Our Upcoming Sermon Series May 20, 2013
Why are you a Christian? Namethe top three reasons. Now answer this: what are the top three reasons you knowyou’re right about being a Christian instead of something else (like a Muslimor an atheist)?
Our summer sermon series isintended to help us answer these questions more biblically and compellingly.We’re calling it “Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask” (a title I’veadapted from a recently published book). We’re planning to address issues likethe trustworthiness of the Bible, the reasonableness of belief in God, and thecertainty we can have that Jesus is the only way to God. But before we get intoany of these topics, I want to make clear what this series is NOT about. Wewill not be developing clever schemes to put down anyone who makes fun ofChristianity. We will not be adding fuel to our own pride by congratulatingourselves that the Christian worldview is better than any alternatives. And wewill not be engaging in an academic, philosophical study purely for its ownsake. So why are we studying these things?
For the sake of your friendsand neighbors. For outreach and evangelism. For the glory of God and the joy ofall peoples—particularly, the ones you come into contact with every day. Inshort, we want to empower and inspire you to spread your faith. Why? Becauseunless the church becomes concerned about the future of the world around it,the church has no future. Every church, every denomination, every otherChristian group in history that has not reached out has gone down. Jesuspromised that the church universal will endure and “the gates of hell will notprevail against it” (Mt 16:18). But that guarantee doesn’t extend to any givendenomination or local church. Denominations, movements, and local congregationshave come and gone. So our future depends on spreading the gospel. Evangelismisn’t just for the outgoing, the specially gifted, or the super zealous. It’sfor survivors.
Jesus Himself said as much.“If you save your life you will lose it, but if you lose your life for my sakeand the gospel’s you will find it” (Mk 8:35). According to Jesus, the mostdangerous thing you can do is seek to protect your life by staying comfortable,laying low, and avoiding risk. But if you lose your life for the sake of thegospel, you’ll survive.