Doubt on SermonAudio

This sermon encourages believers to overcome internal and external barriers that prevent them from serving God by relying on His power rather than their own abilities. Drawing primarily from John 15:16, the message emphasizes that God has chosen and ordained every Christian for a specific purpose, and provides the Holy Spirit to enable that work. The preacher illustrates this truth by examining biblical figures like Moses, Jacob, Rahab, Samson, and several New Testament saints who were used mightily despite significant personal flaws or past sins. Common hindrances such as laziness, apathy, family obligations, sports distractions, and mental blocks rooted in shame are identified as obstacles to faithfulness. The central call is for believers to surrender their perceived limitations, clean their lives of sin, avoid distractions, and remain willing vessels for God's use.

Finally, know and never doubt the sovereign authority of Christ over all things. Remember that much of the heresies the church had to deal with in history were Trinitarian heresies. Much of them focused on Christ, either denying His humanity, or denying His deity. Therefore, hear God the Father's words in Matthew 17 "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!", and truly listen to Him. Hear Jesus' declaration in Matthew 28 that all authority has been given to Him in Heaven and on earth, and then go and obey Him!

The sermon emphasizes the necessity of having absolute confidence in Christ and assurance of salvation, contrasting this with the fear and uncertainty that stem from doubt. Using the account of Lazarus's death and resurrection in John 11, the text argues that Christ's delay was a deliberate act to demonstrate His power over life and death, thereby strengthening the faith of His disciples. It explains that spiritual deadness prevents humans from seeing Christ's worth, but He alone can impart life and remove the bondage of sin. The message urges believers to let trials develop their faith rather than weaken it, asserting that true faith grows stronger through hardship and reliance on God's promises. Finally, it calls unsaved individuals to abandon their rebellion and trust in Christ's completed work for eternal security.

This sermon examines the disciples' desperation and Peter's faltering faith during a storm on the Sea of Galilee to illustrate that salvation rests not on the quality or quantity of one's belief, but on its object. The preacher emphasizes that while human faith is often mixed with fear and doubt, it remains effective when fixed upon Jesus Christ, who alone possesses the power to save. By analyzing Peter's experience of stepping out in daring faith and sinking in doubt, the message encourages believers to look away from their circumstances and toward the unchanging nature of Christ. The central call is for both skeptics and struggling Christians to place their trust entirely in Jesus as the sole source of deliverance and hope. Ultimately, the text affirms that a weak faith in a strong Savior is sufficient for salvation and endurance through life's trials.

The sermon exhorts believers to maintain spiritual vigilance against the devil, who actively seeks to destroy their faith through temptation, accusation, and suffering. Drawing from 1 Peter 5:8-11, it emphasizes the necessity of being sober-minded and watchful to recognize the personal nature of this spiritual warfare. The message outlines how the adversary operates by exploiting pride and doubt, urging Christians to resist him by submitting to God and standing firm in the gospel. It reassures believers that they are not alone in their struggles, as all Christians face similar trials, but they can endure because Christ has already secured victory over evil. Ultimately, the passage calls for a steadfast reliance on God's grace and eternal calling, which provides the strength and hope needed to overcome spiritual attacks.

The sermon explores the nature of biblical faith by examining Abraham as a model of strength and trust in God's promises despite impossible circumstances. It distinguishes true saving faith from general religious belief, emphasizing that faith is a divine gift focused on God's character rather than human effort or emotion. The preacher argues that believers grow stronger in faith by contemplating God's attributes, such as His truthfulness and omnipotence, which glorifies Him and dispels doubt. Additionally, the message warns against misusing faith to manipulate outcomes for health or wealth, insisting instead on reliance solely on Scripture's explicit promises. Ultimately, the congregation is encouraged to exercise their faith daily in trials and ministry, trusting that God will fulfill His word just as He did for Abraham.

The sermon identifies the devil as a roaring lion and active adversary who seeks to devour believers through accusation, intimidation, and division. Drawing on biblical examples such as Job, Peter, and Nehemiah, it illustrates that Satan employs recycled tactics like doubt, distraction, and false accusations to discourage God's people. The text emphasizes that while the devil is powerful, he operates within limits and cannot act outside God's sovereign permission. Believers are urged to remain sober, vigilant, and steadfast in faith, recognizing that they are not alone in their struggles. The central call is to resist the devil by putting on spiritual armor and standing firm against his schemes rather than yielding to fear or despair.

How much evidence is enough to resolve unbelief? Mark 8:11–21 prepares us for the hearing of God's Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord's Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that unbelief is not resolved by more evidence, but by eliminating the unbelief itself. The devotional examines Mark 8:11-21 to find that the root of spiritual blindness is a hardened heart rather than a lack of evidence. The Pharisees' demand for signs results in Jesus's warning against the leaven of unbelief and skepticism. Pastor emphasizes that believers also struggle with doubt, when they judge by external circumstances instead of God's Word, character, and work. True faith requires the Holy Spirit to soften the heart and enable perception. Ultimately, living by faith depends on continual reliance on God's grace to overcome remaining sin.

What does it mean that God raised up a horn of salvation? That phrase, drawn from Luke 1:67-72, might sound foreign to modern ears, but it carries a depth of meaning that reaches straight into the heart of the gospel. In Pastor Paul Chapman's message, the Horn of Salvation, we explore the ancient imagery of the horn, a symbol of concentrated strength and power, and discover why Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was moved by the Holy Spirit to use it when describing the coming Messiah. The horn was both a weapon of conquest and a place of refuge, and remarkably, Jesus embodies both. He fights our battles and gives us a place to run. We also walk through the extraordinary story of Zechariah himself, a priest struck silent for his unbelief, who spent months in quiet reflection before finally exercising the faith he had once refused. His story challenges us to ask a hard question: when God is silent in our own lives, are we doubting with faith, or doubting with unbelief? The difference, as we will see, is everything. This message reminds us that silence is not the same as absence, and that God is always working, even when we cannot see or hear it.