Ed is a think tank kind of guy at Lifeway.
Ed Stetzer
Mark Dever stood out like Joel Osteen at a John MacArthur conference.
Let’s talk about going through doubt to faith.
We are often trying to fool people that our lives are perfect.
I am convinced you cannot get to faith without going through doubt. If there is no doubt, there is no need for faith.
Doubting Thomas: historical evidence that Thomas made it all the way to India … he went further than any other disciple.
How do you get labeled this way?
For most of us, ministry is not going to look like we see at a conference.
Ministry is going to be hard and hurtful, people are going to hurt you and you are going to hurt people … these conferences are like ministry pornography.
The reality is that most of us are going to struggle and most of us are going to hurt.
John 14
Trust in God. Trust also in Me, Jesus says.
Thomas’ question is natural “Jesus, we don’t know where you are going …” even when everyone else seems to “get it”
V16: and I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor … Jesus lays out the Trinitarian view in scripture
All these verses come when Thomas and Philip doubt and ask questions …
We try and keep people quiet – why can’t people ask why in the midst of the hurt?
Don’t be afraid to say, “God, I don’t get it!”
Sometimes we mislead our own people because we’re unwilling to share our doubts and questions.
The Christian life is not “marked” by happiness. People that are “happy all the time” are mentally ill.
We typically keep asking “why”. Our theology typically tells us that God is a gumball machine in the sky.
God is not afraid of your questions. The world is increasingly tired of a church that wraps everything up and makes everything look great (5 ways to have a happy marriage …)
John 20
God promises us His presence, he doesn’t promise us answers.
The gospel is not a gospel of personal happiness. He does not promise us your “best life”.
Saying to a lost person “I don’t know” is not a sign of immaturity, it is a sign of maturity.
Jewish, Roman and Greek law all agree that women could not be trusted in a court of law … but Jesus first appeared to a woman.
Jesus doesn’t always speak happiness but he always speaks peace.
Jesus sends us on a mission. Every time he sends us on a mission he promises us peace or the Spirit.
We do mission statements, purpose statements, vision statements … you don’t need to look for a mission, Jesus already gave it to us here. The church (the sender and the sent) is being sent as the Father has sent the Son.
Thomas misses the meeting …
V24: now Thomas wasn’t there when the initial mission was given
No one can accomplish something that has not transformed your own life.
V26: Thomas didn’t miss the second worship service.
There’s a time for doubt … that’s not wrong. You have to push through that doubt.
Jesus = Lord = He calls the shots in my life
You are going to be with people that hurt and you are going to be hurting yourself.
I don’t know who told people that going into ministry was going to be easy.
Thomas says, “my Lord and my God.”
