A couple of weeks ago I preached about doubting. Lots of people have talked with me about how important that sermon was to them. I’ve done some more thinking about it, here is what I have been kicking around in my head. You can find the sermon here
I read an article the other day that said one of the main reasons people stop going to church, not just change to another church but really stop going altogether, is that the people in the church don’t deal well with folks that have doubts. Funny thing is, everybody has doubts. I always find it somewhat humorous that some Christians feel a need to straighten out folks with doubts. I mean really, doubt has a deep and proud tradition in the body of Christ. In fact, I don’t think we can even call ourselves Christ-like unless we have doubts. Frankly, even Jesus had some doubts.
Remember the whole thing on the cross? My God, my God why have you forsaken me? When I read this in the church I always want to stop right there and yell surprise! There he is on the cross about to give his life. He has been obedient to the father all his life and all of a sudden the father skips out and says, by the way, that whole dying thing? You’re on your own. It sounds like a pretty big doubt to me. More disturbing is that this isn’t an onetime isolated incident that can be overlooked. Just a few hours earlier he was doing some major doubting. Remember the garden prayer?
Turns out, Jesus was not entirely sold on the father’s plan. The Craig Laughlin version goes like... Father, this whole dying on the cross thing... um... if there is a plan “B” could we explore that option now? Crosses are a pretty tough way to go.
Okay now I’m going to get myself in trouble but it seems to me that to not have doubts is a sign that one is delusional, not being truthful with themself or hasn’t thought about their faith very much. To say I have no doubts is to imply one has an unshakable answer for every question. Really? Come hang out with me I’ve got some questions that make my head hurt.
Okay, I’m going to push it a little further. It just seems to me that to have faith one must have doubts. In fact, having all the answers is in some ways the opposite of faith. Faith is not the ability to control our circumstances or resolve every issue. It is choosing to trust God even when the road ahead is as terrifying, kind of like crosses and dying alone.
When I was in college we used to talk about having to take a Leap of Faith. That is where doubting comes in. Doubting is what reveals the gap that faith must leap over. It just seems to me that folks who profess to have no doubts probably don’t have much faith either. It seems to me that they have substituted self-assurance for faith. Even Jesus needed faith to leap over the gaps. I think I have decided that faith is about trusting the father even when I can’t figure it all out.
Could it be that the most faith-filled words Jesus spoke were not about making blind people see and lame people walk? What if the most faith-filled words Jesus spoke were into your hand I commit my spirit and not my will but yours be done.
I have to admit I have more doubts than Jesus did, but then they crucified him. Besides at least I am in good company. Oh, if you are a doubter welcome to my world and by the way, you’re welcome at my church. Let’s do coffee, talk about our doubts, and share what we have learned.
By His Grace,
Craig,
ReplyDeleteI think it's good to acknowledge our doubt and fears. Living in denial doesn't help. But as soon as we acknowledge our it we can move forward. I love the part where Jesus says that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed we can move mountains. What's interesting about that is he wasn't saying that we should stop at the mustard seed faith but we should start there and what it grow! The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds but when it is watered and grows it becomes one of the biggest trees in the garden. It's meant to grow to be huge! What does that mean? It means we start small and water and let God grow it so it can be big faith. I remember when i used to pray prayers like "if it's God will for you to be healed" and other similar prayers... and the result was always the same, nothing happened. Then God began to convict me of those prayers and told me to say faith statements like, "Jesus is going to heal you right now" and "You're healed" and sure enough my faith activated the hand of God and they were healed! I have many examples. What's interesting is that as I began to realize that the Father listens to us and IT IS His "will" that they be healed. He wants them healed more than me. He wants, as Jesus said, his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Does anybody believe that in heaven there is sickness? No! So then why would God want his children to live in sickness. He doesn't. Virtually, everyone that came to Jesus to be healed was. He told the 12 and the 72 to go and do what? Heal the sick, Raise the dead, Cast out demons, and preach the Gospel. It's our command too. Cessationism is biblical. God is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow. Whenever the disciples couldn't do the miraculous he always told them their faith was too small and that some things can only be done by prayer "and fasting" (some greek manuscripts). So it is God's will they should be healed, we just need to believe it and no matter what physical reality we see our faith activates the power of God to carry out His will. Jesus said, "I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes in me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it." (NET)
I love that Jesus sends us out to do the miraculous and we will see it. If we believe that all things are possible for those who believe. If we don't shrink back but press forward. I had to face my fears (growing up in a theological cessationist doctrine denomination) and sure enough, God came through. Why? I obeyed... and believed. Nothing is impossible for God. Not even death.
<"Faith is not the ability to control our circumstances or resolve every issue. It is choosing to trust God even when the road ahead is as terrifying, kind of like crosses and dying alone."> --or like stepping out of boats.
ReplyDeleteThis new adventure that God has called us to made me wonder about Peter and that whole walking-on-water thing. How big the doubt that he had to overcome before he stepped out of the boat; the clarity and strength of his faith which propelled him to climb overboard; and the almost-instantaneous fear that returned as soon as he was actually walking on water for a few seconds. I went through the exact same process, the doubt before the church interview, the clear direction as we said "yes", and the "is this really what God wants?" question almost as soon as we did.
<"I love that Jesus sends us out to do the miraculous and we will see it. If we believe that all things are possible for those who believe. If we don't shrink back but press forward. I had to face my fears (growing up in a theological cessationist doctrine denomination) and sure enough, God came through. Why? I obeyed... and believed. Nothing is impossible for God. Not even death."> Am witnessing that miracle now as doors are swinging wide open before us as we step out in faith -even with my doubts- and are following God's call to pastor a new church.
Thanks for sharing the sermon link. Am looking forward to hearing it. You have no idea what a blessing your sermons have been to me during this time of transition. Been listening to your "1st anniversary" sermons (the "great commission mission" series) and God has used them to speak encouragement and challenge. Thank you, and God bless you!
Sheryll, we will be praying for your transition. As you know we did that awhile back. We are glad we followed God but at the time we had truckloads of doubt.
DeleteAmen friend! Just don't tell this to our friends in the deep end of the holiness church pool.
ReplyDeleteIn a lyric, the Rolling Stones (always a great scholarly reference!) referred to Jesus' statement on the cross as His "moment of doubt and pain." And that is the way I like to think of it: a moment. A transcendent moment in time through which the humanity of Jesus was revealed to us. To me, it was the greatest gift that Jesus gave. It is okay to doubt. It is normal, human, expected and forgiven.
ReplyDeleteI think you hit it on the head. That moment was among the greatest gifts He gave us. Thanks for the words from those great theologians The Stones!
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