Suburband Legends: No Doubting

Series: Suburban Legends

No Doubting by Ted Beasley, April 29, 2007

This week’s message is for skeptics… those with doubts. And as Ted points out, we all fall in that category. (Just think about the quote from Madeline L’Engle:
“Those who believe they believe in God without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even times without despair, believe only in the idea of God and not God himself.”)

So, do you believe in God… or the idea of God? For this Second Helping… we’ll assume that it’s God and not an idea of Him: even real seekers are surely checking out something more than an idea.

1. Let’s start by taking a look at our personal experiences with doubt. This exercise will take a bit of personal thought before any discussion:
Think about some time in your life when you were dealing with spiritual doubt and then answer these questions: (jot down some notes for yourself on these questions). (5 minutes)
- What was the doubt?
- Did you feel free to talk about it with people, particularly people from a church?
- What about with other people?
- What happened?… were you ever able to resolve that doubt? If so, how? If not, what did you do with the doubts?

Now take some time in the group for everyone who wants to share their experiences (you don’t have to talk about the details of the doubts – but do focus on the general experience of “doubting”. ) As everyone shares – keep track of what “works” and what doesn’t , in terms of getting doubt resolved in a positive way. Finally, discuss your observations about what does and doesn’t work. (10 – 15 minutes)

2. Next let’s talk about specific doubts. What sort of doubts are serious questions for you right now – or if not right now, have been the typical types of issues you’ve had in your spiritual life? Take a look at some common doubts below and check as many as apply… – or add your own.
____ Whether God exists
____ Whether Jesus is who He claimed to be
____ Whether science is compatible with Christianity
____ Whether a loving God can allow the hatred, sickness and evil in the world
____ How a being who created the universe can love and care for one person - you
____ How a loving God can let such hard things happen to you or to those you love
____ How a real God or a loving God can ignore your prayers for so long
____ Other (_____________________)

Pick one of the doubts you noted – ideally the most important to you right now. Pair off, and take about 5 minutes each to explain what troubles you about that issue (or has troubled you in the past) to a discussion partner. (Note – the purpose of this is NOT to help each other resolve the doubt… it’s to be honest about what your doubts are.) (10 minutes)

3. While still in pairs, take a look at Ted’s list of the “Dips” that can help us deal with our doubts (see below).

Dip #1: Put Your Faith in Doubt (Are you stuffing your doubts?)
Dip #2: Want to Believe (Do you really want to resolve them?)
Dip #3: Ask God to Reveal Himself (Have you brought God into the process?)
Dip #4: Name your Specific Questions (Have you made your questions about God clear?)
Dip #5: Go Where Faith Is (Have you sought answers from people who could have answers?)
Dip #6: Decide Based on Corroborating Evidence (Have you set a realistic test that balances faith and total evidence?)
Dip #7: Mark Your Decision (Have you made a public commitment of any decision you’ve come to… maybe Baptism if that’s relevant?)

Think about each “Dip” above and ask yourself whether it could be relevant to the doubt you have been discussing. If you see any “Dip” as relevant, (pick one and) think about what you can do to take that Dip – in terms of specific action. Brainstorm together and come up with ideas on how you might deal with each of your doubts. (10 minutes)

4. Now, in the group as a whole, develop a list of the different ways/steps that can be used to deal with doubts. (10 minutes)

5. A good place to end is by reflecting again on Ted’s initial message that God WANTS us to question and to seek, and that He is thrilled with honest searching for answers (see the verses below). Take a couple of minutes for each person to reflect on the doubt they identified. Ask yourself whether there are any steps from the group’s list that you can commit to starting this week. If so, write down that step and ask for God’s support in taking that step. (3 minutes)


Bible verses from this message:

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Psalm 34:8

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Isaiah 55:1-2

Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

Come! And let him who hears say ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
Revelation 22:17 –

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.”
Jeremiah 29: 13-14

Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.
John 12: 37

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:7

I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!
Mark 9:24

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you.”
Acts 2:37-38


Related Next-Step Resources:

• Case for Christ by Lee Strobel (available at Gateway Bookstore)
• Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (available at Gateway Bookstore)
• Letter from a Skeptic by Gregory A. Boyd (available at Gateway Bookstore)
• God in the Dark by Os Guinness (available at Gateway Bookstore)
  

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