Sermon Tone Analysis
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DOUBT DEFINED
How often we trust each other.
And only doubt our Lord.
We take the word of mortals,
And yet distrust His word;
But, oh, what light and glory
Would shine o’er all our days,
If we always would remember
God means just what He says.
—Selected
According to the Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics and Religious Philosophy, doubt is an attitude of uncertainty, directed toward a proposition or person.
As the etymological connection with double makes clear, to be in doubt is to be of two minds, unsure of what to believe.
René Descartes proposed adopting universal doubt (questioning everything) as the proper method to obtain certainty in philosophy.
Thinkers as diverse as Thomas Reid, David Hume and Søren Kierkegaard, on the other hand, have agreed that universal doubt is impossible (and would be incurable if it were possible).
Though doubt is properly seen as opposed to faith or belief, it seems possible for a healthy, living faith (understood as trust) to coexist with some kinds of doubt, as in “I believe; help my unbelief” ().
The narrative unfolding before us this afternoon has Jesus, Peter, James, and John coming down from an awesome mountaintop experience.
The text reveals that it was between six and eight days after Peter’s great confession at Caesarea Philippi, that Jesus took these three disciples apart and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves (v.2).
While Mark does not specify the reason that Jesus did this, Luke points out that it was for the particular purpose of prayer.
See
While Jesus was on the mountain transfiguring before Peter, James, and John; another situation was unfolding with the other disciples down in the valley.
Peter, James, and John were privileged to witness Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah.
They were made fully aware that Jesus was the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, as they heard the voice of the Father say the cloud.
When they made their descent back down to the valley, I can hear them, in my sanctified imagination, saying to one another: “I don’t have no doubt in my mind!”
And might I suggest to you today, my brothers and sisters, that the Lord has taken the time out and has taken each one of us aside to soothe our doubts and calm our fears.
He has made Himself known in our trouble, heartache, and pain.
So that, we like Peter, James and John may boldly say in every situation: “I don’t have no doubt that the Lord will bring me out.”
Look at
Look at
A DANGEROUS DISPOSITION
a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones:
Well, the text says “When they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them.
Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him.
And He asked them , “What are you discussing with them?”
If you recall, Jesus had not long ago given to his disciples power and authority over demons and had sent them to cast them out.
See
Here they are, in this text, with delegated power and authority, but unable to deal with the demon who possessed a disparate soul.
Notice if you will that “some scribes” were arguing with them and stirring up a crowd.
In my spiritual imagination, I can hear these scribes saying to the disciples that Jesus was phony because they were out there in on His power and was not able to produce the proper results.
They said: “this boy is still demon possessed and the power you say you have is fake”.
(Are y’all here with me?)
Notice if you will that “some scribes” were arguing with me them and stirring up a crowd.
In my spiritual imagination, I can hear these scribes saying to the disciples that Jesus was phony
And so, they were stirring up a crowd, working up a frenzy, trying to instigate a riot; but the text says that Jesus came back.
I don’t really have time to preach this, but can I park parenthetically and tell you that not only is He an “On time God” - He is an “In time God”.
What did I say?
Doing something "on time" means meeting an appointment, or meeting a time that has been set by someone; Doing something "in time" means doing it before a deadline, or doing it before it becomes unavailable.
Jesus doesn't just show up “on time”, he shows up right “in time”.
As He walks up to the crowd, the text says that, the argument was abated and the crowd was amazed when the they saw Him.
Here's a lesson we should learn: if we would put our attention on our awesome and amazing Lord, then there would be little or no room for arguments
I can hear Jesus in verse 16 saying to the scribes instig the situation “what are you discusing with them?”
It is here that a man in the crowd answered “it's my Son, Teacher; He has a demon.
It makes him mute, when it takes control of him it slams him down to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out.
I really brought him to You; but, in your absence, I turned to your disciples but they were not able to help.
Verse 19 says that Jesus answered them and said “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you?
How long shall I put up with you?
What Jesus was saying was that doubt is a danger disposition.
By disposition I mean the predominant or prevailing tendency of one's spirit; natural mental and emotional outlook or mood; characteristic attitude.
Jesus said that this was a generation of doubters.
What is a generation?
A generation is "all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively."
In essence, he said “all Y’all” are without faith.
Can I tell somebody that being without faith is a dangerous disposition because without faith it is impossible to please God.
See
The text says that Jesus said “Bring him to Me!” And so they brought the boy to Him.
When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion , and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.
And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”
And he said, “From childhood.
“It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him”.
22 “It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.
(1995).
().
La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation
New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.
(1995).
().
La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
DOUBT IS DETRIMENTAL
Detrimentality of Doubt
When something is detrimental it causes loss, harm, damage, and leaves one at a disadvantage.
This father was certainly in a bad place.
He had been enduring the this ordeal for quite some time and so he set out to get resolution and release from this ruthless demon.
And so, he says to Jesus, if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.
Let me freeze the frame here and say that the use of the plural “us” is the text shows us that not only was the demon torturing the boy, it was at the same time, terrorizing the father too!
Here, his plea was literally: Lord, if you can make that demon stop torturing him, it will stop terrorizing me.
(Are you praying with me?)
Real quick.
Let me be clear about the existence of demons.
They are defined as evil spiritual forces.
Scripture stresses the reality of demonic forces and recognizes a number of categories to which they may be assigned.
Jesus Christ’s authority over such demonic forces is seen at work in His ministry and in that of His disciples.
I said all of that to say that “demons are real, and so is the believer’s power over them".
If you tell a man that there are 581,678, 934,341 stars in the universe, he’ll believe you.
But if a sign says, “Fresh Paint,” he has to make a personal investigation.
Look at this father’s pitiful plight and listen to his plea.
“If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us”.
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