UNBELIEF (GEN. 45)
There was once a preacher who decided to televise his sermons.
This man made contact with the local PBS station and worked out the details.
Because the PBS station was offering free broadcasting, this was a low-tech operation.
The preacher had to do most of the groundwork and he was inexperienced.
When the first broadcast was watched the picture came through okay.
However, there was a problem with the sound.
If you have ever watched Gomer Pyle USMC you have heard Jim Nabors say,
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise.
The audio for the preacher’s program was mistakenly taken from another channel.
This other channel was featuring an episode from Gomer Pyle USMC.
It appeared that as the preacher said from the pulpit, in Jim Nabor’s voice, Surprise,…
WE GET SOME SURPRISES IN LIFE. SOME ARE FUN AND OTHERS ARE PAINFUL. IN GEN. 45 WE READ ABOUT A MAN WHO GOT A SURPRISE.
a) Joseph had revealed himself to his brothers (verse 3).
b) Joseph wanted his father to know that he was alive.
c) He
also wanted his father and his entire family to move to where he was—verses 9-10.
d)
The
e) It was a territory that encompassed about 900 square miles (Morris, p. 622).
f) Joseph’s brothers returned to their father and gave a report – verses 25-26.
g) Joseph got the surprise of his life.
h) There are some surprises that are so shocking that people can have a heart attack.
i) The news about Joseph’s being alive was almost to much to take. His heart “fainted.”
j) At first Jacob refused to believe that this information was true.
k) Only after he saw the wagons (verses 27-28) did Jacob finally believe Joseph was alive.
l) He was told something , but since it seemed too good to be true, he didn’t believe.
i) In the Bible we find other people who had this same problem.
ii) For one reason or another a child of God struggled with unbelief.
iii) One of the examples that comes to my mind is Thomas.
iv) Most know that Thomas wanted to see the resurrected Lord before He believed.
v) This incident in the life of Thomas is not the one I have in mind.
vi) There is another faith problem with Thomas that is frequently overlooked.
vii) This lack of faith is recorded in Jn. 11.
viii)
Lazarus was sick.
Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s go to
ix) The Lord’s disciples were not too enthused about this plan.
x) Here is their response to the Lord’s proposal (verse 8).
xi) Thomas stated his view of the matter in verse 16.
xii) Thomas thought that if this trip were made they would all die.
xiii) He didn’t believe that this trip could be made without dying.
xiv) This man was dedicated to the Lord—let’s go—but he lacked faith.
2) Other people in the Bible had a hard time believing God’s word.
a) Back in the book of Exodus God said that He would deliver His people, Ex. 3:8.
b) Did the Hebrews believe God?
c) Ex. 14:10-11.
d) Thomas said, Jn. 11, “We’re going to die.”
e) The Hebrew people said, “We’re going to die.”
f) Unbelief has often plagued the people of God.
g) Going back to the New Testament think about the apostles of Christ.
h) Two distinct statements are made about the apostle’s faith after the resurrection.
i) Mk. 16:14 says that the apostles “believed not them that had seen him after he was risen.”
j) People affirmed that Jesus was alive but the apostles said, “No. That’s not true.”
k) It was bad enough for the apostles to doubt the reports that came from reliable witnesses.
l) The disciples did something even worse.
m) Listen to Mt. 28:17.
n) Even after the disciples saw Christ there was still some doubt.
o) If the apostles had problems with faith at times surely several others have the same problem.
p) This is what we find in scripture.
q) The spies who evaluated the land of Canaan conveyed and spread doubt among the Hebrews.
r) John the Baptist’s father doubted, Lk. 1:20.
s) An angel said, “though believedst not my words.”
t) Even Jesus’ brothers had doubts and were filled with unbelief, Jn. 7:5.
3) WE TYPICALLY THINK OF UNBELIEF AND DOUBTS AS BEING IN THE HEARTS OF THE UNSAVED. THOSE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH ARE THE ONES WHO ARE UNCERTAIN AND UNSURE ABOUT THINGS.
a) A lack of faith can also exist in the minds of Christians.
b) The Hebrew writer knew this and thus offered this warning – Heb. 3:12.
c) Someone might inquire as to what Christians lack faith in.
i) The Lord said His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Mt. 11:28-30).
ii) God is no respector of persons (Acts 10:34).
iii) Each one will stand in judgment before God (2 Cor. 5:10).
iv) In Christ all distinctions cease to exist (Gal. 3:28).
v) Jesus is faithful (2 Tim. 2:13).
vi) The Lord never changes (Heb. 13:8).
vii) God does not tempt any man (Jas. 1:13).
viii) Jesus has been raised to God’s right hand (1 Pet. 3:22).
ix) God wants all people to be saved (2 Pet. 3:9).
x) Great is the reward in heaven (Mt. 5:11-12).
xi) Our vile body will be changed into a glorious body (Phil. 3:20, 21).
xii) The dead will be raised (1 Thess. 4:14-17).
xiii) Ask and we will receive an answer.
xiv) Seek and we shall find.
xv) Knock and the door will be opened.
xvi) We can do all things through Christ (Phil. 4:13).
d) These are some of the promises that are found in the New Testament.
i) Jacob heard a report about his son he didn’t believe.
ii) Christians can approach the passages I just cited in the same way.
iii) “Well, in my case that isn’t true. It doesn’t apply. I have doubts about that.”
4) JACOB CAME TO REALIZE THAT WHAT HE WAS TOLD WAS TRUE.
a) He finally believed the report and when he went to Egypt he saw his son.
b) The other doubters described in the Bible also had their doubts removed.
c) The apostles saw Jesus several times and their uncertainties were erased.
d) The Hebrews were led to safety and they watched their enemies perish in the sea.
e) Thomas, who in Jn. 11 said, “Let’s go die with Jesus” didn’t die.
f) Jesus’ brothers learned that their unbelief was unfounded.
g) John the Baptist’s father also got a crash course in the foolishness of unbelief.
h) Any Christian can struggle with some type of unbelief.
i) Throughout time God’s people have been attacked by doubts.
j) The Lord put His disciples into a boat and as they were on the sea a storm arose, Mt. 14.
k) This was the occasion where Peter got out of the boat and started to walk on the water.
l) It didn’t take Peter too long before he started to sink.
m) Jesus said to Peter, “why did you doubt?” (verse 31).
n) Other passages show that doubt can exist in the minds of God’s people.
o) When Peter went to the household of Cornelius the Spirit said, “Don’t have doubts” (Acts 10:20).
p) Even Jude spoke of doubters in Jude 22.
q) Why is doubt such an effective weapon for Satan?
i) 150 years ago two brilliant men complied an Encyclopedia.
ii) What these men observed about doubt is outstanding.
iii) McClintock and Strong observed that man:
iv) Knows some things, is ignorant of many things, and is in doubt about other things.
v) They further stated, “Doubt is that state of mind in which we hesitate as to two contradictory
vi) Conclusions, having no preponderance of evidence in favor of either.”
vii) Toward the end of the article they said, and this is a priceless observation,
viii) “As knowledge increases, doubt diminishes, and belief or disbelief strengthens” (2:876).
5) Think about the final words from this article: As knowledge increases, doubt diminishes.
6) Is this statement not proven by the examples we have in the Bible?
a) Peter had doubts; what removed them? Knowledge.
b) Thomas had doubts – what helped him? More information.
c) John the Baptist’s father had his doubts removed by the accumulation of additional information.
d) Jesus’ brothers, the Hebrew people; all had doubts removed by learning more.
e) This is parallel to what John wrote towards the end of his gospel - Jn. 20:30-31.
f) John knew that some would be tempted to doubt.
g) The written word is partly designed to help us alleviate and overcome doubts.
h) The knowledge we gain from this word helps remove doubts.
i) When we “know” things doubts are diminished and our faith is strengthened.
i) Think of all the times in our day-to-day life when we have faced doubt.
ii) A company sends us out a brochure for a free trip.
iii) We think, “It sounds too good to be true so it probably is.
iv) Why do we doubt the offer?
v) It is because we do not have all the facts.
vi) We think, “There must be a catch.”
vii) What happens if we are given all the facts?
viii) What happens if we are told that we must do 5 things & only five things to get the trip?
ix) The doubts are removed because we know what is involved.
x) Having a warranty or contract relieves doubts because we know what the terms are.
j) The Bible is our contract with God.
k) Increasing our knowledge of God’s word will help us deal with doubts, Jn. 20:30-31.
l)
Someone once said, “How often we trust each other, And
only doubt our Lord.
We take the word of mortals, And yet
distrust His word;
But, oh, what light and glory Would
shine o’er all our days, If we always would
remember God means just what He
says.”
7) For the Christian and the non-Christian knowledge removes doubt.
8) Do we need help overcoming doubt?