Shall We Look for Another?
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Questions Asked of Jesus • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 32:12
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· 328 viewsBelievers may go through periods of doubt and indecision, especially on account of difficulties in trusting God or accepting certain aspects of his will for them.
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2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
Introduction:
Have you ever had questions about your faith?
There are 144 questions asked of Jesus in the New Testament
Perhaps one of them is your question
Thesis:
Believers may go through periods of doubt and indecision, especially on account of difficulties in trusting God or accepting certain aspects of his will for them.
Mankind by it’s unbelief is stating they are seeking a different way other than the one revealed to us by scripture
This evening we’ll look at the doubts in the form of questions of some Biblical characters
We’ll consider “Why People Look for Another”
We’ll close with some Encouragement not to look to another way then God’s way.
Unbelief of Believers
Unbelief of Believers
Abraham
Abraham
17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
See also Ge 15:8
Sarah
Sarah
13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”
Moses
Moses
21 But Moses said, “The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?”
Gideon
Gideon
Jdg 6:12–13; Jdg 6:17; Jdg 6:36–40
12 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
Elisha’s servant
Elisha’s servant
42 A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” 43 But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ” 44 So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.
Zechariah
Zechariah
20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
John the Baptist
John the Baptist
3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
Why People Look for Another
Why People Look for Another
Doubt Concerning Jesus Christ’s Power
Doubt Concerning Jesus Christ’s Power
Mt 8:24–26; Mt 14:26; Mt 14:29–31; Mt 16:8–10
24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Much of the world today will not believe in the super natural
Because of that they look for another way
26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.
Our expectations demonstrate that we do not expect that the Bible is the way we ought to live
In the same way the disciples did not expect Jesus to walk on water
29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
To us it appears that our problems are bigger than Jesus, they get our attention and priority
That is why we look for another way
8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
Jesus simple brings us into remembrance of the things He has already done
What has He done in your life?
See also Mk 6:37; Mk 6:52; Mt 15:33; Jn 11:39; Ac 12:15–17
Doubt Concerning Jesus Christ’s Resurrection
Doubt Concerning Jesus Christ’s Resurrection
Mk 16:14; Lk 24:25
14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.
Consider we do have a testimony in the Bible of those who have seen Him...
25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
This happened on the road to Emmaus which was after Jesus ressurection
See also Mk 16:9–13; Lk 24:11; Lk 24:37–41; Jn 20:25
Doubt Concerning Jesus Christ’s Claims
Doubt Concerning Jesus Christ’s Claims
17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.”
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”
24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
See also Mt 17:19–20
Encouragements in Overcoming Unbelief
Encouragements in Overcoming Unbelief
Mk 9:24; Jn 14:11
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
This is the story of a possessed child brought first to the disciples who could not cast out the demon
Then the boy is brought to Jesus who cast it out
When the disciples ask why they couldn’t do it, Jesus said that pray was required (some manuscripts even added “and fasting)
This let’s us know that our problems are not always a one solution fits all remedy and that Jesus is still the way
11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
This passage come toward the end of Jesus telling His Disciples that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life
Thomas said we don’t know the way, show us and Jesus says I Am the Way
See also Mt 11:4–6; Jn 10:37–38; Jn 20:30–31; Ro 4:20
4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,
Just like Abraham we should look for no other way
For we have found it
Now we must commit and be built up in this only way back to God our creator and sustainer...
God’s Plan of Salvation
God’s Plan of Salvation
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.