1. Doubting Our Doubts
Luke 7:9

2. Doubt And The Bible
Facts and warnings about doubt (Gen. 3:1; Rom. 14:23; James 1:5-8)
Doubt is not always negative
Sometimes it moves us to investigate
Matters of faith

3. Nature of faith calls for investigation (Heb. 11:1)
Am I really a Christian?
Are my sins really forgiven?
Does the Lord really love me?
Can I count on His promises?
Doubt can be a real motivator
However, through investigation we strengthen our faith
This limits the effect of doubt
Nothing is gained by not investigating and wallowing in doubt

4. The Doubts Of The Apostles
The apostles also questioned things
Doubted the report (Mk. 16:11-13; Lk. 24:8-11)
Even late in the account (Mk. 16:14)

5. It is easy to fault them They had been with Him for three years
He had repeatedly told them of His impending death and resurrection (Mk. 8:31)
Even His enemies knew of His teaching on this (Matt. 27:63)

6. A great contributor to doubt is fear
Fear of failure
Fear of rejection
Fear of the world and its opinion
We must never allow fear to overwhelm us and produce permanent doubt

7. The Doubt Of Thomas Character of Thomas
Practical (Jn. 14:5)
Devoted (Jn. 11:16)
Thomas may have doubted, but he did ask for evidence (Jn. 20:24-25)
He received it (Jn. 20:26-27)
Doubt was gone (Jn. 20:28)

8. Help To Overcome Doubt Can we understand the apostles’ doubt?
Fear
Events contrary to experience
Shame
Yet, they received evidence to calm them.
Peace (Jn. 20:19)
Jesus in their midst (Jn. 20:19)
Commissioned (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15)

9. Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

10. John 20:29
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

11. 1 John 4:4; 5:4-5
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world…For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

12. Acts 17:11
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.