WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:11.839 Well, good morning. It's good to be with you here this morning. Like Tommy said, I do campus ministry down the road in College Park, and I love getting to work with college students. 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:17.719 And while I've been doing that, being here at Advent has been a great church home for me to be here. 00:00:18.679 --> 00:00:22.940 So I'm delighted to be here and to teach from the Word this morning. 00:00:23.460 --> 00:00:32.240 So we're now in the season of Easter, and this season is a time where we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. 00:00:32.380 --> 00:00:39.200 And we consider what it means that Jesus is alive, that He has rose from the dead, that He's defeated sin and death. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:45.520 And we consider what that means not only for our hope for life after death and our hope in a renewed world, 00:00:45.960 --> 00:00:49.820 but we also consider what that means for us in our lives today. 00:00:49.820 --> 00:00:58.659 And the reality that the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead is available to us in our lives right now through the Holy Spirit by faith. 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:07.280 And so it's interesting that in a season where we are thinking about resurrection and hope and life in a renewed world, 00:01:07.700 --> 00:01:10.180 that we come to a passage on doubt. 00:01:10.180 --> 00:01:21.100 This passage is after the resurrection, and you have the disciples who have seen Jesus alive and many others. 00:01:21.240 --> 00:01:24.460 But there's one disciple who has yet to see Him alive. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:26.560 It's the disciple Thomas. 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:32.860 And when he hears the report of the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead, he initially doesn't believe it. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:38.920 He refuses to believe what his close friends have told him. 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:41.040 And in one sense, this story is surprising. 00:01:41.540 --> 00:01:48.379 That one of the people who knew Jesus the best, who saw Him teach, who saw Him perform miracles, 00:01:48.980 --> 00:01:54.260 would end up being one of the people who would doubt Him the most, who would doubt His resurrection the most. 00:01:54.620 --> 00:02:01.480 So on one hand, this story is surprising, but I think for me at least, this story is also a breath of fresh air. 00:02:01.480 --> 00:02:05.520 Because I think that many of us can resonate with Thomas. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:08.340 I'm kind of a natural skeptic at heart. 00:02:09.300 --> 00:02:13.219 And whether we would say that we have been a Christian for a long time, 00:02:13.219 --> 00:02:17.159 or whether we would say we're trying to figure out if we believe in God at all, 00:02:17.580 --> 00:02:20.539 I think we can all resonate with Thomas to some degree, 00:02:21.099 --> 00:02:25.420 because we all experience doubt in some form or another. 00:02:25.419 --> 00:02:30.179 So I think some of us wrestle with maybe more intellectual and philosophical doubt. 00:02:30.659 --> 00:02:34.319 Maybe we doubt whether God is real, whether we can know He's real, 00:02:34.500 --> 00:02:39.739 whether the Word is true, whether it's a reliable historical account, 00:02:40.079 --> 00:02:41.959 whether Christianity is rational. 00:02:43.419 --> 00:02:47.119 And so, you know, maybe we might consider ourselves a person of reason or science, 00:02:47.119 --> 00:02:49.739 and so we have trouble with Christianity intellectually. 00:02:49.740 --> 00:02:57.020 But for maybe some more of us, maybe our doubt is more kind of existential and emotional, 00:02:57.020 --> 00:03:01.700 that we would say we believe God's real, we believe Christianity is true, 00:03:02.100 --> 00:03:04.980 but oftentimes God feels absent from us. 00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:09.620 And we wonder if He really loves us, if He really cares for us, 00:03:09.620 --> 00:03:15.540 if He's really involved in the mundane, ordinary circumstances of our life. 00:03:15.539 --> 00:03:20.239 Maybe some of you are in a season of particular difficulty or suffering, 00:03:20.699 --> 00:03:26.639 and it's seasons like that that often cause us to doubt the goodness and the love of God. 00:03:27.060 --> 00:03:30.379 There's a range of doubts that we can experience in this life, 00:03:30.799 --> 00:03:37.639 and I've experienced a range of doubts from intellectual to emotional to existential. 00:03:38.419 --> 00:03:40.579 And the question is, what do we do with them? 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:43.659 What do we do with our doubts? 00:03:43.659 --> 00:03:49.099 What do we do when, for a variety of reasons, doubt enters our lives? 00:03:49.259 --> 00:03:54.199 This passage, I think, is a good case study to help us learn and understand 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:58.659 whether we have been a Christian for a long time or whether we would say we're not a Christian. 00:03:58.900 --> 00:04:02.960 It's a good case study to figure out what is it that we do with our doubt. 00:04:03.819 --> 00:04:07.439 I want to look at, I think this passage teaches us three things about what to do with our doubt. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:13.379 I think it teaches us that we have to uncover our doubt, that we have to examine the evidence, 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:15.319 and that we have to fuel our faith. 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:19.000 We have to uncover our doubt, we have to examine the evidence, we have to fuel our faith. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:21.139 So first, we have to uncover our doubt. 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:26.259 So, the Gospel writer John tells us that eight days after the resurrection, 00:04:26.899 --> 00:04:30.720 all other disciples have seen Jesus except Thomas. 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:37.380 And, like we read in the passage earlier, that even though they tell him that they've seen him raised from the dead, 00:04:37.840 --> 00:04:38.720 he doesn't believe them. 00:04:39.400 --> 00:04:40.400 Verse 25 says, 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:57.659 And even though he lived 2,000 years ago, I think Thomas is actually kind of a modern person. 00:04:58.219 --> 00:05:00.000 He has modern sensibilities. 00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:01.060 He approaches truth. 00:05:01.159 --> 00:05:02.120 He approaches knowledge. 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:06.180 And Christianity, in the same way a lot of modern people in our culture do, 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:09.720 that a lot of people say, you know, in order for me to believe something, 00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:14.340 particularly believe in something like God, there has to be real, solid, empirical evidence for it. 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:18.579 And so, if I don't see empirical evidence for something, I'm not going to believe it. 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:19.480 I'm not going to trust it. 00:05:20.040 --> 00:05:24.420 And so, when it comes to Christianity, a lot of people doubt the Christian faith because of this kind of thinking. 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:26.600 Maybe you would say that's a lot like you, 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:31.720 that you have doubts about whether God or really, you know, the resurrection in particular, 00:05:32.120 --> 00:05:33.259 is true. 00:05:33.340 --> 00:05:35.280 You say, I'm a person of science. 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:36.120 I'm a person of reason. 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:37.680 I don't believe anything. 00:05:37.740 --> 00:05:38.740 I can't prove empirically. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:42.160 But what happens when we uncover that doubt? 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:45.720 What happens when we look underneath that doubt? 00:05:45.840 --> 00:05:49.300 I think if we actually uncover that doubt, if we look underneath it, 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:52.180 what we'll actually find is belief. 00:05:52.819 --> 00:05:54.759 So, for example, if you would say that, you know, 00:05:54.840 --> 00:05:57.379 science is the only way that we can know things in the world. 00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:01.459 You know, what's interesting about that statement is that 00:06:01.459 --> 00:06:02.899 it's actually not a scientific statement. 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:05.379 It's a philosophical one. 00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:11.979 It's not about the observable natural world that we can test and prove through science. 00:06:11.979 --> 00:06:15.180 It's actually a statement of epistemology. 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:17.219 It's a statement of how we know what we know. 00:06:18.199 --> 00:06:20.439 And so, one of the problems with that statement is 00:06:20.439 --> 00:06:22.479 it can't live up to its own standard. 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:26.779 You'd say the only way we can know stuff is through science, 00:06:26.779 --> 00:06:29.439 but yet you can't prove that statement scientifically. 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:33.899 And so, if that's something that you hold, the question is, 00:06:34.159 --> 00:06:35.399 why do you believe that? 00:06:36.459 --> 00:06:37.319 How do you know? 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:38.199 How would you prove it? 00:06:38.239 --> 00:06:39.079 How would you show it? 00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:43.979 How would you show that science is the only way that you can know truth in the world? 00:06:44.059 --> 00:06:46.059 See, underneath your doubt, if you uncover your doubt, 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:48.879 what you would find is belief. 00:06:49.259 --> 00:06:51.079 What you find is faith. 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:52.120 And so, what is faith? 00:06:52.479 --> 00:06:53.879 You know, I think oftentimes in our culture, 00:06:54.500 --> 00:06:55.859 this word faith gets thrown around, 00:06:55.939 --> 00:06:57.859 and what we mean when we say it is 00:06:57.859 --> 00:06:59.519 it's belief without evidence. 00:07:00.259 --> 00:07:02.899 It's belief in something even if you don't have evidence for it. 00:07:02.979 --> 00:07:04.459 But that's not at all what faith is. 00:07:04.500 --> 00:07:07.199 That's not at all how the Bible talks about faith. 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:09.919 How the Bible talks about faith is trust, 00:07:10.519 --> 00:07:12.439 is committed trust. 00:07:13.099 --> 00:07:17.180 It's committed trust to, you know, the evidence that we see, 00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:19.319 to the knowledge that we have available to us. 00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:23.439 But really, we don't have, we can't know everything. 00:07:23.939 --> 00:07:25.839 We can't have all the evidence because we're finite. 00:07:26.279 --> 00:07:29.680 We're limited as human beings and what we can know about the world. 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:32.959 And so, that's why faith always coexists with doubt. 00:07:33.939 --> 00:07:36.319 Underneath our doubt is belief. 00:07:37.100 --> 00:07:37.699 It's faith. 00:07:37.819 --> 00:07:40.139 All of our doubts, no matter what they are, 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:41.579 are all based on faith. 00:07:41.860 --> 00:07:44.819 The first time that I really kind of started to doubt my faith 00:07:44.819 --> 00:07:46.000 was in college. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:51.560 And it was just a particularly difficult season of my life. 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:55.300 I was dating a girl that I was in love with 00:07:55.300 --> 00:07:56.680 and I thought that I was going to marry. 00:07:57.220 --> 00:07:59.399 And we were dating for quite a while. 00:08:00.519 --> 00:08:03.160 And at the end of our relationship, 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:04.579 she broke up with me. 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:06.839 And I was devastated. 00:08:07.180 --> 00:08:08.279 And it was really painful. 00:08:08.279 --> 00:08:11.139 And it was one of the most painful times in my life. 00:08:11.679 --> 00:08:17.459 It's one of the most painful things to have someone that you love reject you. 00:08:17.559 --> 00:08:22.000 And so, what I was going through was so painful at the time 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:23.919 that I began to doubt. 00:08:24.819 --> 00:08:25.559 And I thought, 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.319 how could God be loving and good 00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:30.719 and allow me to go through this? 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:32.940 And I began to question God's goodness 00:08:32.940 --> 00:08:34.740 and his love and his character. 00:08:35.620 --> 00:08:37.100 But what, as I thought through, 00:08:37.480 --> 00:08:38.840 as I thought through my doubts, 00:08:38.899 --> 00:08:39.740 what I began to discover 00:08:39.740 --> 00:08:43.200 was that my doubt was based on a belief. 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:45.960 And that belief went something like this, 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:47.040 that if I live a good life, 00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:48.100 if I follow Jesus, 00:08:48.200 --> 00:08:49.300 if I obey him, 00:08:49.899 --> 00:08:51.040 things should go well for me. 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:52.040 Everything should work out. 00:08:53.019 --> 00:08:55.940 And now, I might not have been able to tell you that explicitly, 00:08:55.940 --> 00:08:57.200 but in my heart, 00:08:57.280 --> 00:08:58.060 that's what I believed. 00:08:58.580 --> 00:08:59.540 Live a good life, 00:08:59.900 --> 00:09:01.380 and God will reward you. 00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:03.900 And so, when the storms of life came, 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:04.860 I started to doubt. 00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:08.280 But that doubt was based on a belief. 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:11.080 But the belief wasn't strong. 00:09:11.160 --> 00:09:11.860 It was fragile. 00:09:12.180 --> 00:09:14.100 It was a fragile belief. 00:09:14.180 --> 00:09:16.200 It had no capacity to endure hardship. 00:09:16.340 --> 00:09:19.600 There was no capacity to endure suffering. 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:21.200 Whatever your doubts are, 00:09:21.280 --> 00:09:22.500 they're based on faith. 00:09:22.920 --> 00:09:25.820 Because really, our doubts are alternate beliefs. 00:09:26.140 --> 00:09:26.820 That's what they are. 00:09:28.260 --> 00:09:29.380 And so, what we have to do 00:09:29.380 --> 00:09:30.480 is we have to uncover our doubts. 00:09:30.560 --> 00:09:31.360 We have to figure out, 00:09:32.180 --> 00:09:34.780 is the faith that our doubts are based on, 00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:36.340 is it strong enough? 00:09:37.100 --> 00:09:38.200 Is it rational enough? 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:38.940 Does it make sense? 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:39.920 Does it make sense of the world? 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:41.540 Does it make sense of God? 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:43.760 And of the Bible and what he says? 00:09:44.840 --> 00:09:45.460 See, for Thomas, 00:09:45.540 --> 00:09:47.280 he had a really strong faith 00:09:47.280 --> 00:09:49.020 in his empirical knowledge, 00:09:49.020 --> 00:09:51.940 but that faith wasn't strong enough. 00:09:52.120 --> 00:09:55.840 When he was confronted with stronger evidence, 00:09:56.500 --> 00:09:57.920 he had to change his core assumptions. 00:09:58.420 --> 00:09:59.900 He had to change his core beliefs. 00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:01.660 And that's what we have to do as well. 00:10:01.740 --> 00:10:03.600 So secondly, we have to examine the evidence. 00:10:03.760 --> 00:10:04.660 We have to examine the evidence. 00:10:05.340 --> 00:10:06.320 So Thomas says that, 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:07.880 unless I see with my own eyes, 00:10:07.900 --> 00:10:08.580 I won't believe. 00:10:09.700 --> 00:10:10.720 And what happens? 00:10:11.680 --> 00:10:14.040 He sees Jesus with his own eyes. 00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:16.840 Verse 26 says that, 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:17.640 eight days later, 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:19.860 his disciples were inside again, 00:10:19.860 --> 00:10:21.600 and Thomas was with them. 00:10:22.180 --> 00:10:23.580 And although the doors were locked, 00:10:23.899 --> 00:10:25.680 Jesus came and stood among them 00:10:25.680 --> 00:10:26.600 and said, 00:10:26.940 --> 00:10:27.700 peace be with you. 00:10:28.659 --> 00:10:31.460 And then I think what is a very interesting exchange, 00:10:31.899 --> 00:10:32.639 in verse 27, 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:34.240 Jesus turns right to Thomas 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:36.419 and starts engaging his doubt. 00:10:36.659 --> 00:10:39.080 And notice the way that he engages with Thomas. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:40.259 You know, 00:10:40.300 --> 00:10:41.440 he doesn't dismiss him. 00:10:42.379 --> 00:10:43.480 He doesn't scold him. 00:10:43.540 --> 00:10:44.160 He doesn't shame him. 00:10:44.180 --> 00:10:44.680 He doesn't say, 00:10:45.040 --> 00:10:45.300 you know, 00:10:45.340 --> 00:10:47.160 stop trying to think so critically. 00:10:47.379 --> 00:10:47.460 You know, 00:10:47.500 --> 00:10:49.120 stop trying to be so rational. 00:10:49.620 --> 00:10:50.720 Stop trying to be so empirical. 00:10:51.040 --> 00:10:51.220 Right? 00:10:51.259 --> 00:10:52.100 He doesn't say that. 00:10:52.780 --> 00:10:53.660 He actually says the opposite. 00:10:53.800 --> 00:10:53.940 He says, 00:10:54.020 --> 00:10:54.639 verse 27, 00:10:54.759 --> 00:10:55.139 he says, 00:10:55.139 --> 00:10:57.439 put your finger here. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:10:59.100 See my hands. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:00.539 Reach out your hand 00:11:00.539 --> 00:11:01.679 and put it in my side. 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:04.779 Stop doubting and believe. 00:11:04.980 --> 00:11:06.460 Jesus invites Thomas 00:11:06.460 --> 00:11:09.080 to consider the truth for himself, 00:11:09.179 --> 00:11:12.319 to examine the evidence for himself. 00:11:12.439 --> 00:11:12.639 He's saying, 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:12.799 look, 00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:13.919 you want empirical evidence? 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:14.639 Here I am. 00:11:15.699 --> 00:11:16.159 Reach out. 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:16.960 Touch me. 00:11:17.659 --> 00:11:19.419 Feel my wounds in my side. 00:11:19.860 --> 00:11:19.960 Now, 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:21.019 this is so important 00:11:21.019 --> 00:11:22.399 because it's important 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:23.960 because we need to know 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:24.939 that to be a Christian, 00:11:25.139 --> 00:11:27.860 is not to believe in blind faith. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:30.159 It's not to believe without evidence. 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:32.100 Christianity doesn't dismiss 00:11:32.100 --> 00:11:33.480 rational inquiry. 00:11:33.580 --> 00:11:33.659 No, 00:11:33.699 --> 00:11:34.379 it invites it. 00:11:34.539 --> 00:11:35.740 It invites examination. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:38.519 It invites skepticism. 00:11:38.679 --> 00:11:41.500 It invites inquiry into the truth. 00:11:41.620 --> 00:11:42.240 To be a Christian 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:43.819 is to be someone 00:11:43.819 --> 00:11:45.279 who considers 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:46.539 and who wrestles with 00:11:46.539 --> 00:11:48.980 the reasons for believing. 00:11:49.639 --> 00:11:50.019 Now, 00:11:50.059 --> 00:11:50.819 when it comes to the reasons 00:11:50.819 --> 00:11:51.779 for believing the resurrection, 00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:53.299 unfortunately, 00:11:53.460 --> 00:11:54.039 we don't have 00:11:54.039 --> 00:11:55.919 the resurrected body 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:57.459 of Jesus here with us. 00:11:58.079 --> 00:11:59.519 But here's what we do have. 00:12:00.059 --> 00:12:00.799 What we do have 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:01.699 is a lot of good, 00:12:01.899 --> 00:12:02.319 solid, 00:12:02.839 --> 00:12:04.019 historical reasons 00:12:04.019 --> 00:12:05.099 for believing 00:12:05.099 --> 00:12:05.740 that the resurrection 00:12:05.740 --> 00:12:06.539 really happened. 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:08.519 And I'm just going to fly through 00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:10.219 three quick reasons. 00:12:11.059 --> 00:12:11.719 And if you're interested 00:12:11.719 --> 00:12:13.179 in researching this more, 00:12:13.299 --> 00:12:14.039 exploring this more, 00:12:14.419 --> 00:12:15.099 I'm going to recommend 00:12:15.099 --> 00:12:15.939 a couple books at the end 00:12:15.939 --> 00:12:16.740 that would be helpful 00:12:16.740 --> 00:12:18.319 to help you explore more. 00:12:18.819 --> 00:12:19.719 One of the first reasons 00:12:19.720 --> 00:12:20.460 that we have 00:12:20.460 --> 00:12:23.060 of why we can believe 00:12:23.060 --> 00:12:23.860 historically the resurrection 00:12:23.860 --> 00:12:24.440 really happened 00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:25.420 was the widespread 00:12:25.420 --> 00:12:27.100 eyewitness evidence. 00:12:27.779 --> 00:12:29.279 So the early church's testimony 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:30.680 was based on 00:12:30.680 --> 00:12:33.200 the eyewitnesses 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:34.139 of those who saw 00:12:34.139 --> 00:12:35.300 Jesus alive. 00:12:35.379 --> 00:12:36.639 So in 1 Corinthians 15, 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:37.920 Paul's talking about 00:12:37.920 --> 00:12:38.379 the resurrection 00:12:38.379 --> 00:12:40.259 and he says that 00:12:40.259 --> 00:12:41.680 Jesus appeared to the disciples 00:12:41.680 --> 00:12:42.220 and he appeared 00:12:42.220 --> 00:12:43.639 to more than 500 people. 00:12:44.660 --> 00:12:45.820 And so part of what 00:12:45.820 --> 00:12:46.360 Paul's doing 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:47.160 is he's saying, 00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:47.860 look, 00:12:47.860 --> 00:12:48.659 I'm talking about 00:12:48.659 --> 00:12:49.139 the resurrection 00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:50.440 and how this matters 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:52.680 for our hope 00:12:52.680 --> 00:12:53.340 and for our faith. 00:12:53.419 --> 00:12:53.700 But listen, 00:12:53.820 --> 00:12:54.899 don't take my word for it. 00:12:54.940 --> 00:12:55.960 If you don't believe me, 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:57.519 these people are still alive. 00:12:57.639 --> 00:12:58.940 They're still living in Jerusalem. 00:12:59.060 --> 00:12:59.860 If you really want to go 00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:00.500 and talk to them, 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:02.220 you can go and talk to them. 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:05.220 There was incredibly widespread 00:13:05.220 --> 00:13:07.300 eyewitness evidence. 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:08.120 The second thing 00:13:08.120 --> 00:13:09.879 is that the gospel records 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:10.800 record 00:13:10.800 --> 00:13:12.659 that the first people 00:13:12.659 --> 00:13:14.580 that Jesus appears to alive 00:13:14.580 --> 00:13:15.759 were women. 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:18.620 Now this is an interesting detail 00:13:18.620 --> 00:13:20.879 but it's fascinating 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:22.679 because in the Greco-Roman culture, 00:13:23.319 --> 00:13:26.240 that society had a fairly low view 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:26.600 of women 00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:28.100 which is sad 00:13:28.100 --> 00:13:31.039 but the reason why it's important 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:32.419 is that a woman 00:13:32.419 --> 00:13:33.240 could not testify 00:13:33.240 --> 00:13:34.580 in court. 00:13:34.700 --> 00:13:36.240 Her testimony was not valid 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:38.059 in a legal court of law. 00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:39.539 And why that matters 00:13:39.539 --> 00:13:40.779 is because if you're trying 00:13:40.779 --> 00:13:41.679 to make something up, 00:13:42.539 --> 00:13:44.200 if you're trying to persuade people 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:45.080 in the first century, 00:13:45.660 --> 00:13:46.920 that this person 00:13:46.920 --> 00:13:48.060 rose from the dead 00:13:48.060 --> 00:13:48.740 and if you're just trying 00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:49.759 to make up a legend, 00:13:50.580 --> 00:13:51.920 you wouldn't include women 00:13:51.920 --> 00:13:53.120 as a testimony. 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:54.100 You would include 00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:55.320 the most reliable men 00:13:55.320 --> 00:13:56.480 that you can find 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:57.580 and so what you have to do 00:13:57.580 --> 00:13:58.720 is you have to ask, 00:13:59.140 --> 00:14:00.200 why include this detail? 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:01.879 If they just were trying 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:02.560 to fabricate it, 00:14:02.580 --> 00:14:03.060 if they just were trying 00:14:03.060 --> 00:14:03.520 to make it up, 00:14:03.700 --> 00:14:05.040 why include this detail? 00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:08.180 The most logical explanation, 00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:08.759 I think, 00:14:08.820 --> 00:14:09.800 is that the gospel writers 00:14:09.800 --> 00:14:10.680 were simply just recording 00:14:10.680 --> 00:14:11.120 what happened. 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:12.879 They just were recording 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:14.039 the events 00:14:14.039 --> 00:14:15.860 as they took place. 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:17.340 And Jesus appears 00:14:17.340 --> 00:14:21.019 first to two women. 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:22.759 The third is the rapid growth 00:14:22.759 --> 00:14:23.240 of Christianity. 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:25.519 So in the ancient world, 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:26.740 you know, 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:28.259 the Roman Empire was vast 00:14:28.259 --> 00:14:28.919 and so you had 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:31.299 a lot of revolutionaries, 00:14:31.379 --> 00:14:32.700 you had a lot of groups 00:14:32.700 --> 00:14:33.480 of people who would try 00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:34.340 to rebel against 00:14:34.340 --> 00:14:34.860 the Roman Empire, 00:14:34.980 --> 00:14:36.580 who would try to overthrow 00:14:36.580 --> 00:14:38.039 the authorities. 00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:42.199 But as the great military power, 00:14:42.299 --> 00:14:42.620 Rome knew, 00:14:42.699 --> 00:14:43.740 all you have to do 00:14:43.740 --> 00:14:44.939 to crush the rebellion, 00:14:45.059 --> 00:14:45.699 all you have to do 00:14:45.699 --> 00:14:47.120 to crush the revolution 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:48.599 is to kill the leader 00:14:48.599 --> 00:14:50.419 or to imprison the leader. 00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:52.019 And if you do, 00:14:52.120 --> 00:14:53.059 the revolution dies. 00:14:53.199 --> 00:14:54.539 The rebellion dies. 00:14:55.620 --> 00:14:56.679 And that's what Rome did 00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:59.419 throughout the Mediterranean area. 00:14:59.579 --> 00:15:00.399 But it's interesting, 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:02.980 when they kill Jesus, 00:15:03.500 --> 00:15:04.860 when they execute Jesus, 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:07.459 the revolution doesn't die. 00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:10.059 the revolution explodes. 00:15:10.659 --> 00:15:11.899 And it explodes 00:15:11.899 --> 00:15:12.740 and it explodes 00:15:12.740 --> 00:15:14.039 and it explodes some more. 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:15.620 And it explodes 00:15:15.620 --> 00:15:16.379 through suffering 00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:16.959 and death 00:15:16.959 --> 00:15:17.939 and persecution 00:15:17.939 --> 00:15:20.159 until a few centuries later. 00:15:20.719 --> 00:15:22.199 It has exploded so much 00:15:22.199 --> 00:15:24.719 that it's the official religion 00:15:24.719 --> 00:15:25.419 of the Roman Empire. 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:26.779 And so the question 00:15:26.779 --> 00:15:27.839 that you have to ask is why? 00:15:28.740 --> 00:15:30.019 Why when they killed 00:15:30.019 --> 00:15:30.799 this group, 00:15:30.939 --> 00:15:31.379 this leader, 00:15:31.500 --> 00:15:32.419 this revolutionary, 00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:36.159 how did it explode? 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:39.319 And so what you have to do 00:15:39.319 --> 00:15:40.139 is you have to ask yourself, 00:15:40.199 --> 00:15:40.919 you have to consider 00:15:40.919 --> 00:15:42.360 the evidence 00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:43.620 for the resurrection. 00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:46.299 And if you would say 00:15:46.299 --> 00:15:47.120 that this is something 00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:47.899 that you want to look into, 00:15:48.059 --> 00:15:48.559 that this is something 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:49.319 you're considering, 00:15:49.740 --> 00:15:51.059 the truth of the Christian faith, 00:15:51.439 --> 00:15:52.120 two books 00:15:52.120 --> 00:15:54.039 that treat this topic 00:15:54.039 --> 00:15:55.559 from a historical perspective 00:15:55.559 --> 00:15:58.219 are Jesus and the Eyewitnesses 00:15:58.219 --> 00:15:59.120 by Richard Balkan 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:01.579 and The Resurrection of the Son of God 00:16:01.579 --> 00:16:02.259 by N.T. Wright. 00:16:02.259 --> 00:16:03.419 And these books, 00:16:03.580 --> 00:16:03.899 I think, 00:16:04.100 --> 00:16:05.179 would be great resources 00:16:05.179 --> 00:16:05.799 for you to look at 00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:06.360 if you're interested 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:07.799 in looking at this more. 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:09.399 But here's the point. 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:09.700 Listen, 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:10.799 if you doubt the resurrection, 00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:11.480 if you doubt 00:16:11.480 --> 00:16:13.379 if this could possibly be 00:16:13.379 --> 00:16:14.919 true historical event, 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:16.220 you can't just say 00:16:16.220 --> 00:16:17.539 it just couldn't have happened. 00:16:17.899 --> 00:16:19.340 You can't just dismiss it. 00:16:19.899 --> 00:16:20.740 You've got to come up 00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:21.559 with a better explanation. 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:22.259 You've got to come up 00:16:22.259 --> 00:16:23.200 with a better reason 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:25.600 why all these things happened 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:26.720 in the first century. 00:16:26.740 --> 00:16:27.799 Because unless you do, 00:16:28.299 --> 00:16:29.259 your doubt 00:16:29.259 --> 00:16:31.620 isn't based on a solid belief. 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:32.419 Your doubt is actually 00:16:32.419 --> 00:16:34.259 based on blind faith. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:35.620 And so if you're a skeptic 00:16:35.620 --> 00:16:36.220 like Thomas, 00:16:36.940 --> 00:16:38.539 you've got to examine 00:16:38.539 --> 00:16:39.000 the evidence 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:39.679 for the resurrection. 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:42.019 But for others of us, 00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:44.039 our main form of doubt 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:44.799 isn't intellectual 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:45.740 or philosophical. 00:16:46.940 --> 00:16:49.500 It's more personal 00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:50.460 and existential. 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:52.159 It has to do with 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:53.360 the realities of our lives. 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:54.019 Many of us would say 00:16:54.019 --> 00:16:54.560 that we believe 00:16:54.560 --> 00:16:55.320 Christianity is true. 00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:56.860 We believe the resurrection. 00:16:57.659 --> 00:16:58.919 But my doubts are 00:16:58.919 --> 00:17:00.480 about doubting things 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:02.120 that I know to be true. 00:17:02.860 --> 00:17:04.039 I'm having a hard time 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:04.640 really believing 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:05.299 and experiencing 00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:06.400 what I believe 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:08.099 in my mind is true. 00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:09.539 Maybe like me, 00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:11.880 like you've experienced 00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:13.000 doubt in your life 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:13.440 that I did 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:14.200 when I was in college. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:15.220 That when the storms 00:17:15.220 --> 00:17:16.400 of life come, 00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:17.599 you've doubted, 00:17:17.860 --> 00:17:18.019 you know, 00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:18.940 does God really love me? 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:20.599 Does He really care? 00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:22.599 Is He really involved 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:24.079 in the circumstances 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:25.599 of my life? 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:27.459 And so for those of us 00:17:27.459 --> 00:17:28.099 who are there, 00:17:28.199 --> 00:17:28.559 what we need 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:29.500 is not more evidence. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:30.839 What we need 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:32.059 is confidence 00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:34.139 to believe in our hearts 00:17:34.139 --> 00:17:34.839 what we already know. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.579 And so for that, 00:17:36.639 --> 00:17:37.759 we have to fuel our faith. 00:17:38.419 --> 00:17:39.439 We have to fuel our faith. 00:17:39.539 --> 00:17:40.199 In verse 28, 00:17:40.919 --> 00:17:42.039 Thomas sees Jesus 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:43.839 and he sees the scars 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:45.099 on his hands 00:17:45.099 --> 00:17:45.839 and on his side. 00:17:46.419 --> 00:17:47.419 And he says, 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:49.379 he recognizes Him 00:17:49.379 --> 00:17:51.719 as Lord and as God. 00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:53.259 And in a moment, 00:17:53.380 --> 00:17:54.440 he has moved 00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:56.420 from committed skepticism 00:17:56.420 --> 00:17:58.740 to confident faith. 00:17:58.819 --> 00:18:00.120 He no longer has a reason 00:18:00.120 --> 00:18:03.059 to hold his prior beliefs. 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:04.600 Jesus is there 00:18:04.600 --> 00:18:06.100 standing right before him. 00:18:06.180 --> 00:18:07.339 He can reach out 00:18:07.339 --> 00:18:07.900 and touch him 00:18:07.900 --> 00:18:08.519 and see him 00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:09.220 and talk to him. 00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:12.720 And it's easy maybe 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:13.460 for Thomas 00:18:13.460 --> 00:18:15.299 to move towards faith 00:18:15.299 --> 00:18:15.680 in that moment. 00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:15.900 I mean, 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:18.000 Jesus is right there with him. 00:18:18.600 --> 00:18:19.900 And so what about us? 00:18:19.980 --> 00:18:21.360 What does it look like for us 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:22.799 to fuel our faith? 00:18:23.319 --> 00:18:24.459 What does it look like for us 00:18:24.459 --> 00:18:25.619 to have deep confidence 00:18:25.619 --> 00:18:27.119 in what we know, 00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:27.859 even though 00:18:27.859 --> 00:18:29.240 we can't reach out 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:29.859 and touch Jesus 00:18:29.859 --> 00:18:30.559 with our hands? 00:18:31.919 --> 00:18:33.379 We have to doubt our doubts 00:18:33.379 --> 00:18:35.119 and we have to remember 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:35.740 his scars. 00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:37.519 In order to fuel our faith, 00:18:37.579 --> 00:18:38.699 we have to doubt our doubts 00:18:38.699 --> 00:18:39.839 and we have to remember 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:40.839 his scars. 00:18:40.919 --> 00:18:41.919 We have to doubt our doubts. 00:18:42.439 --> 00:18:43.299 See, doubt happens 00:18:43.299 --> 00:18:44.259 in the Christian life 00:18:44.259 --> 00:18:46.779 when how we feel 00:18:46.779 --> 00:18:49.199 conflicts with what we know 00:18:49.199 --> 00:18:50.459 to be true about God. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:52.299 And this most happens 00:18:52.299 --> 00:18:53.619 when the storms of life come. 00:18:53.859 --> 00:18:55.859 When life is going well, 00:18:55.919 --> 00:18:56.579 I think it's easy 00:18:56.579 --> 00:18:57.959 to have confident faith 00:18:57.959 --> 00:18:59.659 and to trust in the sovereignty 00:18:59.659 --> 00:19:00.479 and goodness of God. 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:02.139 But when the storms of life come, 00:19:02.659 --> 00:19:04.259 that's when it's easy to doubt, 00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:06.799 when it's easy to question 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:08.119 the goodness and love of God. 00:19:09.579 --> 00:19:11.059 But here's the thing about faith 00:19:11.059 --> 00:19:12.399 and here's how it works. 00:19:12.959 --> 00:19:14.099 Faith is not primarily 00:19:14.099 --> 00:19:15.659 a function of how we feel. 00:19:16.919 --> 00:19:17.799 It's not primarily 00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:18.819 a function of how we feel. 00:19:18.819 --> 00:19:21.480 It's a function of living out 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:22.599 what we know to be true 00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:24.879 despite how we feel, 00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:27.359 despite our circumstances, 00:19:28.099 --> 00:19:29.359 despite the difficulty 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:31.000 that we're going to. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:33.619 It's humbling for me to admit 00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:35.159 that there was a time 00:19:35.159 --> 00:19:35.679 in my life 00:19:35.679 --> 00:19:37.500 when I ignored the advice 00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:38.159 of my parents 00:19:38.159 --> 00:19:39.619 when I should have followed it. 00:19:39.899 --> 00:19:40.899 I know that I'm probably 00:19:40.899 --> 00:19:41.579 the only person 00:19:41.579 --> 00:19:42.500 who's ever done this 00:19:42.500 --> 00:19:43.619 in their entire life. 00:19:43.619 --> 00:19:46.439 So I'm just going to be lonely 00:19:46.439 --> 00:19:47.539 in this confession up here. 00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:49.919 But it was a time in my life 00:19:49.919 --> 00:19:51.199 when I was getting ready 00:19:51.199 --> 00:19:52.000 to go to grad school 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:53.959 and I was going to move 00:19:53.959 --> 00:19:54.679 across the country 00:19:54.679 --> 00:19:55.359 to St. Louis. 00:19:56.139 --> 00:19:56.919 And, you know, 00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:57.699 if you've ever moved 00:19:57.699 --> 00:19:58.419 across the country, 00:19:58.539 --> 00:19:59.039 the biggest thing 00:19:59.039 --> 00:19:59.619 you've got to figure out 00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:01.059 is where you're going to live. 00:20:01.079 --> 00:20:01.879 And there's so many factors 00:20:01.879 --> 00:20:02.459 that go into 00:20:02.459 --> 00:20:03.639 where you're going to live 00:20:03.639 --> 00:20:04.379 and rent 00:20:04.379 --> 00:20:05.519 or, you know, 00:20:05.559 --> 00:20:06.339 share a room 00:20:06.339 --> 00:20:07.259 or all this stuff. 00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:09.420 And so their advice was, 00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:10.059 you know, 00:20:10.119 --> 00:20:11.180 Jeff, live on campus. 00:20:11.660 --> 00:20:11.879 You know, 00:20:11.940 --> 00:20:13.079 it's more expensive 00:20:13.079 --> 00:20:14.960 but the community 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:15.839 is going to be better. 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:16.539 You're going to form 00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:17.220 better relationships. 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:18.819 It's going to be, 00:20:18.819 --> 00:20:19.039 you know, 00:20:19.099 --> 00:20:20.420 close to where you go to class. 00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:22.400 And they were like, 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:22.640 you know, 00:20:22.700 --> 00:20:23.579 it's more expensive 00:20:23.579 --> 00:20:24.039 but listen, 00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:25.559 the benefits outweigh the cost. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:26.980 And so they were urging me 00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:27.680 to live on campus. 00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:30.000 But I doubted their advice. 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:32.299 I doubted the advice 00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:32.720 of my parents 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:33.400 and I followed 00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:34.519 my own intuition 00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:35.279 and my own feelings. 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:37.099 And I felt pretty strongly 00:20:37.099 --> 00:20:38.240 that saving money 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:39.240 was a better choice 00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:40.219 economically. 00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:41.079 And, you know, 00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:42.899 I wanted to live in the city 00:20:42.899 --> 00:20:43.599 and experience 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:46.199 the cool hip parts 00:20:46.199 --> 00:20:47.339 of living downtown 00:20:47.339 --> 00:20:48.159 and living in the city. 00:20:48.419 --> 00:20:49.000 I didn't want to live 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:50.240 on campus in the suburbs. 00:20:51.219 --> 00:20:52.319 And so I decided 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:53.000 to live off campus. 00:20:53.099 --> 00:20:54.339 I doubted my parents' advice. 00:20:54.439 --> 00:20:55.119 I went against them. 00:20:55.159 --> 00:20:56.139 I went with my own feelings 00:20:56.139 --> 00:20:56.699 with my own intuition. 00:20:58.819 --> 00:20:59.819 And it was one of the worst 00:20:59.819 --> 00:21:00.939 decisions that I ever made 00:21:00.939 --> 00:21:02.919 because it was one 00:21:02.919 --> 00:21:03.659 of the most lonely 00:21:03.659 --> 00:21:05.339 seasons of my life. 00:21:05.679 --> 00:21:06.599 I went and lived 00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:07.039 with a roommate 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:07.899 I had never met 00:21:07.899 --> 00:21:09.319 and I was incredibly 00:21:09.319 --> 00:21:09.859 disconnected. 00:21:10.099 --> 00:21:11.019 I was incredibly lonely 00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:12.259 and it was one of the 00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:13.219 toughest times emotionally 00:21:13.219 --> 00:21:14.259 for me in my life. 00:21:14.719 --> 00:21:15.919 And I look back on that 00:21:15.919 --> 00:21:16.959 and I regret that decision. 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:17.799 I wish that I had 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:18.619 lived on campus. 00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:19.240 I wish that I had 00:21:19.240 --> 00:21:21.219 engaged in that community, 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:21.619 that friendships. 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:22.759 And I look back 00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:23.219 on that decision 00:21:23.219 --> 00:21:23.740 and I think, 00:21:24.159 --> 00:21:24.879 why did I doubt? 00:21:25.819 --> 00:21:26.740 Why did I doubt 00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:28.519 the love of my parents, 00:21:28.659 --> 00:21:30.000 the trust in their relationship 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:30.740 and the wisdom 00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:31.819 that they had? 00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:33.119 My parents know me. 00:21:33.159 --> 00:21:33.500 They love me. 00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:34.279 They have my best interest 00:21:34.279 --> 00:21:34.700 in mind. 00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:36.259 I wish I would have 00:21:36.259 --> 00:21:38.259 trusted that relationship 00:21:38.259 --> 00:21:39.359 more than I trusted 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:39.980 my own intuition, 00:21:40.059 --> 00:21:40.619 my own feelings. 00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:42.519 And what I needed 00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:43.200 in that moment 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.279 was the ability 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:47.059 to rely on 00:21:47.059 --> 00:21:47.539 the relationship 00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:48.039 that I had. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:48.920 What I needed 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:49.240 in that moment 00:21:49.240 --> 00:21:49.700 was the ability 00:21:49.700 --> 00:21:50.680 to doubt my doubts. 00:21:51.420 --> 00:21:52.460 To doubt my doubts 00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:53.299 in the midst of feelings 00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:53.960 that told me otherwise. 00:21:54.379 --> 00:21:55.639 And the same is true 00:21:55.639 --> 00:21:56.660 in our relationship 00:21:56.660 --> 00:21:57.200 with Jesus. 00:21:58.139 --> 00:21:59.000 And the classic example 00:21:59.000 --> 00:21:59.579 of this is 00:21:59.579 --> 00:22:00.920 the story 00:22:00.920 --> 00:22:02.039 in the Gospels 00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:03.320 when Peter's 00:22:03.320 --> 00:22:04.120 on the Sea of Galilee 00:22:04.120 --> 00:22:04.560 and they're out 00:22:04.560 --> 00:22:04.980 on the boat 00:22:04.980 --> 00:22:06.400 and he sees Jesus 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:07.779 walking towards him 00:22:07.779 --> 00:22:08.620 on the water 00:22:08.620 --> 00:22:11.240 and he gets out 00:22:11.240 --> 00:22:11.580 of the boat 00:22:11.580 --> 00:22:12.519 and he starts 00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:13.759 walking towards Jesus 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:14.360 on the water 00:22:14.360 --> 00:22:15.600 and he's filled with, 00:22:15.700 --> 00:22:16.440 it's this faith 00:22:16.440 --> 00:22:17.600 that allows him 00:22:17.600 --> 00:22:18.860 to walk in the water. 00:22:18.940 --> 00:22:19.740 But then he starts 00:22:19.740 --> 00:22:20.160 to doubt 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:22.560 and he pays attention 00:22:22.560 --> 00:22:23.140 to the wind 00:22:23.140 --> 00:22:23.680 and the waves 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:24.380 and to the storm 00:22:24.380 --> 00:22:25.039 around him 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:26.019 and he starts 00:22:26.019 --> 00:22:26.539 to sink. 00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:30.039 And Jesus says, 00:22:30.379 --> 00:22:31.159 Jesus grabs him 00:22:31.159 --> 00:22:31.599 and saves him 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:31.960 and he says, 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:32.839 you of little faith, 00:22:33.259 --> 00:22:34.079 why did you doubt? 00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:35.359 See for Peter, 00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:36.799 the reality of the storm 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:37.879 was greater 00:22:37.879 --> 00:22:38.599 than the reality 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:39.500 of Jesus. 00:22:39.659 --> 00:22:40.559 The belief 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:41.200 in the power 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:41.819 of the storm 00:22:41.819 --> 00:22:42.700 to sink him 00:22:42.700 --> 00:22:44.159 was greater 00:22:44.159 --> 00:22:46.000 than his belief 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:46.500 in the power 00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:47.079 of Jesus 00:22:47.079 --> 00:22:48.500 to sustain him. 00:22:49.099 --> 00:22:49.960 And that's us, 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:50.359 isn't it? 00:22:50.519 --> 00:22:51.200 Isn't that us? 00:22:51.500 --> 00:22:52.240 I know that's me. 00:22:52.420 --> 00:22:53.000 When the storms 00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:53.619 of life come, 00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:54.519 we need to begin 00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:56.039 to doubt our doubts, 00:22:56.039 --> 00:22:56.839 to doubt our feelings, 00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:58.859 to doubt what we feel 00:22:58.859 --> 00:23:00.220 so we can live out 00:23:00.220 --> 00:23:00.700 what we know 00:23:00.700 --> 00:23:01.460 is true. 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:02.119 And this is why, 00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:03.420 this is why community 00:23:03.420 --> 00:23:04.180 is so important. 00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:05.599 This is why good 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:06.319 Christian friendships 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:06.859 and relationships 00:23:06.859 --> 00:23:08.019 are so important 00:23:08.019 --> 00:23:09.259 because none of us, 00:23:09.799 --> 00:23:10.599 none of us can doubt 00:23:10.599 --> 00:23:11.659 our doubts by ourselves. 00:23:12.879 --> 00:23:13.799 It's an incredibly hard 00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:14.440 thing to do 00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:15.279 by ourselves 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:15.899 when we need others. 00:23:16.059 --> 00:23:16.159 You know, 00:23:16.180 --> 00:23:16.720 every Sunday 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:18.579 we say the creed 00:23:18.579 --> 00:23:18.940 and we say, 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:19.119 you know, 00:23:19.159 --> 00:23:19.839 I believe 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:21.059 in the communion 00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:21.659 of saints. 00:23:22.339 --> 00:23:22.639 You know, 00:23:22.659 --> 00:23:23.039 and the communion 00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:23.659 of saints 00:23:23.659 --> 00:23:25.619 isn't just this thing 00:23:25.619 --> 00:23:26.419 where we have people 00:23:26.419 --> 00:23:27.719 that we can go out 00:23:27.719 --> 00:23:28.279 to eat with 00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:29.819 and talk about sports with. 00:23:30.659 --> 00:23:30.879 No, 00:23:30.919 --> 00:23:31.899 the communion of saints 00:23:31.899 --> 00:23:32.979 is about having people 00:23:32.979 --> 00:23:33.579 in our life 00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:35.419 who when the storms 00:23:35.419 --> 00:23:36.159 of life come 00:23:36.159 --> 00:23:38.559 can help us doubt 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:38.959 our doubts, 00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:40.359 can look us in the eye 00:23:40.359 --> 00:23:42.659 and remind us 00:23:42.659 --> 00:23:44.399 of the goodness 00:23:44.399 --> 00:23:46.039 and the love 00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:46.799 and the sovereignty 00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:48.119 of God 00:23:48.119 --> 00:23:49.859 who can help us 00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:50.359 doubt our doubts. 00:23:50.459 --> 00:23:51.819 That's what the communion 00:23:51.819 --> 00:23:52.699 of saints is about. 00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:54.140 So, 00:23:54.340 --> 00:23:55.180 in order to fuel 00:23:55.180 --> 00:23:55.600 our faith 00:23:55.600 --> 00:23:56.160 we need to doubt 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:56.559 our doubts 00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:57.220 but we also, 00:23:57.779 --> 00:23:58.539 we've got to remember 00:23:58.539 --> 00:23:59.080 his scars. 00:23:59.940 --> 00:24:00.500 We've got to remember 00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:00.980 his scars. 00:24:01.860 --> 00:24:02.460 It's interesting 00:24:02.460 --> 00:24:03.000 in this passage 00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:03.700 that Jesus 00:24:03.700 --> 00:24:05.299 not only invites Thomas 00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:06.319 to believe in him 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:08.120 but to believe 00:24:08.120 --> 00:24:09.299 by touching his body, 00:24:09.420 --> 00:24:10.220 to believe by touching 00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:11.400 his scars. 00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:12.559 I think it's remarkable 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:13.120 that Jesus 00:24:13.120 --> 00:24:14.880 in his resurrected body 00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:16.759 still bears the marks 00:24:16.759 --> 00:24:18.039 of his crucifixion. 00:24:18.580 --> 00:24:19.340 I don't know about you 00:24:19.340 --> 00:24:20.080 but this is not 00:24:20.080 --> 00:24:21.200 what I would have expected 00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:21.880 at all. 00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:22.780 I would have expected 00:24:22.780 --> 00:24:23.920 that if God had the power 00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:25.740 to defeat sin and death 00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:27.240 and rise from the dead 00:24:27.240 --> 00:24:28.340 that he would have 00:24:28.340 --> 00:24:29.480 certainly had the power 00:24:29.480 --> 00:24:30.380 to heal a couple scars. 00:24:30.860 --> 00:24:31.260 I mean, 00:24:31.340 --> 00:24:32.760 this kind of seems inconsistent. 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:35.240 Of course he would have 00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:35.720 had the power 00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:36.380 to heal the scars 00:24:36.380 --> 00:24:36.800 in his body 00:24:36.800 --> 00:24:37.440 but he didn't. 00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:39.060 He kept them. 00:24:40.060 --> 00:24:41.160 Why did he keep them? 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:43.280 Why did Jesus keep his scars 00:24:43.280 --> 00:24:44.200 in his resurrected body? 00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:45.900 I think there's a lot 00:24:45.900 --> 00:24:46.820 that we could unpack here. 00:24:47.600 --> 00:24:48.340 I think there's a really 00:24:48.340 --> 00:24:49.800 robust theology 00:24:49.800 --> 00:24:50.840 of suffering here 00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:51.439 for Christians 00:24:51.439 --> 00:24:53.139 that the resurrected Christ 00:24:53.139 --> 00:24:54.059 bears our wounds 00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:57.240 but I think one reason 00:24:57.240 --> 00:24:58.659 that's based on this passage 00:24:58.659 --> 00:24:59.599 here in John 20 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:01.579 has to specifically do 00:25:01.579 --> 00:25:02.799 with our doubts 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:05.220 because I think that Jesus knew 00:25:05.220 --> 00:25:05.720 like Thomas 00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:06.339 that there is going to be 00:25:06.339 --> 00:25:07.339 that the people who 00:25:07.339 --> 00:25:08.759 knew him the most 00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:09.439 the people who 00:25:09.439 --> 00:25:11.059 loved him the most 00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.559 the people who were 00:25:11.559 --> 00:25:13.279 most faithful to him 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:15.500 that it was those people 00:25:15.500 --> 00:25:16.559 who would experience 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:17.519 the most doubt. 00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:19.660 You know some of you 00:25:19.660 --> 00:25:21.160 have been following Jesus 00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:22.339 your entire life 00:25:22.339 --> 00:25:24.339 and you've been committed 00:25:24.339 --> 00:25:25.059 and you've been faithful 00:25:25.059 --> 00:25:27.940 and some of you still doubt 00:25:27.940 --> 00:25:29.559 whether God is with you 00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:30.319 in some of your 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:31.299 most difficult moments. 00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:33.059 Some of you would say 00:25:33.059 --> 00:25:34.359 that you would never doubt 00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:35.359 the truth of the gospel 00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:36.059 that you believe 00:25:36.059 --> 00:25:38.000 that you are saved by grace 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.839 that you're justified 00:25:38.839 --> 00:25:40.079 in him 00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:41.160 that you're righteous 00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:42.319 that you are loved 00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:43.220 and approved by God 00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:46.680 and yet some of you doubt 00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:49.180 whether or not God 00:25:49.180 --> 00:25:50.039 isn't somehow 00:25:50.039 --> 00:25:51.180 just vaguely disappointed 00:25:51.180 --> 00:25:52.000 with you all the time. 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:53.980 You know some of us 00:25:53.980 --> 00:25:54.440 I think 00:25:54.440 --> 00:25:55.860 are utterly convinced 00:25:55.860 --> 00:25:56.339 that our truth 00:25:56.339 --> 00:25:58.120 is intellectually solid. 00:25:58.539 --> 00:25:59.160 We could build 00:25:59.160 --> 00:26:00.180 a great philosophical 00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:01.259 and intellectual argument 00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:02.400 a rational argument 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:03.640 for why Christianity is true 00:26:03.640 --> 00:26:06.720 and yet at the same time 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:07.720 we doubt 00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:08.980 the fact that God 00:26:08.980 --> 00:26:10.380 loves us 00:26:10.380 --> 00:26:11.920 that really loves us 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:12.380 in our being 00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:13.259 as much as his word 00:26:13.259 --> 00:26:14.440 says it does. 00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:15.620 I don't know about 00:26:15.620 --> 00:26:17.140 the individual circumstances 00:26:17.140 --> 00:26:17.900 of your life 00:26:17.900 --> 00:26:19.080 I would imagine 00:26:19.080 --> 00:26:20.660 that that's some of where 00:26:20.660 --> 00:26:21.440 some of us are at 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:22.140 this morning 00:26:22.140 --> 00:26:23.080 and if we're not there 00:26:23.080 --> 00:26:24.440 that we have been there 00:26:24.440 --> 00:26:25.300 or we're going to be there 00:26:25.300 --> 00:26:25.740 eventually. 00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:28.100 You know I love 00:26:28.100 --> 00:26:29.180 the prayer of the man 00:26:29.180 --> 00:26:29.800 in Mark 9 00:26:29.800 --> 00:26:31.759 who asked Jesus 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:32.680 to heal his son 00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:35.580 and he says 00:26:35.580 --> 00:26:37.039 Lord I believe 00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:37.940 that you can heal my son 00:26:37.940 --> 00:26:39.000 I believe 00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:41.180 help my unbelief 00:26:41.180 --> 00:26:42.580 you know 00:26:42.580 --> 00:26:43.240 it's this incredibly 00:26:43.240 --> 00:26:43.960 honest confession 00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:46.100 for the grace 00:26:46.100 --> 00:26:46.620 the ability 00:26:46.620 --> 00:26:48.620 to live out our faith 00:26:48.620 --> 00:26:49.900 to live out what we know 00:26:49.900 --> 00:26:51.160 despite how we feel 00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:53.039 and I need that prayer 00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:54.160 about every five minutes 00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:55.900 I don't know about you 00:26:55.900 --> 00:26:57.039 but friends 00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:57.860 let me tell you 00:26:57.860 --> 00:26:58.360 something wonderful 00:26:58.360 --> 00:26:58.980 about Jesus 00:26:58.980 --> 00:27:00.860 is that even 00:27:00.860 --> 00:27:02.539 in his resurrected body 00:27:02.539 --> 00:27:04.560 he bears our scars 00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:07.519 this is the objective 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:08.259 evidence 00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:10.779 that what we feel 00:27:10.779 --> 00:27:12.220 and what we experience 00:27:12.220 --> 00:27:14.419 isn't the thing 00:27:14.419 --> 00:27:15.659 that is most true 00:27:15.659 --> 00:27:16.299 about us 00:27:16.299 --> 00:27:17.799 and it's not the thing 00:27:17.799 --> 00:27:18.419 that's most true 00:27:18.419 --> 00:27:19.079 about God 00:27:19.079 --> 00:27:20.659 it's the objective evidence 00:27:20.659 --> 00:27:21.859 that the thing 00:27:21.859 --> 00:27:23.159 that is most true 00:27:23.159 --> 00:27:25.000 is that the one 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:26.359 who was raised 00:27:26.359 --> 00:27:26.799 from the dead 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:27.659 the one who conquered 00:27:27.659 --> 00:27:28.220 sin and death 00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:28.960 the one who is 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:30.339 ascended at the right 00:27:30.339 --> 00:27:30.919 hand of the Father 00:27:30.920 --> 00:27:32.600 the one who reigns 00:27:32.600 --> 00:27:33.660 as King of Kings 00:27:33.660 --> 00:27:34.860 and Lord of Lords 00:27:34.860 --> 00:27:36.220 is not absent 00:27:36.220 --> 00:27:37.400 from our pain 00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:40.080 is not removed 00:27:40.080 --> 00:27:41.940 from our difficulty 00:27:41.940 --> 00:27:43.580 he's not aloof 00:27:43.580 --> 00:27:45.039 from our suffering 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:46.400 he's intimately 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.860 acquainted with it 00:27:47.860 --> 00:27:49.220 he knows 00:27:49.220 --> 00:27:51.360 and the objective evidence 00:27:51.360 --> 00:27:52.380 is that he bears 00:27:52.380 --> 00:27:53.920 our scars 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:55.600 and so when the storms 00:27:55.600 --> 00:27:56.200 of life come 00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:56.720 I think 00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:58.120 one of the ways 00:27:58.120 --> 00:27:58.580 that we doubt 00:27:58.580 --> 00:27:59.080 is we say 00:27:59.080 --> 00:27:59.400 why? 00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.279 why is this happening 00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:00.660 to me? 00:28:01.300 --> 00:28:01.980 and we can doubt 00:28:01.980 --> 00:28:02.400 the goodness 00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:03.320 and the love of God 00:28:03.320 --> 00:28:05.400 but the scars of Jesus 00:28:05.400 --> 00:28:05.900 are a reminder 00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:06.539 that even though 00:28:06.539 --> 00:28:07.460 we might not know 00:28:07.460 --> 00:28:08.960 what the answer is 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:10.740 we may not ever 00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:11.400 be given an answer 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:12.200 for why we're going 00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:13.300 through this particular thing 00:28:13.300 --> 00:28:15.360 we can be confident 00:28:15.360 --> 00:28:16.519 we can have faith 00:28:16.519 --> 00:28:18.080 in what the answer's not 00:28:18.080 --> 00:28:20.019 and what the answer's not 00:28:20.019 --> 00:28:21.100 it's not because 00:28:21.100 --> 00:28:22.460 God's displeased with us 00:28:22.460 --> 00:28:24.440 remember his scars 00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:25.060 remember the fact 00:28:25.060 --> 00:28:26.980 that all of God's wrath 00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:27.860 all of his judgment 00:28:27.860 --> 00:28:28.320 for sin 00:28:28.320 --> 00:28:28.940 was poured out 00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:29.820 on Jesus on the cross 00:28:29.819 --> 00:28:31.319 and if we have faith 00:28:31.319 --> 00:28:31.859 in Christ 00:28:31.859 --> 00:28:32.779 it's not because 00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:33.559 God's displeased 00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:34.079 with us 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:35.879 it's not because 00:28:35.879 --> 00:28:37.379 God doesn't love us 00:28:37.379 --> 00:28:39.439 remember his scars 00:28:39.439 --> 00:28:40.099 remember the fact 00:28:40.099 --> 00:28:41.179 remember what he went 00:28:41.179 --> 00:28:42.419 through for you 00:28:42.419 --> 00:28:43.639 on Good Friday 00:28:43.639 --> 00:28:44.599 remember what he went 00:28:44.599 --> 00:28:45.879 through for you 00:28:45.879 --> 00:28:46.859 on the cross 00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:47.960 that's the objective 00:28:47.960 --> 00:28:48.899 evidence of his 00:28:48.899 --> 00:28:50.240 great love 00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:51.779 of his great mercy 00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:52.819 of his great compassion 00:28:52.819 --> 00:28:53.819 for you 00:28:53.819 --> 00:28:54.939 and his love for you 00:28:54.940 --> 00:28:56.259 isn't past tense 00:28:56.259 --> 00:28:58.380 it's present tense 00:28:58.380 --> 00:28:59.620 that's how much 00:28:59.620 --> 00:29:00.640 he loves you right now 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:02.340 it's not because 00:29:02.340 --> 00:29:04.259 God has abandoned us 00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:05.920 remember his scars 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:07.180 remember that Jesus 00:29:07.180 --> 00:29:08.299 was utterly forsaken 00:29:08.299 --> 00:29:08.880 by the Father 00:29:08.880 --> 00:29:10.799 so that you and I 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:11.340 can know that he 00:29:11.340 --> 00:29:12.200 will never leave us 00:29:12.200 --> 00:29:13.680 he will never abandon us 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:13.920 listen 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:14.900 when we doubt 00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:15.660 the goodness 00:29:15.660 --> 00:29:16.160 and the mercy 00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:16.860 and the love of God 00:29:16.860 --> 00:29:18.759 the scars of Jesus 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:19.440 are an invitation 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:20.519 to fuel our faith 00:29:20.519 --> 00:29:22.559 and to the reminder 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:24.180 that he is alive 00:29:24.180 --> 00:29:25.500 and he's risen 00:29:25.500 --> 00:29:27.720 and he knows our pain 00:29:27.720 --> 00:29:29.299 and he is aware 00:29:29.299 --> 00:29:30.720 of our difficulty 00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:32.839 and that's why 00:29:32.839 --> 00:29:33.339 this meal 00:29:33.339 --> 00:29:34.319 that we're about to eat 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:35.500 is so important 00:29:35.500 --> 00:29:37.480 that's why it's so important 00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:38.779 that we eat it 00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:39.440 every week 00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:40.720 because I have to 00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:41.599 fuel my faith 00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:42.720 I have to doubt my doubts 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:45.500 if not every week 00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:46.740 probably like once a day 00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:48.180 if not more than that 00:29:48.180 --> 00:29:50.319 the bread 00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:50.740 and the wine 00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:51.319 that we're about to eat 00:29:51.319 --> 00:29:52.679 is a great opportunity 00:29:52.679 --> 00:29:53.179 weekly 00:29:53.179 --> 00:29:54.819 to doubt our doubts 00:29:54.819 --> 00:29:56.339 to doubt how we feel 00:29:56.339 --> 00:29:57.220 and to trust 00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:58.419 in what we know 00:29:58.419 --> 00:29:58.919 to be true 00:29:58.919 --> 00:30:00.439 which is that God 00:30:00.439 --> 00:30:01.359 hasn't abandoned us 00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:02.079 that he's with us 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:02.779 that he's good 00:30:02.779 --> 00:30:04.319 that he loves us 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:06.139 and so as we prepare 00:30:06.139 --> 00:30:06.839 to come to the table 00:30:06.839 --> 00:30:07.799 I would invite you 00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:08.819 to consider 00:30:08.819 --> 00:30:10.179 what is it in your life 00:30:10.179 --> 00:30:11.039 today 00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:12.240 that is causing you 00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:12.700 to doubt 00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:13.579 the goodness 00:30:13.579 --> 00:30:14.319 and the love of God 00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:16.079 what is causing you 00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:17.000 to question 00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:17.960 whether God 00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:18.819 loves in you 00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:19.679 and delights in you 00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:20.820 and is for you 00:30:20.820 --> 00:30:22.580 as much as he says 00:30:22.580 --> 00:30:23.180 in his word 00:30:23.180 --> 00:30:25.539 and let this be a moment 00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:26.259 where you can begin 00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:27.039 to doubt your doubts 00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:28.860 let this be a moment 00:30:28.860 --> 00:30:29.500 where you can 00:30:29.500 --> 00:30:30.519 start to fuel your faith 00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:31.019 where you can 00:30:31.019 --> 00:30:32.320 stop doubting 00:30:32.320 --> 00:30:33.740 and believe 00:30:33.740 --> 00:30:35.660 and as John says 00:30:35.660 --> 00:30:36.420 that by believing 00:30:36.420 --> 00:30:37.880 that we might have 00:30:37.880 --> 00:30:38.840 life in his name 00:30:38.840 --> 00:30:40.039 let's pray 00:30:40.039 --> 00:30:42.619 and Psộc 00:30:42.619 --> 00:30:42.839 and the future 00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:44.000 of Israel 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:48.279 and to интерес 00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:49.379 and tohearted 00:30:49.379 --> 00:30:49.539 and to darkest 00:30:49.539 --> 00:30:50.500 that were 00:30:50.500 --> 00:30:50.619 because today 00:30:50.619 --> 00:30:50.799 and the future 00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:51.980 have already recognized 00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:52.759 to undermine