1. We doubt God’s leading in times when we need to make a step of faith - perhaps in sharing or some other aspect where God is speaking go & do

2. We doubt God’s provision as the bills start to mount - /

1. doubt is something we all struggle from time to time in our walks

3. And I think there is a common characteristic in all the doubt that we struggle w/ - it stems from the fact that we often doubt if God cares !

4. Recall that Eve was tempted in this area in the garden. She was first tempted to doubt God’s word /

1. Has God really said that you can’t eat this fruit

5. 2ndly she was tempted to doubt God’s Love & provision / if you eat of this fruit you are not going to die but you will become like God!

1. Satan was there seeking to persuade Eve that God really didn’t care about her & Adam / & was in fact - holding out on them.

Today we find John the Baptist in that type of a situation. In the dungeon of Doubt - Doubting God’s word / CARE/ PROVISION/ V.17-20

1. And that report reaches the ears of John the B. who is in Herod’s Prison sell / report comes to John Via his disciples

2. Picture this scene These guys come to John excited /WOW - JOHN YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN WHAT JESUS DID.

B) Amazing!!! This is John - the forerunner / John the great herald of the

King - John the one sent to prepare way of the Messiah

John who said : I must decrease & He must increase

John who said at the Baptism of Jesus Behold the Lamb of God who takes

4. This is John who knew what the Prophet Isa. Said concerning the Messiah that He would open the eyes of the blind, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Dead raised the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing.

1. The answer is really simple & it is one reason that we find ourselves doubting God’s care / provision / Presence / Even is He really it

2. John’s problem was that He was focused on what Jesus wasn’t doing instead of what Jesus was doing

1. John’s thinking probably went something like this if Jesus is really the Messiah - then why am I still here in this dungeon

3. See John also knew that Isa. Said that the Messiah would open Prison doors & set the captives free. So When is that going to happen?

1. Lord why am I still in this dungeon & IN THAT DUNGEON JOHN BEGINS TO DOUBT .

John knew well the Prophesies concerning Messiah/ Like Mal. 3 -

1. Herod was the reason for the predicament that John was in.

SO JOHN WAS PROBABLY THINKING - WHEN IS THIS KINGDOM GOING TO COME - Get me out of here & get this show on the road.

1. You recall in Luke Ch. 4 Jesus went into the synagogue and read to the people from the scroll of Isa. 61 Messianic passage

1. His first coming was to proclaim the acceptable year or time of the Lord - when the grace of God would be revealed thru God’s Son

3. And Salvation would be made available / that in This first coming was not to condemn - it wasn’t to clean up things politically -

1) but it was to cleanse spiritually

4. Cleanse people from their sins - & to give them life - to release those who

were captives to sin - in the Prison of addiction - set them totally free!!!

1) John 3: 17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to

E) Not saved today you can be - receive Jesus !!!!!!

Jesus is coming again - He will set up His kingdom - He is going to Judge

1. Now I can really feel for John here because we sometimes misunderstand the Lord in the same way!

2. We expect the Lord to move or work in a certain way in a certain situation & when He doesn’t we begin to doubt

1. Especially if our tendency is to focus on what He is not doing instead of rejoicing in what He is doing !

3. We take our eyes off the Lord & start looking at the circumstances which leads us to start thinking God doesn’t care about me / doesn’t love me

1. We put ourselves in that Dungeon of doubt - no Joy - No Peace - No faith to move forward or to keep trusting to hang in there!

1. It is also an attitude that can creep into the fellowship - when we look at the Church & focus on what it is not doing - / or what is not happening

2. And we can become discouraged / critical / complaining When We focus on what the Lord is not doing

1. instead of applauding / appreciating / rejoicing in what He is doing

3. I struggled w/ this early on in the ministry in Oregon - I saw such great potential for the Lord to work in that area.

1. Lacking a Calvary Chapel style of ministry - Churches were traditional & the religious vibe was heavy

4. I so wanted to the Lord to work in a certain way - & when He wasn’t I became discouraged - / PTL for certain Elder Dale - Lunch

1. God used Him several times to say - Look what God is doing

5. Lives that are being Changed - marriages healed -

OH WE HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL - So much in our lives is a matter of PERSEPECTIVE - Do we view the cup ½ full or ½ empty

1. F.B. Meyer Unbelief puts our circumstance between us and God, but

2. Read the true story yesterday reported in the news a few yrs ago - Mike Murray - took his 2 kids to visit mom at work on Mothers day

1. She worked at a medical center in the city

3. Mike accidentally drove off w/ his 3month old son Matt. sitting in his car seat on the roof of the car - ( made it to the freeway - 50 mph flew off

1. Landed in the free way & was not hit / Matt. Was uninjured & the car seat was undamaged !

4. Now some people who heard that story - probably thought - what an idiot -guy leaves his kid on the roof / freeway / lock him up ( saw only the Neg.)

1. Others hear that story & PROCLAIM GOD YOU ARE INCREDIBLE - PTL - HE PROTECTED THAT BABY

V.21 And that very hour- ( THE SAME TIME JOHN’S DISCIPLES WERE THERE - JESUS - GOES TO WORK - as if to say watch this

21 And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits;& to many blind He gave sight. 22 Jesus answered and said to them "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

A)Note this Jesus doesn’t give them this big theological distortion - He just

says go tell John what you have seen Deaf/ Blind/ dead/ lame / Gospel is

2. Jesus quotes from Isa. 35 another Messianic passage / so he takes John back to the word which is so important in dealing w/ doubt

1. Soph. Yr. Of high school - doubt - how do I know Jesus is real bible is true - 3 books - Know what / Know why / Rez.

2. Reliability of the bible - the proof of the Rez. / fulfilled prophecies / study those things - thoroughly / conclusion - no other way ! Jesus is it!!!!!

1. So Jesus takes John back to the word - but he does something else

3. By responding in this way the Lord does something here that He does often in scripture to solidify the faith of those in doubt

1. He gives a further Rev. of Himself!!!

3. Tell John I am the one who makes the deaf to hear / lame walk/ blind to

see/ who brings the dead to life / brings goodnews to the poor !

1. We see the Lord do this often in scripture

4. Moses is at the burning Bush - commissioned by God - Doubt - Lord I can’t - who’s authority

1. tell them I Am has sent you - And God spent the next 40 yrs revealing to Moses & Israel just who He was .

5. That He was the Bread of Life - manna from heaven / The provider of living water - as it came out of the Rock

1. Jehovah Jireh the God who provides - quail / strength & their shield

1. She has ever reason to doubt that no one cares - she is going to be left alone to care for herself & her child

2. God meets her at this well - says He will take care of her
3. She names the place Beer Lahai Roi;- You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees;

1. Why was Paul feeling anxiety, fear? In - Lystra - stoned; Phillip - beaten;

Jailed/ Thessolonica; & Berea chased out of town. / Athens mocked

1) probably thinking here we go again!

2. The Lord appears to Paul in a Vision in the Prison "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 "for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city."

2. In each situation the Lord gives a further revelation of himself / to Moses I Am the I Am - what ever you need

1. To Hagar I am the God who sees & hears / To Paul I am your friend / protector & the omniscient one - always there!

3. And in Heb. We are told something similar - Jesus says I will never leave you or forsake you - so that you may boldly say the Lord is my help I will not fear what man can do to me.

4. Another instance in Paul’s life 2 Cor. 12 - thorn in the flesh -pleaded = begged 3 times - nothing changed - God didn’t work like I hoped

1. But He spoke - "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

5. Paul was looking for a healing & instead He was given a Revelation of the Grace & Sufficiency of God . was He bummed ?

1. In those times of doubt He desires to give us a further Rev. of Himself as we take our eyes off the situation & circumstances & put our eyes on Him!

2. As we pick up His word He gives us further Rev. of Who He is /

Now this blesses me & I think it is a good reminder to us of the Lord’s heart

2. So this wasn’t something that was communicated to John while he was on earth - but he heard it in heaven.

1. So too w/ us - there are times when we feel like we are not making any impact / when we feel like we are not doing anything

3. Even times when we feel as if the Lord has forgotten us / but He hasn’t - He knows He sees - He will reward openly things done in secret

1. Cup of cold water in His name - rewarded / prayer warriors - no one sees - rewarded !!!!

2. Moses, Ezekiel, Daniel, Isa, & all the other Prophets looked forward to the

coming of the Messiah - But John actually got to present Him!!!!!

3. These other guys would have given anything to be in John’s shoes

1. So John was the greatest because he was the one picked to present the Messiah.

1. Each person here today who knows Jesus Christ - personally you have been born again - Jesus declares you are greater than John. WHAT?

2. Listen Jesus isn’t talking about our person - that any of us were greater than John as people - John was a radical guy

1. Jesus is talking about our Position !

3. John was good guy - godly man - but you who know the Lord - are perfect - Holy and righteous - where your at ! IN CHRIST !!!!!

1. John was the Herald of the King - You are the friend of the King

4. John was a servant of the Bridegroom / but you are the Bride

1. So simple because of our Position in Christ - New Cov. Believers / living on the other side of Calvary - we are greater than John.

John because they believed that John was a prophet sent from God

1) He was POPULAR because he dared to speak up to Herod

2. He was the common man's hero....

3. Religious leaders on the other hand - didn’t like John / rejected John

Mark 11: describes a time when these leaders came to Jesus & questioned Him concerning the authority by which he did things

So these guys were irritated by the words of Jesus because they rejected John - but they also rejected Jesus / So Jesus continues

1. Children learn from watching adults / if you have young kids they probably like to play dress up - / play pretend

2. My 2 yr. old Amanda loves to play Mommy & Daddy w/ her older Bro. & sister - Aaron’s dad / Amy’s Mom - / Amanda’s the Baby

1. I think she like this - because they give her what ever she wants

3. Then she reverses it & she is the mom & they are the kids / she likes that because she can boss them around !

2. Wedding you don’t Dance - Funeral you don’t mourn.

1. You didn’t like John - too heavy - too convicting - He was a radical guy he didn’t eat or drink and you said - he has a Demon!!!

3. And now I come on the scene & I eat & drink drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

1) What do you want !!! You don’t know - but understand this

1. This is such a radical thing - the wisdom of God is not seen intellectually

Paul says He uses the foolish things to confound the wise !

2. the wisdom of God is not seen intellectually/ it is not argued logically - but it is seen in the transformation of People!

1. it is seen in the children of God !!! It is seen in born again believers

3. It is seen in the lives that God is working in & Changing

1. Seen in people who were once strung out on dope - now delivered

Marriages that were on the brink of divorce /

4. People who were in bondage to certain sins who have been set free

1. people who were once bound by Materialism who have come to discover that - there is more to life than Material possessions

WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED BY HER CHILDREN - WISDOM IS PROVED IN CHANGED LIVES !!!!! Transformation of People

He began his prison career at the age of 11. No prison seemed capable of holding him; no prison system seemed capable of breaking his spirit or reforming his behavior. He served 24 of those years in solitary confinement. Seventeen months he sat on death row. He participated in prison riots, broke a guard's arm, another guard's collar bone, and brought about the death of one sheriff. In one prison in Indiana, he stole 40 pounds of cyanide while working in the prison with the idea of poisoning the entire prison staff. He spent 31 months in Devil's Island Prison confined in a 5 x 7 foot cell, chained by his neck. Society had no hope for him, they just tried their best to confine him.

But something happened in Arthur's life to dramatically change all of that. It began one day in Leavenworth, Kansas, while in prison. A preacher came to visit in the prison and brought along his 14-year-old son, Timmy. As Timmy followed his dad down the row of cells, he for some reason paused by Arthur's cell, and smiled and winked.

That's all it took. Arthur responded, called him back to the cell and began to verbally abuse him; to curse, to swear, to call him everything he could think of. The boy broke down in tears, but he stood his ground. Finally he simply said these words to Arthur, "I love you."

Arthur said later, "That was the first time in all of my life anyone had ever told me that."

Arthur began to receive letters from Timmy. Timmy would write to him and share his concern. Timmy prayed for him. For seven years those letters kept coming, and correspondence began to be exchanged between them; until Arthur finally broke down and he said, "Every letter was stained with his tears. I couldn't take it anymore. I got on my knees and came to the Lord."

God did two miracles in the life of Arthur. The first was to transform a hate-filled, violent man into a man of love and grace with the ability to care for others. Then God did a double miracle, because He saw fit to have him released from prison in spite of that kind of a background and record. Though he had cancer, he set about proclaiming Christ with the years that he had left.