INTRODUCTION
• I hope that you have recovered from Christmas, and I know the Christmas weight is going to state falling off!
• Christmas is the time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. History shows us that indeed, there was a person of history named Jesus who lived when the the Bible says he lived.
• However, for many, for many who will admit there was a person named Jesus, they would not make the leap to the fact that He is the Son of God.
• I believe there are Christians today who still doubt that Jesus is really the Son of God who will return one day.
• I think most people possess some level of doubt when it come to the spiritual issues, mainly because of the nature of the spiritual side of life, you usually can not see it.
• Another issue is that every great thing God does in your life, one could find an alternate explanation if they do not want to credit God.
• For many, they can never seem to overcome their doubts, and their doubts become and excuse to live in unbelief.
• Ultimately, one must decide how big the god they serve is. Is their god bigger than their doubt, or is their doubt bigger?
• Over the next four weeks are going to work through a series entitled GOD IS BIG ENOUGH.
• We will look at the fact that God is big enough to uproot my fear, to see me through the storm, to conquer my sin, and today we will begin with the fact that God is big enough to remove my doubt!
• Today we will examine Luke 24:33-39 as well as some of the parallel passage in John 20.
• How BIG is the God you serve? Is He big enough to be a blessing to you?
• Let’s begin with Luke 24:36
• SLIDE #2
• Luke 24:36–37 (HCSB) — 36 And as they were saying these things, He Himself stood among them. He said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
Doubt is dangerous because…
I. Doubt opens the door to fear. (36-37)
• When you are filled with doubt, doubt can lead to fear. I like to use the illustration of jumping out of a plane as an example.
• Imagine you are going to be crazy enough to pay someone to teach you how to properly jump out of an airplane, that is flying several thousand feet about the earth.
• You pay your money, now you are in the plane, the instructor tells you that he is going to teach you how to jump out of the plane, BUT he then tells you he has never done it before, but he stayed at a Holiday Inn.
• Are you starting to get fearful? Then to make matters worse, he proceeds to tell you that your chute is the first one he has ever packed, and that it is ok because he looked it up on Pinterest as to how to pack a chute with style.
• Now how are you feeling about your upcoming several thousand-foot plunge toward certain death!
• Doubts lead to fear.
• Here is some background to the passage we are examining together.
• Jesus’ disciples had been with Him for about three years of ministry. They heard Him teach, they saw Him heal, they witnessed Him performing miracles.
• Jesus told His Disciples He would be killed, buried and rise in the third day.
• Yet, here are the disciples full of doubt and fear.
• In the parallel passage in John 20:19 we find…
• SLIDE #4
• John 20:19 (HCSB) In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!”
• These guys were still afraid, their doubts about a resurrection kept them in fear.
• Despite the fact that Jesus has already made at least four recorded appearances since He was declared dead after the crucifixion.
• He appeared to Mary who told the disciples about what happened. (John 20:11-18)
• He appeared to the other group of women at the tomb. (Matthew 28:9-10).
• He appeared to the men o the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32) those two men went to Jerusalem and were with the 11 when this event took place (Luke 24:33).
• Jesus appeared to Peter. (Matthew 24:33-35).
• Despite all the evidence, the disciples, the men who spent the past three years with Jesus, still possessed doubt.
• Now here is Jesus, in the room with them, the disciples are startled, probably because of the suddenness of the appearance, and they were terrified, because they thought they were in the presence of a ghost!
• Living in a state of doubt leads to fear. If you have been in a relationship in which you have been given a reason not to trust the person you are with, you live in fear because you are full of doubt. You cannot trust them so you doubt, you are fearful that you are being made a fool.
• By this time, the disciples should have been full of faith, but they were filled with doubt.
• Let’s look at verse 38.
• SLIDE #5
• Luke 24:38 (HCSB) “Why are you troubled?” He asked them. “And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
• SLIDE #6
Doubt is dangerous because…
II. Fear overshadows faith. (38, JN 20:24-25)
• After Jesus enters the room, He asks the disciples a question.
• WHY ARE YOU TROUBLED?
• They are startled and frightened, because they think they are seeing a ghost. Apparently they believe that Jesus is present, but they have doubts regarding his bodily nature.
• They fear they are looking at a bodiless being, a ghost! When Jesus calmed the storm, they did the same thing in Matthew 8.
• The word terrified catches the flavor of what the disciples were feeling at the moment.
• Jesus then asks them why do DOUBTS ARISE in your hearts?
• The disciples were perplexed and hesitated to believe that Jesus had risen, and yet they were unable to deny the testimony of others and the evidence of their own senses; they were slow to accept the truth of his resurrection, and could not deny it.
• Therefore, Jesus rebukes them for the doubts that arose in their hearts.
• They were doubting about a matter which their spiritual perception ought to have recognized at once.
• When you live in fear, your fears will grow larger than your God, and by default, your fears will become your god because you will bow down at the feet of your fears, you will allow them to overtake your faith.
• Jesus helps them to make up their mind on the question; when once convinced, they can then preach with the highest degree of certainty his resurrection.
• In the parallel version of this situation, John reveals something important to us concerning Thomas, you know, Faithful Thomas! I mean Doubting Thomas.
• SLIDE #7
• John 20:24–25 (HCSB) But one of the Twelve, Thomas (called “Twin”), was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!”
• Thomas was not there when Jesus appeared. Up to the point, Thomas had yet to see the risen Savior, he only heard stories. He boldly proclaims, If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!”
• Notice Thomas says he will NEVER believe unless his conditions on met.
• One can hardly blame him at this point. Doubts that lead to fear can become bigger than your faith; however, our God is BIGGER THAN MY DOUBTS!
• SLIDE #8
• Luke 24:39–43 (HCSB) Look at My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself! Touch Me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” Having said this, He showed them His hands and feet. But while they still were amazed and unbelieving because of their joy, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and He took it and ate in their presence.
• SLIDE #9
Doubt can be defeated by Jesus because…
III. God is big enough to remove my doubts. (39-43) (JN 20:26-29)
• At this point, Jesus could have thrown in the towel, but He does not, Jesus seeks to calm the fears of His beloved disciples.
• When He enters the room be beings with, PEACE TO YOU, in verse 36. Jesus wants them to calm down and experience peace.
• Illustration.
• When you consider that in around 3,400 years of documented history across the world, estimates suggest that there have only been 250 years of peace, at this rate, it won’t be too long before the world is in a constant state of international conflict – a state that, with the capability of modern weapons, would not be a very long one. http://www.dirjournal.com/info/5-interesting-facts-you-never-knew-about-war-during-the-last-100-years/
• God is big enough to remove their doubts, Jesus invites the disciples to touch Him and see that He is flesh and blood. He showed them His hands and feet.
• In John’s account, in John 20:20 we are told that when the disciples saw it was Jesus in the flesh they rejoiced! They knew they were seeing their Lord! John 20:20!
• Later we find these same disciples who were afraid, boldly preaching Jesus in the streets of Jerusalem! WHY? God removed their doubts! God is big enough to remove your doubts!
• Jesus did not ridicule them, He helped them overcome their doubts. I believe on some level we all struggle with doubt; the key is the remember to not let your doubts become your god.
• I was raised in church where doubt was not allowed, and as a result, I turned away.
• When I started going back to church when I was 18, I was so blessed to be a part of a church that realized that we all struggle with some degree of doubt, and they were willing to answer my questions, and to allow me to explore and learn.
• I was willing to use my doubt as a driving force to learn more about my faith so that I would not allow doubt to become my god.
• God has given me enough in His Word as well as enough evidence outside of the bible to quell my doubts.
• Now back to the disciples, what about Thomas?
• Let’s turn to John 20:26-29
• SLIDE #10
• John 20:26–29 (HCSB) — 26 After eight days His disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don’t be an unbeliever, but a believer.” 28 Thomas responded to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed.”
• Jesus gave Thomas what He needed to allow his doubt to be overcome by faith!
• Look at verse 29. Blesse are those who believe without seeing!
CONCLUSION
• You can allow doubt to be your God which will lead to fear being your next god.
• God is Bigger than your doubt, He is not afraid to face your doubt with you, the question is, are you willing to turn your doubts over to Him?
• You can live in faith in Christ, believe me, that is much better than living in FEAR!
