Apologetics—Origins… (My Thinking on Creation Has Evolved) | February 24, 2019

by | Feb 24, 2019 | Sermons

Apologetics — Origins… (My Thinking on Creation Has Evolved) | February 24, 2019

 

“In the beginning God created…” Genesis 1:1a

 

Be Prepared for the Questions…
The Question of Evil
The Question of the Moral Law
The Question of the Reliability of the Bible
The Question of SO Many Religions
          A needed clarification… LOVE!
The Question of Origins!

 

Know the Positions…
The Bible Position Genesis 1 & 2
The Evolution Position Romans 1:21-23
What do these two positions claim?
          They explain how we got here!

 

What Form of Literature is Genesis 1?
Poetry with purpose
          There is only ONE God Deuteronomy 6:4
          Day 1—gods of light & darkness
          Day 2—gods of sky & sea, etc…
          Day 6—gods of humanity
          Toledot—generations
                    They were created… by one God!
Poetry and… cosmogony
          “The movement from chaos to cosmos”
Not geological or biological or chronological… cosmological
Chaos—Darkness, watery deep, formless earth…

What Can We Know About Creation? What’s Our Answer?
He is the ONLY God… and He’s a God of order
He created everything
And He created YOU in His image & likeness
And He isn’t satisfied with the chaos of this world, but through the Cross He is offering you order… and peace!

CROSSROADS CHURCH

5467 1st Ave, Pittsville, WI 54466 | 715-884-2665

Sunday Services at 9:30AM

[email protected]

Apologetics—With SO Many… How Can I Know | February 17, 2019

by | Feb 17, 2019 | Sermons

Apologetics—With SO Many… How Can I Know | February 17, 2019

 

“I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.” Isaiah 45:5a

Why (or How) Should We “Do” Apologetics?
It produces confidence
Because I (am) said so!
Do so with gentleness and respect 1Peter 3:15

Who is asking?
Some are hostile to Christians Matthew 7:6
Some are earnestly seeking Jeremiah 29:13-14
Some are believers looking to be prepared 1Peter 3:15

Questions Covered So Far…
The Question of Evil
The Moral Law
Historical Evidence for the Bible

 

But With So Many Religions…
The three “largest” religions…
1. Christianity | 2.4 billioN | 1 Trinitarian God
2. Islam | 1.8 billion | 1 God only
3. Hinduism | 1.2 billion | 330+ million gods

 

Many “gods”… is not new
Ten plagues | Exodus 7-11
Dagon Philistines | 1 Samuel 5:1-4
A god we don’t even know | Acts 17:22-23

What is Truth?
Exclusivity is a fundamental property of truth
Examine exclusivity to see if it’s true
Reincarnation… it’s what you do…
Paradise (in Islam)… karma!
Heaven (in Christianity)… REDEMPTION! (through Grace)

CROSSROADS CHURCH

5467 1st Ave, Pittsville, WI 54466 | 715-884-2665

Sunday Services at 9:30AM

[email protected]

Apologetics — Can I Trust This Book? | February 10, 2019

by | Feb 10, 2019 | Sermons

Apologetics — Can I Trust This Book? | February 10, 2019

 

“Your Word is Truth” John 17:17b

 

HISTORIC CLAIMS OF THE BIBLE?
James Ussher believed Genesis 1 occurred in 4004 BC
66 books (39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament)
40 different authors
1 consistent theme

 

How Can We Trust a Document THAT Old?
What’s the criteria for trusting an ancient document?
Years between earliest copy and the original writing
The total number of early copies

 

Two Ancient Examples
Homer’s “Iliad” and Caeser’s “Gallic Wars”
Homer’s Iliad — 400 years 643 early copies
Gallic Wars — 1,000 years only 10 early copies
How does the Bible compare?
New Testament — 50 years 25,000 early copies
If we can’t trust the Bible to be historical …

Age Isn’t Everything…
Is it correct simply because it’s old?

1st Century Jewish Historians confirm it
Josephus—“At the same time there was a man named Jesus, if we may call him a man. He was a worker of miracles and a teacher of those who willingly received the truth…”

1st Century Roman Historians confirm it
Tacitus—“Christians… Christus, from whom their name is derived, was executed at the hands of the procurator Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius …”

2 Peter 1:20-21… 2 Timothy 3:16… Romans 10:9-10

    CROSSROADS CHURCH

    5467 1st Ave, Pittsville, WI 54466 | 715-884-2665

    Sunday Services at 9:30AM

    [email protected]

    Apologetics—The Moral Law | February 3, 2019

    by | Feb 3, 2019 | Sermons

    .Apologetics — The Moral Law? | February 3, 2019

     

    “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. Isaiah 1:18a

     

    The Moral Law
    One claims that God cannot exist because evil exists
    If there is “evil” then there must be “good”
    Discerning “good” from “evil” requires a Moral Law
    A Moral Law requires a Moral Law Giver
    But you’re trying to disprove this Moral Law Giver

     

    Where Do Good & Evil Come From?
    Evolution?
              No—It would be ever changing
    Reason?
              No—It can only explain it, but used for other things
    Conscience?
              No—Hitler had a conscience.
              Is yours right and his wrong?
    Human Nature?
              No—Human nature is WHY we need a Moral Law
    Utilitarianism?
              “What is morally right is determined by whatever creates the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people”
              No—If 90% were happy with enslaving the 10%?

     

    Why Do Apologetics?
    We’re told to always be prepared… 1Peter 3:15
    We should “demolish arguments” that set themselves up against the knowledge of God… 2 Cor 10:5
    Be on guard against hollow and deceptive philosophy… Col 2:8-10
    But DON’T ARGUE!
    “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”… Jesus

    CROSSROADS CHURCH
    5467 1st Ave, Pittsville, WI 54466 | 715-884-2665
    Sunday Services at 9:30AM | [email protected]