LOVING THE UNCERTAIN
LUKE 7:17-23
INTRODUCTION… “We Understand So Little” Book of Virtues pages 774-775
Once there were two young brothers who had spent all their lives in the city, and had never even seen a field or pasture. So one day they decided to take a trip into the countryside. As they were walking along, they spied a farmer plowing, and were puzzled about what he was doing.
“What kind of behavior is this?” they asked themselves. “This fellow marches back and forth all day, scarring the earth with long ditches. Why should anyone destroy such a pretty meadow like that?” Later in the afternoon they passed the same place again, and this time they saw the farmer sowing grains of wheat in the furrows.
“Now what’s he doing?” they asked themselves. “He must be a madman. He’s taking perfectly good wheat and tossing it into these ditches!” “The country is no place for me,” said one of the brothers. “The people here act as if they had no sense. I’m going home.” And he went back to the city.
But the second brother stayed in the country, and a few weeks later saw a wonderful change. Fresh green shoots began to cover the field with a lushness he had never imagined. He quickly wrote to his brother and told him to hurry back to see the miraculous growth. So his brother returned from the city, and he too was amazed at the change. As the days passed they saw the green earth turn into a golden field of tall wheat. And now they understood the reason for the farmer’s work.
Then the wheat grew ripe, and the farmer came with his scythe and began to cut it down. The brother who had returned from the city couldn’t believe it. “What is this imbecile doing now?” he exclaimed. “All summer long he worked so hard to grow this beautiful wheat and now he’s destroying it with his own hands! He is a madman after all! I’ve had enough. I’m going back to the city.” But his brother bad more patience. He stayed in the country and watched the farmer collect the wheat and take it to his granary. He saw how cleverly he separated the chaff, and how carefully stored the rest. And he was filled with awe when he realized that by sowing a bag of seed, the farmer had harvested a whole field of grain. Only then did he truly understand that the farmer had a reason for everything he did.
Both brothers were suffering from uncertainty. In the story, they were constantly asking themselves and each other… “what is this farmer doing?” They had no experience which informed what the farmer was doing. They had no one in authority to provide answers. In fact, one of the brothers saw no good solution for anything he was seeing and so he gave up and went back home. In this particular story, uncertainty even caused a small rift between the brothers. In the story, the city-slicker brothers were uncertain about country life, what exactly the farmer was doing, why he was doing what he was doing, or how what he was doing would lead to anything good. It led one of them to declare that the farmer was a “madman.”
I hope that you know that the Church exists to bring people into an authentic growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus says in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Jesus says elsewhere in Matthew 9:12, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” Some of those people who are lost out in the world are seeking for meaning or inner peace or some kind of divine enlightenment. They are uncertain about God. Some of the people who are sick with sin, guilt, and consequences are uncertain about how to change their lives for the better. This morning we are talking all about loving those in our lives who are uncertain. We all have people in our lives who when it comes to God are just uncertain.
Uncertain about God, Jesus, the Bible, and all things with the label Christian.
Uncertain about Church.
Uncertain about the meaning of life.
SOURCES OF UNCERTAINTY ABOUT GOD (adapted from myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/my-mbti-results/reasons-for-uncertainty.asp)
Where does uncertainty come from?
Where does uncertainty about God, Jesus, the Bible, Church, or the meaning of life come from?
Uncertainty comes from incomplete understanding. Sometimes people hear about God, Jesus, Church, or the Bible and they do not have a full picture about what Christianity is about. Perhaps they only remember snippets from having been at church on Christmas and Easter or have a warped view based on television or movies. Maybe they have an experience with God they do not quite understand. Incomplete understanding about God breeds uncertainty.
Uncertainty comes from lack of trust. Sometimes people have experiences with church or church leaders and it does not inspire confidence. This is why we try so hard at NBCC to be warm and welcoming, consistent in our Biblical beliefs, above-board in our leadership, and accountable in finances. It is a lot to ask someone to walk into a church and just lay down trust. Many people have trust issues. Lack of trust breeds uncertainty.
Uncertainty comes from stage of life. Different stages of life bring challenges that are different from anything we have faced before. These new challenges make us think about the meaning of life, what we should be doing, the consequences of all our choices, and for some God enters the picture. Our lives tend to shift in responsibility and life functions and we wonder if God is still with us. Stage of life breeds uncertainty.
Uncertainty comes from stress. Stress changes our behavior or how we think or how we react. Stressful situations make us doubt ourselves or even what we know to be true. Stress can cloud our judgment. Even for people of faith, stress can bring about questions in their relationship with God. To be honest, in the Bible passage we will look at in a moment, stress was the major factor of uncertainty. Stress breeds uncertainty.
There is a story in the Bible that also deals with uncertainty. We are going to look at a man whose faith faltered in uncertainty. If you were to list people in the Bible with rock solid unmovable faith, this person would probably be at the top of your list. And yet, he found himself uncertain. The Bible passage describes John the Baptist whose prophesied job from God the Father was to announce Jesus the Son. John the Baptist preached repentance to God in the desert and then pointed all those listening to him to Jesus Christ. He said to them, “Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
This man of faith stood up for righteousness before a wicked king.
This man of faith ended up in prison for speaking out.
This man of faith was uncertain.
I believe that if we look at this episode in the life of John the Baptist which centers on his uncertainty about Jesus Christ, we will discover how we can love those people in our lives who are also uncertain. For John the Baptist, I think his uncertainty was brought on by stress and he wanted to double-check if Jesus was who he thought He was.
READ LUKE 7:17-23
This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. 18 John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" 20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?'" 21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 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 cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 23 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
We know from Scripture, that earlier in John the Baptist’s ministry that he already announced that Jesus is the Messiah. He announced to all those who were listening to him in the desert that Jesus was the promised Messiah who would take away the sin of the world. John sends messengers to ask questions in the midst of his uncertainty. Our question of the day: How does Jesus respond to the uncertainty? That is our question because when we answer it we find the answers for us when we love those around us with the same heart-wrenching issues.
I. JESUS OFFERS TRANSFORMATION NOT INFORMATION
In responding to John’s uncertainty and facing the questions from John, Jesus does not give him information. Jesus does not recite Micah 5:2 or chapters in Isaiah or Deuteronomy 18:15 from the Old Testament in an answer to his question. Jesus does not recite all the prophecies He has already fulfilled. Jesus does not recount the miracle of His birth and the 12 points of that which show He is the Son of God.
Jesus offers stories of transformation. Jesus tells John’s disciples in verse 22 to take back to him stories about the blind receiving sight and lame people walking and people returning to faith in God. These stories of transformation should lead John to the answer he is desperately seeking.
APPLICATION
What does that mean for us… how do we love like Jesus for someone who is uncertain?
This means that when we try and love people in our lives who are uncertain about God, we do not need to download information into their lives. They are not looking for a 4 point sermon from you about how to trust God. They are not looking for your top 3 favorite Bible verses about why God should be the center of their lives. They are not looking for you to tweet your favorite Christian song lyrics about forgiveness to them six times a day.
We need to offer them the same thing Jesus gave John the Baptist. We need to offer stories of transformation. The greatest way you can love someone in their uncertainty is explain to them how God has changed you and transformed you!
How has God brought about you understanding Him better?
How has God shown Himself to be faithful and trustworthy in your life?
How has God shown up powerfully in your particular stage of life?
How has God worked amidst your stress?
When you answer these questions, you then have personal stories of transformation that can be shared with others. These are the loving transformational stories we need to share for those who are uncertain.
ILLUSTRATION… Story of Transformation (p)
I was thinking about personal stories of mine and what might be beneficial for someone undergoing uncertainty. I got married very young… I had just turned 21 a month before we got married. Just so you know, the average age of getting married in the USA in 2011 was almost 29. Kelly and I are celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary this year and I still consider myself a young man.
I have to admit that when Kelly and I got married I was not ready. Our first decade of marriage we struggled mightily because of me and I honestly did not think we would make 3 years. The things I said, did, felt, and decisions I made did not honor her in the least. I am here today to share with you that my God has transformed my heart over the years. We serve a God who works miracles in the hearts of those who seek Him. God has placed in my heart a wonderful love for Kelly that could only have come from Him… not from any other source… I know that because of how our marital relationship looked for the first decade of our lives together.
II. JESUS ENCOURAGES FAITH MORE THAN ANSWERS
When Jesus answers John the Baptist, He does not come right out and give him the answer. He certainly implies the answer of “yes… I am who you think I am!” Jesus does not give John all the answers he needs, but supplies what John needs so that his doubts can lead to deeper faith. When John wanted answers, he got a call to deeper faith. Jesus calls John to examine the evidence and decide for himself who Jesus truly is.
The answer for John the Baptist is faith. I have to tell you in all honesty that there are so many questions people have in life that cannot be answered. Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason, but what is required is faith. Sometimes incomplete understanding about God will remain because His ways are not our ways and we are finite beings worshipping a infinite God. Sometimes lack of trust nags a person even though they seek answers. Sometimes a stage of life simply brings hardship and loss and pain and there are no answers. Sometimes stress can be overwhelming. What is needed when there are no answers is faith.
The word “faith” is used 255 times in the New Testament (NIV, 1984) and is the answer for which many people are looking.
By faith worry goes away (Matthew 6:30)
By faith fear goes away (Matthew 8:26)
By faith our sins are forgiven (Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20)
By faith we are healed (Matthew 9:22,29; 15:28; Mark 5:34; Luke 17:19)
By faith miracles can happen (Matthew 14:31, 17:20, 21:21)
By faith we start on the path of understanding (Matthew 16:8; Luke 7:9; 17:5-6; John 2:11)
By faith we are saved (Luke 7:50; John 7:31, 8:30, 11:45; Acts 3:16; Hebrews 4:14)
APPLICATION
What does that mean for us… how do we love like Jesus for someone who is uncertain?
To be honest, in times of uncertainty no matter the source there are not always readily available answers. For the person who has lost a child, there are not answers. For the person who has lost their home or job, there may not be answers. For the person who comes to our church wounded by another church, there may not be good answers. For the person who suffers from mental illness, physical illness, or stress beyond what they can bear, we may not have readily available plug-and-play answers that satisfy the “why” or the “how” or the “when.” Encouraging those who are uncertain around us to pursue faith is one of the most loving things we can do.
We can encourage the uncertain around us to pursue faith in…
… diligently praying to God
… continuously reading and studying God’s Word
… discovering strength in Church community and fellowship
… mentally and spiritually choosing faith over unbelief
ILLUSTRATION… Baby Zoë and the Bowes Family (p)
One of the hardest situations I have ever been in is facing a family whose infant dies at birth. I remember one time travelling to a hospital upon hearing that a baby was stillborn. I remember my thought as I drove to the hospital… what am I supposed to say? What am I supposed to do? All I had were questions. The entire family was at the hospital and as I walked into the hospital room I was not prepared for what I saw. The family was all gathered around the mom and dad. Mother was cradling the dead baby in her arms.
I talked with the family some. I prayed with them. I remember very clearly sitting across from Darla, the grandmother of the baby, a woman of great faith in my opinion, who point-blank asked me why God did this. I had no answer for it. I still don’t. We do not know why this tiny life was taken before she really began to live. We do not know the talents and abilities she had. We do not know her favorite ice cream and other likes and dislikes. We do not know what kind of impact she would have made in our world.
All I could offer was a few words pointing her to her faith which would get her through this uncertain time... that was the most I could do for them at that time and what Jesus did for John the Baptist.
III. JESUS OFFERS SALVATION OVER SOLUTIONS
Most of the time in our “go go go” society we want immediate answers and solutions to our problems and questions. We have a question… google it. We don’t know how to do something… youtube it. We don’t own something… order it and a drone will deliver it right away. This is our society!
We want quick answers to difficult questions. John wanted a solution from Jesus to his difficulty he was facing. I can imagine that he wanted a spring from “Sing Sing” so he could continue to live. That is not what Jesus offered. I bet it broke Jesus’ heart not to offer John the Baptist the physical freedom he wanted. Jesus instead offered eternal salvation.
APPLICATION
What does that mean for us… how do we love like Jesus for someone who is uncertain?
Whether a person’s uncertainty comes from incomplete understanding or lack of trust or stage of life or stress, we may be tempted to solve their problems for them or give them a step-by-step guide out of the mess. We may just pay their way out of a mess. What every person ultimately needs in any situation is a right relationship with Jesus Christ which leads to eternal salvation. This is true for anyone in any uncertain situation.
This means several things. First, you need to have a right relationship with God so that the words you share do not come from a hypocritical heart or inexperience. It will not do anyone who us uncertain any good for you to share about a faith that you do not practice. Second, you need to have the way of salvation down so that you can actually share it with someone else. Salvation is what every person needs and so you must understand salvation: what it is, why it is needed, how it is obtained, and where to go for answers.
ILLUSTRATION… Five Finger Exercise
Acts 2:36-38 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The first three steps involve human action (to a point):
* FAITH: This is more than just agreeing something is true. It involves commitment and deep trust. It is something we build our lives around and becomes the center of our worldview. We believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living God and is our Lord and Savior.
* REPENTANCE: We recognize that we have sinned (missed the mark) and have been separated from God. Through sin we alienate ourselves from God and from other people. We have disobeyed God. We confess this freely and vow to turn from that way of living.
* BAPTISM: We offer ourselves for baptism by immersion. This represents our death to our old self, burial, and resurrection to a new life in Jesus Christ. This is also reminiscent of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. It is the baptism practiced by the early church.
The last two steps belong to God and are associated with the third step as baptism is completed:
* FORGIVENESS: We then fully accept the forgiveness of God for all that we have done. Daily we go to God asking forgiveness for we recognize ourselves as sinful by nature and desire to have God cleanse us from those things that keep us from Him and His blessings.
* HOLY SPIRIT: The Holy Spirit then commences in every believer after baptism into the Church, the Living Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit becomes our Comforter, Counselor, and Sustainer and helps us to remember all the things that Jesus has taught and continues to teach us daily.
CONCLUSION
We all have people in our lives who are uncertain about God, Jesus, the Bible, and all things with the label Christian. We have neighbors or co-workers in our lives who are uncertain about Church. We know loved ones who are uncertain about the meaning of life and are searching for answers. How do we love them? How did Jesus respond to the uncertainty with someone who was near and dear to Him?
He offered true stories of transformation.
He encouraged faith.
He offered salvation.
INVITATION
