Doubting John
By Lisa Boyer
Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
John 1:32-34
John the Baptist had seen and heard the most amazing things! When he baptized Jesus, he witnessed the Spirit coming down from heaven as a dove, and in Matthew 3:17 the Bible tells us he heard a voice from heaven saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased."By Lisa Boyer
Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
John 1:32-34
But in spite of hearing God’s voice declare that Jesus was the Son of God, John doubted while he was in prison. In Luke 7:20 we read, “When the men came to Jesus, they said, ‘John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?'"
It seems that when times get tough, doubt tends to creep into our hearts and minds, and John was no exception. Yet in the midst of doubt, John still knew where to find the answer… Jesus Himself.
And what an answer Jesus gave! “So he (Jesus) replied to the messengers, ‘Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor’” Luke 7:22.
Jesus didn’t criticize, get angry or belittle John for doubting. He lovingly pointed John back to the evidence which made it obvious… Jesus was in fact the One.
You and I may not doubt that Jesus is the One, but we still have a tendency to doubt things we should know. We should know that we’re forgiven… we should know that God loves us… we should know where we’ll spend eternity… we should know that He’ll walk with us through anything that happens… we should know that we can trust Him, and yet we doubt.
Thankfully, we too can go back to Jesus where He lovingly provides the answers in His Word.
GOING DEEPER:
1. If you’re struggling with doubt, will you go back to Jesus and His Word today?
2. If you don’t feel you are in a place to go back to Jesus alone, will you ask a friend to come alongside you?
FURTHER READING:
Jude 1:22; Romans 8:38-39; Titus 3:4-5
Lisa has been married to Ted for 18 years and they have two teenage sons. Lisa is a co-leader for the Junior High girls’ small group.
