Week 31-Letting Go of Doubt
Wouldn't it be great if we knew what Jesus would do with our doubts?
“Those who doubt most, and yet strive to overcome their doubts, turn out to be some of Christ’s strongest disciples.”
Selwyn Hughes
Passage
25So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
27Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
John 20:25–29 (NASB95)
Background
Quote- Selwyn Hughes (27 April 1928 – 9 January 2006) was a Welsh Christian minister best known for writing the daily devotional Every Day with Jesus. He founded the Christian ministry Crusade for World Revival (CWR) and wrote over fifty Christian books. George Carey, the former archbishop of Canterbury, described Hughes as a "giant in the faith".
Passage-The book of John is a Gospel that contains Narrative History, Sermons, Parables, and a few Prophetic Oracles. It was written by the Disciple/Apostle John around 85-95 A.D. The key personalities of this book are Jesus Christ, His Twelve Disciples, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist, Lazarus, his sisters Mary and Martha, Jewish religious leaders, and Pilate.
It was written so that all may believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God who gives eternal life. John’s gospel uses the word “Believe” 98 times and the word “Life” 36 times, in an effort to embed the importance that one must believe in order to live eternally. John is not one of the three synoptic (common view) gospels, but instead was written with a more theological substance, yet equally as inspired and important as the first three gospels.
Lesson Notes
Opening Statement
As sure as we draw breath we will have doubts about a great many things in life. Thomas from our passage today illustrates one doubt, that of Jesus and His divinity. It also illustrates how Jesus might deal with us when we doubt. However, the major hurdle there is us because what we look for, we will find.
Ask: What does doubt ask us to seek?
Point: Evidence for the thing we are doubting.
Ask: What do those who support our doubt ask of us when no evidence is forthcoming?
Point: To believe in something else.
Ask: What is “Circumstantial Evidence?”
Point: Please see definitions. Circumstantial Evidence isn’t hard evidence like a picture of the event but it is evidence that suggests a fact is real.
Ask: Do we have any hard evidence for Jesus?
Point: Yes. We have Flavious Josephus, a Roman Jew who is most noted for two books, The Jewish War, and The Antiquities of the Jews. He was a Pharisee of some note and scholar of the ancient world living some time around AD37-AD100. We also have Jesus mentioned in the Quarran as a “prophet.”
Ask: Why is it important to understand and believe that Jesus was a real person?
Point: It removes the doubt/question of His existence at all. If we begin to doubt He lived in the first place we never get to His words at all because anything attributed to Jesus at that point is fiction.
Ask: What happens if we believe Jesus was a real man born into this world, living a full life, and dying?
Point: We are now allowed to evaluate all of Jesus’ words which are contained in scripture. Please read the following:
6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
7“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
John 14:6–7 (NASB95)
Ask: If we believe Jesus was real what is there to doubt in this passage?
Point: Whether or not Jesus said it, if it was transcribed or translated properly, and what He meant.
Ask: How do we let go of our doubt?
Point: Evidence, proof, a sign like a burning bush would do that, but seeking that is not only not the answer but condemning. Please Read the following:
38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
39But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;
40for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41“The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
Matthew 12:38–41 (NASB95)
Ask: We are not the Pharisees who doubted and persecuted Jesus and his disciples so why does this apply to us?
Point: Please read the following:
6And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “He said that because we did not bring any bread.”
8But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?
9“Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up?
10“Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up?
11“How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
12Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Matthew 16:6–12 (NASB95)
Ask: How does us avoiding the “teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees” allow us to let go of our doubt?
Point: Please read the following:
15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
19“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 16:15–19 (NASB95)
Closing Statement
Remember who Peter was. He denied Christ three times to witnesses immediately after His crucifixion and death. Peter was commanded to get out of the boat and come to Jesus on the water in the midst of the storm but he doubted, became afraid as he looked at the raging winds around him, and began to sink. In both cases Jesus stuck with Peter. In both cases, Jesus helped Peter with his doubt like he did with Thomas. Finally, if we doubt that Jesus is willing to stick with us when we doubt Him, recall what Jesus did after his ressurrection with Peter that is directly tied with what we would consider to be Peter’s triple betrayal.
Questions for the Week
Question 1 Consider your doubts in all things.
Question 2 Consider your doubts about your faith. Make a list if you feel led to do so about the biggest doubts that trouble you.
Question 3 Consider Peter and his denying Jesus three times before the cock crows. Write down anything significant about this story of Peter denying Christ (Matthew 26:65-75 found at the end of the lesson.)
Question 4 After reading and contemplating Peter’s betrayal of Jesus after His death, read what Christ does with Peter after His ressurrection (John 21:14-19 found at the end of the lesson.)
Question 5 Consider how Jesus delt with Peter as an example of what Jesus is willing to do with you concerning your doubts.
Question 6 Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you this week on letting go of your doubts.
Definitions
Circumstantial Evidence
Circumstantial evidence is evidence that relies on an inference to connect it to a conclusion of fact—such as a fingerprint at the scene of a crime. By contrast, direct evidence supports the truth of an assertion directly—i.e., without need for any additional evidence or inference.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumstantial_evidence
Inference-Inferring
inferring
in-fur-ing
adjective
1. using reasoning or evidence to derive or conclude something: In this scheme, the intellect is divided into four classifications: the essential intellect, the acquired intellect, the potential intellect, and the inferring intellect.We hope to be able to predict the weather using an inferring AI model based on multiple parameters such as humidity, temperature, wind speed, etc.
noun
2. the practice of using reasoning or evidence to derive or conclude something: Predicting is one skill that falls under the umbrella of inferring.
Jesus and Peter
Peter’s Triple Betrayal
65Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy;
66what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”
67Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him,
68and said, “Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?”
69Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”
70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.”
71When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.”
73A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.”
74Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
75And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
Matthew 26:65–75 (NASB95)
Jesus Forgives Peter
14This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.
15So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”
16He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.
18“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”
19Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”
John 21:14–19 (NASB95)