Explores doubt in faith, affirming it as a part of human condition and spiritual journey, and encourages seeking certainty in Christ's presence.
Welcome, beloved family of faith, to this gathering of hearts and minds in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we find ourselves standing on the precipice of a subject that touches every believer's life, from the most steadfast to the newly converted. Doubt, that unbidden guest, that persistent question mark, that shadow that sometimes falls across our faith.
Let us not shy away from acknowledging that we, like the disciples of old, have moments of uncertainty. Moments when we question, moments when we wonder, moments when we, too, send our messengers to Jesus asking, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?' (Luke 7:20).
Yes, dear friends, doubt is a part of our human condition. Yet, we are not left alone in our doubts. We stand in good company with John the Baptist, the disciples, and countless saints throughout the ages who have grappled with questions and emerged with faith refined and strengthened.
As Henry Drummond once said, 'Christ never failed to distinguish between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is can't believe. Unbelief is won't believe. Doubt is honesty. Unbelief is obstinacy. Doubt is looking for light. Unbelief is content with darkness.' Doubt, in its essence, is not a sign of weak faith, but a sign of a seeking heart, a heart that longs for the certainty of Christ's presence.
Let us now turn to the Scripture that will guide our reflections today:
'When the men came to Jesus, they said, 'John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?'' At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, 'Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.'
In the heart of the gospel, we find the disciples, followers of Jesus, wrestling with doubts. They had left everything behind to follow a man who claimed to be the Messiah. Yet, there were moments when they questioned if they had made the right choice. They saw miracles, heard teachings that stirred their hearts, yet they still had doubts.
The disciples' doubts were not a sign of weak faith: Instead, they were a sign of their humanity. They were ordinary men thrown into extraordinary circumstances. They were trying to make sense of what they were seeing and hearing. Doubts were a natural response to their situation.
The disciples' doubts did not disqualify them from being followers of Jesus: Jesus did not reject them because they had questions. Instead, He patiently addressed their doubts, providing them with evidence of His divinity. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, and raised the dead. These miracles were not just acts of compassion; they were also proofs of His identity.
The disciples' doubts did not prevent them from fulfilling their mission: Despite their doubts, they continued to follow Jesus, to learn from Him, and to spread His message. Their doubts did not paralyze them; instead, they propelled them to seek answers, to deepen their understanding, and to strengthen their faith.
In the midst of their doubts, the disciples found a deeper faith: They discovered that faith is not the absence of doubt, but the decision to believe in spite of doubt. They learned that faith is not a one-time event, but a lifelong process of seeking, questioning, and believing.
For us: In the story of the doubting disciples, we find encouragement for our own faith journey. Like the disciples, we may have doubts. We may question if we have made the right choice, if we are following the right path. But our doubts do not disqualify us from being followers of Jesus.
In the light of our reflections on the disciples' doubt, we find ourselves standing on the threshold of a deeper understanding ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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