Doubts About the Resurrection (Lk. 24:38)

Wayne Galloway
01/30/13 - N/A

Series: Resurrection

Introduction:

1.  In a prior lesson we examined the resurrection appearances recorded in Scripture. 2.  Three of these appearances are described in Lk. 24 and a fourth (the appearance to Simon) is mentioned. 3.  In each one of thesethree appearances Luke specifically mentions the difficulty the disciples had in believing that Jesus was actually raised from the dead.

a.  When the women returned from the tomb and reported what they had experienced to the disciples the text says, Their “words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them” (24:11).

b.  Jesus described the two on the road to Emmaus as “foolish and slow of heart  to believe in what the prophets had spoken” (25).

c.  Even when He stood in their midst He asked, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” (38).  Luke observes, “They still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement” (41).

4.  In the invitation last Wednesday we were given permission to have doubts in association with our faith generally.  These texts indicate that the disciples had doubts about the resurrection even though they saw and were able to touch the resurrected Lord.  Is it any wonder that we would have doubts about the resurrection when we have neither seen Him, talked with Him, nor touched Him? 5.  Indeed Jesus acknowledged the challenge that we face when He spoke to Thomas.  After inviting Thomas to touch Him, He said, “Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”  Then he added, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed?  Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (Jn. 20:27-29).

Discussion:

I.  There is a sense in which we could say that the apostles walked by sight when it came to the resurrection (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7).

A.  They actually saw the resurrected Jesus.

B.  Heb. 11:1 says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

C.  Their having seen the resurrected Jesus qualified them as witnesses (Acts 1:22).  We are not so qualified.

D.  If they had their doubts even after seeing Him it is not any wonder that we might have doubts given the fact that we are simply called upon to believe their testimony.

1.  So, not only do we need to be given permission to have doubts generally

2.  We need to be given permission to have doubts specifically about the resurrection.

II.  This does not mean that the resurrection is any less true.  It means only that we have difficulty in comprehending it.

A.  The Lord understands that we walk by faith and not by sight and He leads us gently as you would lead a blind person.

1.  He uses the image of giving light (1 Jn. 1:5-7; Acts 13:47; Isa. 42:6; 49:6).

2.  And acknowledges that it is not in man to direct his own steps (Jer. 10:23).

3.  Just as a blind man learns to depend upon the one who sees we come to depend upon God as our “seer.”  Thus His word becomes everything to us.

B.  The Lord gives us evidence upon which we can reach conclusions “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

1.  In our judicial system we know that every event does not happen before our eyes.

2.  This does not mean that no event occurred.

3.  Nor does it mean that no judgment can be made in the case.

4.  The evidence must be presented and it is legitimate for us to evaluate the evidence and reach a conclusion.

5.  Our system involves reaching conclusions “beyond a reasonable doubt.”  Since you did not witness the event 100% absence of doubt is unreasonable, but given the evidence you can be reasonably sure of what happened.  It is not expected that you walk by sight, only that you walk by faith.

6.  The Lord recognizes how incredible it is for us to believe in resurrection and so He has lavished us with evidence.   Multiple sightings, over multiple days, by multiple individuals.

7.  The Lord has compounded the evidence for faith generally by revealing information over thousands of years through various mechanisms:  e.g. the creation, spoken messages, written messages, the temple, miraculous manifestations, resurrection, etc.

C.  He is patient not wishing that any should perish, but wishing that all would come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).

1.  Not only does He lavish us with evidence.

2.  He has lavished us with time to evaluate the evidence.

III.  Faith comes from hearing, not from silence (i.e., not hearing) (Rom. 10:17).

A.  It is unfair to expect one to reach faith conclusions without information being communicated from God.

1.  This is the presupposition underlying Deut. 18:9ff.

2.  False prophets speak even though God has not communicated to them.

3.  This is presumptive.

4.  False prophets make promises on their own and the people that depend upon those promises are disappointed.  They may have believed them.  They may have great faith in them, but such faith is vain and disappointing.

B.  Sometimes we may wish that God promised us something when He did not.

1.  In fact we may actually come to believe that God promised something when He did not because we want to believe it, because we are confused about what He did communicate, because someone else deceives us by claiming such and such is the message of God when it is not.

2.  Faith in something that God has not promised needs to be filled with doubt.  God did not promise Adam that he could walk on water, no matter how much he believed that God had.  Faith comes by hearing, not by not hearing.

C.  Some things God has not said.

1.  We may choose to place our faith in them anyway, but it is unreasonable to do so.

2.  Where there is no promise of God there can be no true faith.

3.  In the things that you “believe” ask, “What did God say on that?”

D.  It is O.K. to have “reasonable” doubts about things that you have not seen with your eye, but are conclusions you have reached about things that God has said, things that you have come to believe based on what God has said.  This is faith!  Do not demand absolute 100% surety.  That is demanding to walk by sight.

E.  As you give consideration to the resurrection—you are not going to have 100% surety.

1.  You have not seen the resurrected Jesus.

2.  Even those who did questioned themselves.

3.  So it is reasonable to have reasonable doubt.

4.  But the matter only has to be established “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Conclusion:

1.  The Lord is asking you to believe things quite amazing. 2.  Will you evaluate the evidence and draw the appropriate conclusions? 3.  Faith is conviction in things not seen.