It is one of the strangest phenomena that you could ever discover that in the Bible, from beginning to ending, there is never any argument, any defense, any presentation, any discussion concerning the existence and the reality and the being of God, never. God is just presented and that’s all; "In the beginning God..."
Never any defense, never any argument, just the presentation of the might, and the wonder, and the glory, and the presence of God. The only exception to that is the brief characterization of the fool who says in his heart, there is no God. Read Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1
In the presentation of God in the Bible, it’s just: “Here He is.” Look at him. Hear him. You have a kind of an instance like that when a man introduces the president of the United States. The more insignificant a man is the longer his introduction. But when you present the president of the United States, it is always this: “Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States.” That’s the way the Bible presents God; no argument for His existence; no defense of His reality; no long endless elaboration of whether He is or not, just “this is God.”
Thesis: This morning we are going to discuss doubt: The doubt that most Christians face, how to confront doubt, and the dark side of doubt.
For instances:
1. The doubt that most Christians face.
A. The doubt I am going to talk about is not the ranting and ravings of atheists. How many atheists do you know? Most people have some kind of concept of a Higher Power that made the universe. The idea of a God is so strongly and deeply impressed upon all men’s hearts, that to believe and say that there is no God is to go against the principles of common nature.
B. Unless one is a University student, we do not deal that much with factual doubt. In other words we are presented with material that “disproves” the basics of our faith. A professor comes in and gives facts and figures on why Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, how Jesus walked on stumps, Jesus Christ was not the Son of God, how that miracles cannot be true and are figments of one’s imagination, how that the Bible is full of errors, etc. A university student is bombarded by this kind of doubt, academic attacks on his faith. We do not live in a university town and for the most part, we, as people in this congregation, do not deal with doubts about the facts, evidence of our faith.
C. Charles Spurgeon- We believe on evidence. Now the most foolish part of many men’s doubts, is, that they do not doubt on evidence.
D. Listen to what our opening verse says, “The fool says in his heart.” Many times it does not begin in the head, it begins in the heart. This is where most doubt comes from, the heart, not the head.
E. It seems that some people can find many reasons and arguments not to believe. We reason with them and it is to no avail. They come up with more reasons and arguments. With some of these people, we could debate until the Second Coming and it won’t make any difference. Why? The facts are not the problem with these, it is the heart. There hearts looks for reasons not to believe. These people can raise more objections in an hour than someone can answer in 7 years.
F. It is a sobering thought that some who worship God with their lips, as we do this morning, may in their hearts be saying, “no God.”
G. What we are talking about are doubts that arise when we are going through troubling times. It is our emotions that bring about these doubts. It is depression, stress, and heartbreak that cause our hearts to scream out to God, “If you are a good God, then why is this happening to me?”
H. I was looking through a prayer journal that I wrote during my freshman year at college this past week. I saw in my thoughts many joyful emotions suddenly crushed. My first semester at college was wonderful. My second semester at college was miserable. The first semester was filled with praises and thanksgiving. The second semester was filled with doubts, depression and stress. Under this semester I found the popular question, “Why?”
I. Gary Habermas, where a lot of material of this sermon, said that in his dealings with Christians who experience doubts that 71 % experience emotional doubt.
J. Now when we say this we do not mean to say that emotions are bad. Emotions are natural reactions to the world around us. Jesus experienced emotions. The problem comes about when we let our emotions begin to affect our head.
L. C.S. Lewis said, “Our faith in Christ wavers not so much when real arguments come against it as when it looks improbable- when the whole world takes on that desolate look which really tells us much more about the sate of our passions and emotions than about reality.”
K. Atheism denies God’s existence—unbelief denies his goodness, and since goodness is essential to God, these doubts, if allowed to remain, will affect our relationship to Him. The attack of doubt here is not upon God as the Creator, God as All Powerful, or God as all Knowing. The doubt here centers upon the idea that God does not care about me. The idea is that God is up in heaven unconcerned with my emotions and my situation or at worst that God is up in heaven and he is getting pleasure from my heartache. He loves to see me hurting and in pain.
M. In this frame of mind, all kinds of preposterous doubts form and they are treated as respectable. If not removed, they can lead to a deterioration of faith in Christ.
2. How to confront this kind of doubt
A. We need to turn to a familiar portion of Scripture that contains profound advice, promising the peace of God to the one who correctly applies the principles to his life.
B. This section has been called the “paragraph on mental health.”
C. Philippians 4:4-9- Read it
1. After telling the Philippians Christians to rejoice, repeating it again probably because of the tough times they were facing, Paul deals with the issue of anxiety. A worried and troubled mind, a mind that can be filled with all kinds of doubt.
2. After identifying this problem, Paul’s advice is to the point: Pray. We see four major aspects of prayer here:
a) Waiting upon God, He will come through
b) Our dependence upon God (in everything)
c) Clearly state requests, believing that God can answer.(Present requests)
d) Thank God for His provisions. (Thanksgiving)
3. During or after prayer, though it is not stated here, if it is revealed that we have sinned, we need to ask the Lord for forgiveness and for strength to overcome these sins.
4. The result of all of this is the peace of God. Even though the circumstances have not changed, we have changed. The Lord has given us something that the world cannot give.
5. The word here in Vs. 7 “keep” is a military word indicating to “guard” or to “garrison.” God’s peace will act as a fortress to protect the believer’s mind. This will keep away doubts.
6. This is not all. Vs. 8 says that we need to focus our minds on those things that are true to reality, honorable or holy, righteous, clean or pure, on that which provokes love, or whatever has a good reputation. Two other categories for one’s concentration are those thoughts that are excellent in virtue or moral quality and whatever deserves praise. It is on truths such as these in vs. 8 that Christians are to think.
7. This last term “think” indicates more than a casual attention concerning some subject. It refers to the process of habitually dwelling or reflecting on a topic.
8. Where do we find such topics? Might find some in this world but mainly the Bible. Charles Spurgeon- I usually find that the greatest doubters are the people who do not read the Bible.
9. When we have a troubled heart, we are being fed and dwelling upon lies. The next step to overcoming doubt, is to:
a) Locate your misbeliefs.
b) Remove them.
c) Replace those misbeliefs with the truth.
10. We need to listen to ourselves in order to identify the lies. Then the lies need to be removed, which is done by arguing against them (No, that is not true, because). Last, truth is supplied in the place of the lies. Replace stinkin thinkin with the truth.
11. People and events around us don’t make us doubt or worry- the key is how we respond to and interpret those occurrences.
12. Through the power of God and the Word of God, you can change your emotions, you can be an adjusted and happy human being, no matter what you have experienced in your life and no matter what your circumstances are.
13. Vs. 9- practice this until it becomes a habit. Christian modeling is important, as the more mature believer provides a guide for other Christians. The result, again, is peace.
14. In summary,
a) Prayer
b) Locating, removing, and replacing misbeliefs with the truth
c) Practicing this until it becomes a habit
d) Repentance whenever it is necessary.
3. The Dark Side of Doubt
A. James Hedley- We need that attitude of the soul called faith. It is not possible to have happiness without faith. The man who doubts, distrusts, suspects, disbelieves, is never a happy man. The cynic and the pessimist are the owls and bats of the night — their eyes never see the sun.
B. I love Star Wars. When I saw the first one as a little boy in the movie theater, I was hooked. The Empire Strikes Back was okay. The Return of the Jedi was wonderful. In the years since there was always talk of George Lucas doing the story from beginning to end. You see the original Star Wars in the 70’s really was episode 4. He came out with Episode One and it answered some of my questions about the last 3. Then he came out with Episode Two and it answered even more. I anticipated Episode 3 and was excited about seeing the conclusion and about having all of my questions answered.
C. I went and saw Episode 3 with Crystal and I came out of the movie theater and I was depressed. Don’t get me wrong, the movie was good and it did answer all of my questions about Star Wars but it left me with unhappiness and anxiety. When I told Crystal that I was going to mention Star Wars in my sermon, she said that I should go and do research and see Episode 3 again. I told her very bluntly, “No Way.” She looked at me funny.
D. Why did it affect me so? I knew it would not be a happy episode. As a looked at the situations that the hero, Anakin Skywalker, went through, it made me think about similar situations in my life. Anakin was filled with doubt, distrusting of others, suspicious and full of disbelief in his trying times. I have been there and so have you. This is not the dark side. Doubts come and go! Doubt is not the path to the dark side. Giving into our doubts is the path to the dark side!
E. George Lucas’s story of Anakin Skywalker is the story of an apostate. In a sense he falls from grace. He is fed lies by the Emperor but haven’t we all been fed lies by Satan. His problem was that he did not replace the lies with the truth. Why didn’t he wise up?
F. Why didn’t he talk with a friend like Obi-Won about his doubts? Why didn’t he talk with his wife? He did talk with some about his problems like Yoda and Mace Windu but they really didn’t understand. Why didn’t he talk with someone who could have told him the truth? He believed that he had no one to turn to. How upsetting!
G. When I have had a troubled heart I have talked with others and they have not understood. Anakin Skywalker couldn’t talk to the Force because in George Lucas’s story the force is just energy. You can’t talk to an energy field. It is used for good or it is used for bad. No one to turn to. In my times of despair, what have I done? I have turned to my friend Jesus Christ. He is my friend, he is my brother, he is my helper, he is my Lord, he is my Master, and He is my shepherd.
H. He is a living person. You can talk to a living person. You can talk to Jesus. We can have a relationship with Him.
I. C.S. Lewis warns that most apostates are not argued away from Christianity: “Do not most people simply drift away?” Drift away from Jesus.
J. Many people do not understand that this is all about a friendship with Jesus.
J. In bad times what stops me from throwing in the towel? My friend Jesus. I could not leave him. Beautiful life with such a friend, beautiful life that has no end. Eternal life, eternal joy- He’s my friend.
