Embracing Doubt: Assurance in Christ's Identity

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Doubt as a Path to Deeper Faith

Even the strongest believers, like John the Baptist, can experience moments of doubt. This is not a sign of failure but an opportunity for growth in faith. When John, imprisoned and uncertain, sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah, Jesus responded not with rebuke but with evidence of His miraculous works. Jesus healed the blind, the lame, and the deaf, raised the dead, and preached the gospel to the poor, fulfilling the Messianic prophecies. This response serves as a reminder that our faith is grounded in the reality of who Jesus is and what He has done. In times of doubt, we are invited to look at the evidence of Jesus' works and find assurance in His identity. [06:30]

Isaiah 35:4-6 (ESV): "Say to those who have an anxious heart, 'Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.' Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy."

Reflection: When you face doubts about your faith, what specific works of Jesus can you reflect on to find reassurance and strength?

Day 2: Standing Firm in the Exclusivity of Christ

In a pluralistic society, the claim that Jesus is the only way to God is often met with resistance. Yet, this truth is central to the Christian faith. Believers are called to stand firm in this conviction, recognizing that Jesus' unique role as Savior is a testament to God's grace and provision. The world may challenge the exclusivity of Christ, but His declaration as the only way to God remains a cornerstone of Christian belief. This calls for a steadfast commitment to the truth of the gospel, even when it contradicts societal norms. [11:24]

Acts 4:11-12 (ESV): "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Reflection: In what ways can you actively affirm the exclusivity of Christ in your daily interactions, especially when faced with opposing views?

Day 3: Trusting in the Fulfillment of Prophecy

Jesus' works, as recounted to John's disciples, align with the Messianic prophecies of Isaiah. This fulfillment underscores the reliability of Scripture and the divine plan unfolding through Christ. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's promises, even when circumstances seem uncertain. The fulfillment of prophecy through Jesus' life and ministry serves as a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and the assurance that His word is true. [17:41]

2 Peter 1:19-21 (ESV): "And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's promises, especially when you face situations that challenge your faith?

Day 4: Blessed Assurance in the Face of Offense

Jesus pronounces a blessing on those who are not offended by Him. This beatitude challenges believers to embrace the gospel fully, even when it contradicts cultural values. It calls for a commitment to Christ that transcends societal approval and personal comfort. In a world that often rejects the notion of a singular truth, believers are invited to find assurance in their faith and to stand firm in their convictions, knowing that they are blessed when they are not offended by the truth of Christ. [19:19]

Matthew 11:6 (ESV): "And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."

Reflection: What cultural norms or personal comforts might be causing you to hesitate in fully embracing the gospel, and how can you overcome these challenges?

Day 5: The Transformative Power of the Kingdom

Jesus' praise of John the Baptist highlights his pivotal role in redemptive history. Yet, the statement that the least in the kingdom is greater than John points to the transformative nature of the new covenant. This invites believers to reflect on the profound privileges and responsibilities of being part of God's kingdom. The new covenant offers a transformative power that elevates even the humblest believer to a place of great significance in the kingdom of God. [28:54]

Hebrews 8:10-12 (ESV): "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."

Reflection: How can you actively participate in the transformative work of the kingdom in your community, recognizing your role and responsibility as a believer?

Sermon Summary

In our exploration of Luke 7:18-35, we delve into the profound encounter between John the Baptist and Jesus, highlighting the human struggle with doubt and the divine response of assurance. John, imprisoned and perhaps grappling with uncertainty, sends his disciples to ask Jesus if He is indeed the Messiah. This moment of doubt is not a sign of weakness but a reflection of the genuine human experience, even among the greatest prophets. Jesus responds not with rebuke but with evidence of His works—healing the blind, the lame, and the deaf, raising the dead, and preaching the gospel to the poor. These acts fulfill the Messianic prophecies, particularly those in Isaiah 61, affirming His identity as the Messiah.

This passage challenges us to confront our own doubts and the cultural pressures that question the exclusivity of Christ as the sole path to God. In a world that often rejects the notion of a singular truth, Jesus' declaration as the only way to God stands as a cornerstone of Christian faith. The call is to remain steadfast, like Polycarp, who faced death rather than deny Christ. Jesus' gentle reminder, "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me," invites us to embrace the gospel fully, even when it offends societal norms.

Furthermore, Jesus' commendation of John the Baptist underscores the significance of his prophetic role. Despite John's greatness, Jesus introduces a paradox: the least in the kingdom of God is greater than John. This statement invites us to ponder the transformative power of the new covenant, where even the humblest believer shares in the kingdom's glory.

Key Takeaways

1. Doubt and Faith: John the Baptist's question to Jesus reveals that even the strongest believers can experience doubt. This is not a sign of failure but an opportunity for deeper faith. Jesus' response to John, highlighting His miraculous works, serves as a reminder that our faith is grounded in the reality of who Jesus is and what He has done. [06:30]
2. The Exclusivity of Christ: In a pluralistic society, the claim that Jesus is the only way to God is often met with resistance. Yet, this truth is central to the Christian faith. Believers are called to stand firm in this conviction, recognizing that Jesus' unique role as Savior is a testament to God's grace and provision. [11:24]
3. The Fulfillment of Prophecy: Jesus' works, as recounted to John's disciples, align with the Messianic prophecies of Isaiah. This fulfillment underscores the reliability of Scripture and the divine plan unfolding through Christ. It encourages believers to trust in God's promises, even when circumstances seem uncertain. [17:41]
4. Blessed Assurance: Jesus pronounces a blessing on those who are not offended by Him. This beatitude challenges believers to embrace the gospel fully, even when it contradicts cultural values. It calls for a commitment to Christ that transcends societal approval and personal comfort. [19:19]
5. The Greatness of John and the Kingdom: Jesus' praise of John the Baptist highlights his pivotal role in redemptive history. Yet, the statement that the least in the kingdom is greater than John points to the transformative nature of the new covenant. It invites believers to reflect on the profound privileges and responsibilities of being part of God's kingdom. [28:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:24] - John's Inquiry
[01:06] - Jesus' Miraculous Works
[01:56] - The Greatness of John
[02:40] - Generation's Indifference
[03:14] - Receiving God's Word
[04:05] - The Rising Fame of Jesus
[05:46] - John's Doubt
[06:30] - Jesus' Response to John
[09:49] - The Exclusivity of Christ
[11:24] - Standing Firm in Faith
[13:01] - The Uniqueness of Jesus
[15:17] - Polycarp's Example
[16:06] - Evidence of the Messiah
[17:41] - Fulfillment of Prophecy
[19:19] - Blessed Assurance
[21:20] - Jesus' Praise for John
[22:06] - The Strength of John
[24:44] - The Image of the Minister
[26:26] - Behold the Man
[28:05] - The Greatest Prophet
[29:34] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

"Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things. And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?' When the men had come to Him, they said, 'John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"' And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. Jesus answered and said to them, 'Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.'" [00:24:08]

"Why it should be a strange thing for us to imagine that John might actually be having second thoughts. He had gone on public record proclaiming Jesus as the One who was to come, the Lamb of God who would take away their sins, the One who would be greater than John the Baptist, the one who baptized Jesus in the River Jordan. He had made this public proclamation of the person of Jesus, and whatever his personal expectations were of Jesus as of yet to this date, obviously they were not fulfilled. Is it impossible for a prophet of God to go through a dark night of the soul, a time of doubt?" [00:14:14]

"Do you know how many millions of millions and millions of people who are on this planet today and even in our own country who are not persuaded that Jesus was the one? The whole Jewish nation is still waiting for the Messiah, having rejected Jesus and being convinced that He was not the one who was to come. Every Muslim on this planet believes that Jesus ultimately was not the one who was to come, and there are others who are looking for a hero there, a heroine there, anybody that could fulfill the role of the rescuer, the deliverer, the Savior. We're not satisfied with Jesus." [00:09:34]

"Then, there are many, many millions of people who believe that Jesus was one of the ones who was to come, but by no means the only one. They will acknowledge that Jesus is one way to God but will shrink in horror at the suggestion that He's the only way to God. I can't think of any proclamation or profession more repugnant to a secular culture than the proclamation that there's only one way to God and that one way is Jesus." [00:10:29]

"Because Jesus said he was the only one, and the word of God says He's the only one. The Word of God says 'one mediator between God and man' There's only one who's given an atonement. If you think that God is stingy and lacking in grace by restricting it to one way, you need to ask yourself the question, 'Why is there any way? What have we done that would merit God's being moved to provide any way of salvation?'" [00:11:35]

"Let me say this, if you're not willing to stand for that it may very well be that you're an unregenerate person. This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where your loyalty to Christ comes to the test. Are you going to please men and bow to political correctness in a pluralistic and relativistic culture? Or are you really persuaded that Jesus Christ is God's only Son, the only One to provide an atonement for our sins, the only One whom God raised from the dead, the One whom God has appointed Him as judge and has appointed a day by which He will judge the whole world by Jesus, not by Mohammed, not by Confucius, not by Gautama Buddha?" [00:12:21]

"Jesus said to them, 'Go, tell John the things that you've seen and heard. Go, tell John that the blind see, the lame are walking, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised. And don't forget to tell them this above all else, the poor are having the gospel preached to them.' Why was it so important? The thing that would create such a marvel in the land was to see people who've been blind from their birth having their eyes open that they could see, the lame leaping for joy, the deaf hearing, the dead raised. That's a big deal." [00:16:30]

"Jesus added in, 'Blessed is he who is not offended because of me.' I don't want to leave that out. That's a very important beatitude. Why is it that professing Christians are so reluctant to say 'Jesus is the only way'? We know how the world thinks about that. We know they can't stand to hear that. We know that that is utterly offensive to them. So, what do we do? We want to flee from the offense, and want to say to them, 'Well, Christianity is right for me, but whatever you believe that's fine for you. You pray to your God and I'll pray to mine, and we'll all be happy together.' In hell." [00:18:36]

"How can you be offended by your Savior? How can you be offended by the incarnate Word of God? People come to me all the time with things that they read in the Scriptures that they don't like, and I say, 'It's wonderful for you if you can find things in the Bible that you don't like.' If when you're reading something in the Bible and you don't like it, put a big mark next to it and go through it, just wait for a minute. Keep reading through the whole Bible and every time you see something you don't like, put a mark next to it. And then go back and concentrate your study on the places where you've placed the marks because if you want a quick way to sanctification, that's it." [00:19:57]

"Now the messengers leave, and Jesus has to give a commentary about the man who had just asked the question, 'Are you the One to come?' Are you going to hear Jesus saying, 'It really irks Me when I get questions like that. What's wrong with this John? How quick he is in vacillating from his faith. How weak he is. What's the matter with him?' No, no. No! What you get here is basically a hymn of praise for John the Baptist. He said to the multitudes concerning John, to all those people who went flooding to the Jordan River, huge crowds that thronged along the riverbanks that they might be baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist." [00:21:29]

"What did you go to see, a prophet? Yes, of course you went out to see a prophet. That was the attraction, four hundred years of silence. Since Malachi a prophet had not arisen in Israel and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, out of the traditional meeting place between God and His people, a new prophet comes proclaiming the kingdom of God and calling you to repent and to be baptized. That's what you went out to see, a prophet. What you saw was a prophet, yes, but more than a prophet. Then Jesus said, 'This is he of whom it is written, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way before you."'" [00:26:44]

"Here the Old Testament prophets not only prophesy about the coming Messiah, but they prophesy about the prophet who will be the herald of the Messiah. So John himself is not just a prophet, he's the subject of prophecy and the object of prophecy. He was himself prophesied by the Old Testament prophets. Jesus said, 'He's a prophet.' Yes, but he's more than a profit. He's the prophet, the herald of the Messiah, the one who would usher in the Messianic era." [00:27:47]

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