The Christian's Need For Reassurance

"The Christian's Need For Reassurance"
Luke 7:19-30 (John the Baptist in prison, inquiring if Jesus is the one?)

Intro. All Christians, at times, need reassurance.
Ill. Movie "Hoosiers" (Coach, as his team entered a huge basketball arena for the state championship, had his players measure the heighth of the goal...10 feet, and the distance to the free throw line, 15 feet...he reassured them by saying, "I think you will find those same measurements back in our gym at Hickory.")

-In this text, John the Baptist needed reassuring. He was the forerunner of Jesus, he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, he was filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb, he had grown up knowing Jesus, and a short time before he had pinpointed the Messiah, "Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world."
-Yet now, in prison, after a short 6 month ministry, doubt was perhaps creeping in.
Luke 7:19 "And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?"

I.Who Needs Reassurance?
-In this case, John the Baptist...
-We often need reassurance in
A.the presence of God
B.the truths of God
C.the blessings of God
D.the promises of God

II.Why Do We Need Reassurance?
A.Because of Perilous Situations (John the Baptist was there...he had preached adultery in the palace and now his life hung in the balances)
-We live in a time of peril (II Tim.3:1-5) and we often need reassurance.
(Song: "Blessed Assurance")
B.Because of Periods of Doubt (great spiritual leaders have had times of doubt and discouragement)
1.Moses (Numbers 11:11,14,15)
2.Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:7-9)
3.Paul (II Cor.1:8)
C.Because God Is Not Acting or Doing As We Expect
-Did John feel rejected? Did he feel that no one cared about him anymore? Did he wonder if anyone would ever intercede for him? Was he perplexed?
-We can reach this point in our Christian lives as well.

III.Who Provided Reassurance?
Jesus, Luke 7:21-28

IV.The Results of Reassurance
Hebrews 10:22 "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith..."