Matthew 11:4-5………Working

Matthew 11:4-5………Working

11:4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the good news is preached to the poor. (For Complete Expository Get the Book) 

Extended Sermons

“Teaches when doubt & struggles sets in, we need to look up at what God has done in our lives and the lives of others.”→  Oftentimes our doubts are alleviated when we simply get our minds off ourselves and focus on what God is doing in the lives of other people. When we only stare at our own burdens, everything can begin to feel heavier than it truly is. Discouragement narrows our vision and convinces us that God is absent, inactive, or slow to move. But the moment we lift our eyes, we begin to notice that He is still saving, providing, restoring, and answering prayers all around us. Seeing God’s faithfulness in the lives of others reminds us that our story is not over. Their testimony becomes an invitation for us to trust again, pray again, and hope again. What God is doing in someone else’s life is not meant to discourage us, but to remind us that He is still active, still good, and still able to do more than we can see. So in moments of doubt, one of the most faith-building things we can do is look beyond ourselves. We can praise God for His work in the world, rejoice in His grace in the lives of others, and let those glimpses of His activity renew our confidence that He has not forgotten us either. In times when you feel overwhelmed, remember that you are not alone. Others have walked the road of doubt and discouragement, and God has met them with grace and assurance. Let their testimonies serve as anchor points for your soul. As you look back, let gratitude for God’s past faithfulness fuel your hope for tomorrow, knowing that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.

“Displays the compassion of Jesus who comforts our doubts, not with shame or irritation, but with grace and encouragement.”  ⇒  When you bring your questions to Jesus He doesn’t scold you or reprimand you. Jesus didn’t say “John you need to have more faith” But this is not what Jesus does! When He hears the doubts that gripped John’s heart He responds with love, patience, and grace.  In the same way do you jump on others for their little perceived indiscretions and imperfections. Or do fall on them with love, knowing no one is perfect. Or when friends or colleagues go through a difficult season of doubt, do you shame them, judge them, or  lecture them. Or do you meet them with love, patience, support, and understanding? If they’re struggling, find out what they’re struggling with, and help them find answers. If its an intellectual struggle welcome those questions. Find good solid answers to those questions. If it’s a theological problem about Jesus take them to the scriptures concerning the things of Christ and His fulfillment of them.

“Calls for anchoring our faith in the evidence of God’s work rather than the emotions of the moment” → How often when life’s problems begin to set in we find ourselves becoming very self-centered? Our focus begins to be all about our problems and what’s going on with us. And we fail to see what God is doing out in the rest of the world. Everything is about us. That’s what sin does, it shrinks things down in our life to where it’s all around and about  us. Our problems and our issues.  God’s purposes are not limited by our present emotions, and His faithfulness does not weaken when our feelings fluctuate. When we anchor ourselves in what God has already done, we begin to see beyond the narrow lens of fear and frustration. As believers were told to look back at God’s provision, His power, and His promises so that they would not be ruled by the crisis in front of us. In the same way, we strengthen our faith when we rehearse the evidence of God’s goodness instead of surrendering to the instability of the moment. So when pressure comes, we do not have to let it drive us inward. We can choose to look outward and upward—to the God who has never failed, who is working in ways we cannot always see, and who invites us to trust Him more than we trust our changing emotions.

“Teaches God may not change the circumstances, but does something far more helpful, He give us hope.” ⇒ God knows “hope” is better because it works in all circumstances, not just the current situation we’re going through. When you think about it, Jesus’ answer doesn’t get John out of prison. It doesn’t change the circumstances of his life. But what it does do is gives him hope. Now, John can die in peace. He can accept his fate, whatever it may be, knowing that his life’s work was not in vain, knowing that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. And the same thing happens to us. When we recall those moments, something shifts. Doubt loses its volume. Discouragement loses its grip. Our faith rises—not because the situation changed, but because our perspective did. That God hasn’t brought us this far to abandon you now. And that is what true faith is all about, and that is what true faith gives us: Faith gives us true hope. Our faith doesn’t always change our circumstances, but what it does is lifts us above it.

Additional Notes & Applications

Teaches how the Lord will be there to meet us where we are  with strength and encouragement.

Teaches how as believers were to witness to a lost and hurting world, what we have seen and heard in Jesus.

Teaches how sometimes facts and hard evidence can be the most comforting thing to a person with shaken faith.

Teaches how true ministry is looking out for those who are suffering or ignored.

Teaches when our faith is wavering God will be there to give us the affirmation and confirmation we need.

Teaches when we find ourselves doubting we can go back to the bible and be reminded of God’s word & promises.

Warns how looking at the temporal can cause us to take our eyes off the spiritual and eternal.

Teaches though Jesus may not be the kind of Savior we expected, He is the Savior we need.

Warns against trying to pigeon hole Jesus or define Jesus by our own standards and expectations.  It is we who should be defined by Jesus, not vice versa.

Teaches how God is big enough to handle our insecurities, our fears and our disappointments. Jesus may not have been the God John expected, maybe not even the God John wanted, but He was the God John needed, the God who we all need!

Note: As believers were to look at what God is doing, rather than for what He is not doing. To often we get focused on what God isn’t doing, that we lose sight of all the wonderful things God is doing. Do not allow the situation your in, good or bad, to define who God is. Your situation should not be a commentary on God’s faithfulness or lack of it. God is faithful, God is just, God is true. God is loving, God is merciful in all His ways. And just because we don’t sense that in the current situation were in, doesn’t change the immutable character of God! He’s still God. Whether in our moment it feels like it or not. He’s still God! And often He’s up to things we don’t understand in the moment. So instead of getting into that kind of slump, always remember the many wonderful things God is doing. And get our eyes off of, why isn’t God  doing this, or why isn’t God doing that. It’s so easy to focus on the negative rather than the positive. It’s easy to see things as a lose, rather than think what did we gain in the process. Even when God isn’t doing something we think He should do. He’s doing something we need Him to do. Always! Ask yourself this how many times in a day do we tend to harp on our kids, on our spouse, or on an employee for the one thong they aren’t doing, instead of seeing all the wonderful things they are doing? Because we do the same things with God.

Note: When the disciples of John left Jesus they returned and told him what they had seen and heard. They must have helped John overcome his doubts and fears because we never hear of him expressing doubt again. Also, consider the fact that John went to his death a willing martyr for the glory of the Lord.

HOW TO OVERCOME DOUBT & DISCOURAGEMENT

• Know that doubting is the normal part of the Christian life

• Reinforce your faith through reading the bible and prayer

• Remember how God has been faithful in the past

•  Question your doubts as much as questioning your faith

• Take baby steps of faith

• Share your doubts with others who are strong in the faith that they may encourage you

• Accept them, deal with them and move past them. Let faith prevail

• Stay worshiping, serving, and following Jesus

• See doubt as  part of the process of growing into maturity

• Remind yourself of God’s goodness and loving character

• Trust that God is going to provide an answer, and look for it

• Realize you don’t have all the answers, but God does

• Doubt can be a virtue in keeping us humble