Earning the Right

The following are my personal notes from the sermon, "Earning the Right: Speaking about he possibility of God without using the Bible. Paul the Apostle, as he was in Athens, models this for us. If you are reading this prior to viewing the video of the sermon you may wish to print these notes and watch the video with them in hand.

God bless you as we together engage our culture for the sake of our love for God and those around us.

Pastor Paul

Sermon Title: Earning the Right: Speaking about the possibility of God without using the Bible.

Text: Acts 17:22-34

Earn the right to bring an unbeliever to the Bible by engaging in the current culture. Acts 17:22-34

Engage in current culture.

We live in a postmodern, secular humanist culture.

Postmodern: Truth is relative.

Secular Humanist: All that exist is physical and can be
understood through science.


Do this by...

1. ...using laws logic.
Ex. #1 The law of non-contradiction: Two contradictory statements
cannot be true in the same sense at the same time.

Ex. #2 The Law of the Excluded middle: Just because two things
have one thing in common does not mean that they have
everything in common


2. ...not being afraid of science.

Ex. #1 - The universe could not have brought itself into existence.
A. If something does not exist, it has no ability to
perform an action by which it can bring itself into
existence.
B. If it exists so as to be able to perform an action, then it
already exists.
C. For anything to exist there must be an uncaused cause that
is supernatural.
Note: By supernatural we mean it is completely 'other' than
the universe and is not natural.

Ex. #2 – The law of irreducible complexity. (The human cell)

3. ...lovingly pointing out the hypocrisy of postmodern thought.

Ex. #1 Saying “there is no such thing as absolute truth” is an
absolute statement.

Ex. #2 Saying “you should not push your morality on others”, is in
itself pushing morality.

Ex. #3 Saying “we should be tolerant”by definition implies
disagreement. However the postmodern uses the term to mean
that we should accept every one as right, which is
logically impossible.

Ex. #4 Saying that “it is wrong to judge” is a judgment.


Conclusion

Obey 1 Peter 3:15

ESV© 3:15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;

NLT© 3:15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

MSG© 3:15 Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy.