Having Faith, When Doubt Comes in

Teachers: Taevea and Tory

We read all of Luke 7:11-23, then begin:

What this lesson is about: Having faith in the place that God has called you to serve him. As Christians we must continually build upon this idea that God places us at certain points in our lives to not only better us, but bring him glory. We in this story of John the Baptist's doubt, must like him know that even we are unsure, we must always go to the source of all-knowing, which is in the Lord God. 

We first began with a brief characterization of who John is:

Then we ask:

·      Who is John the Baptist? What was he like? What is he?

o   Jesus’s forerunner

o   The cousin of Jesus, who saw no relation to him

o   The original hell and fire pastor

o   Faithful, honest, humble, obedient

Setting the stage this is a bit after John had baptized Jesus, and during his baptism God the Father, and the Holy Spirit proclaimed Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the lamb for our sins. Jesus is going around doing the work of the Father.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Starting at verse 16 What is Jesus doing right now?

Vr 17-18: What is John’s reaction and why did he react that way?

16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country

Jesus and John the Baptist

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 is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

            Jesus is the Son of God, He is all knowing of course, He knows that John is in jail right now. So as Jesus is going around healing people, feeding the five thousand, of course John gets the news and he is like what in the world…? Well a big reason for that is that John had this preconception about Jesus about how great and terrible his messiah is suppose to be. But when Jesus started being about his father’s business the two identities one which, is our preconception about who, we want God to be against who God really is.

            And its funny we do not mind God being who He is, until we encounter problems and that is when we want God to be who we Him want to be. So, of course John sent him that inquiry. Referring to Romans 8:28, “28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”

            Do not mistake the work you see God perform in areas of different people’s lives and circumstances, as him neglecting the work in your own.

·      Where do you think God’s place is for you to serve him? How do you know its from God?

God calls you and when God calls, it takes a measure of faith, and it takes strength to stand strong on it. When people go out saying this is the call of God, or the call God has given them, it not only harms their spiritual wellbeing but others. Unanointed pastors, ministers, people led astray

20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

Matthew 14:1-5

·      What to expect when God calls you?

•  hardship, struggle
• discomfort
• attack
• haters
• treated differently
• isolated
• alone
• The Christian Life is not always easy, but these struggles allow us to identify with Christ closer and allows us to build stronger bonds with other believers. Our sorrows are a bridge to the pains of others but also the development of powerful testimonies. 

John the Baptist Beheaded

14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

·      When does it get hard to trust your purpose? (save)

  Vr. 1-5: While Jesus was doing the work of God, being about his Father's business, John was in prison hearing all these different things about God. It is always a bit disheartening when we see God performing works but not in the manner we him to or when we are in troublesome and we want God to rescue us from them. However God cares about the cultivation of hearts and our character, more than our current states of happiness. 

1.      However do not let physical or natural backwards steps in your natural life, make you believe you are taking several steps back in the spiritual. Because if you face a contradiction like this then it is a good thing, remember, once again the Lord God tells us in Isaiah 55:7-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” What looks to be to you decreasing in the natural is when God elevates you and moves you forward in the spiritual. Remember place in the natural means little to God but what matters is did you place your faith, your trust, and your belief in Him. Faith is the ultimate community chest card, the pass and go that allow you to win the game. Do not let your place in the natural, keep you from believing God!

Luke 7:21

Last: God’s faithfulness, the will of God, 

Verse 21: Although John doubted Christ, he did turn away from him or seek worldly wisdom. He sent his disciples to go straight to Christ and gain the answer he needed. John trusted and believed in Jesus Christ's faithfulness, in giving him an answer, even though his heart and mind were clouded. In response to John's faith, Christ gave John a report back to him, stating all the things He has done, reaffirming John's faith. Whenever life gets hard it is not the blessings that get us through our trials, but it is God's faithfulness, that he will never leave us nor forsake us. 

How to avoid the why-me syndrome?

1.     Philippians 3:8à count nothing but by Christ-that everything in the physical realm is or of this world you can count as nothing or trash. Seeing God as the only thing of value pushes you to seek only him, and that helps you to reach and continue having faith in God’s purpose.

2.     Romans 8:28à God’s no matter what happens is always in control. Everything God does in accordance to his plans helps to build our character and draw us closer to him.

3.     John 21:21-22à Mind your business, like Peter we need to run our own race, we cannot run or fulfill the purpose God has given us when we do not mind our own spiritual business.

·      What will serving God cost you, what will it reward you?

Cost yourself, your family, sometimes it will cost even your life, but your reward is your life