Revision as of 14:58, 21 May 2018

Objectives

• Congregants will identify ways in which they may doubt God.
• Congregants will recognize that Christ is God.
• Congregants will identify at least one way in which they can depend on the power of God to dispel doubt.
• Congregants will identify ways in which they can live with resurrection power.

Introduction

• Rhetorical questions to consider asking:
  • Have you ever been lost?
  • What does it feel like to be lost?
• Tell a story of being lost

Main Body

Doubt is a very real emotion for everyone. If I had to guess, I would say that most people have doubted something already this year. Perhaps you have doubted:

• A fact on the news
• A story you were told
• A coworker
• A family member

Doubt is real. Moreover, most of us have probably at some point or another doubted God. Maybe you have doubted:

• His goodness
• His provision
• His love

The fact is, doubt is real.

Main Proposition

As Christians, we need to deal with doubt by recognizing Christ as the solution to our doubt, placing Him in His rightful position, and determine to declare Christ to the world.

Setting The Stage

Disappointment

1. Jesus has just told his disciples that where he is going they cannot follow.
2. Peter, in what probably seemed like a great declaration of faith has told Jesus that he would die for him.
3. Jesus responds by telling Peter that not only will he not die for Jesus, but he will deny Jesus, not once, but three times.

Anticipation (v. 1-7)

1. Jesus literally commands his disciples, "be in control of yourself."
   1. Many translations of the text have the statement "you believe in God, believe also in me." However, the indicative may actually be better translated as an imperative that follows the earlier imperative. In other words, "Believe in God; believe also in me."
2. Jesus provides a further argument. "In my Father's house are many rooms."
   1. There is room for an entire discussion of the appropriateness of the work mansions (KJV, NKJV), rooms (ESV and others) but this places the emphasis in the wrong place. The point is that Christians will dwell in the Father's house. I don't know about you, but I would be content with a closet in God's house!
3. The phrase "If I go" in verse 3 is what is called a third-class condition. This means that there is certain fulfillment, you could think of this as "since I go".
   1. Christ's departure was actually a guarantee of his return.
   2. In verse 3 we have a ινα clause. Specifically, "in order that where I am you also may be."
4. In verse 6 Jesus responds to a very important question, "how are we able to know the way?"
   1. Jesus answers with one of the most profound "I Am" statements in scripture. "I am the way and the truth and the life."

Doubt (v. 8)

Philip correctly recognizes the magnitude of what Jesus has just said. However, Philip has a wrong view of Christ, a view that shows not just a wrong view of Jesus, but a wrong view of what it means to live as a Christian.

• We, as Christians, must make sure that our skepticism and doubt do not keep us from living for Christ in the way that He intended.
• Most of us probably do not think of ourselves as doubting Christians. Nevertheless, doubt can still have a significant effect on our walk.
• Do we live in anticipation of a Heavenly home with the Father, or do we like Philip live as if we have not seen the Father and can only hope for the eternal blessings?
• Do we live a life that demonstrates eternal consequence?

Point 1 (V 8-11)

We need to deal with doubt by recognizing that Christ provides our connection to the Sovereign of the universe.

Is Seeing Believing?

1. We believe what we see. This is such a prevalent idea in our culture that websites like youTube and Instagram are among the most popular websites in the country.
2. However, scripture tells us something different:
   1. In Hebrews 11:1 we see that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
   2. 2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us that “we walk by faith, not by sight.”
   3. In fact, in John 20:29 Christ proclaims “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Desiring to See God

1. Do you desire to see God? You are not alone. In fact, Moses had the same desire.
   1. In Exodus 33:18-23 Moses asks God. “Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

Seeing God Through Christ

1. Seeing Christ = Seeing the Father
   1. In many cases of logic a interesting problem arises when you want to show that two sets (A and B) of things are equal. In order to show equality one shows that everything in set A is also in set B you first show that everything in A is also in B. You then proceed to show that everything in B is also in A. If both of these conditions are met then we say that A is equivalent to B. In short, Christ argues his equivalency to God.
2. The work that Christ has done in your salvation is evidence of God.
3. Doubt is real, but we can deal with doubt by recognizing that when we see Christ, we see God.

Point 2 (V 12-18)

We need to deal with doubt by recognizing the power of Christ working in us.

The Power of Christ

1. ”the works that I do he will do also”
   1. When we think about the works that Christ did we have a tendency to focus on the physical. Christ was much more than a physical miracle worker, Christ turned the world upside down.
      1. Care for others “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.””(Luke 10:36-37)
      2. Equality in value “There is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
      3. Meaning of Family “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord…Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the Church…Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right” (Ephesians 5:22, 25; 6:1).
      4. Institution of the Church “I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
      5. Basis of government “The authorities that exist are appointed by God…he is God’s minister to you for good…an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Romans 13:1, 4).
      6. Value of knowledge “In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).
      7. Value of work “Do your work heartily as unto the Lord, not to men. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (Colossians 3:23).
      8. Power of love “that you being rooted and grounded in love may . . . know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:17, 19).
      9. Existence of Hope “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
   2. Last but not least, Christ provided peace with God. Christ fulfilled the law and was crucified for us.
      1. We have the ability to live righteously, “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:10-11)
      2. We need to make sure that we do not underestimate the value we have in our positional sanctification before God. I think you could take this too far, but God agreed to withhold judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah if he could find 10 righteous. I don’t want to take the application too far, but it is possible that there are instances where you, as a positionally sanctified believer, are a part of God’s mercy.

Working in Me

1. John 14:17-18 ”the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

Point 3 (V 19-21)

We need to deal with doubt by determining to show the world Christ.

The Risen Christ

1. John 14:19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.”
   1. In 1 Cor. 15:1-9 we see that many people saw the risen Christ. However, there is no record of Christ appearing to any unbelievers. After his resurrection Christ appears to have focussed His ministry on His own.
   2. Matthew 28:19-20 makes it clear that it is our job to minister to the unbelievers.

Conclusion

As Christians, we need to deal with doubt by recognizing Christ as the solution to our doubt, placing Him in His rightful position, and determine to declare Christ to the world.