By Reverend Dr. Willie L. Hinton, Sr.
Matthew 11:2-5
(2) Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, (3) And said unto Him, Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another? (4) Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: (5) The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Introduction
Doubt and discouragement can infect the best of us. John the Baptist is now at the lowest point in his ministry. He is now second-guessing his whole life’s work. He is wondering if he made a mistake in declaring that Jesus is the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world. He is questioning the messiahship of Jesus. If it can happen to John the Baptist, it can happen to anybody. That’s why we need to “stay in the Word,” stay “prayed up,” and hang with positive mutual supporting people.
Exposition
The Forms Of Doubt.
(Ontological Doubt – Questions The Very Existence Of God.)
(Attributive Doubt – Questions The Nature Of God.)
(Modal Doubt – Questions The Methods Of God.)
The Facts About Doubt.
(Trouble And Suffering Can Be A Breeding Ground For Doubt.)
(The Devil Wants You To Doubt Because Doubters Don’t Give 100%.)
(Unanswerable Questions Can Be A Breeding Ground For Doubt.)
The Fix For Doubt.
(Acknowledge Your Doubts – Denial Is Not Healthy.)
(Realize It Is Not About You, But About God.)
(Look At The Big Picture.)
(Concentrate On What You Know – Not On What You Don’t Know.)
(Remember, God Understands And Will Give Assurance.)
(Remember, God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways.)
(Just Lean On His Word.)
(“God Said It And That’s All That Needs To Be Said.”)
Closing Thoughts
The French philosopher, Rene’ Descartes began a philosophical inquiry in which he doubted everything. Initially, he doubted the existence of everything. He doubted his own existence and the reality of the chair he was sitting in as he made his inquiry.
Then, the light flashed, and he could not doubt that he was, in fact, doubting. To doubt is to think. He coined the well-known Latin phrase, “Cogito, ergo sum,” Which means, “I think, therefore I am.” He proved his existence, philosophically, by doubting. In my humble opinion, he did not go far enough. Here is what I wish he had said, “I think, therefore I am, and I am, therefore there is a God who created me.”
Our fore-parents had it right when they sang, “You can’t make me doubt Him; I know too much about Him. You can’t make me doubt Him in my heart.”
Related Scriptures
Matthew 11: 7-19
Luke 7:19-35