Our Doubts and Unbelief - Study 10/21/13
Our Doubts and Unbelief
You are probably saying, “Why is he blogging about doubt instead of faith which we all need”. I say, why not “doubts”? Have you ever doubted yourself? I have. If I can doubt myself, what about doubting God whom I cannot even see? I have doubted God too and still doubt Him when my mind wanders off.
Other people’s experience cannot stop our doubt of God. That was the case of Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus. Let’s read of Thomas’ encounter after Jesus rose from dead as recorded by Apostle John.
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Some initial observations. The disciples were all afraid of the Jewish authorities. They were actually in some sort of hiding with the doors locked. Jesus bypasses the locked doors and appears to them. He came to reassure them and proclaimed, “Peace be with you”. There will always be fear in the absence of God. But when Jesus is present, then we have “Peace” just like the disciples did. God knows our facades and “locked doors” that we try to use in hiding our fears. But Jesus will bypass all our pretenses to proclaim peace to us. Please can we stop faking it and ask Jesus to come into the presence of that which we fear and deal with our unbelief.
Also note that Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”. That is what you and I need on a daily basis if we are going to deal with the fears and turn around to do what He wants us to do – as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. Do we get it? Are you in the “go” business or are you in the “stay put” business? Jesus said, “Go and make disciples”. Not wait and sit and let disciples come to you. We cannot go without the Holy Spirit. We cannot also go with all the fears and being locked behind the doors. Let’s get out of the door whether real or imaginary.
Now we meet Thomas, the “doubter” as some called him? I would rather call Thomas the “frank” as he honestly spoke his mind and told about his doubts. Thomas was not there when Jesus first appeared to the rest. Do you just want him to take their words? If I am Thomas, I will do the same – doubt these other guys. It is okay to say “I do not believe”. Don’t fake it. But for how long?
Jesus after 8 days came back to appear to the disciples. I believe Jesus came specifically for Thomas. He told him, “touch, and feel, thrust”. Jesus said to Thomas; experience the risen Savior that I am real. I am not a story. Jesus further encouraged Thomas, “be not faithless, but believing”. This is not a rebuke. Notice the present tense “believing”. Jesus is saying, I am giving you a gift and you will start and never stop believing. Jesus is the “author and finisher of our faith”.
I love Thomas’ response. “My Lord and my God”. He was saying, “Lord please forgive me for the doubts. You are my God and you are my Lord and how can I doubt you any longer”. There is only one response to an encounter and a revelation of the person of Jesus and the Godhead- “My Lord and my God”. It is a response of surrender and yielding to the sovereignty of God.
Have you experienced Jesus by yourself and for yourself? There is no hand-down faith. All faith is original and comes from God.
What do you doubt that God cannot take care of? I honestly have doubts about the resolution of some issues in my life at this moment. But I am risking all and saying, “My Lord and God” take absolute control. How are about you? Please let’s stop faking it and cry out to Jesus.
Hey, Jesus promises a blessing. “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” Your happiness (blessed) and mine are riding on believing God even when we cannot see Him and even when He has not done what we expect Him to do. You are blessed if you Trust God.
I love what David Guzik said about Thomas. “The faith of Thomas is the climax of the book (of John): Jesus has triumphed over sickness, sin, evil men, death and sorrow; now He conquers unbelief”. Can you let Jesus conquer your unbelief today?
Do you believe? Believe what? “Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” vs. 30. And do you have everlasting eternal life through his name? He died and rose again to pay for your sins and my sins. I invite you now to believe. You may ask what is there for me. You will receive a permanent reconciled relationship with the Almighty God. Your sins, (past, present and future) are washed away and you will escape permanent death of being in hell. The penalty for sin is permanent death in hell. Sorry, it is not my verdict.
You are “My Lord and my God”. Can you please say it? “My Lord and my God”! Please take my doubts and give me faith. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Amen.
You are probably saying, “Why is he blogging about doubt instead of faith which we all need”. I say, why not “doubts”? Have you ever doubted yourself? I have. If I can doubt myself, what about doubting God whom I cannot even see? I have doubted God too and still doubt Him when my mind wanders off.
Other people’s experience cannot stop our doubt of God. That was the case of Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus. Let’s read of Thomas’ encounter after Jesus rose from dead as recorded by Apostle John.
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Some initial observations. The disciples were all afraid of the Jewish authorities. They were actually in some sort of hiding with the doors locked. Jesus bypasses the locked doors and appears to them. He came to reassure them and proclaimed, “Peace be with you”. There will always be fear in the absence of God. But when Jesus is present, then we have “Peace” just like the disciples did. God knows our facades and “locked doors” that we try to use in hiding our fears. But Jesus will bypass all our pretenses to proclaim peace to us. Please can we stop faking it and ask Jesus to come into the presence of that which we fear and deal with our unbelief.
Also note that Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”. That is what you and I need on a daily basis if we are going to deal with the fears and turn around to do what He wants us to do – as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. Do we get it? Are you in the “go” business or are you in the “stay put” business? Jesus said, “Go and make disciples”. Not wait and sit and let disciples come to you. We cannot go without the Holy Spirit. We cannot also go with all the fears and being locked behind the doors. Let’s get out of the door whether real or imaginary.
Now we meet Thomas, the “doubter” as some called him? I would rather call Thomas the “frank” as he honestly spoke his mind and told about his doubts. Thomas was not there when Jesus first appeared to the rest. Do you just want him to take their words? If I am Thomas, I will do the same – doubt these other guys. It is okay to say “I do not believe”. Don’t fake it. But for how long?
Jesus after 8 days came back to appear to the disciples. I believe Jesus came specifically for Thomas. He told him, “touch, and feel, thrust”. Jesus said to Thomas; experience the risen Savior that I am real. I am not a story. Jesus further encouraged Thomas, “be not faithless, but believing”. This is not a rebuke. Notice the present tense “believing”. Jesus is saying, I am giving you a gift and you will start and never stop believing. Jesus is the “author and finisher of our faith”.
I love Thomas’ response. “My Lord and my God”. He was saying, “Lord please forgive me for the doubts. You are my God and you are my Lord and how can I doubt you any longer”. There is only one response to an encounter and a revelation of the person of Jesus and the Godhead- “My Lord and my God”. It is a response of surrender and yielding to the sovereignty of God.
Have you experienced Jesus by yourself and for yourself? There is no hand-down faith. All faith is original and comes from God.
What do you doubt that God cannot take care of? I honestly have doubts about the resolution of some issues in my life at this moment. But I am risking all and saying, “My Lord and God” take absolute control. How are about you? Please let’s stop faking it and cry out to Jesus.
Hey, Jesus promises a blessing. “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” Your happiness (blessed) and mine are riding on believing God even when we cannot see Him and even when He has not done what we expect Him to do. You are blessed if you Trust God.
I love what David Guzik said about Thomas. “The faith of Thomas is the climax of the book (of John): Jesus has triumphed over sickness, sin, evil men, death and sorrow; now He conquers unbelief”. Can you let Jesus conquer your unbelief today?
Do you believe? Believe what? “Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” vs. 30. And do you have everlasting eternal life through his name? He died and rose again to pay for your sins and my sins. I invite you now to believe. You may ask what is there for me. You will receive a permanent reconciled relationship with the Almighty God. Your sins, (past, present and future) are washed away and you will escape permanent death of being in hell. The penalty for sin is permanent death in hell. Sorry, it is not my verdict.
You are “My Lord and my God”. Can you please say it? “My Lord and my God”! Please take my doubts and give me faith. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Amen.
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