HOT TAKES: DOUBT AND FAITH DON’T MIX24-25 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We saw the Master.”But he said, “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.”26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.”27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.”JOHN 20:24-27 (MSG)YOU WILL ENCOUNTER DOUBTS.Adam and Eve doubted God’s wisdom and intentions in the garden Moses doubted his calling to lead the Israelites out of slaveryGideon doubted his title by God as a “mighty man of valor”Elijah, AFTER seeing fire fall from heaven, doubted God’s protectionJeremiah doubted that God could use him because of his young ageAbraham and Sarah doubted God could give them a child because of their old age“There is no road to spiritual maturity that does not walk straight through doubt.”JON TYSON“We experience a dryness or loss of joy in our relationship with God. We question ourselves, God, the church. We discover for the first time that our faith does not appear to ‘work.’ We have more questions than answers as the very foundation of our faith feels like it is on the line. We don’t know where God is, what He is doing, where He is going, how He is getting us there, or when this will be over.” PETE SCAZZERO “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It [pain] is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” C.S. LEWIS “The reason many of us do not ardently [strongly] believe in the gospel is that we have never given it a rigorous testing, thrown our hard questions at it, faced it with our most prickly doubts.”EUGENE PETERSON  13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. LUKE 23:13-21Doubt: a feeling of uncertainty or lack of convictionDiakrino (doubt): to withdraw from; or (reflexively) hesitant“Doubt isn’t the absence of faith, it’s just misplaced faith.”  J.A. WilsonYes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.LUKE 23:21-35“In fewer than twenty verses, the Lord communicates in at least five different ways: conversationally “as they talked and discussed these things with each other”; exegetically when he explained “all the Scriptures concerning himself”; sacra-mentally when he “took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them”; prophetically when “their eyes were opened”; and inwardly when he spoke directly to their hearts, which were “burning . . . while he talked.”PETE GREIG “When two saints are talking together, Jesus is very likely to come and make the third one in the company. Talk of him, and you will soon talk with him.”CHARLES SPURGEON REASONS FOR DOUBT:Broken trust through disappointmentBroken trust through hypocrisyBroken trust through unfortunate circumstancesHOW WE TEND TO DEAL WITH DOUBT:Spiritual bypassing“We don’t operate out of what we wish, we operate out of what we are…”JON TYSONExtra-biblical truth-seeking DeconstructionJesus says: “If you love me, you’ll keep MY commandments.”Deconstruction says: “God, if you love ME, you’ll keep my commandments.”HOW JESUS DEALS WITH DOUBT:He deals with doubt honestly18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?”LUKE 23:18-19a“In saying this, Jesus skillfully played along with the conversation, encouraging the men to reveal their hearts. Even though He knew their hearts, there was value in them saying it to Jesus.”DAVID GUZIKHe deals wit...

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