Understanding Doubt - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ because I am almost certain you have evidence is about. It's always on this expectation that Christ is going to do something that is see you have an expectation he's going to do. They say that the promise that now but that's my whenever you have wrong expectations. You can learn to doubt the goodness and the love the truth even doubt those kinds of things personal tragedy popular influences lack of information and long expectation can cause us to doubt joining us today on this additional fellowship in the world Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our work something influence to get them up there this will there is a God in this god loves you this God can do anything that how could he let that happen how the God who loves you allow that to happen. You see if there was a God out there really what would anything like this happen in the world get this kind of thing all the time. In other words, begin to doubt the goodness of God.

Why does those things happen is he well got allow that to happen. And if you're within the context of the church. You can find all kinds of things, but one of things you could run into is this whole health, wealth and success. Theology if you think about that way that works if you're a child of God. This is what you should be getting.

You see, you should be unbelievably healthy not immortal, but almost you should have the kind of money that you don't need a wallet you need will burrow you know and everything you touch should turn to gold your your success. Jesus want you to be a success, but then reality hit your life. You're not really that healthy, you're pretty much middle-class lower middle-class upper-middle-class in your fight and it you see and everything you touch has in turn to success. In fact, it's turned to something else. You see, when you believe that kind of thing you knew influence by that you end up extremely doubting. You see you.I feel so sorry for people in that particular culture because the whole idea is that blaming themselves why.

Why doesn't God love me like this. Why am I not prosperous. Why so they go personal tragedy popular influences and 1/3 thing John had a lack of information. He had a lack of information.

-1. How could he do that please understand who he is. John doesn't have a New Testament you have it, but John doesn't he doesn't have the information John has no information that the kingdom will be rejected that Jesus Christ then will begin. What if Paul calls them wisteria on the mystery called the church Gentiles and grafted in with Jews into the body of Christ has no concept of that.

In fact, the apostle Paul said that none of the disciples knew that until he came. John didn't have any of that. John kept waiting for the Messiah. He didn't like the information he did know there be a church age. He kept thinking that the first coming in the second coming were just one coming.

Let me show you and illustrate that another way.

Go with me to Luke 24 Luke 24. This is after the crucifixion, and then after the resurrection, and you see this employ verse 13, Dr. Luke writes this, he says, and behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus which is about 7 miles from Jerusalem. And as they were talking with each other about all the things which are taken place, he says, and while they were talking and discussing Jesus himself approached them again traveling with them. This is the resurrected Christ.

It says, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him and he said to them what in these words that you are exchanging with one another as you're walking what are you guys talking about and they stood still and look said their heartbroken their extremely disappointed now going reveal something here. One of them named clippers answer and he said to him, are you the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which happen here in these days and he said to them, what things and they said to him, the things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word.

And the sight of God and all the people and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to the sentence of death, and crucified him. What's this lack of information. Start showing up, but we were hoping that it was he was going to redeem Israel.

Same idea we got. He was kicking the Romans out it was going to redeem our country. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happen is a but also some women among among us amazed us. And when they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body.

They came saying that they had seen a vision of angels. Who said that he was alive and some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women it said, but they did not see him. So even heard the testimony of the women, but they still have their stout they still don't quite understand this at all and he said to them all foolish men, slow of heart to believe what that mean slow of heart to believe doubting you doubting all foolish men is slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets of spoken was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory. Don't you know the information. Don't you know the white supposed to be. It was supposed to suffer. Then, beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, he explained to them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures the greatest Bible study there ever was. Could you imagine that Jesus Christ starts in Genesis and goes Amalekites is the me tell you what this says amazing and they approached the village where they were going and he acted as though he were going to go further and it says in but they urged him, saying, stay with us, for it is getting toward evening and the day is now nearly over, so I want to stay with them and when he had reclined at the table with them. He took the bread and he blasted and breaking it.

He began giving it to them little bit like the Last Supper and it says then that after he had done that and then he says in verse 31, then their eyes were opened and they recognized him and then he vanished in the site. Hey that's what go he just vanished from their sight. Now here's was so neat having bread with them.

He's right there. It's cheap. He's gone now. What would you want talk about if you were one of the two guys did you see that again you see he was right here and now is gone. That's not what they say. Even though he vanished right in front of them. Verse 32 they said to one another, were not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us on the road while he was explaining the Scriptures to us. Now I get now I understand now I know who he was and what he had to go through. Now I know now I have the information now. I'm not doubting you realize how much of the doubt you have in your life is because you don't have the information you don't know the word of God well enough and so you doubt. And if it's influence that all by our popular culture. It makes it worse than if you want to a personal tragedy. It makes it even worse than that. Personal tragedy popular influences lack of information all cause us to doubt and one more for John and for ourselves it relates to the others with sort of wrong expectation. You have a completely wrong expectation of how the Lord should be working in your life.

Turn with me to Malachi chapter 4 the last chapter of the Old Testament, Malachi 4. This is where John gets his expectation of what he thought Jesus Christ was going to do and by way and I did tell I was so fired up in chapter 4 verse one it says will behold the day is coming, burning like a furnace and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be half while in the day is coming and will set them ablaze, says the Lord of host so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

When the description. In fact, is the description of Revelation 19, the second coming of our Lord and the judgment that he brings. This is but for you who fear my name the Sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. You will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day in which I am preparing says the Lord of host. Remember the law of Moses my servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him and horrible for all of Israel, behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. That's where they got their idea. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children in the hearts of the children to the first fathers and he says so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse. That's John that's his expectations. You see, that's why he was a fire and brimstone kind a guy. He said on the guides for Harold again leaves the truth of these verses. That's why he began a sermon, like most pastors probably never would think about it you fibers I don't. I thought about doing it but I don't think that would be a good way to do it, but that's always starts. You brood of vipers, who warned you Caesar like snakes on a fire in going across the land or slithering who warned you, because of fires, and John had that expectation. That's what's going to happen. That's the way it's going to go.

He's coming winnowing fork in his hand and ask your going to get yours.

And then Jesus came and is full of compassion and mercy and love and healing. Imagine from John's point of view, scratching his head. We don't have a problem with that, but John does. John says this is when he comes and look what I'm seeing is something else. You see, what is your expectation of Jesus in your life because I am almost certain that if you have evidences of doubt. It's always because you have the wrong expectation of Christ you have this expectation that Christ is going to do something that is never promised. See you have an expectation he's going to do. They say that they promise that now but that's my expectation. Whenever you have wrong expectations. You can learn to doubt the goodness and the love or the truth. You can doubt those kinds of things personal tragedy popular influences lack of information and wrong expectation can cause us to doubt. How does Jesus responded.

Maybe not in the way you are thought of all, let's go back to Luke seven back to Luke seven where we started back to verse 20 when John asked the question, and when the men came to Jesus. They said John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask are you the expected one or do we look for someone else. And boy don't miss this. We miss things by just not reading the text.

This is an observation just a clear observation that changes everything. At that very time at that very time right then. It's an amazing expanse of white then at that very time for these two guys for these two men at that very time he cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits.

And he gave cite the many who were blind at that very time he says to them. Watch this and he doesn't one of the highest intensities of his miracle all the way through Scripture we overlook it right at that very time he begins to do all of this and he answered and he said to them, these two men.

He says to them go and report to John what you have seen and heard the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them, blessed, happy is he who does not take offense at me you go tell John what you saw. By the way, when you go through that list you start realizing the weight. These things show up in the Old Testament.

John knew the Old Testament. These things show up in Isaiah 26 and Isaiah 35 in Isaiah 61. These things show up that this is what the Messiah is going to go you go tell John what you've seen and when the messengers of left Jesus spoke to the crowds now. Could you imagine that the crowd of people overhearing all this John the Baptist comes to his messengers, they say, and people here it I John wants to know if he's the Messiah that you could just imagine people. Some people would say while John so good maybe is not the Messiah but a lot of people would've said, what, what, just like you what's wrong with John.

Why would John have such a stupid question is why would John have doubts. So Jesus does this for the two and said no you go tell John and you could just imagine the whispers and smiles and everybody started talking like they put John misplaced any Jesus is don't you underestimate John. Don't you dare though you underestimate doubt either watch and when the messengers of John and Lefty began to speak to the crowds about John and said what did you go on in the wilderness to see whenever you want to see John at a little read shaken by the wind. As I John, he says, but what did you go out and see a man dressed in soft clothing lots not John those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury and find the Royal palaces. That's not John he's about what did you go out and see a profit.

Yes, I say to you. One was a lot more than a prophet.

John is just not a prophet. He's not just Malachi Johnson, Harold. He's the Harold of the Messiah. You see, don't don't even think badly of John of all, he says this is the one of whom it is written, behold, I send my messenger ahead of you. He said it will prepare your way before you. Malachi 31 John is John has done his job. He prepared the way, then this statement and I say to you among those born of women there is no one greater than John on the natural plane. There is no one greater than John. He says yet he was least in the kingdom of God is greater than a but on a natural plane. John us is greater manager would ever want to find notice of Jesus never said a word about John stop not at all. In fact, he affirmed John, you know you and I have so much more information. The John Everett you know so much more than John.

This great prophet you should know the Old Testament and the new you know the dimmer string. The first and second coming.

You see everything you want to know God is giving you through his revelation is given us all the information that we have the something else to don't doubt the value of doubt don't doubt the value of doubt seemed doubt is a really good starting place.

It's a very poor ending place.

Be honest. Be transparent and express your doubt and then seek out the truth. Find the information you see. One thing I know about John when they went back and told him they never had to tell him twice got it. He's the Messiah I understand it, you see, whenever you begin to fully understand the word of God. Whenever you begin to fully realize who Jesus Christ is. Trust will replace your doubt. Don't underestimate the value the spring father, I'm afraid. As I said earlier. Doubt is something we almost all experience but we never talk about the one thing we don't want to do is appear to be unspiritual. Father, I thank you for this great example of John the Baptist. I thank you for the fact that due to the circumstances of his life in the culture only which he lived in his own understanding and expectations here in a moment of doubt. Father I pray for those in the room right now who will going to personal tragedy and doubting whether the Lord really loves him what he really cares about their circumstances. Libyan influenced by popular culture and telling them that if they just have enough faith everything is always perfect.

You'll always be healed.

You'll always be rich. I pray father that if someone is struggling with doubt in their own lives as to with regard to the truth that they search the Scriptures because in them. Father, we find the mind of Christ and in them we find the answers. Just like the men on the road to Emmaus and we find out I would pray that our hearts would burn as well that we would take the doubt we had and we will replace it with trust in you father, I thank you for the fact that even though one day I'll be fully conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

I am not a finished product yet and in my image of God and in my humanity. There are times where I raise questions that reveal the doubt of my heart. Father I pray that as I do that I do so with integrity and allow the word of God in the spirit of God and the people of God to replace my dog with lifelong trust bedrock trust. We pray this for your glory and for our good Christ pastoral giver on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you just listen to the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of her previous audio programs as well that Fellowship in the Word we are thinking for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible with all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting us monthly.

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