Luke 24 Lesson

DOUBT

Satan loves to create doubt! 

As you read Luke Chapter 24, pay attention to how even those closest to Jesus had doubts.  

This did not make them worthless. 

Jesus did not condemn them for it. 

It simply meant that they were human! 

Luke writes about how Jesus rose from the grave on the third day just as He said He would.  He also writes that Jesus’ own Apostles did not believe it was Him when He appeared. 

You may ask yourselves, where was their faith? 

Or how could that be? 

After everything that they had witnessed, how did they not believe that Jesus did exactly what He said He was going to do? 

It just goes to show how powerful doubt is, and how if we are not careful, Satan will fill our minds with doubt also.   

PROTECTING OURSELVES FROM DOUBT

The best way to protect ourselves from doubtis to read the Bible!  

The Apostle Paul wrote about this in his letter to the Romans:

• “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Romans 10:17.

The more time we spend in God’s word, the stronger our faith becomes, and the less susceptible we are to Satan’s attacks. 

As Christians, we need to understand what Paul meant when he wrote:

• "Stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” –Ephesians 6:14-17.

In this passage, Paul writes about what it means to put on, “The Full Armor of God.”

Note the different forms of protection that Paul mentions, including:

1. Girding our loins with truth,
2. The breastplate of righteousness,
3. The Gospel of Peace,
4. The shield of faith,
5. The helmet of salvation,
6. The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

To protect ourselves from doubt, God has provided us with His Word, His Spirit, and above all, faith. 

Jesus said that faith was so important, that with it, all things are possible! (Mark 9:23)

ACTING ON OUR FAITH

Our faith does not mean anything until we act on it. 

James wrote:

• “What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?  In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” –James 2:14-17.

God wants us to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only! (James 1:22)

How active we are in our faith is a good barometer for where we are in our Spiritual lives.

If we are taking time every day to glorify God and serve others, our faith is probably in a good place.

If, however, we are living in isolation and thinking only of our own needs, our faith is probably not where it needs to be.

EVERYONE HAS DOUBTS

Only a few days before Peter received the news that Jesus had risen, he denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:54-62). 

This time, however, things were going to be different for Peter! 

This time, his faith would be stronger than his doubt. 

This time, his belief would be greater than his fear. 

Luke writes:

• “But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.” – Luke 24:12.  

This goes to show that over the course of a lifetime, it is natural for our faith to strengthen and weaken.

In John’s Gospel, he recounts the story of Jesus asking Peter three times if he loved Him. 

Why three times?  

Could it be because Peter had earlier denied Jesus three times? 

Maybe Jesus wanted to let Peter know that He still had plans for him, that he was still wanted, and that Jesus still loved him. 

Each of the three times that Jesus asked Peter if He loved Him, Peter responded that he did, and Jesus responded with a different command.  

The three commands were to:

1. “Tend My lambs,”
2. “Shepard My sheep,”
3. “Tend My sheep.”

After Peter denied Jesus three times, he may have felt that he was no longer of any use to the Lord. 

But that was not the case. 

By welcoming Peter back, Jesus let him know that he was forgivenand that there was still important work to be done. 

CONCLUSION

It is normal to have doubts from time to time. 

Even those closest to Jesus had doubts.  

But we do not want to remain in a state of doubt any longer than necessary. 

There are things that we can do to strengthen our faith and reduce doubt. 

The best thing that we can do to increase our faith is to read the Bible and apply what we have learned. 

As we read from God’s Word, we need to challenge ourselves to act on what we have read.

Otherwise, all we have done is read the words, and the Bible is so much more than words in a book.

It is the inspired word of God, and it is meant to shape our lives and our decisions daily. 

We will end today’s study with the following scripture from the Book of Proverbs:

• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.  It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.” – Proverbs 3:5-8.