My journey to becoming a pastor began in the crucible of doubt. During my early 20’s, I struggled with doubts about the basic truths of the universe. I made a profession of faith as a child, but now I wasn’t so sure. Was there a God? Was Jesus even a real person? Why was their so much evil in the world? How can I know for sure? Those questions nagged at and sometimes haunted me. I knew I could not be a Christian if I couldn’t find answers to those questions. So, I began to seek truth. My questions put me on a journey that led me through dark places, but ultimately brought me out on the other side – sure in my faith, confident in the truth of Christianity.
Perhaps you are now on the same journey I was on back then. Perhaps you have questions that no one seems to have good answers for. Or perhaps you know someone with those questions, and you don’t think you have the right answers. Can I give you good news? Jesus wants to answer your questions. And you are not alone in your struggle.
As I worked through my doubts, I found great comfort in people who came before me who struggled with the same kinds of doubts I had. Some of those people are in the Bible, including the man Jesus called “the greatest born of woman,” John the Baptist. John was the last in the line of the prophets preparing the way for Jesus. He was radical – wandering the desert in a camel hair shirt, eating honey and locusts, and preaching repentance to the masses. But not long after Jesus came onto the scene, King Herod arrested John. And then John began to doubt. Was Jesus really who he claimed to be? Am I ever going to get out of jail? Was it all worth it?
In Matthew 11, John sent messengers to Jesus to ask him if really was the Messiah, or if someone else was coming. Jesus sent word back to John that he should simply examine the evidence. He told him, “the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.”
(Matthew 11:5) Jesus told John to examine what he had seen and heard. Based on what was happening, did Jesus sound like he was the Messiah? The obvious answer for John was yes.
This passage gives me comfort for two reasons: 1) because John, as great a man who ever lived, experienced his own doubts, and 2) Jesus was patient with him in those doubts and helped him to see truth. We should have expected that from Jesus – he’d already said that if we seek we will find (Matthew 5:7). Jesus is at the end of every question that we have – we’ll find him when we sincerely seek him.
Now, this is not a promise that Jesus will answer all of our questions exactly the way we want him to answer them. That is not what happened to John. Jesus’ answer to him was a mash-up of a couple of verses from Isaiah, but it left out one important thing. Isaiah promised Messiah would “free captives from prison.” (Isaiah 42:7) Jesus didn’t mention that – why not? He was telling John two things – yes, I am the Messiah, but no, you are not getting out of prison. Herod would eventually behead John.
You see, when we seek, we will find Jesus. But that doesn’t mean that he will always answer our questions the way we want them answered. As a matter of fact, the opposite is often true. But the answers that Jesus has are better than the ones we could come up with for ourselves. John the Baptist is not complaining now. Because what he got from Jesus – eternal life – is infinitely better than a short-term release from prison.
Over the next several Sundays, I’m going to explore common doubts many people have about the Christian faith. If you are a believer, I hope you will find the answers comforting and they will strengthen your faith. If you are not a believer, I hope you will consider the answers. I believe they are sufficient to put your faith in Jesus – not blind faith, but faith based on the evidence. I believe the evidence stacks up in favor or the God revealed in the Christian faith. Will you give the evidence a chance?