Overcoming Doubt

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 7:18-35. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on July 14, 2024.

Joshua Harris’s journey is a cautionary tale that many in the Christian community are familiar with. Once a leading figure in the purity movement, Harris became a pastor and authored books that shaped a generation’s views on relationships. But his life took unexpected turns. In 2018, Harris apologized for his earlier teachings, divorced his wife in 2019, and declared he no longer considered himself a Christian. Reflecting on his journey, Harris shared on Instagram, “I used to have all the answers—chapter and verse. Now I’m happily uncertain and enjoying the wonder and mystery of life.”

This shift reveals an underlying issue: the danger of certainty without room for doubt. Harris’s story serves as a backdrop to the main topic of our discussion today—how doubt can play a role in our faith journey.

As we journey through the Gospel of Luke, we’ve seen Jesus preach the “Upside Down Kingdom,” where the poor are blessed, enemies are loved, and cheeks are turned instead of retaliating. This kingdom, as preached in the Sermon on the Plain, turns conventional wisdom on its head. Now, as we move into Luke chapter 7, Jesus demonstrates this kingdom’s principles through his interactions with people who were often seen as outsiders.

One of these encounters is with a Roman centurion who sought healing for his servant (Luke 7:1-10). Then, Jesus raises a widow’s son from the dead, causing a stir throughout the region (Luke 7:11-17). Word of these miracles even reaches John the Baptist, leading to a moment of doubt that is the focus of our passage today.

Luke 7:18-20 tells us, “The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’”

At first glance, this question might seem like a simple request for confirmation. But it reveals a deeper struggle within John—a doubt about Jesus’ identity as the Messiah.

To understand this doubt, we need to consider John’s life. From birth, John was set apart for a special mission. An angel had told his father, Zechariah, that John would “be great before the Lord… and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:14-16). John embraced this mission, calling people to repentance and baptizing them in preparation for the Messiah’s arrival.

When Jesus finally appeared, John recognized him as the one he had been waiting for. But after boldly confronting Herod Antipas about his immoral behavior, John found himself in prison. Meanwhile, Jesus, the Messiah John had proclaimed, seemed to be allowing evil to persist, and John remained in jail. This wasn’t the messianic overthrow of evil John had expected. Doubt crept in, leading him to ask, “Shall we look for another?”

Many of us have experienced similar moments of doubt. We look at the world around us and see evil flourishing, or we face personal tragedies that shake our faith. Doubt is often met with shame, either self-imposed or from others. But the Bible shows us that God allows room for doubt. Sarah doubted when God promised her a child in her old age (Genesis 18:12). Moses doubted his ability to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 4:10). Even Elijah, after a great victory, doubted when Jezebel threatened his life (1 Kings 19:3-4).

In the New Testament, we see that Jesus’ own family thought he was out of his mind, his disciples abandoned him, Peter denied him, and Thomas refused to believe in the resurrection without physical proof. Doubt is a natural part of the faith journey, and it’s something that even the most faithful figures in the Bible have experienced.

Jesus doesn’t rebuke John for his doubts. Instead, he responds in a way that reassures him. Luke 7:21-23 records, “In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight.” Then Jesus tells John’s disciples, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Jesus reminds John of the prophecies from Isaiah, showing him that the Messiah’s work is being fulfilled. This is a powerful validation of who Jesus is and an encouragement for John to hold on to his faith.

In our moments of doubt, we should remember that we are in good company. Like John the Baptist, our doubts do not disqualify us from God’s love or from being used by Him. Instead, we are invited to bring our doubts to Jesus, who reassures us with His actions and His words.

As we navigate the Upside Down Kingdom, may we hold fast to our faith, even in the face of uncertainty, and trust that God is at work, even when we can’t see it.