WHAT TO DO WITH DOUBT
Gospel of Mark #19
Pastor Clanton
Woodland Church
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
(Mark 6:14–29, NLT) “Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.” Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.” When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.” For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him. Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!” She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!” So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!” Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb.”
1. WHAT DOUBT DOES TO US.
(Mark 6:20, NIV) “Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.”
(Psalm 73:2, NLT) “But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.”
2. WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH OUR DOUBT?
A. See your doubt as a window of opportunity.
(Jude 22, NLT) “And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.”
B. Take the opportunity to look at the foundations of your life.
(Mark 6:20, NIV) “Herod feared John…”
“Everything difficult indicates something more than our theory of life yet embraces, checks some tendency to abandon the strait path, leaving open only the way ahead.” –George MacDonald, Sermon: The Word of Jesus on Prayer
C. Make up your mind and move ahead decisively.
(Mark 6:21, NLT) “Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday.”
Herodias let her pride poison her into a bitter, hateful, vindictive, murderer.
D. Don’t let bitterness build up in your life.
(Hebrews 12:15, NLT) “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”
- Pray for wisdom
- Pray for courage.
- Be Christ like.
- Witness with strength.
- Move mountains by faith.
- Overcome in love.
3. HOW TO GET THE POWER TO DEAL WITH MY DOUBT.
(Romans 8:18, NLT) “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.”
A. What is your greatest fear?
B. Build your life on Jesus Christ
“Sin building your identity on anything but God.” –Soren Kierkegaard
(John 1:29, NLT)”The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 3:30, NLT) “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”