Relevant Faith
Heaven or Hell…Is Eternity Real?
September 15, 2019 • Dave DiDonato
Ecclesiastes 3:11b - …He has put eternity into man’s heart Hell is a real place Matthew 10:28 - And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Hell is the absence of God’s presence and full experience of God’s judgment 2 Thessalonians 1:9 - They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, Romans 2:5 - But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed Hell is darkness Matthew 25:30 - And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Hell is eternal Matthew 25:41 - “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Mark 9:43 – “…hell, to the unquenchable fire” Mark 9:48 – “…the fire is not quenched.” Matthew 25:46 – “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Romans 3:10-12 - as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Isaiah 66:1 – “Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne…” 1 Peter 3:22 - who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. John 14:1-2 - “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? Heaven is a real place 2 Corinthians 5:1 - Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Heaven is our immediate reality upon death 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 - Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. Luke 23:43 - And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Heaven is where we will fully be with Jesus Philippians 1:23b - …My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. The Promises of the New Heaven and Earth Brilliant beyond our imagination Revelation 21:11 - having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. Only light, no darkness Revelation 21:23,25 - And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb… and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. One assembly of believers Revelation 21:3 - And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God Revelation 21:22 - And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. We will have resurrected bodies Philippians 3:21 - who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. We will fulfill our ultimate purpose Revelation 21:4 - He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” No more death, nor mourning, nor crying, nor pain To experience the promises of eternity with God, Jesus is the only way to heaven. John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me”
Why Evil and Suffering?
September 8, 2019 • Dave DiDonato
Pantheism affirms God and denies evil. Atheism affirms evil and denies God. Theism affirms both God and evil.[1] Categories of evil: Moral, Natural, and Satan The Remedy for Evil IN CHRIST our present suffering can’t touch our eternal security IN CHRIST our present suffering has purpose IN CHRIST our present suffering is comforted by the presence of God IN CHRIST our present suffering is surpassed by our guaranteed final victory [1] Geisler, Norman L.. If God, Why Evil? (p.12-13). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Relevant Faith: Sean McDowell Interview
September 5, 2019 • Ron Moore
Today, Ron Moore and Dave DiDonato interview author, Sean McDowell. Sean’s book, So the Next Generation Will Know, has been a great resource to our student leaders and parents. Currently, at The Bible Chapel, we are in a series called Relevant Faith, which deals with tough questions and topics surrounding Christianity. You can check out this series at any time at http://www.biblechapel.org/sermons/series/relevant-faith/. Sean McDowell - https://seanmcdowell.org/
Is Jesus Really the Only Way?
September 1, 2019 • Dave DiDonato
IS JESUS REALLY THE ONLY WAY? Religious Pluralism: All religious claims are equally valid, no one religion is justified in making an exclusive claim to the truth. WHO IS JESUS? Islam – Human prophet, a messenger from God, not God, not crucified Judaism – Respected teacher, false messiah, not divine, not resurrected Buddhism – An enlightened human teacher Mormonism – Created Being, Firstborn spirit of Heavenly Father Christianity – Messiah/Savior, Fully God, Fully Human, Crucified, Resurrected, Only way to God JESUS’ CLAIMS ABOUT HIMSELF Son of God (Matthew 26:63-64) Son of Man (Matthew 16:13; Mark 14:62) Giver of eternal life (John 10:28) One with the Father (John 10:30) One who forgives sin (Mark 2:10) One who heals (Luke 18:42) Bread of Life (John 6:35) Good Shepherd (John 10:11) True vine (John 15:1) Great “I Am” (John 8:58) Giver of living water (John 4:10) Light of the World (John 8:12) Future Judge (John 5:22-23) Lamb of God (John 1:36) Door of salvation (John 10:9) Savior (John 3:14-16) Messiah (John 4:26) Way, Truth, Life (John 14:6) WHO DO YOU SAY I AM? MATTHEW 16:15
Is the Bible Reliable?
August 25, 2019 • Ron Moore
Can the Bible be Trusted? 1. Claims 2. Construction 3. Preservation How was the Canon confirmed? -Was the book written by a prophet, apostle, or by one associated with an apostle? -Was the writer confirmed by acts of God? -Did the message tell the truth about God? -Confirmed by Christ, prophet, apostle? -Does it come with the power of God? -Was it accepted by the people of God? 4. Prophesies 5. Experience There seems to me to have been twice as much done in some ages in defending the Bible as in expounding it, but if the whole of our strength shall henceforth go to the exposition and spreading of it, we may leave it pretty much to defend itself . . . Many suggestions are made and much advice is offered. This weapon is recommended, and the other. Pardon me if I offer a quiet suggestion. Open the door and let the lion out; he will take care of himself. Why, they are gone! He no sooner goes forth in his strength than his assailants flee. The way to meet infidelity is to spread the Bible. The answer to every objection against the Bible is the Bible. -C. H. Spurgeon Speeches at Home and Abroad, from a speech at the Annual Meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society, May 5th, 1875:
Does God Really Exist?
August 18, 2019 • Ron Moore
THEIST | (AGNOSTIC) | ATHEIST COSMOLOGY (Order of the World) TELEOLOGY (Design of the World) To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest sense. -Charles Darwin, Origin of Species, 1859, p. 170 MORALITY Absolute Truth | No Absolute Truth Subject to Change Right and Wrong
Is there such a thing as Absolute Truth?
August 11, 2019 • Dave DiDonato
Absolute Truth – Truth is fixed and invariable, the same for all people at all times and in all places Relative Truth – Truth can vary based off beliefs of a person or group, there are no absolute truths John 17:17 – Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth Post-Truth - Objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief Correspondence theory of truth - A thought or statement about reality is only true when it actually agrees with reality, that which truly exists. Laws of Logic The law of identity: A is A The law of noncontradiction: A is not non-A The law of the excluded middle: Either A or non-A God is truth and the source of truth John 17:3 - And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 16:13 - When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth John 17:17 - Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth Hebrews 6:18 – “…it is impossible for God to lie…” Numbers 23:19 (NIV) - God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Truth is absolute not relative Truth is discovered not invented Psalm 86:11 - Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. Truth is unchanging 1 Samuel 15:29 (NIV) - He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind. Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Hebrews 1:10 - And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; Romans 1:20 - For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 1 John 1:8 - If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death… Ephesians 2:1- And you were dead in the trespasses and sins Romans 5:8 - But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 10:9 - Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. John 14:16 - Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Acts 4:12 - And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
WHY Relevant Faith?
July 14, 2019 • Dave DiDonato
WORD - Apologetics is rooted in scripture. (Acts 22:1, Acts 25:16, 1 Cor. 9:3, 2 Cor. 7:11, Philippians 1:7, Philippians 1:16, 1 Peter 3:15, 2 Timothy 4:16) WORSHIP - The preparation and action of defending your faith exalts God. CONNECT - To strengthen our community as the body of Christ. SERVE - To better develop and prepare the next generation. SHARE – To point every person to Jesus Christ.