Elevating Faith: Trusting God Through Doubt and Participation
Summary
In this moment, whether you're here in the auditorium or watching online, God knows your story intimately. He understands your struggles, your doubts, and your fears. If you open your heart and mind, He will elevate your faith to a place of greater trust. We often find ourselves questioning whether God will answer our prayers, and this doubt can paralyze us, preventing us from living the full life Christ has for us. Jesus asks us to fight the good fight of faith, to trust Him even when circumstances seem overwhelming.
In John 20, we see three stories of doubt: Mary, John, and Thomas. Mary went to the tomb without expecting Jesus to have risen, illustrating how doubt can stem from a sense of unworthiness. We often feel unworthy of God's attention, but faith is about relationship and intimacy with Jesus. It's about knowing how He sees us, not based on our spirituality, but because of the cross.
John hesitated at the tomb, showing how doubt can cause us to hesitate. We often hesitate because we fear disappointment. But faith grows through investigation and understanding God's word. When we open the Bible, the Holy Spirit elevates our faith, and we begin to see God's promises more clearly.
Thomas, known for his doubt, needed to see to believe. His story teaches us that faith also grows through participation. Sometimes, we need to show up, even when we're skeptical. God requires our participation because it transforms us. Faith without works is meaningless, and by participating, we experience transformation and discover God's goodness.
Growing in faith is like a trapeze act. We are the flyers, and God is the catcher. We must let go, be still, and wait to be caught. This requires releasing control and trusting God. As we let go, we find strength in waiting, and when God catches us, there's no greater feeling. He has plans and purposes for us, and He is the perfect catcher.
Key Takeaways:
- God Knows Your Story: God understands your unique journey and struggles. He invites you to open your heart and mind to Him, allowing Him to elevate your faith and trust in His promises. Faith is not about perfection but about trusting God despite circumstances. [00:46]
- Faith Through Relationship: Like Mary, we may feel unworthy, but faith is about intimacy with Jesus. It's about knowing how He sees us because of the cross, not our spirituality. This relationship builds trust and expectation in God's promises. [09:12]
- Overcoming Hesitation: John's hesitation at the tomb shows how doubt can paralyze us. Faith grows through understanding God's word. By investigating and studying the Bible, we gain insight and revelation, allowing the Holy Spirit to elevate our faith. [16:37]
- Participation in Faith: Thomas teaches us that faith grows through participation. Sometimes, we need to show up, even when skeptical. God requires our participation because it transforms us, leading to a deeper trust in His goodness and provision. [27:14]
- Letting Go and Trusting God: Faith is like a trapeze act. We must let go, be still, and wait for God to catch us. This requires releasing control and trusting in His perfect timing. As we let go, we find strength in waiting, and when God catches us, we experience His plans and purposes. [28:41]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:46] - Opening Prayer
[01:24] - Confession of Doubt
[03:02] - Importance of Faith
[04:39] - Stories of Doubt
[09:12] - Faith Through Relationship
[10:15] - Trusting God's Promises
[11:37] - Expectation in Faith
[12:26] - Strength in Weakness
[14:27] - Overcoming Hesitation
[16:37] - Investigating God's Word
[18:44] - Faith in Community
[20:06] - Forgiveness and Trust
[21:02] - Rebuilding Relationships
[21:55] - Fighting the Good Fight
[22:56] - Stories of Doubt and Faith
[23:52] - Thomas and Participation
[24:51] - Seeing to Believe
[25:56] - Transformation Through Participation
[27:14] - Showing Up in Faith
[28:41] - Letting Go and Trusting God
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- John 20:1-29
- Hebrews 11:6
- James 2:17
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Observation Questions:
1. In John 20, what were the initial reactions of Mary, John, and Thomas upon encountering the empty tomb or hearing about Jesus' resurrection? How did their responses differ? [04:39]
2. According to the sermon, what does the story of Mary Magdalene illustrate about feelings of unworthiness and faith? [09:12]
3. How does the sermon describe John's hesitation at the tomb, and what does it suggest about the nature of doubt? [16:37]
4. What role does participation play in Thomas's journey to faith, as discussed in the sermon? [27:14]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon suggest that feelings of unworthiness, like those experienced by Mary, can impact one's faith and relationship with Jesus? [09:12]
2. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between doubt and hesitation, as seen in John's story? How can understanding God's word help overcome this hesitation? [16:37]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that faith grows through participation, as demonstrated by Thomas's experience? Why is showing up important in the journey of faith? [27:14]
4. How does the metaphor of the trapeze act illustrate the process of letting go and trusting God, according to the sermon? [28:41]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt unworthy of God's attention, like Mary. How did that affect your faith, and what steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Jesus? [09:12]
2. Have you ever hesitated to act on a nudge from God due to fear of disappointment, similar to John's hesitation? What practical steps can you take to overcome this hesitation and trust God's promises? [16:37]
3. Think of a situation where you, like Thomas, needed to see something tangible to believe. How can you practice showing up in faith, even when you're skeptical? [27:14]
4. The sermon compares faith to a trapeze act, where we must let go and trust God to catch us. What is one area of your life where you need to release control and trust God's timing? [28:41]
5. How can you actively participate in your faith journey this week, perhaps by joining a small group or serving in a ministry, to experience transformation and discover God's goodness? [27:14]
6. Identify a specific promise from God's word that you struggle to believe. How can you investigate and study this promise to elevate your faith and trust in God's provision? [16:37]
7. Consider a relationship or situation where you feel doubt or hesitation. What is one action you can take this week to step out in faith and trust God's plan for you? [21:02]
Devotional
Day 1: God Knows Your Journey
God is intimately aware of every detail of your life, including your struggles, doubts, and fears. He invites you to open your heart and mind to Him, allowing Him to elevate your faith and trust in His promises. Faith is not about achieving perfection but about trusting God despite the circumstances you face. When you embrace this truth, you can experience a deeper relationship with God, knowing that He is with you every step of the way. [00:46]
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel misunderstood or alone? How can you invite God into that space today to experience His understanding and presence?
Day 2: Faith Through Intimacy with Jesus
Faith is about developing a deep, intimate relationship with Jesus, as illustrated by Mary's story. Despite feelings of unworthiness, faith is about understanding how Jesus sees us because of the cross, not based on our spirituality. This relationship builds trust and expectation in God's promises, allowing us to live a life of faith and hope. By focusing on the relationship with Jesus, we can overcome feelings of inadequacy and embrace the love and grace He offers. [09:12]
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways do you feel unworthy of God's attention? How can you remind yourself of your worth in Christ today?
Day 3: Overcoming Hesitation Through God's Word
John's hesitation at the tomb highlights how doubt can paralyze us. However, faith grows through understanding God's word. By investigating and studying the Bible, we gain insight and revelation, allowing the Holy Spirit to elevate our faith. As we delve deeper into Scripture, we begin to see God's promises more clearly, which helps us overcome hesitation and embrace a life of faith. [16:37]
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific area of doubt or hesitation in your life? How can you seek God's guidance through His word to address this doubt today?
Day 4: Participation Transforms Faith
Thomas's story teaches us that faith grows through participation. Sometimes, we need to show up, even when skeptical. God requires our participation because it transforms us, leading to a deeper trust in His goodness and provision. By actively engaging in our faith journey, we experience transformation and discover God's goodness in new and profound ways. [27:14]
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:22, ESV)
Reflection: What is one way you can actively participate in your faith today, even if you have doubts? How might this participation lead to transformation in your life?
Day 5: Letting Go and Trusting God's Timing
Faith is like a trapeze act, where we must let go, be still, and wait for God to catch us. This requires releasing control and trusting in His perfect timing. As we let go, we find strength in waiting, and when God catches us, we experience His plans and purposes. Trusting God involves surrendering our own plans and embracing His, knowing that He is the perfect catcher who will never let us fall. [28:41]
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are struggling to let go and trust God's timing? What steps can you take today to release control and trust in His perfect plan?
Quotes
"Listen, what you need to know is in this moment right here, whether you're in this auditorium or whether you're watching online, God knows exactly what your story is. He knows precisely and uniquely and distinctly where you're at, what's on your mind, what's on your heart, what you're facing." [00:00:03] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Not will He find perfection, but will He find people still trusting Him, no matter the circumstance, no matter the situation, living life in a zone where I am fully living with His design because doubt paralyzes you." [00:02:44] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Faith is a matter of relationship. And intimacy with Jesus. And it grows through the presence of Jesus where he shows himself to you and you begin to discover how he actually sees you." [00:09:30] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Faith grows through the heart. It's a gift that comes through relationship where you discover it's not just a God who has the power. It's Jesus who has the desire." [00:11:37] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"And oftentimes when we have doubt, that manifests in hesitation. It stops us from stepping into all that God has for us. And there are some of you and you know, God is just nudging you." [00:15:51] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Years ago, when we were just... starting out in ministry and you know we didn't have that much money we had two cars we live in chicago you got to have two cars and god speaks to me and says i want you to give one of your cars away to this family that needed a car we didn't have the money to buy a second car so my response to god was you want them to have a car you give them a car don't ask me to give them a car you can do that no no i want to do it through you and we kind of went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth you ever had an argument with god at some point i just had to say i'm gonna just show up okay god i'm gonna show up my wife and myself we took our kids and we gave the car away that night i get a phone call from a friend who says joel i could ask you a really strange question i said what's that do you need a car and i said why god just has put it on my heart that i should give you my new car now don't miss the point of the story the miracle was not the car that's a hunk of metal that goes forward and backwards do not define the glory of god by a hunk of a car we were grateful for it don't misunderstand me do you know what the miracle was we actually did it we stepped into faith and gave a car away when we had no idea what would happen we showed up and we were transformed we actually did it we had enough faith to do it and there was this radical change in the world and we were transformed we actually did it we had enough faith to do it and there was this radical transformation that we would have never had had we not participated there are some of you now this morning and you know what i'm talking about god is asking you to participate and the reason why he's doing that is at the end of that story is this radical transformation for you where you will discover the glory and the goodness of god not just in the provision but in your heart you know that natural circumstance you're looking for that'll help you believe you are the natural circumstance you're the one who just shows up so he says listen i know there's going to be doubt and i know sometimes you won't have an expectation it'll be too low like mary you say jesus show yourself to me so i know the person behind the promise or you say i'm hesitant because i don't want to be disappointed and he says if you study it out if you get together with good spiritual friends and you see what i say about that something will change inside of you and you go i just gotta see something and he goes no i want you to participate i want you to show up growing in faith is like a trapeze art you ever seen a trapeze act on youtube or something like that there's two participants there's what's called the flyer and there's what's called the catcher and the catcher completely controls the entire act the catcher tells the flyer when to go and the flyer really has just three jobs the first thing does is let go you can never get caught if you don't let go then the second thing the flyer does is just be still and wait if the flyer grabs that stuff you'll fall and then the third thing the flyer does is get caught do you think you're the flyer or do you think you're the catcher because in faith we're the flyer and he's the catcher and these are the three roles we have the first thing you have to do is you just have to let go of you are here and you have been holding on to something it's important it's so significant that you're controlling it you're trying to manipulate it you're trying to dictate it you go to bed at night consumed with it replaying conversations over it and god is saying let go just let go so that you can get caught by the catcher and it just begins with this release god i do not have the capacity to navigate this i give it to you and for every one of us it looks differently but you got to let go and then you have to be still and you have to wait but the bible says they that wait upon the lord will renew their strength we think strength comes by getting caught strength actually comes in waiting when you wait it's not passive it's active i am believing i am trusting i have put myself in that place god you are going to show up i'm going to fight the good fight of faith and at the right moment the catcher comes and he grabs you and when he grabs you there is no greater feeling than being caught when we let that car release to this other family before i got the phone call there was an exhilaration of joy and victory why because we did it we actually stepped into it and then when god caught us there was this other exhilaration he is waiting to lead you into this incredible life of faith he has plans and purposes for you he has answers for you he has clarity for you he has decisions for you and he is the perfect catcher" [00:29:14] (0 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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