1 Peter 3:15 talking Points from last week: 1. The evidence (big bang theory, CBR, Doppler Shift, 2 nd Law of Thermodynamics, Theory of Relativity) all point to a vast universe originating out of something not nothing. This points to a divine creator. 2. I do not have enough faith to conclude that everything came from nothing. 3. The Heavens are awesome See Psalm 19 4. We cannot pander to a man s/women s intellectual arrogance, but we must cater to his/her intellectual integrity. 5. Per C.S. Lewis: If we adopt the thinking of Screwtape, Keep pressing home on the him the ordinariness of things. Above all, do not let him attempt to use science as a defense of Christianity. 6. Great point about JayZ (Thank you Team 3) 7. intellectual excuses = I want to be own God. Ok, if this is true, what kind of God do you want? 8. Upon further review, the God we have is exactly the God we need. :Page 1
Myth vs. legend vs. reality: Criteria for reality: 1. Involves real characters in flesh and blood 2. Events are attached to a person the writers knew in time-space dimension 3. Eye witness accounts. 4. What possible motive did the New Testament writers have to make up the storey that was not true? They had every earthly motive to deny 5. You do not have enough faith to be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek: The last time we checked, the promise of submission, servitude, persecution, torture, and death would not motivate anyone to make up a story. 6. Recall that all of the New Testament writers were Jews (except for Luke) The conclusion is that these New Testament writers had to have witnessed some very strong evidence to turn away from those ancient beliefs and practices that had defined who they were for nearly the last 2000 years. :Page 2
Myth vs. legend vs. reality: New Testament document consist of 27 documents in 27 different scrolls Nine different writers Written over a 20 to 50 year period As last count, there were about 5,700 hand written Greek manuscripts of the New Testament (despite the efforts of the Roman Emperor Diocletian from 303 to 311 AD). The most reliable body of literature of antiquity 98.33% Accurate according to Textual Biblical scholars :Page 3
What is Apocrypha? From Evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell: 1. Not part of the canon rejected as part of the canon (the standard bible) 2. Dubious authenticity, inaccurate, lack Scripture s divine character 3. Individual books of the Apocrypha: I Esdras (150 BC) 11 Esdras (A.D 100) Martin Luther said to have thrown into the Elbe River Tobit (2 nd Century B.C) Judith (middle of 2 nd Century B.C) Defeat of the Assyrian Army Yeeks! Additions to Esther (about 100 BC) Eccelesiasticus (about 180 B.C). Still widely used in Anglican circles. Quoted several times by John Wesley Baruch (about A.D. 100) 13 th chapter of the book of Daniel The trial of Susanna 14th chapter of the book of Daniel The Song of the Three Hebrew Children Prayer of Manasseh (2 nd century B.C) I Maccabees and II Maccabees (1 st century B.C.) :Page 4
Question: Does absolute truth matter? Yes, particularly when we attempt to legislate morality: 1. 1857 Dred Scott Decision; Blacks were not citizens but the property of their slave owners 2. Nazis believe in the Aryan race and the Ultimate Solution 3. Suras 8 and Suras 9 of the Qur an: 20 citations supporting violence against infidels. :Page 5
Top Ten reasons that support that the New Testament writers relentlessly stuck to the truth: 1. Numerous embarrassing details about themselves The Principle of Embarrassment the tendency of authors to leave out the stuff that makes them look bad. 2. Numerous embarrassing details and difficult saying of Jesus 3. Included demanding sayings of Jesus 4. Carefully distinguish Jesus words from their own 5. Include events about the Resurrection that they would not have invented. 6. Included at least 30 historically confirmed public figures 7. Include divergent details a common fact among eye witnesses. 8. Challenge their readers to check verifiable facts, even facts about miracles 9. Describe miracles like other historical events with simple unembellished accounts. 10.Abandoned their long held scared beliefs and practices, adopted new ones, and did not deny their testimony under persecution or threat of death. :Page 6
Existence Defined: For you to be here now, trillions of drifting atoms had to somehow assemble in an intricate... manner to create you. It s an arrangement so specialized and particular that it has never been tried before and will only exist this once... tiny particles will uncomplainingly engage in all the billions of deft cooperative efforts necessary to keep you intact and let you experience the supremely agreeable but generally under appreciated state known as existence. Bill Bryson A Short History of Nearly Everything :Page 7
Carbon atom Amino acids Proteins DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) The incredible you :Page 8
The incredible you: 1. You were issued 100 billion brain cells at birth and you lose about 500 cell per hour. 2. The human brain connects wires by way of neurons 3. Each brain consists of about 100 trillion bits of information. 4. Written in English, this would fill about 20 million books. 5. The equivalent of 20 million books are inside of our brain. 6. Until about 25 years old, your brain is still connecting wires. :Page 9
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Be exceptional Your distinctive character makes you unique and makes you powerful (Pastor Steven Furtick) :Page 11
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Despite all of the evidence, why to people still reject God? Wisdom from Pascal and Aldous Huxley (Brave New World) : 1. Pascal: The evidence of God s existence and His gift is more than compelling, but those who insist the they have no need for Him, will always find ways to discount the offer. 2. Aldous Huxley: I had motives for not wanting the world to have meaning; consequently assumed that it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world is not concerned that there is a problem in pure metaphysics, he is also concerned to prove that there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants to do, or why his friends should not seize political power and govern in the way that they find most advantageous to themselves... For myself, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation - sexual and political. :Page 13
You do not have enough faith to be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek. In other words, God has provided enough evidence in this life to convince anyone willing to believe, yet has also left some ambiguity so as not compel the unwilling. In this way, God give us the opportunity either to love him or reject him without violating our freedom. In fact the purpose of this life is to make the choice freely and without coercion. For love by definition, must be freely given. It can not be coerced. See C.S. Lewis in the Screw Tape Letters; the Irresistible and the indisputable are the two weapons which the very nature of God s scheme forbids him to use. Merely to override a human will (as His felt presence in any but the faintest and most mitigated degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless. He (God) can not ravish. He can only woo. :Page 14
Money Round 7 Moments of Easter and 7 Mile Miracle In Luke 24:13-33, what is the name of the village 100 Points that Jesus and the other men we walking to on a 7 mile road. Finish the following verse: Mathew 27:46: My God, My 200 Points me Finish the following in Luke: Father, into your 200 Points hands I 300 Points What was the point regarding the farmer on this tractor and the ant hill? 400 Points State the number of times Christ appears to people post crucifixion. Partial credit Awarded: State at least six circumstances where 600 Christ Points revealed himself post crucifixion. What is apologetics? What is Apocrypha? In His Defense 100 Points 100 Points 200 Points Complete the phrase: If Atheism is the belief in nothing, What is nothing according to Aristotle? 300 Points State from memory Psalm 19:1 400 Points How is radiation afterglow important in supporting a divine creator. Daily Double: Partial credit awarded. State 5 of the 10 stated reasons 500 that Points support that the New Testament writers relentlessly stuck to the truth: Two Part Question: What is the max speed of a STAR WARS TIE series 600 Imperial PointsStike Fighter travel a. 1.5x SofS, b. 2.0X SofS, c. 2.5X SofS, or d. 3.0x SofS. and about how long would to take to travel to the a star that is closest to our :Page sun? 15
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Myth vs. legend vs. reality: Greek mythology was not applied to real, flesh and blood individuals but rather to mythological characters. From Evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell: A myth may be defined as a pre-scientific and imaginative attempt to explain some phenomenon, real or supposed, which excites the curiosity of the mythmaker, or perhaps more accurately as an effort to reach a feeling of satisfaction in place of bewilderment concerning such phenomena. If often appeals to emotions rather than reason, and indeed in its most typical forms seems to date from an age when rational explanations were not called for. :Page 17
Question: Why do we demand truth in everything but morality and religion? You do not have enough faith to be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek. 1. Although we do not want to admit it, our rejection is often on the volitional (a process of choice) rather than intellectual grounds. 2. We just do not want to be accountable to doctrine. 3. We blindly accept the claim that truth is relative 4. Perhaps St. Augustine (354 to 430 AD) was right when said that we love truth when it enlightens us, but we hate it when it convicts us. 5. Perhaps we can not handle the truth :Page 18
Hebrews 4:12 and 13 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Per F. R Beattie as a quoted in Evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell: the Holy Spirit does not work a blind and ungrounded faith in the heart. :Page 19
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Despite all of the evidence, why to people still reject God? From Evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell : 1. I have met people with intellectual excuses, but few with intellectual problems. 2. I have found that more people reject Christ for one or more of the following reasons: Ignorance: See Romans 1:18-23 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. Also see Mathew 22:29. Pride: See John 3:40-44: 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God Morality: John 3:19,20: Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. :Page 21
intellectual excuses = I want to be own God :Page 22
What is Apocrypha? From Evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell: 1. Not canonical rejected as part of the canon (the standard bible) 2. Dubious authenticity, inaccurate, lack Scripture s divine character 3. New Testament Apocrypha: Epistle of Pseudo-Barnabas (A.D. 70-79) Epistle of Corinthians (A.D. 96) Ancient Homily (2 nd Epistle of Clement) (A.D. 120-140) Shepherd of Hermas (A.D. 115-140) Didache, Teaching of the Twelve (A.D. 100-120) Apocalypse of Peter (A.D. 150) The Acts of Pual and Thecla (A.D. 170) Plus many many more :Page 23