“How can you possibly defend the church?! It’s done terrible things in the name of God.” At first, the only possible reaction is to apologize. Before we climb into a hole, Christianity is an incredibly good thing. In this lesson we’ll separate fact from fiction and look at what terrible things have been done in the past. We’ll find that it’s not just the church that has black marks. In the end, we’ll find that Christianity is the most powerful force for good the world has ever seen.
Even though there is no good answer for suffering in this world, we know without a doubt that our God loves us because he sent Jesus to save us. That much we know. It is our loving father who allows heartache and pain into our life.
Is Christianity a crutch for the weak? I suppose so. I know that I’m weak. I find my strength in Jesus alone. But I don’t think that the people who said this about my faith were trying to point me to the cross. Calling Christianity a crutch for the weak is an attack on the faith. How could we defend against this?
No other gods… That’s not so hard, right? Well even if you can stay away from the little golden statues, there are other gods that will try and sneak into your heart. These can be good things. Things that God commands us to love and care for. Our bodies, our family, our possessions are all gifts from him. Guard your heart that they don’t climb above God to the #1 place in our hearts.
What are the two main teachings of the Bible? It’s Law and Gospel, of course. This morning we’ll break down the differences of Law and Gospel teaching.
Where is a good place to start with someone when talking about God? Why not go back to the basics! This Sunday we started a new Bible study: Back to the Basics. We’ll see how we can know about God. All corners of the globe have a concept of God – why do you think that is? God inserted evidence of his existence in creation.
Working hard is a great way to get ahead in life. Trying our best is never a bad idea. What happens when we apply a little elbow grease to our spiritual lives? Working hard is a common thread in almost every religion around the world. Is Christianity really any different? Watch and find out.
The topic of the trinity, our Three-In-One God, isn’t a new one to the Christian, but the answers to the seeker might be. How would you explain your three-in-one God to someone who wasn’t a Christian? It doesn’t make sense – neither does God’s love. There are plenty of unexplained things about the Christian faith that we simply accept. Our God says it; we believe it.
“I only believe what I can see!” Really, do you only believe what you can see? Can you really prove that something doesn’t exist? Is Atheism an uplifting world view? Do agnostics really have a hard time understanding or is it a willful ignorance? This question is for the skeptic in all of us. At first glance it seems worthy of a respect. “Maybe these people just want to think things through.” Let’s take a closer look.
What kind of a God demands worship? My first reaction to the question is… “When you say it like that… it sounds bad.” But not really. No one has to pry the praise from my lips. I happily offer my life not just my song in praise to my God.