Full Of Doubt

Full of Doubt

March 30, 2008 Morning Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: Sometimes we have to believe without seeing.

Focus Passage: John 20:19-29

Supplemental Passage: John 3: 16

Introduction: Believe there is a place called Sydney, Australia, etc, because of the authority of those who told us.

I. Thomas’ Great Mistake

a. In great suffering and doubt, he left his friends and went to have a pity party

II. Thomas’ Great Virtue

a. He did not pretend to believe when he really didn’t

III. Thomas’ Great Proclamation

a. When he believed, he went full tilt. When he was finally sure, he went all the way.

b. Jesus knew and addressed his words of doubt.

c. Jesus said “You needed the eyes of sight to make you believe; but the days will come when people will see with the eye of faith, and will believe.” – THOSE DAYS ARE HERE!

Invitation: Jesus understands doubt.

a. He knows that we are human.

b. He knows that we have questions.

c. He knows that we have moments of weakness.

However, Jesus calls us to move from doubt to faith.

a. He doesn’t mind the questions because He knows the questions lead to answers

b. He doesn’t mind the doubt because He knows we can be transformed from doubt to faith.

I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of divine revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much. C.H. Spurgeon

What about Jesus? Either believe Him to be God or believe Him to be either a liar or a lunatic. If you believe Him to be God, then live like it. If you believe Him to be any less than God, our Savior, then you are just playing church.