3/16/13

From Gary...Who says there is a God? Theology in question Part 1 of 4




When I saw this picture, I remembered a 



series of lessons that I did a long time ago.  



Here is the first in the series....





Who says there is a God? Theology in question


Part 1 of 4



Bible Reading:  Jn 20:24-29; 1 Pet 3:15
Song: "Our God, He is alive" # 672



I. Introduction



A. Understanding God is necessary for the Christian.    1 Pet 3:15
B. Understanding God begins at an early age. My granddaughter Amanda.- 

     where did I come from? why am I here?....


C. Understanding God begins with questioning His existence.


D. Understanding God is what theology is about (discourse on God).


E. Understanding God is the theme of this four part series.


     1. Who says there is a God? Theology in question.

     2. Who is God? Theology in action.

     3. What is God? Theology in conception.

     4. What does God mean to me? Theology in practice.


F. Understanding God starts with explaining His existence; and that is the 

     focus of our lesson.
II. Body



A. The Cosmological argument for God's existence. (cause and effect) 

     Psa 19:1-2


1. Things just don't happen, there are causes. Creation of matter.


2.. These things didn't just happen, their existence is an inherent proof of 

      deity.



B. The Teleogical argument for God's existence. (plain man's 

     argument) Eccl 12:13
     1. Everything man makes has a purpose (an end design).
     2. Every complex thing has a higher intelligence designing it.
     3. Everyone asks "why am I here"... can't be answered without God!
C. The Ontological argument for God's existence (philosopher's 

     argument)


     1. Proof God exists because man universally conceives of God.


    2. Perception of God (whether or not He exists) and the assertion He does 


        not exist is impossible, because this would invalidate reasoning. No 


        atheism possible.



D. The Moral argument for God's existence (right vs. wrong)
   1. Man is different from the animal; he has reasoning, a conscience,    


        remorse.


   2. Man's universal concept of morality proves the existence of God.



E. The General argument for God's existence (religious necessity)


     1. All men feel the necessity to worship God. This is fact.


      2.An understanding of religion is seen in the human tendency to 


        conceive of the reality of life in terms of what is true or not true. This 


        means standards. Who provides perfect standards... God.



F. The Historical argument for God's existence. (The Jewish people)




III. Conclusion



A. Realizing God exists is fundamental to Christianity. Heb 11:1-6


B. Really questioning all our beliefs is healthy, it makes us THINK, 
     PROVIDES CONFIDENCE.


C. Ready arguments for God's existence reveal our hope of eternal life to 
     the world.   

From Gary V. Womack... Created for good works




CREATED FOR GOOD WORKS



- Jesus had a purpose in His life - a work to do -

Lk. 19:10 "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

- He knew what His work was while a young child - It wasn't carpentry

Lk. 2:41-50 Jesus at age 12 - accidentally left behind by his parents in the city of Jerusalem. When found, His reply: "I must be about My Father's business."

- A little over 20 years later -

Jn. 9:1-7 Jesus healed a blind man at the temple. He told His disciples why that opportunity had been afforded - then He said, "I must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day..."

- While on trial before Pilate -

Jn. 18:33-37 When questioned about His kingship, He replied, "For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth..."

There is a reason for our having been created
As the 24 elders around God's throne fall before Him:

Rev. 4:11 "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."
KJV = "and for Your pleasure they are and were created." 

Our new birth is for a purpose - not just for salvation

1 Pet. 1:23-25 We have "...been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, (24) because 'All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, (25) But the word of the Lord (incorruptible seed) endures forever.' Now this is
the word which by the gospel was preached to you."

Jas. 1:18 "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures."

We were created for good works - If we fail in our work, where is God's workmanship? We become a dishonor to the grace of His will.

Eph. 2:1-10 (10)"We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should
walk in them."

The work of doing involves continuous hearing. Note: he is writing to brethren

Jas. 1:21-25 "...be doers of the word, and not hearers only..."

We have been blessed by God as priests to "proclaim His praises."

1 Pet. 2:9-10 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (10) who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

We reject "faith only" - But we must put our actions where our mouth is. Jas. 2:14-24 We are justified by works, and not by faith only. In real life situations, we come in contact with people who are spiritually destitute. 
How do we respond?

Lk. 10:25-37 The parable of the Good Samaritan - "Go and do likewise."

Remember: Our conduct in the body of Christ & her purpose:

1 Tim. 3:15 "but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living
God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

When the church stops being "the pillar & ground of the truth" - When we stop proclaiming the truth & leading the lost to Christ Where does the rest of the world end up?

Because:

1 Cor. 1:21-25 "...it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe."




INVITATION

Mt. 25:31-ff On the day of judgment when the books are opened -

will there be anything to show for your time spent on earth?

From Jim McGuiggan...JESUS AND SHREK 2


JESUS AND SHREK 2

It would be easy to think of "Prince Charming" as the hero and Shrek, the ogre, as...well...the ogre! But in the marvelous animated movieShrek 2 while "Prince Charming" has the looks, the physique and the speech of a palace person, he’s vain, self-centered and greedy for what’s not his. Cut off from the husband she loves and longs for, Princess Fiona is surrounded by dark powers and scheming authorities and while someone else sings the words only Fiona feels the real need for a hero.
And the hero that comes riding on a "fiery steed" is Shrek, the compassionate, honorable, loyal and courageous ogre, the one whose ugliness and political incorrectness made him the disgust of the ruling powers and the laughing stock of the populace. Fiona’s heart, if not her mouth, is pounding out the confession and longing in the words and music of Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford’s Holding Out for a Hero.[Bonnie Tyler’s throbbing version of the song is so much better than the one in the movie and given the right context should be listened to at least once a month.] 
Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods? 
Where’s the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds? 
Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed? 
Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need.
I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ’til the end of the night
He’s gotta be strong
And he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ’til the morning light
He’s gotta be sure
And it’s gotta be soon
And he’s gotta be larger than life
And so it was that all those that mourned over their sins and the sins of the human family realized that they needed a hero. And the hero came in Jesus Christ of whom it was said "he had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him." (Isaiah 53:2-3) His political incorrectness was known everywhere and his most determined foes were those that had the power.
No, it wasn’t from the palaces or corridors of power that the hero came for he was a root out of dry ground (Isaiah 53:2). And it wasn’t a fiery steed he rode into Jerusalem that fateful day; it was a donkey (Matthew 21:1-11).
"Where’s your Messiah?" some skeptic was sure to ask.
"That’s him there. The one riding the donkey with his sandals dragging in the dirt."
"That? That’s the hero? Ten to one no one will ever follow him!"
Hmmm. And yet here we are, in our millions, two thousand years later living and dying for him. 
It isn’t always the case because it can’t always be the case—we’re just not up to it. But once in a great while the sense of Christ’s presence by his Spirit becomes so real to believers that the hair rises on their necks. The faith that he is always watching makes the heart beat with excitement and the "commentary" of Steinman and Pitchford now and then becomes a personal and an immediate inner experience.

Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I would swear that there’s someone somewhere
Watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach
Like the fire in my blood 

This is the one the NT ceaselessly talks about. Not about churches and preachers and programs and successes or dreams of success. Abouthim! And you do understand, don’t you, that the truth of Jesus Christ is not based on the movie Shrek or the marvelous Steinman/Pitchford song. The reverse is true! It’s because of the truth of the one true God we have come to know in and as Jesus Christ that all great books and songs have been written and great movies have been made. Jesus Christ the hero (who is much more than a "hero") is proof of our awful need and he is the knightly cure for all that ails us.
No wonder there are those marvelous and rare moments when believers feel the approach of the Lord God like fire in the grass and a fire in their blood!
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland...The Olivet Discourse - II 




                        "THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

                  The Olivet Discourse - II (24:29-51)

INTRODUCTION

1. In our previous lesson, we covered the first half of Matthew 24...
   a. Commonly called "The Olivet Discourse", since Jesus was on the
      Mount of Olives when He delivered it
   b. A challenging passage of scripture, believed to discussing...
      1) The destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in 70 A.D.
      2) The second coming of Christ, which is yet to occur
      3) Or both events, described either in turn or intertwined

2. I've proposed the entire chapter foretells the destruction of
   Jerusalem, based first upon the setting leading up to the discourse,
   which includes...
   a. Jesus' words spoken in the temple
      1) His parables about Israel's rejection of Him - Mt 21:28-32,
         33-46; 22:1-14
      2) His condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees - Mt 23:27-36
      3) His lamentation over Jerusalem - Mt 23:37-39
   b. Jesus' prophecy spoken about the temple - Mt 24:1-2
   c. The questions of the disciples, which when Mark and Luke's
      account are considered, appear to be:
      1) "When will these things be?"
      2) "What will be the sign when all these things will be 
         fulfilled?" -- Cf. Mt 24:3; Mk 13:4; Lk 21:7

3. We saw that in verses 4-29, Jesus describes...
   a. What will "not" be the sign (other than the gospel preached to
      all nations) - Mt 24:4-14
   b. What will be the sign - Mt 24:15
      1) The abomination of desolation spoken by Daniel - Dan 9:26-27
      2) Which Luke explains to be Jerusalem surrounded by armies - Lk 21:20
   c. What to do when they saw the sign - Mt 24:16-28
      1) Those in Judea were to flee to the mountains to avoid a great
         tribulation
      2) They were not to be misled by false christs or false prophets

[Up to verse 29, Jesus described a local, escapable judgment to befall
Jerusalem.  He does not describe the worldwide, inescapable judgment
taught elsewhere in the Scriptures.  But with verse 29, some believe
Jesus now addresses His second coming (cf. J.W. McGarvey's Four-Fold
Gospel).  As we continue with our study, I propose that the destruction
of Jerusalem is still under consideration...]

II. THE OLIVET DISCOURSE (continued)

   D. WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT...
      1. Events to occur "immediately after the tribulation of those
         days"...
         a. Cosmic disturbances - Mt 24:29
            1) The sun will be darkened
            2) The moon will not give its light
            3) The stars will fall from heaven
            4) The heavens will be shaken
         b. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven - Mt 24:30
            1) All the tribes of the earth will mourn
            2) They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of
               heaven with power and great glory
         c. The elect will be gathered - Mt 24:31
            1) For with a great sound of the trumpet, angels will be
               sent
            2) They shall gather the elect from the four winds, from
               one end of heaven to another     
      2. Such events certainly sound like the second coming of Christ,
         but consider two reasons why they may not be referring to
         Jesus' coming at the Last Day...
         a. The events were to occur "immediately after the tribulation
            of those days" ("in those days, after that tribulation")
            - Mt 24:29; Mk 13:24
            1) They are connected in time to the tribulation described
               in Mt 24:15-28
            2) This "coming" of Jesus was to occur at the conclusion of
               the siege of Jerusalem
         b. The events are similar to those used to foretell God's
            judgment of other nations
            1) Babylon - Isa 13:1,6-13
            2) Egypt - Isa 19:1-2; cf. Eze 32:2,7-9
            3) Tyre - Isa 23:1; 24:21-23
            4) Edom - Isa 34:4-6
            5) Nineveh - Nah 1:1-5
            6) Israel - Am 8:9
            7) Judah - Jer 4:5-6,23-28
      3. For such reasons, I suggest that even in Mt 24:29-31...
         a. Jesus refers to the destruction of Jerusalem
         b. Like other Jewish prophets, Jesus uses figurative language
            to depict:
            1) The judgment to befall the wicked (in terms of worldwide
               destruction)
            2) The provision made for the righteous (in terms of the
               gathering by angels)
         c. Jewish prophets foretold God's judgment upon such 
            nations...
            1) Using figures of worldwide destruction, even though the
               judgment was local
            2) Perhaps because such judgments foreshadow God's Final
               Judgment to come upon the entire world at the Last Day

   [The rest of the chapter includes...]

   E. ADMONITIONS TO BE PREPARED AND PRODUCTIVE...
      1. The parable of the fig tree - Mt 24:32-33
         a. New branches and leaves indicate summer is near
         b. When you see these things (Jerusalem surrounded by armies),
            the time is near
      2. It would happen before "this generation" passed away - Mt 24:
         34
         a. Some define "generation" as a race of people (i.e., the
            Jews) - cf. McGarvey, B. W. Johnson
         b. But note its use by Jesus just prior to this discourse 
            - Mt 23:33-36 (esp. 36)
         -- The destruction of Jerusalem came to pass within forty
            years!
      3. The words of Jesus will come to pass - Mt 24:35
         a. Heaven and earth shall pass away one day - cf. 2Pe 3:7,10
         b. But Jesus' words will by no means pass away
         -- With v. 35, some believe Jesus now talks about the second
            coming; but Jesus is using an illustration to demonstrate
            the surety of His words - e.g., Mt 5:18
      4. Of that day and hour, only the Father knows - Mt 24:36
         a. They might discern the general timing with the advance of
            armies toward Jerusalem
         b. But the day and hour when the siege would begin, only the
            Father knew
         -- So don't delay when the "sign" appears (Jerusalem
            surrounded by armies)
      5. It will be like the days of Noah - Mt 24:37-39
         a. In the days before the flood...
            1) Noah knew what was coming and was preparing, but people
               continued with their normal activities
            2) Only when it was too late did the people know
         b. Prior to the siege of Jerusalem...
            1) Many people probably thought the conflict would end
               peacefully, and so lived their lives accordingly
            2) But once the siege began, it was too late
      6. Some will be taken away - Mt 24:40-41
         a. When the city was stormed, 97,000 Jews were taken captive
         b. Some to be killed by beasts in Roman theaters, some sent to
            work in Egypt, others sold as slaves -- Flavius Josephus,
            Jewish Wars (as quoted in Barnes Commentary on Matthew)
      7. Therefore, watch! - Mt 24:42-44
         a. You don't know the hour of the Son of Man's coming
         b. Don't be caught off guard, like the master of a house who
            did not know when a thief would break in
         c. Be ready, for the Son of Man will come when you not expect
            Him
         -- The siege of Jerusalem might begin promptly, so flee Judea
            quickly when you see the armies surrounding Jerusalem!
      8. The parable of the faithful servant and the wicked servant 
         - Mt 24:45-51
         a. The faithful servant is blessed if doing the master's will
            when he comes
         b. So the disciples of Jesus are admonished to be productive

CONCLUSION

1. Admittedly, there is much in "The Olivet Discourse" that alludes to
   our Lord's second coming at the Last Day...
   a. But that is no different than the prophecies by other Jewish
      prophets who foretold God's judgment upon other nations
   b. It was a common motif used by Jewish prophets, we should not be
      surprised to see Jesus using the same
   -- And rightly so, for God's judgments upon nations in the past are
      types and shadows of the Final Judgment to befall the entire
      world when Jesus comes again

2. In addition to the setting leading up to the discourse, there is the
   natural flow of the discourse itself that leads me to conclude it is
   entirely about the destruction of Jerusalem...
   a. Jesus' disciples are told what will not be the sign - Mt 24:1-14
   b. They are told will be the sign that His coming is near - Mt 24:15
   c. They are told what to do when they see the sign - Mt 24:16-28
   d. His coming in judgment (the fall of Jerusalem) is described in
      terms reminiscent of other Jewish prophets who foretold of God's
      judgments upon various nations - Mt 24:29-31
   e. Admonitions are given for them to be prepared and productive in
      the meantime - Mt 24:32-51

So I view "The Olivet Discourse" to describe a local, escapable
judgment which occurred as Jesus foretold in 70 A. D.  However, there
is still the worldwide, inescapable judgment at the Last Day - cf. 1 Th
5:2-3; 2Th 1:7-10; 2Pe 3:10-12

Are you ready for that Day?  The admonitions to be prepared and
productive are very similar:

   "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in
   which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the
   elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the
   works that are in it will be burned up."

   "Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what
   manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
   looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because
   of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the
   elements will melt with fervent heat?"

   "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens
   and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved,
   looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in
   peace, without spot and blameless;"
                                              - 2Pe 3:10-14












Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011





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