Doubt Vs Faith – Sermon 27 April, 2014

Doubt Vs Faith
John 20:19-31 1 Peter 1:1-12
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to all of the disciples in the upper room, but Thomas had the misfortune to be away. When he returned to the group they were all so excited about their encounter with the risen Christ. But Thomas looked at his colleagues and made the claim: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe”.
A week later Jesus appeared again and he directly confronted Thomas’ doubt by telling him to touch the mark of the nails. Thomas believed and said: “My Lord and my God”. Jesus reprimanded Thomas for believing only after he had truly seen, stating that we are truly blessed when we believe without seeing.
Faith is powerful and it is what we are required to have in our Christian walk with Christ with the guidance of the Holy Ghost. We have faith in the fact that Christ was and is God Himself.
1 Peter shows us the three things that we must have for our Christianity to be real and lasting.
1. Faith in God’s Power and Providence
Providence – the protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power. (v.1-4)
A. God knew us and chose us long ago.
B. He makes us holy. We obey Him and are cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Peter says for being obedient may God give us more and more grace and peace. It is through our obedience that we prove to be followers of Christ and gain more grace and peace. Belief and obedience are faith.
C. God has given us a priceless inheritance. God is to receive all of our praise because his great mercy that we have been born again. God raised Jesus from the dead. Peter says, now we live with a great expectation! I am expecting the coming of Christ and I am expecting to inherit the Kingdom of God!
2. Faith in God’s Protection (v.5-9)
A. Through our faith God is protecting us. God protects by his power until we receive salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see!
B. There is wonderful joy ahead. It is our promise!
C. Genuine faith is like fire. Trials show our faith is genuine. Our faith is being tested in our trials just like fire tests and purifies gold. Our faith is much more precious than gold. When our faith is tested and we remain strong in our faith, we will receive glory and honour on the day when Jesus is revealed to the whole world!
D. Trust in the unseen and the reward is great. We love him even though we haven’t seen him. Though we don’t see him, we trust him. We rejoice with joy and the reward for trusting him will be salvation for our souls!
3. Faith in God’s Salvation (v.10-12)
A. Even the prophets wanted to know more about salvation. They realized that His salvation was so graciously prepared for us because we did nothing to deserve it. They couldn’t quite grasp it.
B. They wondered about the time and situation. They couldn’t understand how God told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. They couldn’t understand how His beginning and ending would be so different. Coming to suffer and die, but reigning in Glory forever and taking us there with Him.
C. The prophet’s messages and the good news preaching are for us! The Good News has been announced to us by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen because these things are so wonderful.
So have…
Faith in God’s Power and Providence
Faith in God’s Protection
Faith in God’s Salvation
Because…
True Faith equals Salvation and should replace doubt.
This is the realm of faith. You can doubt, but at some point you must make your stand. You have got to believe.
Jesus tells Thomas to reach out his hand. The Greek word for reach is fero. It means to be carried, to be borne with the suggestion of force or speed.
That is what we need to do. Reach out toward Jesus.
Reach for the risen Christ and know his power beyond all doubt.

Krikor Youmshajekian