C Michael Patton
C. Michael Patton is the primary contributor to the Parchment and Pen/Credo Blog. He has been in ministry for nearly twenty years as a pastor, author, speaker, and blogger.
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Th.M. Dallas Theological Seminary (2001), president of Credo House Ministries and Credo Courses, author of Now that I'm a Christian (Crossway, 2014) Increase My Faith (Credo House, 2011), and The Theology Program (Reclaiming the Mind Ministries, 2001-2006), host of Theology Unplugged, and primary blogger here at Parchment and Pen. But, most importantly, husband to a beautiful wife and father to four awesome children. Michael is available for speaking engagements.
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4 replies to "Doubting John"
Thanks, Michael.
Couldn’t agree more! I heard a message on this once before, that that minister said it this way … John had committed his whole life to Christ. And now he is sitting in prison, probably going to die. he was tired, and beat up, and nothing was going the way it was supposed to. And the heart of his question wasn’t so much “are you the Christ,” (although I’m sure there was at least an element of that) but rather “was it worth it? Did it work?”
Even Jesus’ own disciples who watched, even helped do the miracles doubted. But John, who was about to die, had never actually *seen* the result of his ministry – pointing people to Christ. Was it worth it? Is my death going to be worth it?
And Jesus’ response was, “It worked. the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. Yes, it was worth it.”
I got a lot out of this sermon, thanks for posting it! It had never really appreciated that John doubted, though I must have read that passage over and over through the years. Was all very encouraging for a doubter like me. I would agree that doubt is a bridge to a deeper faith. I had never been all that interested in theology, church history and apologetics until I began to have the most serious doubts of my life about 12 months ago. Now I really can’t get enough of it.
Doubt keeps faith real, without doubt, faith becomes static.