When In Doubt, Part 3: “Keep Your Eyes On Jesus – Part 1”
July 17, 2022

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Message Review

Sometimes it's the Christians you know that are the biggest contributors to your doubt. You think “If they believe all this stuff to be true and still act the way they do then I don’t know if I can believe it.” If your faith is determined by the actions of others than your faith is in people and not God. We navigate through this doubt by focusing on Jesus alone. 

Main Point | The litmus test for the truth of Christianity cannot be the actions of Christians; it must be Jesus alone. 

Scripture References | Matthew 23:27-28; Matthew 23:33; Titus 1:16; Hebrews 5:13-14; Psalm 103:14; Acts 13:49-52 

Challenge Question | Is your Faith determined, built upon, or grounded on the actions of other or Jesus alone”  

Questions

  • Pastor Matt used this quote from Brennan Manning: 

“The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door, and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”  

  • How does the reality of this quote make you feel? What are ways that we can help change this narrative?  

  • When we fall short, we blame our circumstances. When someone else falls short, we blame their character. Why do you think we look at shortcomings this way?  

  • Read Matthew 23:27-28. How do you think this passage describes a lot of “Christians” today?  

  • The biggest complaint about the church from most people is that its full of a bunch of hypocrites. How is your initial reaction to this comment? Why do you think this is the biggest complaint?  

  • Pastor Matt talked about how the only thing that makes you a Christian is Following Jesus. Why do people try and add things to that equation? (Ex. Going to church, living in the south, your political party.) 

  • Pastor Matt said, “The litmus test for truth of Christianity cannot be the actions of Christians; It must be Jesus alone.” What are some ways that you can make sure that you keep your eyes on Jesus alone?  

  • What is one step that you can take to “shake the dust” off your feet this week?  

 

Application

This week look at the way you are living and see if there is any place someone searching for Jesus could look at your life and give them the wrong impression. With any of these areas focus your eyes back on Jesus for help. Also, if you know of anyone that has been hurt by the hypocrisy of Christians, pray for them, and pray for chances for God to use you to help bring them back towards Jesus.

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