Is the Worship Service for Christians or Unbelievers?

Hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Pedro Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question.

Here's the number 833, the court, that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook or Instagram account and you can email us with your question at questions@corechristianity.com. Well Joe Biden has been sworn in as our nation's new president and we know that over the past few months there's been a lot of conflict in tension about the results of the election, but we also know the Bible tells us to pray for those in authority. Absolutely Bill and me that something that were called to in first Timothy chapter 2 insert something we should be committed to as believers. I meant what let's yesterday on the program a drill we got. We had a question coming and we really didn't have time to answer it fully and it was a question about miscarriage and I know all of us have known someone or maybe in her own family had experienced that tragedy and there are some biblical I guess approaches we could take to member talking to somebody who's experience that guy was a question we received yesterday. Toward the end of the program so we really didn't get to spend a lot of time responding to this question. In particular, I want to open up today.

Just just bring it up again yesterday. We talked about how the David said in second Samuel chapter 12 in talked about how he would go back to his son and in the question in particular had to do with the hope that we have is as Christians that are children who have died in miscarriage, that there with the Lord as I went to that passage but I just know that this is such a heavy difficult topic and that a lot of people those who have expressed miscarriage is that something to suffer from guilt and this burden of unit is this because of something that I've done, and that is just such a heavy burden to carry and I want to speak to you if you had a miscarriage and in your wrestling with that or you've you've wrestled with that there are some passages of Scripture that I think are important for us to highlight here that emphasize God's sovereignty in his providence in caring for his people. Psalm 139 versus 13 through 16 say this, you formed my inward parts you needed me together in my mother's womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth your eyes saw my unformed substance in your book were written every one of them. The days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them and just that thought right there. Bill that our days are numbered by the Lord. We might not know we don't know. But God knows, even for our children and in the children in the womb, and so knowing that God is in control. We cast ourselves upon the mercy of God, and we rest in the fact that he cares for us. We understand why things happen the way that they do all the time, but we know that God is good.

I think also what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10 we know art are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin, yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your father's will take our year of more value than many sparrows were valued by the Lord.

He knows the very hairs on our head.

So we we trust in him. We rest in his sovereign providence and and I think for those who are wrestling with guilt and the burden of you hug I've done something differently it's it's passages like that. We need to go to an and look to the Lord and say God casting myself upon you, and so this is wanted to touch on that now, in light of the question we received yesterday. For those people who might have a friend or relative that has gone through miscarriage. There are some things you probably don't want to say and some things that you do want to say yeah absolutely I'm often times I think we can we can approach the situation in a way that we we assume to know too much of this happen for this reason that reason, a lot of times, especially in situations of suffering we don't have those kinds of answers.

We know what God is said about himself and as we know the in his word. We know that he sovereign. We know that he's good, but God doesn't always tell us why this happened.

That's what you have. I think the Psalms of lament there. These Psalms were the psalmist is crying out to the Lord asking the why question and oftentimes you don't you don't and as we think about the book of Job right it's God saying trust in me.

Trust in the eye. I am in control and I'm goods I'm I'm still good. I'm able to make all things work together for the good to like Paul says in Romans chapter 8 and so again we cast ourselves upon the mercy of God, and upon the fact that he is all-powerful know we have this calling everyone of us in the body of Christ to encourage one another to bear one another's burdens, but sometimes when people are going through intense grief, they don't need answers they don't do this to quote the Bible back to them.

They just need us to sit with them and care about them and love them. Yeah, certainly this is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez. If you have a question for Sears. The phone number to call its 833.

The core that's 1-833-843-2673 carries calling us from Santa Monica, California hi Carrie how are you hi Bill, thanks for taking my call. Hi Gary, thanks for calling what your question for us short James chapter 1 verse two where it says consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters when you face trials of many kinds. Can you help me understand how being joyful translate into the ability to endure all the trials of life and what can we do to help make joy our knee-jerk reaction to those trials, yeah.

And I think the words there are really important. Right now verse to count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. And James is not calling us here to read Joyce or be joyful about the trial right, specifically like you know but this is something that I should just have joy in per se, it's what the trial does what it produces and that's what James goes on to say, for you know verse three that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness as well but but what James is telling us is that there's something that God does in the midst of the trial, God is able to use the trial in some capacity to strengthen our faith.

And isn't that the case me think about your own life and the things that you've experienced the difficult things that we oftentimes experience an and in the middle of it is like man I do not want to be here right now, Lord, why do you have me here and yet so often you noise as we continue to satirize on the Lord and sometimes we can even do that you, nor are our heads are just sort of drooping down but as we come through that seeing how the Lord worked in us to continue to strengthen, strengthen our faith to build our faith even to cause us to trust in him and and as I was saying earlier in his sovereign power. His providence that's that's what James is saying we can rejoice in his is the fact that even through our trials.

God is able to work something mighty and we do see this all over the place in the pages of the Bible. I've just been in my own personal devotions reading the story of Joseph there in the book of Genesis and talk about a guy who experienced in men's trials over and over. I mean just how absent we read that that narrative and you just you just want to cry because your heart breaks for the man and yet you can see how like he says in Genesis chapter 50 verse 20 how God was able to take everything that was meant for evil and use it for good. And in the moment. We can't see how the Lord is doing that we trust him and that's why we can have joy and that's why, in other places, like Paul can tell the Thessalonians, you know. Rejoice always get in the in the context even of suffering.

Why, because God is bigger than our suffering is not saying you know. Rejoice in your suffering and that you should just enjoy it or that kind of a thing know we we lament, we cry out to the Lord, we rejoice in knowing that God is bigger than our suffering, whatever that suffering may be Gary thank you so much for your call.

Thanks so much for being a regular core Christianity listener. We appreciate you staying build my pleasure. Let's go to and from Glendora, California hi and how are you feeling a question on my mind time it went from the Bible. After an appropriate light for today that's trying what my life and if I can ask a little bit more daily. Or is that about my life a lifetime thing yeah that's it. That's a great question. I love you know these questions that we get from all over the pages of Scripture. Here, in particular with Esther and wanting really to apply this to yourself. And I think that that's it.

That's a good way to approach the Scriptures that were looking at the word of God and saying what does this mean for me and obviously this was coming in in a particular context. You know that the history of what was taking place. There in the idea of being born for such a time as this scene alike rising to the occasion. If you will. I think yeah I don't know that I was saved that particular versus something to wake up and when it's okay for such a time as this. You know how many get up today again really know why. I think one way in which we can apply these ideas is looking to what the apostle Paul said, for example in the book of Ephesians where he calls us to redeem the time of one thing for us as believers, it's really important is to think about how it is that were living our lives and using the time that God has given to us and as you said, you know. Love the world around us are all sorts of things going on right now and a big question that we need to ask ourselves is, what does it look like for me today. To live faithfully to the Lord to walk with the Lord one passage of Scripture that I like to go to you. You mentioned and how power in these difficult times today and I think you know throughout the history of the church. Christians of felt the same way. That's what I like to go to what Peter said in first Peter chapter 4 beginning in verse seven because he talks about now the end of all things is at hand me talk about such a time as this are need to really think through what is it look like for me to be faithful to the Lord and and to honor the Lord in my Christian life. Listen to what Peter said first Peter chapter 4 verse seven the end of all things is at hand. Talk about such a time as this. Therefore be self-controlled and sober minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling as each has received a gift use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. Whoever speaks, is one who speaks oracles of God. Whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

And that's what were called to for such as that time. Is this the end of all things that hand. Peter says therefore let's be hospitable and let's love one another and that that's that's how I think we ought to be living in such a time as this sister and thanks so much for your call. We appreciate you. Thank you very much.

Very helpful. Love that other person. Thank you Pastor God bless you and this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez Casey's calling in from Maynard Arkansas with a question hi Casey, great doing well Casey what's your question my class in general are approaching a nonbeliever. How can we go about it. You help them believe my elation as I have two children and their father and I are not married. He does not believe in God and I have an idea for the past two years with kind of think I would have fit together working on it, tried talking to God.

Try opening up and about a month ago he came to me and said I tried I did. I don't believe I can't do it and I'm really really scared, not only because of the time that are going on but even if I feel comfortable with my relationship with God. My loved one.

I want to make sure that there I as well I don't know how to approach it with a Casey what's what's his name. If you don't mind me asking Douglas.

Douglas, can I pray for Douglas right now.

I think you have a really when you asked this question. Thinking about what's that the best way to help people. Believe me, ultimately, faith is a gift that comes from the Lord.

And so we go to the Lord first and foremost is a God, have mercy. Select the split pray for Douglas right now.

Gracious father Lord we want to see the people who we love come to know you and to walk with your son Jesus and and I want to lift Douglas up to right now and pray for him, Lord, that you would be at work in his life. Thank you for Casey thank you for the desire that she has this see him know and love you and Lord, we know that there is nothing more important in this world and knowing Christ experiencing his grace in our lives. And so I pray for Douglas that he would experience that I pray for Casey that he would give her wisdom. Lord, as she approaches this question as she seeks to be a good witness to Douglas and to share the faith with him.

Would you be with her. In Jesus name, amen. But as I said KCl faith is something that the Lord works in our hearts it's it's the work of the Holy Spirit. So first and foremost, I would say you want to continue to pray and cry out to the Lord and that's that's we have to be done really is not. You can't sorta twist someone's arm or even convince them. I would say to be regenerated it. This is the work of God's. So you go to the Lord and yet what God uses to accomplish this is the word of the gospel and so I think that we bring in the truth of God's word to bear talking about will really what the Christian faith is all about what what we like to talk about on this program.

Core, Christianity, and that's what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. That's the good news of the gospel and what I find Casey is that a lot of people don't understand that message. They think Christianity is all about what I do but I don't really want to follow Jesus all about just these these rules and regulations and trying to be a better person. I don't need religion for that.

That's not what Christianity is about Christianity is about what God has done in Christ to bring sinners to himself who don't deserve the gospel and yet he gives it to us freely and so I think focusing on that good news. The message of the Christian faith and making sure first and foremost that he understands what Christianity is about May really is just such a wonderful message in NS there are questions and there always are questions you elected, this really happened to Jesus really rise from the dead will then respond responding to those questions and really working through those things with the Scriptures and there are a few resources that I think we could we could encourage you to consider.

One is a book called the story of reality.

That's a great sort of defense of the Christian faith book written by our friend Greg Koegel a story of reality that might be a resource that you might be open to checking out and thinking through you know some of the evidences, we might say, for the truth of the Christian faith. But I was so you pray and you rely on God's word and make sure that that word, the word of the gospel is being clearly communicated and I know maybe one thing that that the two of you can begin doing together.

Space finding a church that fatefully preaches the word of God. We can go and sit under the ministry of the word because it's the word of God that does the work of God. That's were the powers at and so you pray and you trust in the Lord and you go to his word. Casey. Casey thanks so much for your question.

We appreciate your welcome that no eight or one of the things that Casey said regarding her father of her children. She said he wants to believe in God but doesn't feel it yeah and I'm wondering if you could address that because that's a stumbling block for so many people. While I don't feel God's presence or I don't feel that this is real. Our faith is this based not on feelings based on the facts of the gospel. Now that is such an important point bill because a lot of times people confuse feelings with faith in me and the apostles when they went around and in the book of acts, and they were preaching the gospel. They didn't preach the gospel and say so how do you feel now how does that make you feel better.

Are you getting the warm tingly set kind of a thing know they preach the gospel and they said, Jesus rose from the dead, and he commands all people everywhere to repent. This is something that happened in history. It's objectively true and it demands something of each and every one of us and so, whether you feel it or not right.

It doesn't change the fact that Christianity is true that Jesus really rose from the dead that he conquered sin and so we trust in him because it's fact because the gospel is real and that's where a lot of times people get hung up women that the feeling question and so I think we have to point them to something deeper, more stable than their feelings. Point them to what God is accomplished in his son, and frankly even for for people who have been walking with the Lord for really long time. We continually need to go back to that because these it's easy for us as well to focus on our feelings. Primarily, I don't really feel the Lord.

Right now I don't feel forgiven. I don't feel good.

Well brothers and sisters we cling to God's word. We cling to the promise that we have in the gospel. That's where we place our faith is so regardless of how we feel it's true.

And because it's true, we rejoice in men your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and today we want to tell you about something that we know you will love to hear from core Christianity. It's called our core kit. Yeah, that's right. I am excited to sure about this.

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What believers and unbelievers can unite me and give me a little bit more information. I really want you and make sure that right in thinking that Ron, thank you. Yeah, I agree. I love this question. And I've heard the same thing you know is this church and this question is church primarily for Christians or is it primarily to get people through the door you know people who don't know Jesus and and to help introduce them to the Christian faith, but we really have to take a step back and say what what is supposed to be happening in church to begin with, right, and I think about that wonderful passage in acts chapter 2 that really describes the early Fellowship of the Christian community listener what what Luke wrote about their he says that he early Christian church.

Verse 42 of acts to devote themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers and all came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles and all who believed were together and had all things in common and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes. They received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all people, and the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Another reason I wanted to read that whole passage, especially that last part right. There is because it shows us that as the church was gathering together doing what it should be doing, you know, attending to that the teaching of the apostles, the breaking of bread and actually in the Greek New Testament there's there's a definite article there in front of of bread. It's the breaking of the bread, probably a reference to communion coming together as believers to hear the apostles teaching to have communion to pray together for the church and for the world. And as that was happening. As believers were being trained up in the truth, discipled under the word of God. God was adding to the church daily those who were being saved. You know they didn't have agreed a great big ghetto program show going on that kind of thing know they were sitting at the feet of Jesus, as it were listening to his words and so I think that first and foremost that when we gather together for worship Gloria were gathering together to be built up as the church to be edified to receive the message of Jesus, the good news of the gospel and to feed on him by faith.

It's where we go to be nourished so that we can go out into the world to encourage people around us to bring the truth of God's where word to bear upon our neighbors and upon our friends and so so it's not that it it just for Christians is if we can we can have this closed off club note were gathering together to hear the word to be nourished so that we can go out and serve our community and serve our neighbors as it it doesn't have to be an either/or and actually ball in first Corinthians chapter 14, he rebuked the Corinthians, because he said when they gathered together for worship. They were all speaking in tongues and nobody understood what was going on in ghetto unbelievers were walking in and say you guys are crazy and so Paul says you know what when we have a worship service.

It should be understandable. The word should be preached clearly so that everyone can benefit Christians and non-Christians, but it's primarily about the building up of the body of Christ and I've seen this so often today it too often people are in churches are focused on making converts not making disciples brothers and sisters, we need to go deeper in the word of God to be discipled by the truth of Jesus Christ and as that happens when were equipped to share our faith, to share the love of Jesus Christ, so that we can go out into the world and share that love with people who desperately need to hear it.

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