I want to share with you today some things that connect and don’t connect that we simply need to talk about…
In 1859 a Scottish preacher by the name of John Duncan wrote an article called “Trilemma,” later, in 1936, Watchman Nee, picked up on it, and C.S. Lewis shared it in 1942 to make it famous then publishing it in his book Mere Christianity in 1952.
The thought is this
Jesus can not be a mere moral teacher, because of his claims
John 14:8-10
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.
John 8:58
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!” (Exodus 3:14)
Mark 2:5-7, and Luke 5:20,21 Recounts the story of Jesus forgiving sins to heal and the pharisees prepare to stone him for blasphemy because only God can forgive sins.
Matthew 14:33, 28:9 both show people worshipping Jesus in a way only God should be worshipped
Luke 22:70,71 and Mark 14:62-64 Jesus agrees that He is God
These and other scriptures bring us to the Trilemma of Duncan, Nee, and Lewis here it is
“Jesus is either a Liar, Lunatic, or Lord”
He claimed to be God so as such for a person to do so we must believe them to either be a Liar, Lunatic, or who he said that he is, God himself.
The disciples were all good Jews, raised to be sons of Israel so they would believe in only one God and they were convinced Jesus was God and the Jewish authorities were convinced that he claimed to be God which was ultimately the charge they brought against him to clear their consciences of guilt to have him murdered.
Today, I am sharing this part for a couple of reasons….I have heard from various people in the community that we are the “cool” church to attend now and while I appreciate that…it is my heart’s desire that everyone know the Jesus I know..
Paul proclaimed that this is the true Gospel message 1 Corinthians 15:3-9
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
Jesus lived a life on earth showed us God, he died for our sins and rose from the dead. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father and he sent the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and empower us…one day Jesus will return
Do you believe that today? Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and surrendered your life to Him? If you have then you have begun your journey as a Christ-follower!
Paul wrote this to the Romans in chapter 10:9,10
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
As a Christ-follower you will want to grow to become more like Him. Your life should reflect him
- Does your language, the words and attitudes you have with those words reflect him? Ephesians 4:29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
- When people see you and the way you treat others reflect Jesus?
Matthew 7:12 Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
- Do you love the way Jesus loves with no judgment but holding the standard to keep people free and healthy?
John 3:17-21 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
- Have you put into place the disciplines you need that will guarantee your growth, reading your Bible, praying, being in church, holding yourself accountable for your actions, growing from them?
2 Timothy 2:15,16 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.
If you aren’t doing these things, you are not moving forward in your growth in Christ. This is the reason some are not feeling the peace and seeing the overcoming in their lives!
With that all in mind, I hope your heart is breaking for our broken world. We can spend time being critical which really only adds to the problem or we can begin to be part of the solution
How can you be part of the solution?
Over 80% of people surveyed said they would come to church if someone invited them
1) Invite someone
2) Serve here, use your gifts or at least your time to make this fellowship better so when people do come they find a loving, caring, place where they and their children can grow to be part of the family…..we can’t afford to lose any children to this broken world
Can you serve one Sunday or Wednesday a month in children’s church either as a teacher or helper…in the fall we will be going back to two services
Volunteer for outreach help in Monessen or other places
Help at the day care
Do you play an instrument or sing?
Can you, welcome people?
Can you watch as security
Can you help serve dinners, help with picnics,
Can you use your skills to help keep this building clean, orderly and safe? Can you help keep it mowed, snow free? Can you help with electrical, plumbing, construction help we have big things and little things
Women’s ministry,
Mentoring,
Celebrate recovery
TV broadcast, audio mixing, Pro-presenter (we will train you)
Help in the office
Acting, costuming, directing
Can you help with the needs some of our elderly or single moms may have?
If you are breathing, we have a place where you can serve and as you serve you are helping to reach people to give them hope and introduce them to the one who loves them the most!
Paul, Barnabas, Timothy
Next week I’ll have a skills/gifts list for you to fill out to allow us to know that as part of the family you are willing to help
Last random thing
As Christ followers, we hate no one, with the possible exception of Satan because of what he does to stop people from knowing God’s great love
We are heading into a very divisive season….It is ok to take a stand politically, but I ask that people know where you are with Jesus more than they know who you want to be president and then represent Jesus in the way you talk and act during this season
Walk in truth – we are told we are full of hate because of stands that we have on abortion, transgenders, and that can’t be further from the truth.
I would say as our President kept espousing during COVID, “follow the science”
A fetus is a living being, a separate human being from the mother….I am for all women everywhere that they become who God has called them to be, including the unborn….that is science and faith
Science also tells us that most children who struggle with gender dysphoria (thinking they are a different gender then the one they are born with) will be comfortable with the gender they are born with by the time they are 18. This trend to force operations and hide the struggles some children are having with gender dysphoria, will work itself out in most cases if the child is raised in a loving environment with their parents….there is so much political and financially to gain by some factions they don’t really care about children just the cash cow. I highly recommend a book that because it speaks truth through science on the transgender issue, “When Harry became Sally” by Ryan T Anderson , (I have a photo) it is a book based on science from John Hopkins, Harvard, Princeton, Boston University, Colombia, Oxford, New York and other prestigious science departments but because it was not politically correct Amazon dropped it but you can find it other places.
There is no room for hate in a Christians world view but there is also no room for false compassion only truth so that people might become who God has designed them to be. It is not about feelings, but facts. I can recognize that a person’s feelings are real to them but it doesn’t mean they have to stay that way, feelings change, truth never changes!
Anything that puts people down, racism, gender dysphoria, abortion, are not things that Jesus would do. He only sought to lift people up so they might see each other as the Masterpieces God created each of us to be (Ephesians 2:10)
We have to bring hope, bring love, bring truth, but most importantly bring Jesus, to our broken and hurting world!