Doubting Hearts

Doubting Hearts

(Luke 24:35-53)

Yearly Theme:  “Kindness is… Action”

Series Title:  “Suffering Servant”

April 16^th, 2023

Something to think about:

Have you ever doubted?  More specifically, have you ever doubted in the existence of GOD, the resurrection of Jesus, or the truth of the Bible?  Today, as we continue to our discussion on the resurrection of Christ, we come to the passage immediately following the story of the meeting of Jesus with the disciples who were on the road to Emmaus.  If you remember, Cleopas and his cohort were on their way back home after the Passover and Sabbath in Jerusalem.  It was Sunday, and as they walked home, they were disillusioned and discouraged over what they had just experienced.  Jesus, who they were followers of, had been crucified and buried.  And though there were reports from some of the women and other disciples that the tomb He was buried in was empty, they don’t believe that Jesus has actually risen from the grave. 

As they travel on the dusty road to Emmaus – downcast and recounting the events of the weekend – Jesus appears and journeys with them along the way.  However, Cleopas and the other disciple of Jesus don’t recognize that it is Jesus who is with them.  As He hears their conversation, Jesus asks them what they’re talking about, and why they’re so discouraged.  With that, a conversation ensues with Jesus about the traumatic events of Jesus’ death – who they had assumed and hoped was the long-awaited Messiah that the prophets had talked about in the past.

After a sharp rebuke Jesus reminds them of the Old Testament passages that pointed to the events of the week that led to Jesus’ death and burial.  He also reminded them of His own words of coming back from the dead, and yet their eyes were still blinded to who He was.  It wasn’t until dinner that evening in Emmaus, when Jesus took the honor of blessing the bread that their eyes were opened.  Jesus then disappeared, and their burning hearts drove them back to Jerusalem to tell the rest of the disciples that remained their what they had experienced.  This is where we pick up the ongoing story of Jesus’ resurrection today:

Turn in your Bible to:  Luke 24:35-53

So, how does one deal with doubts?  How can a person overcome the doubts that so easily trap and confuse?  Here’s the takeaway:

Key Point:  “The resurrection of Jesus is the cure to a doubting heart.”

There are three main points that we need to explore today:

•  doesn’t come by  .

Luke 24:36-10 (NLT),  ³⁶ And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them.  “Peace be with you,” he said.  ³⁷ But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

³⁸ “Why are you frightened?” he asked.  “Why are your hearts filled with doubt?  ³⁹ Look at my hands.  Look at my feet.  You can see that it’s really me.  Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.”  ⁴⁰ As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

John 20:24-29 (NLT),  ²⁴  One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.  ²⁵  They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” 

²⁶  Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them.  The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them.  “Peace be with you,” he said.  ²⁷  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands.  Put your hand into the wound in my side.  Don’t be faithless any longer.  Believe!”  ²⁸  “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.  ²⁹  Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me.  Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

•  isn’t always  .

Luke 24:41-43 (NLT),  ⁴¹ Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder.  Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”  ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he ate it as they watched.

• The Living  points to the written  to reveal the truth of the  so that people might believe.

Luke 24:44-48 (NLT),  ⁴⁴ Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.”  ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.  ⁴⁶ And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day.   ⁴⁷ It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem:  ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’  ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of all these things.

Something to take home:

So what does it take for trust and belief to rule in the heart of a person?  It takes truth.  And the truth is, Jesus actually rose from the dead, appeared before countless witnesses, and proved He was not only the long-awaited Messiah, but the Savior of the world.  Though faith doesn’t come by sight, it does come by trust; but not blind trust.  The trust and the hope every believer in Christ has comes from the evidence of the resurrected Christ.  Without this, there would be no Christianity, nor would there be a reason for any lasting hope!

Let me close with words from the Apostle Paul to the church at Corinth with regard to the resurrection of Christ:

1 Corinthians 15:3-9 (NLT),  ³  I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me.  Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.  ⁴  He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.  ⁵  He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.  ⁶  After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.  ⁷  Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.  ⁸  Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.  ⁹  For I am the least of all the apostles.  In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

And further, Paul writes,

1 Corinthians 15:13-23 (NLT),  ¹³  For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either.  ¹⁴  And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.  ¹⁵  And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave.  But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.  ¹⁶  And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised.  ¹⁷  And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.  ¹⁸  In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost!  ¹⁹  And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 

20  But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead.  He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

Key Point:  “The resurrection of Jesus is the cure to a doubting heart.”