A Ready Defense – People Who Have Never Heard February 20, 2005
1 Peter 3:15
Intro: Several years ago a Peanuts comic strip had Linus and Charlie Brown in engaged in a serious conversation about God. Linus says, “I have a theological question. When you die and go to heaven, are you graded on a percentage or on a curve?” Charlie Brown nervously answers, “On a curve.” Linus says, “How can you be so sure?” Charlie Brown replies, “I’m always sure about things that are a matter of opinion.
Trans: This AM we’re starting a series entitled “A Ready Defense.” The intent of this study is to give us truthful answers to those who ask us our opinion about God. In this series we’re going to investigate 7 prominent questions people ask about God. To be sure, if you were to hit the street and survey 100 people in our current culture, you would likely get 100 different responses. Thing is, God leaves no room for debate, as heaven and God are not a matter of opinion but a matter of fact and faith.
Trans: Essay from Danny Dutton
Trans: What would you say to someone who asks you why you believe in God? Truth is, all of us need to have an answer for the hope w/in us.
I Why Bother?
Verse: You must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way. 1 Peter 3:15-16
Note: (1) B/c the souls of men lie in the balance of eternity – what if no one told you?
(2) B/c God tells us to bother.
Note: Our ability to soundly answer the questions of others seeking to discover God can make a difference in where one spends eternity.
Trans: This verse offers three important commands to God’s children.
A Make it PERSONAL You must worship Christ as Lord of your life
Key: You cannot impart that which you do not possess for yourself. To worship infers that you’ve already reviewed the evidence, heard the call of the Spirit and received God into your life as Lord.
Word: Sanctify (worship) – means to set apart or make a priority by giving value and worth
Note: One aspect of worship is to be ready to explain why we believe what we believe.
Note: Worship is giving your mind’s attention, heart’s affection, and life’s ambitions fully to the Lord. It’s knowing God and making Him know through words and actions.
B Make it PRACTICAL always be ready to explain it
Word: Apologia – a well thought through defense. We should be able to explain our beliefs
Note: I’m often amazed at how little we know about our faith and how well those who belong to cults understand and can defend their false doctrine – it’s shameful. Christians are lazy and churches have dumb-down truth to attract people to church. If you don’t care to understand what you believe and why, then you have a good reason to doubt your salvation – we‘re called understand what we believe and why!
Note: If someone asked you how to become a Christian – could you tell them?
If someone asked you what God is like – could you describe Him?
Story: Like the little boy who was drawing a picture. His kindergarten teacher asked him what he was drawing. He said he was drawing a picture of God. She said, “But no one knows what God looks like.” He answered, “They will when I’m done.”
C Make it PALATABLE do this in a gentle and respectful way
Note: Yes, we’re to know what we believe, but we also must learn how to communicate it.
Note: Attitude is everything – how you say what you say is as vital as what you say.
Word: Gentle (prauteốs) – patience w/ purpose.” Word used in Gal. 5 w/ fruit of the spirit.
Respectful (phobos) alarmed or fearful – meaning extremely terrified.
Trans: You might be thinking – what did Peter mean? When you consider what’s at stake – it ought to make you shudder. You may be a person’s only shot at salvation – that’s scary! You may be the only Jesus this person will ever see. The stakes are high!
II What about All the People Who’ve Never Heard About Jesus?
Trans: If I have a nickel for every time I’ve been asked this question when talking about God. The last time I flew to Dallas the person next to me asked this very question.
A God will be FAIR
Verse: Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right? Gen. 18:25
He is the Rock; his work is perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is! Dt. 32:4
Truth: God will never condemn someone for rejecting a Jesus they’ve never heard of – that’s not fair. But let me assure you, when the facts are in – no one will accuse God of being unfair b/c he’ll have given every person a chance someway, somehow.
B God is w/in REACH of Everyone
Note: From one man he created all the nations throughout the earth. He decided before-hand which should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him – though he is not far from any one of us. Ac. 17:26-27.
Note: Wherever you were born – God placed you there. From Miami to Seattle – God makes no mistakes about where people are born. Furthermore, God has created the circumstances to point the way to Him. His deepest desire is to connect w/ you.
Verse: God isn’t late w/ his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End b/c he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change. 2 Pt. 3:9
Note: God’s doing everything he can to redeem His creation and He’s holding out until He can hold out no longer – b/c God’s deepest desire is to connect w/ His creation.
Truth: Most people’s problem isn’t discovering God – it’s deciding to discover Him. To be honest, the bulk of humanity is just doing their thing – unconcerned about eternity.
C God will be FOUND by Sincere Seekers
Verse: You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me w/ all your heart. Jer. 29:13
Note: If you’ll notice, there is no geographical, gender, or religious boundaries. Jesus is an equal opportunity Savior. He died for all and is available to all. (Woman at Well)
Verse: For God so loved the World He gave… The world includes everyone
Truth: Christianity is extremely inclusive – Jesus loves everyone and died for sin. The only thing exclusive about Christianity is that God provided a single Savior in Jesus.
Point: Wherever you live and whatever you’ve done – anyone seeking God will find him.
Story: I’ll never forget sitting down w/ Kenny and listening to his story. Born and raised in India – the son of Hindu parents – deep down Kenny wasn’t satisfied w/ the religion of his parents. He’d never heard of Jesus, seen a Bible, or met a missionary, yet he knew in his heart there had to be more. So he began to pray to a God he didn’t know for sure existed asking Him that if He did exist would He make Himself known. W/in a few months Kenny discovered a Bible – read it through in a few weeks, met Jesus and invited Him into his heart – was disowned by his parents.
Note: Nobody’s going to be excluded from heaven b/c they’ve never heard of Jesus b/c God is fair, He is w/in reach, and he can be found by those who seek Him. Yet some people will be denied admittance to heaven b/c they’ve told God they don’t want or need Him, and when they stand before God, He will simply honor their decision to live apart from Him for all eternity. There is nothing unfair about that.
Note: Most importantly – When you stand before God, the subject won’t be about the people who’ve never heard – it will be about you. What did you do w/ what you knew? The Bible is clear – to believe is life while to deny the truth brings death.
III How Could Jesus Be the Only Way To God?
Insert: Ancient Hindu story about 6 men brought to see an elephant. The 1st man touching the elephant’s side – “it’s like a wall.” The 2nd man touching his tusk – “it’s like a spear. The 3rd man holding the trunk – it’s like a snake. The 4th man embracing the leg said – it’s like a tree. The 5th man holding the ear – it’s like a fan. The 6th man grabbing the tail – it’s like a rope. The Hindu concept is that each man is correct so long as he is touching the elephant – all religions lead to God – just pick one.
Truth: Sadly, many people look at the different religions as different roads to God. . .
Insert: If you’re taking a trip from LA to NY, there are many ways to get there. All you have to do is grab a map and pick a route. You can take a southern, central, or northern route. You can drive a car, ride a bike, hop a train or catch a plane. As long as NY is your goal and you follow the map – you’ll get there. . .
Note: We value broadmindedness. We live in a culture of tolerance and we tend to think we ought never be belligerent toward those who sincerely believe differently.
A A Matter of SINCERITY
Idea: It doesn’t matter how sincere you are if your wrong. Sincerity in religion has no advantage if a person is worshiping a non-existent god.
Insert: People who are members of the Flat Earth Society can certainly believe that the earth is flat but their beliefs will never change the fact that the earth is round.
Idea: I can sincerely believe my 94 Accord is a twin turbo Porsche, but I’m not expecting to wake up to a twin turbo in my garage tomorrow AM?
A man can sincerely believe a gun isn’t loaded, it won’t change the effect of pulling the trigger if the gun is loaded.
You can paint wings on a pig, call it a bird, toss it off a cliff doesn’t mean pigs fly.
Point: The issue is truth – not sincerity. Truth operates independent of feelings and desires. The thrust of the Bible is never on blind belief but rather the object of belief. The way to God isn’t a matter of opinion but a matter of fact – only Jesus died for sin.
B A Matter of OPINION
Reality: But that’s narrow – Truth is narrow by definition. We’ve forgotten that concept:
1962 Gallop Poll 84% of Americans agreed that absolute truth exists – 26% today. Even in the church – 51% do not believe that real truth exists.
Note: Think about it – everybody can’t be right? Christianity claims there is one God who exists in three persons. Muslims and Jews disagree – they believe God is indivisibly one. Hinduism claims that everything is God – you’re god, I’m god, my dog is god. Islam claims that Jesus was not a god and that he didn’t die for the sins of humanity. Buddha was non-committal about the existence of God – pretty much an agnostic.
Point: We may all be wrong – But we all can’t be right!
C A Matter of FACT
Note: Thing is, Jesus didn’t just claim to know the way to God, He said that He was God. He said was “I am the only way to God.”
Insert: “I’ll meet you there. . .” Thomas answered, “We haven’t any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Jn 14:5-6
Note: I don’t believe Jesus said that out of arrogance or ignorance – but rather out of great compassion. He wasn’t on a head trip – His heart that hemorrhaged for humanity.
Note: The disciples reaffirmed this claim:
Peter – “Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one.” Ac. 4:12
John – All who believe in God’s Son have eternal life. Those who don’t obey the Son will not experience eternal life, but the wrath of God remains on them. Jn. 3:36
Trans: So the question is this – Was he lying? Was he crazy? Is this just a legend – There are only 4 options available – Just who is this Jesus?
Funny: Who is Jesus – Mexican, Black, Jewish, Italian, Californian, or Woman.
1 OPTION 1 – Jesus was a CON Man (Liar)
Idea: Let me ask: Would you agree that Jesus was a good moral teacher? How could he be a good moral teacher if he was a liar? How could he be a good moral teacher if he lied about his own identity? Fact is – He claimed to be more than a good, moral teacher. He claimed to be God.
Verse: Are you the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.” Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth. Luke 22:70-71
Note: Even his enemies accepted his claim to be the Son of God. At his trial before Pilate, the priests and Temple guards shouted to Pilate – Crucify! Crucify! Pilate said:
Verse: I find him not guilty. The Jewish leaders replied, By our laws he ought to die b/c he called himself the Son of God. Jn. 19:6-7
Note: Jesus is the only man in history ever executed for his claim rather than his crime.
2 OPTION 2 – Jesus was a CRAZY Man (Lunatic)
Note: Perhaps He just thought he was God – a bright guy who got a little confused. In a fierce monotheistic culture only a nut would claim to be equal w/ God, and yet that’s exactly what Jesus claimed!
Note: So the Jewish leaders tried all the more to kill him. In addition to disobeying the Sabbath rules, he spoke of God as his Father, thereby making himself equal w/ God.
Insert: Jesus didn’t exhibit any of the abnormalities or imbalance that go w/ being deranged. He always acted w/ composure and consistency – he was never out of control. He spoke the most profound words ever recorded.
3 OPTION 3 – Jesus was a CONTRIVED Man (Legend)
Note: Perhaps this Jesus guy is just a legend – a fictitious figure manufactured by those who come before us – a cruel practical joke.
Insert: In the past few years people has been a push to cause us to believe that the holocaust never happened – that it was just a hoax. Is Jesus just a hoax?
Note: The historians would say adamantly NO! Jesus is certainly an historic figure. Roman historians, Jewish historians, Christian historians testify to his life, teachings, and death. There is no doubt that Jesus walked this earth some 2000 years ago claiming to be God in the flesh who came to die for the sins of man to bring them into a saving relationship w/ the Creator.
4 OPTION 4 – Jesus was the CHRIST Man (Lord)
Trans: If He wasn’t a con man – a crazy man – or a contrived man – then who was He? I would submit to you this AM that he was the Lord.
Story: Conversation w/ two people on a plane from Houston to Nashville. They couldn’t believe how narrow my beliefs were on the issue of salvation and Jesus – I said it’s really simple. The way of salvation is exclusive, but the gift is inclusive.
I asked them – “Was Jesus a liar?” Of course not!
I asked them – “Was Jesus a lunatic?” No, not at all!
I asked them – “Was Jesus a legend?” No – he really lived!
I asked them – “Then was Jesus the Son of God?” Absolutely Not!
I then said – “Then you are out of choices. . .” I got a funny look
Then I ask “Which choice is more probable???”
Note: The Bible says that sooner or later everyone will agree – sooner is better than later! At the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Philippians 2:10-11
Note: Are you willing to bet your eternal destiny that those words are not true?
Idea: Think about it – it’s not a good bet – either Jesus is the only way to God or He isn’t. Let me assure you, you don’t want to be undecided on the issue. Chances are 50/50 that Jesus is who he said he was. If he is and you believe and receive – you win, you lose nothing. If he isn’t and you believe – you still lose nothing. You see, a betting man would opt to believe b/c it’s the only choice that ends in win/win.
Trans: Let’s take that one step further, let’s say that all religions lead to God – you chose Christ – still win! But if Christ is the really only way and you opt for Hinduism – you loose big time! If Hinduism turns out to be right – you’ve lost nothing b/c the Christian lifestyle will get you reincarnated pretty well.
Point: The safest and most logical and defendable choice is accepting Jesus as Lord.
