The Skeptic, Part 2

My career many of us never become convinced that Jesus is reset the little one to be who he says he is.

Because what we want is bliss and not really a God. We wanted to look into the mirror see a reflection of ourselves and label that is divine, you will look at the mirror and slap God on what you see reject the resurrection. Like to think that their issue is an intellectual one. There just isn't enough evidence and what there is convincing the end of the day. They say they just can't believe in some ancient methods fact today on some MetLife pastor JD Greer present an alternative explanation for their unbelief. He's arguing that unbelief doesn't actually stem from a lack of evidence. As an example, he points to one of the most famous skeptics of all time. The apostle Thomas who earned the unfortunate nickname doubting Thomas to have a little time and you don't, chances are you know someone who dies after JD is teaching from John chapter 20 verses 24 to 28.

We often call it problem is really part problem. We don't want to surrender our understanding of our wills and so are my terms all the evidence that contradicts what we want to be true or that you might say like this mind will never accept what the heart has already rejected the mind will never accept what the heart has already rejected when Thomas said, my Lord and my God what he was saying is I know that I may not understand why you're doing what you do but I understand who you are and I will accept what I cannot understand based on what I can understand this is for those you struggle with that I would just ask you this.

You ever consider the evidence for the resurrection is pretty overwhelming if you consider it by itself.

So when people choose not to believe it is almost always not because the evidence is weak is because I got some secondary reason why but what can be true. The evidence on its face is pretty pretty pretty convincing your handful of them things that are usually I'm said in response to like to be true. On the first one is what people call a hallucination. And that is the idea that the apostles did not actually see Jesus thought they saw Jesus because they missed them that sometimes happen when somebody you love dies, slicing sleepless in Seattle right you like you think you see the person that you medicine. They talk to you and that's a hallucination but one problem with that is 11 people at one time twice and you have a conversation with somebody else remembers you. Having meth like inception level hallucination right that marijuana is legal in Jerusalem at that point is not that convincing and it was what we call the willful deception. That is the idea that that that the apostles made up these claims to bolster their own authority so they could you gain converts to gain power and prestige religious leaders do that sometimes. Now don't think they do not proclaim miracle stories a slip on any of these Christian broadcasting. You'll see them do it so I don't miracle them is right about everything you know and so that's of the apostles is made of the miracle stories to try to bolster their own power, prestige, that's a theory to get before we just think about it. Is that what the apostles got for their confession of faith, prestige, know Paul said with off scouring the world. They preach of their kingdom is not of this world so that they and other people should give away their money. They call people to give away their power.

They taught them to endure suffering willingly and forgive the people that they were doing it and not fight back, because God would take care of in the resurrection power, prestige, they didn't really work for them and what true, then how would they have the power to keep chewing it before but I met Emmett say the window. I just imagine you Peter after the cross each other. Fishing with the disciples in all the precedents. That is why the water is I know I know we can we can redeem is hoping let's say that I got Chris back with the resurrected cities. God's kingdom is not of this world to give their money away and will teach them to suffer and to not fight back and forgive the people who are doing it to them. Maybe if were lucky we can all die painfully humiliating deaths tortured me.

I just don't find that that compelling that they willfully made up the stop when it led to the poverty and martyrdom didn't actually believe it was true or take James imagine him amending her.

Jesus is younger brother James, Josephus, the secular historian tells us that James will go on to become one of the leaders of the church and he would I want become a writer book of James. Obviously, what we did take you men here of an over brother, raise your hand take you to convince you that your older brother is God, sinless to be like you probably can this be my older brother was the devil incarnate. Put here by God to afflict me I could buy that, but just seems that someone is life is like to think of it, he never sent you never stand and he's God made you your older brother was God and worship him as the simple Savior that was sent from heaven until you just it's time to happen unless it's true, the most popular theories is that these things were legends that got added in later.

In other words, that the original Jesus in the original disciples biggest thought that you should, you know, be kind to each other and recycle and later later the church added in little one by one the stories about the resurrection of Jesus. Supernatural claims and that all these variant Christian communities were out there and eventually you know the one that had the miracle of what it stamp out the other one that's a popular theory. The reason that that that's not true a way that it can be true as well.

There were some very a Christianity that you spread office like there are today. The apostolic community. Peter, James, John the apostle they were united in their belief that Jesus was God, that even risen from the dead. The earliest Christian documents.

For example, the book of Philippians is one of the earliest documents relating to the Christian movement anywhere seven A.D. Paul and Philippians 2 quotes a hill, you never recognize that we quoted a popular song that the church was already singing a song about Jesus resurrection and deity. You dislike about them will somehow quote a song and you know you cannot dread your head because that's what Paul is doing and that song is already celebrating Jesus leading the resurrected means I was a widespread belief at the time Paul wrote that letter 57 A.D. communion they celebrated communion what is communion commemorate the death of Jesus.

Why would you celebrate the death of your leader if something greater had happened that redeemed that death immediately. For example, Martin Luther King fan you don't celebrate the fact that he was shot. You morning that they celebrated his death because they saw his death as part of the resurrection. The fact that they worship on Sunday that may not seem like a big deal. You would use for 3500 years of worship on Saturday and so when they switch at the Sunday that took something monumental and it was because they believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. Even the skeptic Anthony flew concedes that the resurrection of Jesus was part of the store the church from the very beginning that here's one last theory people here and I sound so ridiculous but it's unbelievably common about your recognize it all. The swimming theory more, but they give us a mouse on like this is that Jesus didn't die on the cross he just swooned to pass out and they buried him in the cool gravy not revived and then he is a Siebel song Kaminski was resurrected and then he took Mary Magdalena and Randall to France and married or had kids Merovingian or some like that but that's that that's the swelling.

Here's one that I just can't even entertain that is coming to Jesus after being crucified, lays in the grave for three days without food or water and then revives and has the strength to move the 3 ton stone conquer a Roman garrison.

By the way by himself then convinces disciples he is Lord of life and resurrection of the dead is not buying that the evidence for the resurrection is actually unbelievably strong when people don't believe it. it's almost always because of some secondary reason that biases in them against the evidence and right. she was a skeptic set out to study the resurrection.

after studying it, she says, i became convinced there was no other explanation for what happened than the resurrection from the dead.

she made the statement that i've always found very interesting. she said this in my study of the resurrection. i sent something else. many of these skeptical scholars.

scholars who apparently devoted their life. the new testament scholarship watch just like jesus christ, which is evidently why they deny his resurrection. it wasn't that the resident evidence is not convincing is that the hardest condition not to believe it. on the surface. the evidence is overwhelming. and again when people don't believe it's usually for some other reason. so my challenge to you is this. if you doubt me to at least be honest with yourself about the reason that your doubting. why is it why is it that you don't want to believe what other question is there that keeps you from considering the evidence for the resurrection, because i'm telling you, if you have the humility to recognize that there could be a lot of things about god that you're not in understand or to shatter your mind. if you have the humility to recognize you're not always going to be able to explain everything. if you got the humility to submit to his lordship, even when it goes against what you're thinking and you were willing to follow him wherever he tells you to go even when you find it difficult and offensive. i promise you it will be long for you see the evidence for jesus divinity, and resurrection is overwhelming. but if you do not approach the question of jesus that sense of humility and submission. you will never know the truth about jesus. you know how i know that jesus actually made that statement you in and some other words in john seven earlier in the book. here's what john quotes jesus a sailor is john 717 if anyone is to if anyone's will is to do god's will watch this he will know whether the teaching is from god or whether i'm speaking on my own authority question in that verse, what comes first, belief or willingness to believe in that verse, what comes first.

believe or willingness to believe willingness to believe many of us never become convinced that jesus is what he says he is because we don't want him to be who he says he is. because what we want is bliss and not really a god. we wanted to look into the mirror see a reflection of ourselves and label that is divine you want to look into the mirror and slap god on what you see, so you don't want to god that contradicts what you want to be true. you want to god challenges your morality. you don't want to god who will offend you that's why you're always changing parts of the bible you don't like is that why doesn't agree with that. you want to. god you have what what what whatever 24 step for god in the movie stepford wives were the guys away like a wise and so they create robots to act like a wise and do whatever they want them to do that. that's what you want and god is one god who contradicts you. you want to god he just conforms to your frequency prejudices which is why you never actually know the truth about god because in order to know the truth about god, you got a have a heart posture of humility.

that is a willingness to submit to him. whatever he says whatever he tells you to do and when that willingness is there, you will come to see the truth about god, jesus went on to explain john seven verse seven.

the world hates me because why wise and hate me because i testify about it that his works are evil. why don't they see it. why don't they see it because the evidence is not there because their hearts are blind to their arrogant heart evil hearts. that's why we jesus preached he would often say this phrase you for this event.

roger let him who has ears to hear, living here. that means the voice is already speaking. the evidence is already there. the sound is being made. the question is does your soul have ears to hear and await your soul has ears to hear it by being in a posture of humility that says god i'm going to accept what you say. even when i cannot understand it because i believe that it was you who was resurrected from the dead, and i will submit to you that is my posture before, i'm asking the question.

ours is not fundamentally have problem. ours is a heart problem, the mind will never accept what the heart refuses to ask my will all reject the heart will not accept jeremiah 29 verses show you how pervasive this is in the bible when you search for me.says watches you will find if the circle that if if you seek me with all your heart, i will let you find me accessible.

for i love that image i what you find me playing hide and seek with my five euro my three-year-old they could not find me if i was laying on the couch. i have to you know this to be a good kid. i have to let them know and rear about 36 okay hotter than on the bathroom, you know i did… i will if i wanted to not be found, they would not find me. i let divine god says i'm not listening i'm not obligated to reveal myself to anybody because your sinful. if i am going to let you find me it's because your heart gets in the posture that it is supposed to be and when you seek me with all your heart and know your soul, and there is a humility, you will find you'll come to know that this is the truth. willingness to submit to god precedes knowledge of god.

if you're in the philosophy postmodern philosophy is basically because there's another way to guys like foucault and derrida on richard rorty and falling don is restated what jesus said 2000 years ago and that is that the mind will never accept what the heart already rejects let him who has ears to hear, let him hear. because those who do not have the posture of hearing they do not have ears to hear, will never hear is that it it ended that the shortcoming is not in the evidence.

the shortcoming is in the rebellious posture of our heart that doesn't want to submit to a god that will not always explain himself to ask or submit to a god tells us to do things we want to do one final observation here. it was not just the fact of christ's resurrection the change thomas forever so important.

it was feeling the wounds of christ resurrection the change thomas forever. what was it like to think, listen to actually feel and touch the wounds of jesus yet told thomas not only the let believe in jesus for the rest of his life. thomas would die for jesus you want to know why because in feeling the wounds. thomas understood that there was a god who loved and cared about him so much that even when thomas would not believe him.

when thomas doubted that god would never give up on him that that god would take the penalty of thomas to send for him into his own body and thomas felt those wounds and thomas Feeling those wounds for the rest of his life so that when thomas stood on a hill in what is now chennai, india and thomas pray for god to deliver him from the people that were trying to kill him, and god did not answer. and thomas was martyred there on that hill. thomas did not go to his grave doubting because he knew that jesus wounds any given so that thomas can live with him forever, and when thomas could not understand what god was doing. thomas understood what god's heart was like because thomas had felt the wounds and thomas is willing to be wounded for jesus because thomas knew that god had been wounded for him.

have you ever felt the wounds of jesus because i'm telling you, you will never escape doubts until you have learned to feel in your soul.

the wounds that were put there for you. other people may have let you down.

the wounds of jesus show you that he never will, other leaders, leaders, other religious leaders may disappoint you. you may have been abused by a father.

you have been abused by a pastor or priest. the wounds of jesus show you that he never will because he was abused for you. he was tortured and abused so that you can be reconciled to him forever. and so when you have felt the wounds of jesus. when you walk through the dark days that you will walk through. you will not doubt that god is with you because you will have felt the wounds that thomas see that thomas felt those wounds show me that when i cannot understand everything that god is doing in the world i can trust him because there is no one who loves the world like god does when i can't see or understand what he's doing. i can understand what he showed me about his heart and those wounds had you seen or felt the wounds of jesus for you from the land is playing the song. that is when i favorites i have it memorized. according to myself all the time. i discovered this a few years ago david ricker saw someone 31 because it is the lord, my heart is not lifted up my eyes are not raised too high. i do not occupy myself with things that are two great or too wonderful for me, but i have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me, o israel, hope in the lord trust of the lord.

from this time forth and forevermore that this all means, they became the point where he understood. listen, that there was some knowledge and some answers that he may never quite grasp. it's too wonderful that word in hebrew means it's too high for him and in the moment where listen in the moment where the knowledge is too high for him. what he does he explain the verse two he comes into the intimate presence of god. he curls up in the presence of garlic away child with his mother, let me admit to you, for you dudes, i know you don't connect with that analogy i donated right but just understand what it's trying to say there three-year-old son when he has questions when he's confused when he's hurt.

a lot of times you get explanation below which is fine for him. he curls up in the arms of my wife ended up dead yet. not sure why, but hopefully will get there one day. but he's just like i just want to be close what the psalmist is saying is that there's a time when you're not in understanding what you should do is curl up in the wounds of jesus press into the wounds you think about this. why in jesus's resurrected body.

what a godly the wounds he raises from the dead. could you like cleaned up the scars yeah good of you.

i did it because you are never supposed to relate to god anymore without feeling the wounds you don't hold jesus hand you don't walk with god without tracing the wounds without putting your hand in a sigh. i never understand god. apart from these wounds any longer.

those wounds tell me that he will never leave me or forsake me.

those wounds tell me that no condemnation remains for many longer, those wounds tell me when i can understand why he didn't do what i thought he should do what i can understand where things are going or how it's working out.

i understand that he was wounded for me.

i understand that this is the measure of his love for me. i understand that i can trust him that he will be mine forever that i was child. he's my gut that i can curl up in those wounds. you see the answer to questions. the answer to questions to cut incomprehensible to understand the love too wonderful to exhaust the answer sometimes to questions to and comprehensible to understand is a love that is too wonderful to exhaust to bring your doubts to him.

honestly, he's not scared of god's not in heaven when you're doubting what all my doctor. i just know that i should ration the data to see my body still there did not write that he's not scared of those but got a question not for you and the question is this. do you have the humility listen. do you have the humility to meet you might not understand everything you have the humility and the willingness to follow him where he tells you to go even when it contradicts you, that's his question back for you.

are you willing to accept what you cannot understand based on what you can understand, but if not, you will never know. you'll never know.

he hides himself willingness to believe precedes knowledge of god.

if you humble your heart. i think you'll find like i have found that is true you know my personal working definition for faith is with the unexplainable meeting the undeniable the unexplainable meeting the undeniable her that years ago and i'm stuck with me. reasons why things i can explain what i can't deny jesus christ, the son of god was raising the dead. so i say, my lord and my god accept what i cannot understand based on what i can.

have you ever felt the wounds of jesus, and if he ever said to him, my lord and my god your lord your god will follow you will trust you. prayer of confession and submission can lead to certainty. to hear this message from jeannie greer again or to share with a friend or neighbor visit jeannie greer.com to equip and encourage you to go into your own community and reach people with the gospel. where ever you are pastor jeannie. sometimes we think of the gospel as a one time event that occurs at conversion really shallow view and get molly this is a theme we talk about a lot here. some of life. the gospel is not just our ticket to heaven. the gospel is an entirely new basis for how we relate to god, to ourselves and others. you experience the power of the gospel in your life, not just by learning a bunch of new things about christianity widening the circumference of your knowledge, but by going deep into the knowledge of who god is and what he's actually offered to you in this incredible grace shown in the gospel. the love that he demonstrated we want you on this program. we want you to not just know gospel doctrine. we want you to taste the sweetness of the gospel is one of things we we produce to help you with that is is a new 20 day devotional have attempted to make it clear that devotional in a database format what god has done the devotional book is called simply what is the gospel you can get yours today@jdswhere.com.

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