Doubt, you can't escape it.
You can run from it , but you can't hide from it; it's a part of our
daily lives. In
1993, FBI agents conducted a raid of Southwood
Psychiatric Hospital in San Diego , which was
under investigation for medical insurance fraud. After hours of reviewing medical records, the
agents had worked up an appetite. The agent in charge of the investigation
called a nearby pizza parlor to order a quick dinner for his colleagues.
Agent: Hello. I would like to order 19 large pizzas and 67
cans of soda.
Pizza Man: And where would you like them delivered?
Agent: We're over at the psychiatric hospital.
Pizza Man: The psychiatric hospital?
Agent: That's right. I'm an FBI agent.
Pizza Man: You're an FBI agent?
Agent: That's correct. Just about everybody here is.
Pizza Man: And you're at the psychiatric hospital?
Agent: That's correct. And make sure you don't go through
the front doors. We have them locked. You will have to go around to the back to
the service entrance to deliver the pizzas.
Pizza Man: And you say you're all FBI agents?
Agent: Yes, we've been here all day and we're starving. Can you remember to bring the pizzas and
sodas to the service entrance in the rear?
Pizza Man: I don't think so.
And he hung up.
We deal with doubt in the field of law. In a criminal case for example, evidence
against a defendant must be presented by the prosecution that's beyond a
reasonable doubt, that no other logical explanation can be derived from the
facts or that the facts are beyond dispute about any reasonable alternative
being possible. It means jurors have no
doubts about the defendant's guilt or that their doubts are unreasonable.
Yes, doubt is a normal part of everyday life. We have doubts at times about our career, our
health, our friends, our marriage, our children, our community, our church, our
government or about our job, will it last for years or will I be layed off
tomorrow. We sometimes must deal with
depression because of anxious struggles with self-doubt.
And yes, when it comes to faith in God, to our spiritual
life, to our walk with Christ, we also at times have doubts. I do.
How about you? We are children
of a scientific, technological, relative, and skeptical age, an age which lends
itself to doubts in regard to faith.
For Christians there are personal expressions of
faith-doubts. “God, have you heard my prayer?”
“God, why haven't you healed him?” “God,
are you punishing me?” “God, will you
help me? “God, why did she have to die?” “God,
why didn't this work out, it looked so promising?” “God,
I'm having trouble believing you care.”
“I can't believe this story in
Scripture.” “I don't know if I am saved.”
We may have doubts about God's being either all-loving or all-powerful.
So don't beat yourself up when you find yourself wrestling
with doubts about your faith. It is not
a sin to doubt. Doubt in terms of faith
is not an aberration or a mental disorder or a character flaw.
We find examples of doubt in scripture. Thomas in this morning's lesson is one of the
most remembered figures in the Bible.
People who don't read the Bible or rarely read it will often say, oh, yeah,
doubting Thomas, I have heard of him.
Thomas was not in the upper room in Jerusalem when Jesus first appeared after his
resurrection. He was still grieving
after hearing that Jesus had been crucified.
So he emphatically states: “Unless I shall 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.”
It is the Thomas syndrome!
We all are familiar with it.
“God, prove to me that you exist.”
“God, show me a big clear sign, well, how about a little sign?” “God, show me you are real.” “God I'll believe if you will only answer my
prayer.”
Have you ever prayed like Thomas? I have.
We are by nature rational creatures. God has given us the ability to
think, to assess the situation, to use logic and reasoning when making up our
minds. We like to rely on empirical evidence, like Sgt. Joe Friday, on the
television series “Dragnet,” who always said: “Just the facts ma'am.” We like facts on which to base our opinions,
views and beliefs. We want to see it, to
feel it, to touch it, to smell it, to hear it.
So without question, Thomas’ doubt was a honest and normal expression of
being human.
Recall another biblical story of the healing of a boy by
Jesus. A father whose son was possessed
with an unclean spirit is speaking to Jesus.
The father says: “Jesus, if you are able to do anything, have
pity on us and help us.” Jesus
replies: “If you are able, all things are possible for the one who believes.” To which the father responds: “I believe Lord, help my unbelief.” How many parents have uttered similar words:
“I believe in you Lord, help my unbelief.” “I
trust in you Lord; help me to trust even more.”
Some of you may have serious doubts about the truth and
meaning of the Christian faith. Why do
we sometimes have doubts about God? Why
is doubt a part of faith? Remember, it’s
not a sin to doubt.
First, doubts arise because of the nature of our Christian
faith. In the book of Hebrews, chapter
11, verses 1 - 3, we read: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
the conviction of things not seen. By
faith, we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that
what is seen was made from things that are not visible.” I Corinthians says: “For we
walk but faith, not my sight.” It
also says: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, then face to face, not we know in
part, then we shall know fully.”
Trust, belief, the conviction of things that are not seen,
this is the language of faith. Faith
can't be proven with logic or science.
When a prayer is answered or a miracle occurs, a believer says, “Praise
the Lord” and an unbeliever says, “Ah, it was just dumb luck or a coincidence.”
Christian faith is a living and dynamic relationship with
God in Christ. And like any living
relationship, whether with your spouse or a friend or your child, that
relationship seeks understanding, it asks questions, it evolves, there are
times of doubt, it changes, it grows, there are times of confusion, there are
ups and downs.
Second, doubt arises because of God himself. God is and remains ultimately a God of freedom
and mystery. The prophet Isaiah, in a
moment of frustration, says: “Truly you are a God who hides yourself.”
Faith is a relationship with a free and sovereign
God. God is not accountable to us. God is not under our control or
direction. We cannot order God to do
anything. God won’t fit in any box, no
matter how hard we try. Yes, we can and
do know God personally in Jesus Christ, and we say amen to that gift, and yet
we realize that there are limits to how personally we can know God. God is both knowable and unknowable, within
our comprehension and beyond our understanding.
Third, doubt arises because of our human predicament. We must deal with questions about the
existence of evil, disease, injustice and suffering. Sin is the basic reason people resist
believing in God. But rationally, the
existence of evil and suffering is without question an intellectual obstacle to
faith. We face challenges and problems,
tragedy, and fear, which pose ever new questions for faith.
Jesus our Lord understands more than anyone that his
followers are going to struggle with seasons of doubt. Jesus listened to the doubts and questions of
his own twelve disciples. Jesus listened
to Thomas. And Jesus hears us, you and
me.
Some of us came to faith because of the influence of our
parents who were Christians. It was
their witness which first inspired us.
We inherited faith from them.
But sooner or later we must claim faith for ourselves, we must stand on
our own faith. Why, because of life's challenges. Am I a Christian because my parents want me
to be or Am I personally committed to Jesus Christ because I want to be?
Faith and doubt is a fascinating dynamic. The reality of doubt means we must on a daily
basis cultivate our faith in God, develop it, deepen it, so that when the
challenges of life confront us, we have a spiritual foundation of strength and
hope and spiritual depth, and don't collapse in despair. Faith is a conviction not a convenience. It's not something we trot out on
occasion. Life's challenges means faith
must be a way a life, a life-style.
The aim is always to grow in our faith, to strive for a
mature faith, for spiritual maturity.
Growth in understanding and growth in faith is only possible when we
honestly confront our doubts and continue our daily and intentional walk with
the Lord. I like what one of my favorite
theologian's says: “An honest doubter is closer to the truth than a superficial or
dishonest believer.” Doubt can be a positive or negative factor
when it comes to faith. It can lead us
to turning away from God or it can spur us on to fight the good fight of faith,
to strive for understanding, to go further in our journey and seek to draw
nearer to God.
Author Robert Louis Stevenson was a sickly child who was
burdened by ill health for most of his life.
He died at the age of 44. From skeptical
beginnings, his spiritual journey eventually led him to become a man of radiant
faith. He started by debunking the
Christian faith as the “deadliest gag and wet-blanket that can be laid on
man.” He referred to himself as a
youthful atheist. As he grew older, he
began to have what he referred to as “his
first wild doubts about doubt.”
Later, he commented: “Tis a strange world, but there is a manifest
God for those who care to look for him.” Finally, Stevenson wrote: “Faith
is a good word to end on.” So
Stevenson went through his struggles of faith, until he found himself doubting
his doubts and disbelieving his disbelief.
God calls you and God calls me to make a leap of faith. And
to make that leap everyday of our lives. God invites us to stake our lives on a
person and a power greater than ourselves - in the one whom we cannot see the
imprint of the nails or touch his wounds with our fingers or put our hand into his
side – even Jesus Christ.
In closing Thomas declares: “My Lord and My God!” Jesus
said to him: “Have you believed because you have seen me?” Yes one is indeed blessed if you have seen
the Lord, if you have had a vision of God in your life. Thomas doubted, but later was indeed
blessed.
You may have never seen the Risen Lord. And yet you are here this morning worshipping
him as lord and savior? For remember
Jesus’ blessing to you as well: “Blessed are you who have not seen, and yet
have come to believe.” Amen!
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