Tug of War Week 1 Faith and Doubt

Tug of War – Week 1 – Faith and Doubt

Series Big Idea: Following Jesus doesn’t always mean “either/or,” often it is a “both/and.”

Message Big Idea: Living in the “and” means choosing faith even with your doubts.

Scripture: Mark 9:1-10, 14-29; Matthew 17:19-20; Hebrews 11:1,6; 1 Corinthians 13:12

Prop: Tug of war rope stretched across the front of the stage with a knot in the middle. If you want to add a participatory element, you could have 4 people actually play a round of tug-of-war on stage before going into the message. ______

Introduction: Tug of War NOTE: The Series Bumper will include the following voiceover: “At times in our spiritual journey, we feel pulled in different directions. We want to have faith, but we feel the tug of doubt. We come together to worship God on Sundays, but Monday through Friday our work pulls us in a different direction. We wonder how to hold convictions about certain beliefs while still being compassionate toward those who think differently. Sometimes it feels like there is a tug-of-war in our souls. But does following Jesus always mean “either/or”?

(Holding center of rope) Doesn’t it sometimes feel like there is a tug-of-war in our souls? This whole series is about the tensions we often feel in our journey of finding our way back to God. You’ve probably experienced many of these tensions that pull you in opposite directions. For example:

(Walk to one end of the rope) We come here on Sundays and experience powerful times of worship. Many times we leave here feeling motivated to grow closer to Jesus and take next steps in our spiritual journey. (Walk to other end of rope) But then Monday morning comes and it seems like a lot of what happens Monday through Friday is so disconnected from what happens here on Sundays. Ever feel that way? Next week we’re going to talk about the tension between worship and work.

(Walk to other end of rope) Or how about this tension? As followers of Jesus, we hold real convictions about what God says is right or wrong. (Walk to other end of rope) Yet, we know it’s critical to have compassion for those who violate our convictions. How do we navigate this tension between conviction and compassion? In two weeks we’re going to wrestle with that.

But today we’re talking about another tension many of us face in our journey of finding our way back to God.

(Story of someone wrestling with faith and doubt.) Our Lead Pastor, Dave Ferguson, told me the other day he was working in the café at our Naperville Yellow Box location when an older guy walked into the building. The guy looked lost so Dave asked, “Can I help you?” The man recognized him as the Lead Pastor of our church, and for the next 15 minutes proceeded to tell Dave how much he loved COMMUNITY. He loved the people. He loved getting to be a part of the Christmas GiftMart. And he loved being part of a 1 Small Group, which was actually a Grief Share group for those dealing with loss. He had a folder with him from the group and pulled out a program from a funeral that had the picture of a young fireman on the front. “Who is that?” Dave asked. And the man replied, “My son.” Then the conversation got very somber.

Dave said the man looked at him and said, “I’m really trying to find my way back to God…” He could see the man choking back tears as he continued, “There are so many people in this world who are not nice people, even evil people…so why would God allow my son to be taken? Why?”

It’s in moments like these that we feel the tug of war between faith and doubt.

(Walk to one end of rope) On one hand, we want to have faith. We want to believe that God is here, that he is in control, that he is good.

(Walk to other end of rope) But as much as we want to have faith, doubt often pulls our hearts in what feels like the opposite direction. Like the man Dave encountered, we find ourselves asking “Why?”

(Hold the knot in the middle) There is a real tension between faith and doubt. In this tension, I think most of us really want faith to win, but we so often feel the pull of doubt. So what do we do when we’re being pulled in both directions?

Faith: Mark 9:1-10 The truth is – the tension between faith and doubt has always been there. We like to think, “If I were alive when Jesus was alive; if I could see him with my own eyes, then there wouldn’t be this tension, I would be full of faith!” But that’s just not the case.

Now, don’t get me wrong - Jesus’ followers had a lot of reasons for faith. Mark tells us a story about three of Jesus’ closest friends, Peter, James and John, who have an incredible, faith-building experience:

“Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.” (Mark 9:2-5a)

Peter says the obvious. As this incredible, supernatural thing is happening right before their eyes, Peter declares, “It is good to be here.” It is good to be on the mountaintop of faith! We love mountaintop experiences, don’t we?

 Maybe it’s that moment you come up out of the water after being baptized and all your friends and family are there to affirm and applaud your commitment. It is good to be on the mountaintop!  Or maybe it was that experience you had at BLAST with one thousand other students who are motivated and excited about living for Jesus. It is good to be on the mountaintop!  Or maybe it’s that moment after 108 years of praying and crying and wishing that your beloved Cubs finally win the World Series. It is good to be on the mountaintop!

When we are on the mountaintop, celebrating all that God is doing in our lives, we feel like Peter, “It is good to be here.” In these moments, God is real, Jesus feels close, faith is so reasonable and makes sense.

And it’s not just the mountaintop experiences that give us reasons to have faith. There are lots of good, solid reasons for faith. 2 ● Science tells us to have faith. Maybe you’ve heard of the “Anthropic Principle,” the notion that the universe appears as if it were specifically designed for the existence and well being of mankind. Scientists like Canadian astrophysicist (Picture) Hugh Ross conclude that the very nature of the earth points to a Creator. He writes: (Add) “In all my conversations with those who do research on the characteristics of the universe, not one person denies the conclusion that somehow the cosmos has been crafted to make it a fit habitat for life…If an opportunity for disagreement exists, astronomers will seize it. But on this issue of that fine-tuning or careful crafting of the cosmos, the evidence is so compelling that I have yet to hear any dissent.”i ● History tells us to have faith. The Jewish historian Josephus and the Roman historian Tacitus, both writing in the 1st century and neither of whom showed any sign of believing in Jesus themselves, wrote historical accounts of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection. When we approach their writings with appropriate historical methods, we find that they support the historical integrity of the New Testament.

And we could go on to describe how…

● Archeology tells us to have faith. ● Intellectual arguments tell us to have faith. ● Eyewitness testimony tells us to have faith.

There are lots of good, solid reasons for faith, (Walk to “faith” end of rope) and sometimes we feel the tug- of-war moving decidedly in that direction. Most of us want faith to win; we know faith is good.

Doubt: Mark 9:14-29 But we all know, there are times in life when we’re not on the mountaintop. (Walk to “doubt” side of rope) Maybe you’ve spent some time in the valley of doubt. You’ve questioned everything. Perhaps you’ve always struggled to have faith. Or maybe something happened in your life that rattled you to your core. We may have as many valley experiences as we have mountaintops. And, often, (Walk to center of rope) we find ourselves feeling the tension in between.

We see this tension play out in one of my favorite moments in Mark’s Gospel, which actually directly follows the mountaintop story we just read. As Jesus and his disciples come down from the mountain, they are met with the commotion of a crowd and a man who is desperate to help his son. The father explains:

“Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” (Mark 9:17-18)

This father had apparently believed Jesus and his disciples could do something about his situation, but it hadn’t worked.

Jesus responds with a lament:

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” (Mark 9:19)

3 I’ve always thought this statement sounded a little jarring, like Jesus might be saying, “I can’t believe I have to put up with you guys!” However, after studying it a little more I think it’s more like, “I don’t have that much time left for you guys to get this. I need you to get this!”

Well, the father brings the son to Jesus and…

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Did you catch the little word in there? Jesus does. “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:21-23)

The father says, “If you can?” He’s not sure. I mean, nothing has worked so far. He’s at the end of his rope and no one has been able to rescue his boy

Notice, the father asks Jesus to have pity. That word, “pity,” comes from the Greek word “splochnon,” meaning guts or bowels. Say that after me, “Splochnon.” It kinda sounds like it means guts or bowels, doesn’t it? Well here, in this context, it means to have compassion. It’s interesting that the word for “guts” is associated with “compassion.”

Think of it this way… have you ever travelled to a third-world country and saw children with barely any clothes, homes built out of cardboard? Any time I do, I feel it in my stomach, in my guts. That’s compassion.

This father says to Jesus, “Feel my pain, feel it in your stomach, because I have a knot in my stomach that won’t go away. I’m desperate. If you can help…”

As Jesus presses him on this word “if”…

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

“I do believe, help my unbelief.” Do you feel the tug of war? He kinda believes and he kinda doesn’t. Have you been there? I’ve felt that way. Even sitting in rooms just like this. And you know where I felt that? That’s right…in my stomach.

Doubt is Good (Hold rope in center) If you know what it’s like to live in this tension, here is the most important thing we need to understand today… When it comes to the tension between faith and doubt the most important word is “and.”

For some people, doubt is seen as the enemy of faith, or doubt is something to hide or be ashamed of, but doubt can actually be good. In fact, it can even be a companion to faith.

Author Frederick Beuchner (pronounced Beekner) once wrote:

“Doubts are ants in the pants of faith; they keep it awake and moving.” –Frederick Beuchner

4 Now I’ve never had ants in my pants, but the image is quite pointed, isn’t it? It can be easy to simply go along with the faith we inherited as kids from our parents or even as adults from our friends. What doubts can do is shake us up a bit, get us thinking in fresh new ways, challenge us look with a new set of eyes.

Tim Keller, a very thoughtful pastor writes this about doubt:

“A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic. A person's faith can collapse almost overnight if she has failed over the years to listen patiently to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection. -Tim Keller, The Reason for God

I know this might sound strange, but even Jesus faced circumstances that caused him to struggle. On the night he was handed over to be crucified, his soul was overwhelmed, he had a knot in his stomach. He began to question what he was going through and prayed:

“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me.” (Mark 14:36)

He was essentially saying, “I’m not so sure about this. Can’t we find another way?” But even in the midst of the struggle, Jesus chose to trust his Father. His prayer continued:

“Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36)

He was faithful in the midst of the struggle, and his faithfulness sets an example for us. See Christ- followers aren’t people who never doubt. They doubt and then make the choice to trust God. God isn’t after 100% psychological certainty in our beliefs, but what he does want is for us to trust him like a child trusts a loving parent. God wants our trust even when we struggle to believe, even when it’s hard to hope, or hard to even smile.

Practical Encouragement Remember, When it comes to the tension between faith and doubt the most important word is “and.” If you find yourself struggling in the tension of faith and doubt, if you find yourself echoing the words of the distraught father, “I do believe, help my unbelief,” I want to encourage you today. Your doubts are not the enemy of your faith. Your doubts can actually lead to a deeper, greater faith. But as some of you know, doubt can also make you feel paralyzed, afraid, stuck. So how do we live in this tension between faith and doubt?

First, we Trust Jesus with Our Doubts. At times in our lives, we go through periods of uncertainty - uncertainty in our faith, our jobs, our significant relationships. During those times, I encourage you to pray this simple prayer: (Add) “Jesus if you are real, make yourself real to me.” …and then see what happens. Trust Jesus with whatever you are going through and look for him to reveal himself to you in ways you might not have expected.

A second thing we can do is Express Our Doubts. When we let our doubts just stew in our minds, they can overpower us. A great way to navigate doubt is to express it to someone else. Doubt is not an enemy to faith, but unexpressed doubt can be. So, if you're struggling, find a safe person and tell them what

5 you're thinking. And on the other hand, if someone comes to you with doubts, listen, ask questions, and seek to understand. Your listening ear will be more valuable than the advice you may feel compelled to give.

A third encouragement I’d give you: Join a Small Group and process your doubt with a group of others who are finding their way back to God too. It is encouraging and helpful when you start to realize that the church isn't a group of people who have it all figured out, but a community of people who are learning together how to follow Jesus. In particular, consider joining an Alpha group. Alpha is the perfect context to talk about doubts and to ask hard questions. You will feel welcomed and free to share what is really on your heart and mind.

Conclusion As I thought about living in this tension between faith and doubt, I thought of a story I once heard about a woman named Agnes. From the time she was a young girl, Agnes believed. Not just believed—she was passionate about following God. She wanted to do great things for God. She knew Jesus was with her and had an undeniable sense of his calling on her life. She left her home, became a missionary, committed everything to God. And then God left her.

At least, that is how it felt to her. “Where is my faith?” she wondered. “Deep down there is nothing but emptiness and darkness,” she wrote. “My God, how painful is this unknown pain.”

On the outside she continued to work, to serve, to smile. She chose to trust Jesus and walk by faith even though she struggled to feel it. This inner darkness and dryness and pain over the absence of God continued on, year after year, with one brief respite, for nearly fifty years. Such was the secret pain of Agnes, who is better known as Mother Teresa.

Rest assured, God is not put off by our doubts. When the man said to Jesus, “I do believe, help my unbelief,” Jesus didn’t respond by saying, “Your wishy-washy response is lame. I can’t believe you don’t believe in me!” No, Jesus responds by healing the man’s son. Jesus isn’t put off by the presence of doubt. (Hold knot) He’s like the knot in the middle of the rope, no matter which way you are pulled, he moves toward you.

Ultimately, this tug-of-war between faith and doubt comes down to this: Who are you going to trust? A philosopher? A professor? Yourself? We’re all going to trust someone in this tension…what if together, we decided to trust Jesus, both today and every day? There is simply no one more worthy of our trust.

Communion Idea As we prepare to receive communion I can’t help but think of the moment Jesus was crucified and he called out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” What a statement! Jesus, the son of God, identified with all those who felt forsaken by God, who ever felt like they had lost God, or were far away from him, in order to bring us close to him. It reminds me of something the great German Theologian, Jürgen Moltmann once said:

“When God becomes man in Jesus of Nazareth, he not only enters into the finitude of man, but in his death on the cross also enters into the situation of man's godforsakenness. God does not become a religion, so that man participates in him by corresponding religious thoughts and feelings. God does not become a law, so that man participates in him through obedience to a law. God does not become an ideal, so that man achieves community with him through constant striving. He humbles himself and takes upon himself the eternal

6 death of the godless and the godforsaken, so that all the godless and the godforsaken can experience communion with him.”

The cross shows us that God doesn’t just observe our pain and doubts from afar, but enters into our world, into our trouble, so as to show us the way. Let’s remember Jesus as we receive Communion together.

7 i Hugh Ross, The Creator and the Cosmos (Colorado Springs: Nav Press, 1993), 118-121.