the eyes of the blind shall be opened.
The ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, go tell John that you have seen with your own eyes with the prophets of said I would do. There's another one. Isaiah 61 verse one the spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor you go tell John what you ever heard you heard what the prophets said I would preach and I have so Jesus affect appeals to fulfill the prophecy when it came to John's doubts by the way, that's a great place to start. I've had wonderful conversations over the years showing what is one of the major differences between the Bible and the other 25 or so purported authentic Scriptures that exist in the world.
One thing that is striking is the amount of predictions fulfilled prophecy that we find in Scripture.
Now when we come to Thomas Jesus appeals to something else and that is to personal discovery will look at verse 26. I smile when I read it says after eight days.
His disciples were again insides with altogether. Second time but this time Thomas is with them and Jesus came, the doors being shot so it income to the door and he stood in the myths.
He just sort of appeared and he said piece. Do you know if I'm Thomas I'm thinking oh no oh no, I'm in for. And sure enough Jesus turns to Thomas and says reach your finger here, and look at my hands and reach your hand here, and put it into my site. Do not be unbelieving, but be believing their people are funny, are they not you can tell someone that there 735,688,000,000 stars up there and ago. I believe that trauma sign.
However, this is wet paint and he has to touch it. To find out is true. But notice how gracious Jesus is with Thomas. He condescends to his request, putting his hands out, saying, basically, examine the evidence you want evidence not checked out the evidence. I challenge you to do the same. If you want evidence for the historic Christian faith.
It abounds there's plenty of it. The credentials of Jesus Christ are basically these his impact upon history. Fulfilled prophecy claims he made about himself and his resurrection just go with those.
Look at the evidence that is out there for those things that his credentials did you know there are more details available about the events just prior to the death during the death and after the death of Jesus Christ than any other single human being in the ancient world. Look at the evidence and look what he says to Thomas after showing the evidence he says do not be unbelieving, but believing literally stop becoming faithless, but become a believer. Thomas, now's the time for you to rise up and become a believer and so quickly.
He ascends from the lowest depths to the highest heights and he says my Lord and my God. Jesus affirms that statement of faith. Now we close this morning since were dealing with doubters give you just a few tips on handling them. I bet you have a doubter or two in your life but you have children or parents or friends or coworkers you might be married to a doubter tips on handling doubters. There's for quick ones.
You should walk away with number one be available to them be available don't say not our talk about. I don't know why I can.
I can give you answers to that Jesus met the doubts of John the baptizer and Thomas the apostle's head on be available to dialogue with people about their doubts. You see, people want rational faith. There's something within us that says my heart cannot delight in what my mind rejects is false. That's for evidence is so beneficial, so be available for two.
Be patient stuck in having a long conversation usually in faculty eliminate when you modify that be on the shockingly patient couple weeks ago I picked up a lady walking across the street. She was having trouble and so I was escorting her to put her in my car to help her out and I discovered she was homeless so I said listen I wanted take you to our church and will give you a meal and will figure out a place for you to stay and she recognized me. She was homeless. But you're right.
She was near that preacher said yes ma'am I met preacher.
I put her in my car were driving and she turned to me and she was on believe in God that okay and we talk a little more and she felt that that was a message she had to underline so a couple blocks later she was.
I don't believe in God and I said ma'am I understood that and I will I do believe in God and I just want you to know that the guy who does believe in God is helping out the gal who doesn't believe in God and she said you got a good pointer when I worked in Israel on a farm years ago there was a guy named Tony and he he loved to shock people and he was a Cambridge University student was coming when working with me on a farm, I was a Christian.
He knew that and that he would try to make opportunity with that we were working on the field one day and Tony wanted to give me a message but he wanted to announce to everyone working.
So he said you know the reason I will not become a Christian is because it would mean that I couldn't have sex with anybody that I wanted to interview sort of got real silent. He was try to shock us so that began an interesting relationship with Tony were for days and weeks and even months. I was with them or corresponded with them incentive material and I'll never forget the day that I got a phone call from him very different tone of voice, not a shocking arrogant tone of voice, but that Skip I've given my life to Jesus Christ. He was from England that I mentioned to be on shockingly patient number three.
Be prepared, be prepared. If you talk to doubters and you will why not read up a little bit on the evidences for the Christian faith is not hard to do. There's plenty of resources that you could become adept even minimally at apologetics is I hate when people asked me this question.
How about I'm ready.
I used to look for people who had questions because I read these books I wanted to be prepared and let me just tell you, even if you don't know all the answers know where to find the answers about have a booklet or a book at home or in your car or at the office. If you can give to someone there dealing with questions about the faith. Show them that God is never asking you to take a blind leap into the dark, but a balance leap into the light. That's what they need to find one skeptic admitted this. I took all the evidence I could gather, and I put it on two scales.
The scales tip the way of Jesus Christ being the son of God and resurrected from the dead. It was so overwhelmingly leaning to Christ that when I became a Christian. It was a leap into the light rather than a leap into the dark.
It's fun to dialogue with people of doubts about say what you know. I'm just not this all goes up. I'm not a person of faith on a little more clear thinking you know it's hard for me to just have faith. I go you know what you're wrong you have faith every day. I ask you understand the workings of an automobile fuel injection combustion chance I got no answer, but you have faith that when you put the key, and indeed this is you don't know what you can explain it to believe it when you go to a restaurant you have faith that they could give you a meal that will kill you, that you can actually enjoy it walk out or for nurse write you a gift of faith to going to a restaurant, the way some restaurants require more faith than others. Gift of faith to go to a bank you come at the check is just a piece of paper says the promise, but you are having faith that that promise is good.
Everybody lives with faith, even the atheist lives with faith.
Even the doubter lives with.
So be available. Be patient, be prepared fourth and final tip being nice. There is no room for an arrogant believer getting down on somebody for their doubts. Do you notice how Jesus here is so compassionate he didn't rebuke Thomas nor John for their failure. You know, it would be very easy when the disciples from John Kaman say John really wants to know if you're really that guy for Jesus to say go tell John he is such a disappointment to me. Peter said I was the Savior of the world. I was God in human flesh, not even doubts.
Why am I can't believe that you know what he does a couple verses later. Verse 11 of Matthew 11 says of all those born of women there is no one greater than John the Baptist has ever been nice to a doubter he extolled him he honored him. Then we came to Thomas you know Thomas was there the first time Jesus comes a second time.
Thomas is there Jesus would return to the other disciples that you know we had a pray for Thomas is really a doubter. He doesn't do that in both cases, he offers proof of his identity and his activity.
Jesus loves people he loves all people he loves doubting people. And then Franklin was right will catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar as John the Baptist asked Thomas asked my friend Dennis then wraps up Skip a fixed message from the series Jesus loves you, Skip as they share how you can guide your loved ones in their search for answers questions about our faith because it can make a stop dwelling look for the answer, Skip some of our listeners might know someone who is honest their experience do you have any advice for them as they come alongside doubter in their lives. It might early Christian walk was I was surrounded by atheists and agnostics. Professors might have a science background in radiology my earlier years, so, so all most everyone that I was with didn't believe, and so is great for me and in the fact that a challenge me so and and even personally, I mean I go home and I'd have all these doubtful maybe they're right and I think every thinking person has doubts. We struggle through issues. Theologians do apologists do it and I think when we do it. It helps us reason, truth out and come to the right conclusions. It solidifies our own faith. I discovered unbelievers have great questions and they deserve great answers, and so I've read books by former skeptics and I've ingested them I've memorize sections of them, I've learned how to communicate them and so I would say to one of her listeners if it maybe that's not your wheelhouse are not really great at it you can buy a book in the bookstore like by Lee Strobel or Josh McDowell. Now Sean McDowell and sit down with an unbeliever and read the book together and discuss those principles together is yearning to learn how to share and then to learn truth. Also, just that you attend church in a dump first thank that assembly of gathering together because I have found in I've suffered with depression.
As you know, honey, and when somebody else who has depression finds out that I have is that so many doubting out I'm a failure. Have I sinned is that my fault when they talk to somebody else there like oh you know it normalizes it a bit yesterday like your Skip's wife and you get depressed at that possible I skip's wife.
Therefore I could doubt that so it helps us to know there's other people that are like that. And we know you alienated. Thank you. This conversation if and when you increase during the mile would like to tell you how you can help keep these messages coming to you and others filling in your lot.
Please consider today to help even more people experienced by things laughing discounting hundred 92 to 1819 to 4 to connect this to.com � Downey.com/donate tomorrow Skip Heitzig helps you see that God is Skip presentation of connection communication through