WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.439 Hey, grab your Bibles, open them up. 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:02.799 Luke chapter 24. 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:07.599 Luke chapter 24 is where we're going to be spending a little bit of time today. 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:09.119 It is so good to see you. 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:10.960 God is moving in our church. 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:14.480 I don't know how to explain it, describe it, but I can feel it and I can see it. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:20.239 And I just want to thank God for it the way that all morning long he has just been pouring out his spirit upon this place. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:22.079 I do want to take this opportunity to greet. 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:22.879 I know it's fall break. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:25.039 We got some folks that may be, or winter break, sorry. 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:26.960 I know we got some folks that may be out. 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:33.200 I want to greet you as well as all of those joining with us on our Pando app and all our correctional facilities. 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:35.759 Let's thank them and give them a hand and celebrate that. 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:44.000 I know some of you are like, okay, that's just his little thing that he says right before the message starts and whatever else. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:52.799 Last week, last week, over 26,000 people watched our service in one week on the Pando app. 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:55.039 And 64, hang on. 00:00:55.840 --> 00:01:01.119 64 people indicated that they made a decision to trust Christ watching last week. 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:02.960 Watching last week. 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:08.000 So I don't know what God's doing, but I would just simply say, man, we see you. 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:12.640 And we're grateful that you're here and joining us and so excited of how God is moving. 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:17.280 March 31st, 2016 was the date. 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:20.400 I remember it like it was yesterday. 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:38.400 Two weeks prior, I had experienced on a Friday afternoon a really random freak accident in my kitchen where I had a grease fire that ended up burning me on my chest, my stomach, my legs, and my hands. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:47.599 I'd already been through one surgery, and that surgery, at the end of that surgery, they ended up wrapping me in something that they call silvadine. 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:53.760 Silvedine is supposed to be this magical stuff that's supposed to help promote and help healing in your body. 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:59.920 And so I was literally wrapped all around in the sylvadine, and then I was wrapped on top of that with a bunch of bandages. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:03.040 I came out of that initial surgery looking like a mummy. 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:06.480 I was in intense pain. 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:12.960 I was really, really kind of struggling, and the doctor kind of set me down and said, Hey, let me just tell you what your next two weeks is going to look like. 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:15.439 The more pain, the better. 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:26.080 Like the more pain, that means that the silvedine is working, and that means that your body is healing, and you want to see pain is good. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:31.280 That was a tough thing to hear because the pain felt really bad at that moment. 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:37.039 But he said, here's the thing: you want to make sure that you do everything that you can to make sure you're as still as possible. 00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:39.039 You're doing all the things you're supposed to do. 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:52.159 Because if that sylvadine works, then we're going to be able to avoid in two weeks on March 31st you being wet, which wet is bad, and you instead want to come in and you be dry, dry is good. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:54.960 And they said, Well, what happens if I'm wet? 00:02:55.039 --> 00:03:01.280 And I said, Well, he said, Well, what's going to mean is that that's a really duly different type of recovery that you're going to experience. 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:07.120 He said, You're going to have to do a skin graph, and if you think it's painful now, it's a whole different thing. 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:13.840 So I was a pastor at a large church at the time, and so I leveraged my network and all these people that were all around. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:22.319 I had this incredible bunch of people, and I made sure everybody possible knew about the situation and that they were beginning to pray March 31st, March 31st, March. 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:23.439 That's going to be the day. 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:25.439 That's going to be the day that we're going to see God move. 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:29.520 I called my home church back down here in Houston, and I began to get them mobilized. 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:32.479 Hey, I want you to pray March 31st, March 31st. 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:34.560 That's the time we're going to begin to pray. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:37.280 And I began to use social media and get the word out. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:43.520 We were praying, we were asking, we were believing that God was going to show up and that God was going to show off. 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:45.840 Like He was going to bring healing. 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:52.000 They told me that I needed to take a pain pill before I went in to the doctor's appointment there on March 31st. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:55.039 And I remember taking that pain pill saying, I'm not going to need this. 00:03:55.360 --> 00:04:02.319 Because I'm about to walk in, and it's going to be one of those stories where the doctor's going to be like, Sir, I don't know how to explain this. 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:04.240 I don't know how to tell you this. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:06.400 But you're healed. 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:09.840 What we thought was going to be the case is not the case. 00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:10.800 And I just knew it. 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:12.400 I'm telling you, I believed it. 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:14.319 I'm telling you, I felt it. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:21.600 Like I just knew this was going to be a moment when the power of prayer was going to show off. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:29.519 And I remember we went down and to the doctor's office and we sat down and he began to take off all of the bandages and all of that. 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:32.399 And the way that they take off the Silvedine sounds kind of wild. 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:35.199 But they literally take a knife and they just kind of cut. 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:39.439 And they start to pull, and they started to pull it off of my stomach. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:42.079 And no one said a word. 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:45.360 And I knew it was wet. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:49.439 I didn't know what that meant. 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:52.319 I just knew that I needed another pain pill. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:55.519 Because it hurt so bad. 00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:00.800 And then the doctor set me down, and you could just see his whole demeanor change. 00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:04.480 And he starts talking to me about how to have surgery in a couple of days. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:07.279 And that's going to be the first of many, many surgeries. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:09.600 And he starts kind of me walking this whole thing through. 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:12.399 And I'm not going to lie to you, I just started to zone out. 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:14.399 I didn't hear a word he said. 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:20.240 My wife's over there and she's taking all these notes and trying to figure out what's going on and trying to get it all figured out. 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:24.639 And I'm just sitting there the whole time, just dazed, thinking, why? 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:32.959 I remember we went to the car, we we go and we sit down into the car, and I was in intense pain. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:36.399 I was in intense pain physically. 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:42.560 But what hurt way more was I was in intense pain emotionally. 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:44.879 I was mad. 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:47.920 I was frustrated. 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:50.560 I was angry. 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:03.120 Why God would you allow this? 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:06.319 Why God would this be the road that you've chosen? 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:09.600 Like you didn't answer my prayers? 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:11.759 Fine, but what about everybody else's? 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:14.879 Like, could you answer their prayers? 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:20.959 I remember feeling this just rage of just like, I don't understand why you're doing this. 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:24.399 And again, I never said it out loud, but I thought it really loud. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:27.120 Are you even real? 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:31.519 Have you ever been there before? 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:38.319 Is it possible that some of you I just read your mail? 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:40.800 That's exactly where you are. 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:44.720 And there's this place of doubt. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:48.240 It is so disorienting. 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:55.759 Because if you grew up around the church, you grew up with what you're supposed to say, you don't want to say it out loud, but you think it real loud. 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:59.439 Like you feel it in your bones. 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:04.639 You don't want to question if God is real, or you just kind of think this. 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:08.240 Well, if God is real, he skipped me in line. 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:12.399 And somehow he's forgotten to come back. 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:17.519 What I want to talk about today in this passage in Luke chapter 24. 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:21.040 What do you do with your doubt? 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:24.720 What do you do with that? 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:31.360 We can act like it's not there and walk around it and just ignore it, but let's be honest. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:32.560 That's real. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:37.600 That moment, that place, that feeling is real. 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:43.839 So we need to go to God's word and see, does he have anything to say to you or me or us? 00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:45.839 That's where we are. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:48.240 We're gonna begin reading in Luke chapter 24. 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:51.600 I'm gonna pick up the text in verse 13. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:08:02.079 It reads, That very day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:06.079 And they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:11.839 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:14.879 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:20.639 And he said to them, What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk? 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:23.360 And they stood still, looking sad. 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:32.320 Then one of them, named Cleopus, answered him, Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in the last days? 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:34.639 And he said to them, What things? 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:46.960 And how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him. 00:08:47.200 --> 00:08:50.320 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:56.399 Yes, and besides this, all this, this is it is now the third day since these things happened. 00:08:56.639 --> 00:08:58.799 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:07.600 They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:15.679 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the woman had said, but him they did not see. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:22.879 What I want to do this morning is I want to give you three things that you should do with your doubt, and then I want to give you three action steps. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:26.559 Three things that you should do with your doubt, and then I want to give you three action steps. 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:27.679 Encourage you to take notes. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:32.559 First one is this When doubt comes, don't quit. 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:37.120 When doubt comes, don't quit. 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:41.120 That's essentially what these two disciples were doing. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:55.120 It says there that they were in Jerusalem, expecting Jesus to be the one, expecting Jesus to be the fulfillment of all that they had hoped for, expecting Jesus to be the one who was gonna establish, throw out the Romans, and put the Christians back in charge. 00:09:55.279 --> 00:10:01.440 And it says there that he didn't, he died, and so they're on the way away from Jerusalem. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:02.799 They had quit. 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:06.000 Verse 17 says that they are sad. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:15.120 Verse 21 says that they are disappointed because Jesus didn't do what they thought he was going to do. 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:21.120 What's crazy is that Jesus told them multiple times that, hey, I'm gonna die one day and I'm gonna be resurrected. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:26.879 He even gave like direct statements and he gave subtle hints, but at this moment, none of that mattered. 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:29.840 He was dead and they were done. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:36.240 So it says that they begin to make this journey, and then it says that they had some discussions along the way. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:39.279 Can you imagine what those conversations would have looked like? 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:44.320 Just picture yourself in that moment to where you're walking along, you're you're disappointed. 00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:47.279 I imagine that it started off with like some good memories. 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:49.039 Remember when Jesus did this? 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:53.679 You remember that one message that he gave when he was up on the hillside and he talked to everybody? 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:56.879 Like that was just unbelievable how good it was. 00:10:57.120 --> 00:10:58.960 You remember that time when he did that healing? 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:07.120 And you can just imagine all of these happy, good memories then began to kind of shift and all of a sudden started to turn to sad memories. 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:09.120 Oh man, I just can't believe he's not here anymore. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:10.639 I just can't believe we don't get to walk with him. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:18.000 I just can't believe we don't get to hear him teach anymore, which then turned to anger and frustration because it's then why did he have to leave us? 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:20.720 Why did he have to desert us? 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:25.279 Of all the ways that he would die, this is the way that he would do it. 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:32.159 I mean, at least have some dignity, not be crucified and flogged and beaten and hung in front of everybody. 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:37.919 You can just imagine that they moved to a place then of just despair. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:40.320 What are we gonna do? 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:43.200 Where are we gonna go? 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:47.279 This may be where some of you are right now. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:49.919 You may be saying things like this. 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:53.919 You know, if I only knew why, then I would return to God. 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:58.240 If I only had more answers, then I would go back to God. 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:00.399 Here's what you gotta be honest about, though. 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:01.600 No, you wouldn't. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:04.639 Because you're not gonna like the answer. 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:13.519 Because at the end of the day, if you had all the facts that were out there, it doesn't change the reality of what you feel. 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:22.159 And so therefore, don't treat God like He's just some kind of genie whose job is to tell you what it is that you want to know. 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:27.360 Instead, God is a God who desires to have a relationship with you. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:35.120 And he treats people differently in a relationship than he ever would with the transaction. 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:40.480 You gotta be honest in your doubt and admit this that you may not have the full picture. 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:45.600 Like you may not know everything that's going on in every situation and in every circumstance. 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:47.759 There's more going on that you're aware of. 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:53.759 So, in light of that, what I would tell you is this when doubt comes, you shouldn't quit. 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:56.399 Don't walk away. 00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:58.080 Don't bail. 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:03.360 You may think that the only way to discovery is to walk away from all of this. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:10.960 And what I'm gonna tell you is that you might feel better in the short term, but I've seen it over and over again, it leads to long-term despair. 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:23.440 Because ultimately, what you'll discover is that what you left is just as confusing, disorienting, and not helpful as what you think, or what you found rather, is just as difficult as what you think you walked away from. 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:29.279 Some of you may be here today, and you are literally hanging on by a thread. 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:33.519 And I'm gonna tell you this grip it tighter. 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:36.480 Grip it tighter. 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:40.000 Don't quit. 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:43.840 Let me show you what the scriptures say that Jesus does next. 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:44.720 It's pretty amazing. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:46.639 Look beginning in verse 25. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:51.759 He said to them, Oh, foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:57.120 The Greek doesn't help us on this, the English translation of the Greek, because there's two different words in the Greek language. 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:01.519 One is kind of like a sarcastic, almost like a you idiot, what are you doing, type thing. 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:03.919 That's not the word that's actually used here. 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:06.000 It's more of like clueless. 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:12.320 So it's more of like a compassionate, like, man, I just come on, guys, like, don't believe that. 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:17.519 It's that kind of tone and feel more than like calling you out for being dumb. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:18.000 Okay? 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:20.159 Look at what he says in verse 26. 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:25.519 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:31.919 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:34.960 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:44.639 He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, Stay with us, for it is now, or it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:46.720 So he went in to stay with them. 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:51.759 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:57.120 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:04.879 They said to each other, Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, and while he opened to us the scriptures. 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:11.440 Second lesson I want you to learn when you are at doubting is this don't mistake silence for absence. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:17.200 Don't mistake silence for absence. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:22.799 I've got about a 20 to 25 minute commute every single day on my way home. 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:29.919 And so I will uh always schedule phone calls to take place during that commute. 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:33.600 Uh it's a great move, it just kind of maximizes the time. 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:38.480 The problem is that I know on that drive home, I know exactly where it's gonna be. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:47.120 Happens the same place every single day, that as we are driving and talking on the phone, there's gonna be a spot where you're gonna talk and I'm not gonna be able to hear you. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:49.279 It's a cell phone dead zone. 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:50.960 You guys know what I'm talking about, right? 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:54.159 You probably even know where I'm talking about it if you have any idea where I live, all right? 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:55.279 It's the same spot, all right? 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:55.759 Same thing. 00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:58.720 And what's wild about the cell phone dead zone is like I know it's coming. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:00.480 Like I'm prepared for it. 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:02.559 And sometimes I kind of get ahead of it. 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:07.039 And if I'm talking to somebody, they're having this conversation, and I'll give them, hey, it's up, just give me one second. 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:10.799 I'm about to go through a dead spot, and then we kind of get through it, and they okay, you're good now. 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:11.519 Can you hear me? 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:11.919 Can you hear me? 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:12.320 Can you hear me? 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:13.279 And then we kind of go through it. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:16.320 Other times, though, I'll forget and then you're in a quandary. 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:19.600 Because then what happens is that you basically have to listen. 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:28.879 You know they're talking, but you know that you can't hear it, and you have to come back and you have to decide, can I pick up enough context clues to just act like I know what you've been talking about for the last 90 seconds? 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:31.679 Or do I have to admit I have no idea what you're saying? 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:34.480 Can you actually repeat what you just did for the last 90 seconds, right? 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:36.159 I've tried this too. 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:39.519 I've tried to speed up through the sentence to the dead zones, right? 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:43.039 If I just drive faster, then maybe it won't necessarily happen. 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:48.960 And it's so maddening because at the same time, everything, and it's not strong enough to disconnect the call. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:52.080 It's just strong enough for me not to be able to hear them talking. 00:16:52.320 --> 00:17:02.720 It's so frustrating because I know that we are connected, but I can't hear anything on the connection. 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:10.480 I've just got to trust that they're still with me, knowing eventually I'll be able to pick back up on the conversation. 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:16.000 Some of you are treating temporary dead zones like permanent realities. 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:20.240 And what you need to do is keep driving. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:28.319 I don't know if you're at the beginning of the dead zone, the middle of the dead zone, or the end of the dead zone, but I do know this. 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:31.839 Even though you can't hear it, somebody's talking. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:42.240 And what you've got to make sure you don't do is somehow, in the midst of doubt, associate, well, the fact that I can't hear anything must mean nothing's going on. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:47.039 Because doubt has a way of masking things. 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:55.039 What's interesting to me in this passage is says that Jesus showed up and walked with them, and they couldn't tell it was Jesus. 00:17:55.200 --> 00:18:01.920 We don't necessarily know exactly why, but what I found is this when I'm in a season of doubt, I don't see things right. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:08.400 I don't even see things right in front of me that are obvious, but I can't really see them. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:15.519 What I love about this passage though is look at what Jesus does to the disciples in their doubt. 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:17.599 Look at how he handles them. 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:21.359 First, he lets you process your doubt. 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:27.279 Like he walks up and he's having a conversation with these two people, and he's like, hey, what's going on? 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:31.359 And they're starting to talk about stuff and they're saying stuff that's not true. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:33.359 Do you know how maddening that would be? 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:37.359 Like to listen to it and be like, oh, okay, okay, wait, stop, stop, stop, stop. 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:38.799 That's not actually how it went. 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:40.079 This is what took place. 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:41.680 This is what he doesn't do any of that. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:42.799 You know what he does? 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:44.319 He just lets them talk. 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:46.960 What does this show us? 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:48.880 It's not about facts. 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:52.000 Jesus wants a relationship with you, and guess what? 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:59.200 If he'll even let you talk gibberish for a while and a bunch of stuff that's not true, because at the end of the day, he just wants you to get it off your chest. 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:02.400 He just wants you to be honest. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:04.880 He just wants you to be real. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:09.519 So it says that he, even in verse 17, he asked them a question. 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:11.759 He obviously knew the answer to. 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:22.640 I find that so kind and patient and comforting to know that Jesus will even engage in a dialogue when it doesn't need to happen. 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:25.279 He just knows, hey, it's okay. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:26.799 Let's lock this out. 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:29.359 Let's walk this through. 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:31.680 Let's get where we need to go. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:33.759 Don't miss though what he ultimately does. 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:39.119 It says there that the next thing Jesus does is that he begins to point them toward the scriptures. 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:48.559 It says that on the way, it says he began to tell them a sermon basically outlining how from Moses through all of the prophets pointed to Jesus. 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:50.160 That's an epic sermon. 00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:50.720 All right. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:52.960 Like that's that's legit stuff right there. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:54.960 Like just thinking about how, hey, let me tell you that. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:57.200 You remember this one passage over here that you memorize? 00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:58.720 This is how it points to me. 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:05.839 I mean, just points them to truth and make sure that he sits underneath it and he and he listens to it and he points them in that direction. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:14.400 He's showing them because doubt has a way of making things feel very small, and God's word has a way of making things being very big. 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:21.119 He shows how your small thing fits in the larger story of all that God is doing. 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:29.519 And so by going and listening to truth, it invites you to see where your confusion fits in God's master plan. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:31.200 Now here's what I want you to see. 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:39.680 You may not understand it, you may not even agree with it all, but your path is not through self-discovery or deconstruction. 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:42.640 Your path is through the word of God. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:45.359 This is where you need to be. 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:48.160 And some of you may say, Well, I'm not sure I believe all of that. 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:51.839 And I would simply tell you, you don't have to believe it to still hear it. 00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:58.319 You just find yourself sitting under truth, even if you're questioning that very truth. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:02.240 Because again, you can say, Well, I'm just gonna bail on all this kind of stuff. 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:04.400 I've seen where that leads. 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:07.200 On the other hand, I had a coffee with a guy this week, and you know what he told me? 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:08.319 He's like, Man, I'm not quite sure. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:09.839 I'm ready to go there yet. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:12.799 I just find Jesus so appealing. 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:16.400 Folks, can I tell you that that's what the Holy Spirit does? 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:21.359 He walks right alongside of you and woos you to himself, even if you're not looking for him. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:26.319 He's coming after you, even though you're trying to win away from him. 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:29.039 That's the beauty of how God does it. 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:33.839 But what he does is he leads you, he leads the people, he moves you towards truth. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:37.279 You may say, I don't believe this right now, and I would tell you that's okay. 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:39.680 It doesn't mean that you need to stop hearing it. 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:42.480 Some of you are here's what you need to do. 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:50.720 You need to take where you are and you need to take it to the Lord and allow him to do something in your life. 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:52.240 Here's what I find so interesting. 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:53.839 Think about the story of the guy. 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:56.640 It's such a difficult nickname that he got. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.119 But of all the disciples, what do we know about Thomas? 00:21:59.200 --> 00:21:59.759 He's called what? 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.839 Doubting Thomas. 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:03.200 Man, that's tough. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:07.359 Like you have one moment in your whole existence is doubting Thomas. 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:17.359 It said that doubting Thomas was one who basically questioned and said, I will never believe in Jesus unless I can put my hands in his nail-scarred hands. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:21.599 And the Bible tells us that Jesus comes into the room with the disciples. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:23.599 Thomas doesn't even say anything. 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:28.079 He walks right over to Thomas, he grabs his hand and he puts it in his. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.960 Here's what I tell you. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:32.880 He already knows what you're thinking. 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:34.240 You might as well tell him. 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:39.920 And here's what he does in his goodness. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:43.279 He grabs you in the midst of your doubt. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:44.960 And he says, see. 00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:48.559 I want you to feel it. 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:52.720 I want you to know that I'm real. 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:55.920 Look at what the scriptures say. 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:58.079 Continue the passage in verse 33. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:03.759 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:12.240 They found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, The Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon. 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:18.160 Then they told what had happened on the road and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:23.920 Final lesson in doubting is this divine encounters always lead to next steps. 00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:27.519 Divine encounters always lead to next steps. 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:32.559 You know, sometimes God meets us in supernatural ways, and that's what we really want and like the most. 00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:43.599 Like when he does it through Saul, Saul was a persecutor of Christians, and the Bible says that as he is on his way to be a terrorist, to go find other Christians and to go throw them into jail and ultimately to kill them. 00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:44.960 It says that God meets him. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:50.079 Jesus incarnates and meets him and calls him out and says, Saul, Saul, stop persecuting me. 00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:52.559 And basically leads him to a place of salvation. 00:23:52.640 --> 00:24:01.440 And his life is so radically different that he moved from being one who was a persecutor of Christians to being one who began to be an evangelist for the cause of Jesus Christ. 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:06.000 We want God to meet us in supernatural, miraculous ways. 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:08.079 And we love it when he does so. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:24.880 But what I want you to not miss in the midst of this passage is that God met him and these two disciples in a miraculous way, not by having some grand appearance, but instead by walking alongside so subtly they couldn't even see it. 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:38.559 God was with me that whole time. 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:41.599 Like he was walking with me. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:45.920 God works in the wonder and God works on the walk. 00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:51.440 God works in the miraculous and God works in the path. 00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:59.279 No flash, no spectacular things. 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:04.880 And guess what? 00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:07.279 All of a sudden, light bulbs go off. 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:11.039 And you're like, he was with me the whole time. 00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:14.000 God doesn't want to be a genie who answers your request. 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:24.319 God instead wants to be your God who wants a relationship with you which will allow you to process to the point where you begin to experience conviction and say, Man, I don't want to go back from that. 00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:28.480 Notice what happened to the two when they realized what had happened. 00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:29.920 Verse 33. 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:32.880 They returned to Jerusalem. 00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:38.160 They started out by quitting and then they went back with a renewed confidence and faith. 00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:42.640 They not only came back physically, they came back declaring their faith to others. 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:44.400 This is what God does. 00:25:45.279 --> 00:25:50.240 He meets you in your doubt, and then he lets you use your doubt as a declaration to others. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:57.519 You get to go, you get to be a place where you can't keep what you've seen and experienced to yourself. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:58.960 You just have to tell others. 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:03.039 Your doubt doesn't have to define you, cripple you, or overtake you. 00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:08.960 You can allow your doubt to be met by Jesus, and it can now become your declaration to others. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:11.680 Let me give you three action steps to close. 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:15.839 First one is this name your doubt. 00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:18.319 Name your doubt. 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:20.079 Let's just start by hearing this. 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:24.640 It is okay if you doubt. 00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:35.519 In that moment when my stomach was wet and I didn't know all that was about to transpire, but I knew the doctor said it wasn't going to be good. 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:39.039 I had a moment full-fledged. 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:42.720 Pity party in the car, full-blown doubt. 00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:46.799 And I don't look back at that moment and think, man, what a loser. 00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:47.519 What's wrong with you? 00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:48.319 You're not spiritual. 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:49.759 I don't do that kind of thing. 00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:51.920 Instead, I just call it what it is. 00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:53.759 I was having a moment. 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:56.000 I was doubting. 00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:59.759 I didn't want to say it, but that's what I felt. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:02.559 For some of you, you need to know this. 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:03.599 It's okay. 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:05.680 Say it. 00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:12.240 You ain't got to be super spiritual and gotta be all like put together, like it's okay. 00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:18.160 If you're walking with the Lord and you don't come to a place like this, then you're not walking with him nearly deep enough. 00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:24.000 Because I can assure you of this, this is what happens in the journey of a believer all the time, whenever you begin to question. 00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:26.559 Okay, I thought it was gonna be this way, but now it's this way. 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:28.640 I don't know what to do with this gap. 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:31.519 So state it, write it out. 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:34.000 If you've got questions, write them out. 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:38.400 Talk about them, get with other people, and begin to name it. 00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:43.599 Don't feel judged by it, don't feel crippled by it, but instead get those things out. 00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:52.880 God is not looking for a robot who always gives the right answers, he's looking for a relationship, and sometimes we just need to be honest about where we're at. 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:56.480 And in his loving kindness, he's gonna listen. 00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:59.920 He might even ask you some questions that he clearly knows the answers to. 00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:14.799 But then he's gonna begin to woo you and bring you ultimately to the place of making you begin to see that even though you may pray that it's Lord, I'm struggling with this right now, he already knows that you are, so just tell him. 00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:19.279 Second thing is this get under truth. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:21.440 Get under truth. 00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:26.720 When you're doubting, even if you don't understand it or agree with it, you need God's word. 00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:37.200 When you're in a season of doubt, there's a lot of things that you don't really understand, and you tend to obsess on those things. 00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:50.160 What God's word would guide us to is that whenever we have things that we don't know, we must instead focus primarily on the things that we do know, and what we do know is what has already been found in God's word. 00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:54.240 It's not too late for you to get into a Bible reading plan. 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:56.079 Bible recap. 00:28:56.240 --> 00:28:57.039 Go on our website. 00:28:57.119 --> 00:28:59.440 We've got a bunch of different resources and things like that. 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:02.720 You need to find yourself at a place where you're getting into God's word. 00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:04.400