Are You The One?


  1. Doubt Often Arises When Life Doesn’t Match Our Expectations

Matthew 11:2–3  “2 Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message through his disciples 3 and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?””

Psalm 73:2-3  — Asaph struggled because the wicked prospered.
Habakkuk 1:2-3  — "How long, Lord?"
Jeremiah 20:7-9  — The weeping prophet questioned God's ways.
Matthew 14:31  — Peter doubted and sunk

Faith is often tested not by what we know but by what we experience.

  1. Jesus Answers Doubt With Evidence, Not Condemnation

Matthew 11:4–6  “4 Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, 6 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”

Don't interpret Me through your circumstances. Interpret your circumstances through who I am.

 Isaiah 61:1–2  “1 The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn,”

Luke 4:18  “18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed,”

  1.  Doubt Is Different From Unbelief

Matthew 11:10–15  “10 This is the one about whom it is written: See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. 11 “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared, but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come. 15 Let anyone who has ears listen.”

Doubt vs. Unbelief
Doubt

  • Wants answers.
  • Struggles toward faith.
  • Brings questions to Jesus.

Unbelief

  • Rejects evidence.
  • Refuses submission.
  • Hardens the heart.

  1.  The Anti-Christ Bias Based on Unbelief

Matthew 11:16–19  “16 To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to other children: 17 We played the flute for you, but you didn’t dance; we sang a lament, but you didn’t mourn! 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

  1. Blessed Are Those Who Trust Christ Even When They Cannot See Everything

Matthew 11:6  “6 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”

The greatest test of faith is not believing when everything makes sense.

The greatest test of faith is trusting Christ when circumstances seem confusing.

Faith says:
"I don't understand everything.
I don't see everything.
But I know enough about Jesus to trust Him."

"Yes. Jesus is the One."