1 Session 7.1 Life’s BIG Questions Week 7 Session 1

1 Session 7.1

Life’s BIG Questions

Week 7

Session 1

2 Session 7.1

What is the World Coming to?

3 Session 7.1

A World in Trouble

• Economic crisis– Unemployment

– Uncertainty

– National debts

• Strife between– Political parties

– Ethnic fractions

– Nations

4 Session 7.1

A World in Trouble• Problems

– Hunger

– Pollution

– Violence

• Problems in society– Increasing crime rates

– Over-crowded prisons

– Drug abuse

– Alcoholism

Might ask What is the world coming to?Might ask What is the world coming to?

5 Session 7.1

A View from OutsideDifferent nations

• Preserving national identity

• Claiming ‘rights’ for their population

• End of cold war yet:– Vast sums still spent on arms

– Korea & Iran generating nuclear arms

• No trust between nations

No prospect of immense burden being liftedNo prospect of immense burden being lifted

6 Session 7.1

A View from Outside

Within nations

• Competing groups– Political

– Religious

– Racial

• Each claiming their rights

7 Session 7.1

Things Haven’t ChangedIt was always like this• Read a novel by Dickens:

– Crime– Violence– Prostitution– Alcoholism

• In Victorian times in the UK– Slavery was abolished– Children were protected

But slavery & child exploitation still existsBut slavery & child exploitation still exists

8 Session 7.1

What is the root cause?

Suggest root cause is human nature

• Self-centred

• Intolerant

• Prejudiced

• Sometimes ignorant

• Sometimes downright malicious

The best of men are only men at bestThe best of men are only men at best

9 Session 7.1

The Root Cause

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 6 v 5

10 Session 7.1

The Root Cause

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

Matthew 15 v 19

11 Session 7.1

The Root Cause

The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Jeremiah 17 v 9

12 Session 7.1

The Bible and Human Nature

• We have a selfish streak

• Our thoughts tend towards wickedness

• Human mind is responsible for all evil thoughts

• We are deceitful – Even deceiving

ourselves!

Bible is not complimentary about our nature!Bible is not complimentary about our nature!

13 Session 7.1

What is the answer?

• Is their hope that the world’s problems can be solved?

• Will we destroy ourselves?

Perhaps we need some help . . .Perhaps we need some help . . .

14 Session 7.1

Help NeededPerson or group of people

• With wisdom, authority & power to implement the right solution

• Despite opposition

• Holistic, worldwide approach needed

A world government is needed – with a A world government is needed – with a differencedifference

15 Session 7.1

Situation Vacant

WORLD PRESIDENT

Applications are invited for this most important job

Successful candidate MUST:

• Know all the answers

• Wrestle with world’s trickiest problems & come up with right solution every time

• Have personality to inspire devoted loyalty in insubordinates

16 Session 7.1

Situation Vacant

Successful candidate MUST:

• Have strength of character to impose decisions– Many of which will be highly

unpopular

• Direct World Police Force without tyranny or ruthless acts

• Have spotless personal conduct

• Be kind & understanding when confronted by weaknesses in others

17 Session 7.1

Power & Corruption

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

1st Baron Acton

The candidate would have to be totally The candidate would have to be totally different from any previous leaderdifferent from any previous leader

18 Session 7.1

Any Applicants?

Who can fill this apparently impossible job?

• Only one person– His teaching and wisdom turned

the world upside down

– Good reason to believe the record of his life and actions

It is the Lord Jesus ChristIt is the Lord Jesus Christ

19 Session 7.1

The Ideal Candidate

• Jesus - remarkable leader– Many laid died willingly for him

• No problem enforcing his decisions– His personality was awe inspiring

• "No man ever spoke like this "No man ever spoke like this

Man!” Man!” John 7 v 46 John 7 v 46

20 Session 7.1

The Ideal Candidate

• No one can criticise his behaviour

• He threw out a challenge to his opponents:

“Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?

John 8 v 46”

Although they hated Jesus they were never Although they hated Jesus they were never able to take up his challengeable to take up his challenge

21 Session 7.1

The Ideal Candidate

• Jesus untainted by– Greatness

– Power

– Material possessions

• Bible shows he sympathised with weakness of others

Without doubt, Jesus is the only man who Without doubt, Jesus is the only man who would make a satisfactory world presidentwould make a satisfactory world president

22 Session 7.1

The Rescue Plan

Bible says Jesus is coming back to the earthBible says Jesus is coming back to the earth

This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven”

Acts 1 v 11

23 Session 7.1

The Rescue Plan

Rescue plan in Bible:

• Involves sorting out all our world’s problems including:– War

– Famine

– Pollution

– Death

24 Session 7.1

Bible Teaching

The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid.

Micah 4 v 2 to 4

A worldwide government is the Bible solutionA worldwide government is the Bible solution

25 Session 7.1

An Opportunity

Bible says

• We can be involved in this plan

• If we die before Jesus comes, we can be raised from the dead…

26 Session 7.1

ResurrectionBut Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep… For as in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

1 Corinthians 15:20,22,23

When Jesus returns there will be a resurrectionWhen Jesus returns there will be a resurrection

27 Session 7.1

SummaryWhat is the world coming to?

• World has lots of problems– Human nature is the root

cause

• Bible says God has a plan to take away the problems

• Plan involves Jesus as world leader– Wisdom, character & authority

to be the perfect leader

We can be involved in God’s planWe can be involved in God’s plan