Welcome to Redeemer’s Church

This morning Jenny was talking to us about the woman who was committing adultery that the pharisees pulled out into the streets. And as we were studying I was thinking about why Jesus came down to earth. You know he said “I do not condemn you, Go and sin no more”. He came down to save us not to condemn us.

There was a time when I was probably about 12 or so, and my mom (who I thought was super ridiculous) wouldn’t let me go hang out with the kids in the neighborhood. Well I usually always listened to my mom (HA HA HA NOT REALLY). There was this family of boys who lived at the top of the hill. They basically raised themselves. I would compare them to the Lord of the Flies. Well there was a girl who I thought was my friend. She said come on in here hang out with us. So I went in and the boys immediately grabbed me. They held me down and then pulled down my pants and underwear. I remember fighting and kicking and running out of the trailer. They didn’t follow me. But I remember being so embarrassed sitting out in the middle of the road. And i started to think of how that woman must have felt being dragged out in the streets and called out on her sin. At that time there was no way I could see Christ standing there. If I had I could only imagine how at peace I would have felt. I remembered being scared that I was going to get in trouble, being scared that something else was going to happen, I was just very scared. I am so grateful that I had this experience, not because it caused damage but it has given me a platform to relate to this woman. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit do not want to condemn us rather convict us to do the right thing.

Ultimately our attention is on the cross! Examine your heart and know that He is there!

Day 1 – Genesis 3

Day 2 – Joshua 9

Day 3 – Psalm 1

Day 4 – Psalm 3

Day 5 – Psalm 23

Day 6 – Psalm 27

Day 7 – Psalm 63

Day 8 – Psalm 84

Day 9 – Psalm 95

Day 10 – Psalm 139

Day 11 – Matthew 5

Day 12 – Matthew 6

Day 13 – Matthew 7

Day 14 – Matthew 25

Day 15 – Matthew 28

Day 16 – Luke 10

Day 17 – Luke 15

Day 18 – John 1

Day 19 – John 3

Day 20 – John 4

Day 21 – John 5

Day 22 – John 8

Day 23 – John 10

Day 24 – John 14

Day 25 – Acts 2

Day 26 – Romans 1

Day 27 – Romans 2

Day 28 – Romans 5

Day 29 – Romans 6

Day 30 – Romans 7

Day 31 – Romans 8

Day 32 – Romans 12

Day 33 – Romans 14

Day 34 – 1 Corinthians 12

Day 35 – 1 Corinthians 13

Day 36 – 2 Corinthians 4

Day 37 – 2 Corinthians 5

Day 38 – Galatians 4

Day 39 – Galatians 5

Day 40 – Galatians 6

Day 41 – Ephesians 1

Day 42 – Ephesians 2

Day 43 – Ephesians 3

Day 44 – Ephesians 4

Day 45 – Ephesians 5

Day 45 – Ephesians 6

Day 47 – Colossians 1

Day 48 – Colossians 2

Day 49 – Colossians 3

Day 50 – Colossians 4

Day 51 – Philippians 1

Day 52 – Philippians 2

Day 53 – Philippians 3

Day 54 – Philippians 4

Day 55 – 1 Thessalonians 4

Day 56 – 1 Thessalonians 5

Day 57 – James 1

Day 58 – James 2

Day 59 – James 3

Day 60 – James 4

Day 61 – James 5

Day 62 – 1 John 4

Day 63 – Revelation 4

Day 64 – Revelation 5

Day 65 – Revelation 6

Start again or go further into one of the books. What passages would you have included?

Is it ok to doubt

Matthew 11:1-6, 11

Why do we doubt God?

I’m reminded of peter when Jesus walked on the water out to them peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water out to him but when he saw the wind and the waves what happened he fell into the water.  Doubt happens when we take our focus off of Jesus and start looking at our circumstances.

When doubt creeps into your life, it puts up a wall between God and us.  And the bigger the wall becomes the more miserable you become.

I’ve been a Christian most of my like.  I accepted Christ when I was in third grade.  I remember being so excited I couldn’t wait to get to school to tell my teacher.  Four years later I faced the biggest test of faith in my life.  We had gone on a trip and when we came home our house was practically empty.

My dad told me that he and my mom were going to live in separate houses for a while.  I remember him dropping me off at my mom’s apartment and just feeling absolutely crushed.  It was like nothing I had ever experienced before.  The next year or two was a downward spiral.  I could put up a good front on the outside but on the inside I was an absolute mess.

I remember reading how God hates divorce, I prayed and I prayed for God to bring my parents back together.  When that didn’t happen I prayed and I prayed for the fighting to stop.  When that didn’t happen I just stopped praying all together, I started to just give up.  I remember telling a friend of mine in youth group that I had given up on praying for my parents and they said to me “Where is your Faith in God?”  Those words struck me so hard and just ate at me and ate at me.

Then Satan came in.   God doesn’t care about you.  He’s not listening to you.  Where’s your faith in God?  I was broke down so far that I almost committed suicide.

I doubted Gods control of my life and I think I felt like I needed to control something.  But then Gods truths came in the “belt of truth”.  Thank God.  I knew God loved me, and died for me.  I knew he had a plan and a purpose for my life.  God’s truths are the only reason I’m here today in more ways than one.

One thing I learned, when Satan comes with lies, shut him up with the truth.

So today I want to look at a person in the bible that may not normally be thought of as doubting.      John the Baptist

Let’s talk about John for a moment.  He was the last and greatest of the profits. He was family with Jesus.  Before he was born, he was called great in the eyes of the lord by the angel Gabriel.  He was filled with the Holy Spirit even before he was born.  John baptized Jesus saw the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove and then heard God Say to Jesus “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased”.

Read Matthew 11: 1-3

V1.  Jesus had just chosen who the 12 apostles were going to be and he gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal people and gave them instructions on what to do when they go to the different towns.

Verses 2-3.  John was in prison for speaking out against the king for marrying his brother in laws wife, and she wanted his head for it so John was arrested.  So while he’s in prison the bible says he hears what Messiah is doing, and sends his disciples to ask Jesus a question.  He says are you the one we’ve waiting on or is there someone else?  It seems like he’s starting to doubt Jesus is the messiah they are waiting on.

Why did he say this?  Let’s look earlier in Matthew 3:11-12 where John says.

“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”

Through the bible, what was John’s message?  Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near, “Hey the King is here GET READY”.  Most of the Jews, the disciples and I would say John believed that the messiah was going to be an earthly king.  John is ready for Jesus to bring the hammer down.  That he would destroy the tyranny of Rome and restore Israel.  That’s why when Jesus rode into Jerusalem the crowds were shouting hosanna, save us, and a few days later they shouted crucify.  Even when Jesus was just a baby King Herod heard that there was a new king born and he wanted to kill him.

Now there will be a day, when Christ will come back to earth, and he will overthrow every worldly government and set up his kingdom here on earth. Amen.  He will separate the chaff from the wheat, the sheep from the goats.  With the way the world is ruled today who wouldn’t get excited about that.

So Johns not wrong with what he believes his timing is just off.  Jesus isn’t rallying the troops to over throw Rome.  He’s forgiving, he’s healing, and he says hey pay your taxes. Give to Cesar what is Cesar’s.  John 3:17 says For God did not send he’s Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

So Johns sitting here in prison, facing death, and he starts questioning why am I here?  Where’s Jesus?  Is Jesus really who he says he is?

So here is the lesson for all of us.  What did john do when he started to doubt?  He went straight to Jesus, and with one question he poured out what was in his heart.  Are you the one?  This reminds me of a story in Mark when a father said “I do believe help me with my unbelief”

Jesus’s answer Read remaining verses 4-6

            This may kind of seem like a weird answer to John’s question, but it was exactly the encouragement John need.  Jesus was fulfilling a prophecy from Isaiah 35:5-6

5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind

And unplug the ears of the deaf.

6 The lame will leap like a deer,

And those who cannot speak will sing for joy!

Jesus was encouraging John with the truth of God word.  He then says this

Skip down and read v 11

11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived; none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

Jesus didn’t judge John; he didn’t come down on him.  He understood him, he loved him, and he encouraged him.  Then spoke a truth to encourage every believer to come.  As great as John was we who are in Christ are greater.

So, yes it’s ok to have doubts, but it’s not ok to remain passive in them.  Be active in your doubts.  Search out the truth. Go to Jesus.

We are still in the “Get ready the king is coming” place in time.

If you’re not ready for the King, please come up or grab one of the leaders.

If your doubting anything or questioning your faith and in need of encouragement please, come up and we will go to Jesus and pray for you.

Romans 12:2

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

Today when we woke up we realized we had no water. Our pipes had frozen. So as Robbie, Sterling and Jess were trying to get things taken care of, I wondered around the house trying to figure out what I could do (luckily, Maranda came with the baby). Well, there was nothing so I sat down said a quick prayer and moved on. Kathy had invited us over for lunch at 1:00 so we went over there. While we were there Kathy said grace and we ate. However, while I was eating I caught myself just praying that God would take care of us. That our pipes would be okay and that the expense would be minimal. What I realized is that I have changed and I am so grateful for that. God has taken my heart.  Today, I figured out that God is who I called on. My prayer for all of you is that you find God is the first “call” you make.

Tonight we had quite a scare! Kathy called Robbie this evening to tell us that their house was on fire. I was so scared for them. My brain went through the scenarios and I thought how in the world will I be able to help. But I went out anyway, it turns out the furnace had caught on fire. Sterling had already taken care of the fire. The smoke and chemicals were very strong throughout the house. As we tried to figure out what had happened I realized how blessed we all were. The only things that were really damaged were a few dozen cookies (now I am a little upset about that) and the furnace. Kathy and Sterling will still have heat. They have a woodstove and several little fireplace type heaters. I just wanted to remind you each this year to hold your loved ones close and remember God will take care of you. You only have to trust him.

He replied, ” If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey.

Luke 17:6

Luke 1:38 NLT

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left.

This girl was only 13-14 years old. Can you imagine your child being visited by an angel because they were in high favor with the Lord? I know at that age I was not  someone God would have chosen to carry His child. I was mouthy and couldn’t stand my mom (Mom if you are reading this sorry but it is true). I do not know any girls that would be willing to have that responsibility. Chuckie is almost 20 and I don’t think he is responsible enough to be a parent. I cannot even fathom what that would be like. And for Mary to say she will do what the angel says and she prays for everything to come true. Even if it meant destroying her reputation, or the possibility of marriage.

I encourage you to pray for God to have his way with you! To pray that whatever the plans he has come true!