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Why I am a Why I am a ChristianChristian
Why I am a Why I am a ChristianChristian
The 3 questions:The 3 questions: Where did I come from?Where did I come from? What am I doing here?What am I doing here? Where am I going?Where am I going?
Came from nothing -Going to nothing
Life has no purposeLife alone has purpose
Came from something -Going to something
Life has purpose,But for what?
How do we differentiate between honor & horror?
If we have come from If we have come from nothing, then…nothing, then…
“In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth.”Genesis 1: 1
The answers begin…The answers begin…
“what may be known about Godis plain to them.”
Romans 1: 18-20
But, how about But, how about the non-believer?the non-believer?
“The heavens declarethe glory of God.”
Psalm 19: 1-6
The whole universe The whole universe testifiestestifies
“What is man that Youare mindful of him?”
Psalm 8: 3-9
Does the Creator have Does the Creator have anything to do with me?anything to do with me?
“The law of the LORD
is perfect.”Psalm 19: 7-10
Do I have any Do I have any responsibilityresponsibilitytoward the Creator?toward the Creator?
“By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.”
Psalm 19: 11-14
Then sin is going against Then sin is going against thetheLaws of the CreatorLaws of the Creator
“all Scripture is God breathed.”
II Timothy 3: 16
Then where do I learn Then where do I learn more about this Creator?more about this Creator?
The Holy Bible
The word gives lifeDeuteronomy 8: 3
The word is flawlessPsalm 18: 30-31
The word is true, right, power for creation
Psalm 33: 4-6
The Holy Bible
The Holy Spirit’s inspirationII Peter 1: 19-21
The word power for creation & destruction
II Peter 3: 5-7The New Testament is Scripture
II Peter 3: 15-16
The Holy Bible
Is the Bible really what it claims to be?
The Word of God?
How can we be sure?
The Holy Bible
3500 years of preservation
Written over ~1500 yearsFrom Moses (~1400BC) to John (~100AD)
~40 different writers – one Author!
The Holy Bible
Is the Bible we have today the same as God’s original revelation?
Were the words Jesus spokeaccurately recorded as the NT?
The Holy Bible
“No archaeological discovery has ever contradicted a Biblical reference.”Nelson Glueck – Jewish archaeologist
If Bible is accurate historically & archaeologically, then spiritually…
The Holy Bible
Originals – papyrus, parchment, vellum
Manuscripts – copies of originals
NT – more manuscript evidencethan for any book in history
The Holy Bible
Time gaps –NT – Christ, 33AD – MSS, 300AD
OT – Malachi, 400BC – MSS, 900AD(until 1947 – then MSS, 200BC)
The Holy Bible
Are we confident in the translations of the Bible?
-Letters of early church fathers-Look at your Bible’s preface to
see the method of translation
The Holy Bible
What about other ‘revelations?’
-If revealed by the same God,then what should be evident?
The Holy Bible
If the Bible is God’s Word, then:•It is ALL God’s Word•It is eternally applicable•It can never be contradicted
by “new” knowledge•We can’t pick & choose
which parts we want to live by
The Holy Bible
If I can accept “In the beginningGod created the heavens and the earth.”Then…
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Heb 11:1
A perfect creationA fallen worldA separation
Romans 5: 12Original sinOriginal grace
God’s story in the Bible
God continually reaching outto bring us back to Him
How do we fix this separation?
Job 9: 33Job 16: 18-21
Job 19: 25
God’s story in the Bible
Who will bridge the gap?
WE can’t do it, it HAS to be FROM God TO us
God’s story in the Bible
A virgin birth – Isaiah 7: 14
Mighty God - Isaiah 9: 6
In Bethlehem – Micah 5: 2
Line of David - Isaiah 9: 7
Isaiah 11: 1-3Jeremiah 23:
5
The prophecies begin
Father/Son – Psalm 2: 7
Yet equal – Psalm 110: 1Proverbs 30: 4
Suffering Servant - Isaiah 52: 13-14
Punished for us - Isaiah 53: 2-12
The prophecies begin
In an unheard-of manner Psalm 22: 1
Psalm 22: 6-7 Psalm 22: 14-18
The Messiah, Anointed OneSavior, Redeemer, God with usPerfect sacrifice
The prophecies begin
Jesus – Yeshua - Salvation John 1: 1-5, 14
A Son - John 3: 16Yet, the Father – John 14: 9-10Mighty God – John 8: 58
The perfect sacrifice – John 1: 29
The prophecies fulfilled
Is Jesus of the Bible real? Validity of the BibleExtra-Biblical evidence“or should we expect someone else?” Matthew 11: 1-15
The fulfillment of – Isaiah 61: 1-2
“Are you the one…?”
Even the prophecies of the prophet were true! Malachi 3: 1, 4: 5Matthew 3: 1-3Isaiah 40: 3
John the Baptist
Discountable events Jewish laws & cultureRejection, then beliefTestimony of womenOT prophecies fulfilledFood doesn’t matter???
Romans 14: 17-21
“Are you the one…?”
•Born of a virgin •Born without sin,
lived a sinless life
John 8: 46II Corinthians 5: 21Hebrews 4: 15Hebrews 2: 14-18
Jesus of the Bible
•Jesus – fully God, fully man
Isaiah 45: 5Mark 2: 5-7, 8-11Colossians 1: 19-20Colossians 2: 9-10•And here’s the test…I John 2: 22-23I John 4: 2-3
Jesus of the Bible
It was prophesiedLuke 24: 45-49Psalm 16: 9-11To all nationsIsaiah 49: 5-6To overcome the impossible
Colossians 2: 13-15
Jesus - Crucified
“Unless I go away…”John 14: 28John 16: 7
Another step back to God’s original plan
Revelation 21: 1-3
Jesus – the way to God
“I am the resurrection and the life.”
Philippians 3: 10-11
Christianity hinges on the resurrection
Romans 10: 9I Corinthians 15: 13-22
Jesus – Resurrected!
“If only for this lifewe have hope in Christ...”
I Corinthians 15: 19
Jesus – Resurrected!
“I will come back and take you to be with me...”
John 14: 1-4
Jesus – is coming again!
Why I am a Why I am a ChristianChristian
The 3 questions:The 3 questions: Where did I come from?Where did I come from? What am I doing here?What am I doing here? Where am I going?Where am I going?
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