A Reasonable Faith

This is Stu Epperson from the truth. Talk podcast connecting current events, pop culture, and theology, and were so grateful for you that you've chosen The Truth Podcast Network it's about to start just a few seconds. Enjoy it and please share around all your friends. Thanks for listening and thanks for choosing the truth. Podcast network. This is the Truth Network do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill. Do you feel like Christianity is just a system of rules and regulations, I can do this but I can't do that. Do you feel like your efforts to reach God.

Find God, and please God do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today. Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose, glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious. Have a title for my message reasonable, I think you all know that I sent that we live in a world divided thou uncertainty and most people really lost sight and everything it seems that all the institutions that were supposed to trust the blood is now our government, our educational system, the media is that politicians and even many church denominations are working we turn to find reliable truth that we can cling to and believe completely what I would suggest there's really only one place in the entire universe where that you can turn and know that what you going to be reading is the truth and what would that be the Bible the word of God's output for tonight in the Bible. Man is a trustworthy book. More specifically, the gospel of Luke is a trustworthy account of the life of Jesus Christ as if you come here tonight with questions about who was Jesus was the big about Jesus than you come to the right place.

So tonight I will go to is going to examine the first four verses in Luke chapter 1 how to know that these four verses in the Greek text are considered the bit is the best compose sentence not that many think any of us but is the best imposed sentence in Greek integrate New Testament to take a Bible.

If you not only their Luke chapter 1, and here's how Luke begins his account. This is his gospel. Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who, from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

Therefore, since my myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning it seemed good also delay to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things that you been told me there's one key truth that I want you to take away tonight and that is this Christianity is a reasonable faith. Christianity is a reasonable faith. Many people believe it to become a Christian requires a blonde fight other words, you have to check your brain at the door if you want to believe the stuff that we claim to believe the Bible and I would argue that cannot be further from the truth.

Christianity is a reasonable faith that is a Christian's faith is based upon it rest upon reason, let me distinguish between faith and reason.

Faith, when properly defined his trust is like when you climb into a hammock you trust it is trust that develops through the examination of reliable information such as eyewitness accounts reason. On the other hand, is the ability of your mind to process this information and usual intellect to come to real true and logical conclusions. Hebrews 11 one in the King James version puts it like this. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen the Christian faith relies upon substance and evidence. The Christian faith. The catch is now is not based upon the unseen but upon what is known. In other words, is based on evidence. Simeon God is given each one of you, my, and he expects us to use it. In fact, first Peter 113 says prepare your minds for action. That's what I wanted us to do each and every week you sit down with your Bible you prepare your minds for action. You got a good man God has blessed you with a good mind use it.

Martin Darcy said there is no salvation saving truth and the role your road of truth is by the mind, Martin Lloyd Jones consider one the greatest breaches of all time, said, let us never forget that the message of the Bible is addressed primarily to the mind that is the understanding of God is given as a mine and he wants us to use it to make reasonable decisions and judgments regarding his existence regarding the truth of the gospel and regarding the credibility of the Christian faith and shot put forth that when you when you examine Christianity. Maybe for the first time, you should go at it like a private investigator if I lay Strobel some of you may have read his book the case for Christ, but he he was a an investigative journalist for the she Chicago Tribune Tribune and every day when he showed up for particular when it went out to a crime scene.

He lived about this motto follow the evidence wherever it leads.

As he knew that it would lead you to the truth. That's exactly what Luke did he follow the evidence leading to the truth and that's what we wanted to follow the evidence, so why is Christianity reasonable faith. Linda give you three reasons these real life you to follow along with me. The first reason the Christian is a reasonable faith is because it is based upon fulfilled prophecy navigational know much about losing is the only Gentile writer in the New Testament.

He said he was a physician, so we know him as Dr. Luke was also a historian and a theologian, and he set up more than 1900 years ago to carefully investigated you like a private investigator.

Every piece of information he could gather concerning the life and ministry of the man called what Jesus did notice in verse one. That Luke informs us of the many who undertook the task of drawing up an account of the things that have been notices were fulfilled among them, say, Luke refers to all these events that he was examining as the fulfillment of prophecy. Many of the events that happened among them have been prophets prophesied hundreds of years before they took place. Did you know that the Bible is the only book in the world that contains fulfilled prophecy. Did you know that force the big about the feel prophecy where when you really think about it. It should be amazing. Most people have no idea about the feel prophecy. So if you have doubts about the validity of the Bible. I want you to consider what I'm about to share with you. So what prophecies was like referring to is referred to the Old Testament pretty much which predicted hundreds of years. In some cases more than a thousand years, about a man who would come into the world to be known as the Messiah, the Savior, the world in the Old Testament pretty prop predicted that this Messiah would do incredible things that you can only be classified as supernatural miracles. For example, if you take your Bible now okay to flip over to Isaiah to go to the middle of your Bible, you should see the book of Psalms and they go to your right make one major book and usually Isaiah Ozzie about the way lived 700 years before the birth of Christ to get Isaiah chapter 7 out you look at verse 14 with me you think about this 700 years before the birth of Jesus as their rights under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit be with me.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign evidence if you will, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Emmanuelle which means what God with us was their child born to a barge in about 2000 years ago there was an I believe that it Luke probably found Mary at some point during his investigation, and she certainly explained to him about the supernatural birth that occurred to her. The prophet Micah you can keep your finger on there and Isaiah the prophet Micah Leone determined that you have a hard time finding but he also lived at the same time as Isaiah 7 years before Christ. Micah 52. He prophesied exactly where this Messiah would be born. Listen to what he writes but you, Bethlehem effort.

The though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you accompany one who will be ruler of Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.

Did you know that at the time of Jesus birth. There were two Bethlehem's in his room one in the north and one in the South near new Jerusalem and one of the South was known as Bethlehem, Ephrata is the birthplace of leave Rachel was Jesus born which Bethlehem Bethlehem Africa turned Isaiah chapter 35 so we know that this is going to supernatural birth. We know the place of his birth. We also they are told what to look for in this coming Messiah.

Isaiah chapter 35 verses four through six says be strong. Do not fear your God will come, he will come with vengeance.

We divine retribution. He will come to save you then will the eyes of the blind be open at the ears of the deaf and stopped. Then will the lame leap like deer in the new tongue shout for joy as I reminded anybody what Jesus did give sight to the blind. You never the lame to walk, he healed a leper he restore hearing for the death and yes even raised the dead back to life. He also what about forgiving centers.

Aren't you glad Stella Stephan here earlier that Jesus I'm reading a book called gently and locally by Portland market members first 90 you should all read it if you want to fill better about being a son or not. It is good to be a center but Jesus is attracted to centers. Did you know that he should.

He was drawn to the centers. That's why he was called a friend of sinners. I'm so glad he left centers party is not going on about the evidence of fulfilled prophecy.

Did you know that there more than 300 prophecies in the Old Testament. They were all fulfilled in one man, Jesus. That's a mathematical impossibility. Don't you find this amazing predictions written in this book.

There were fulfilled. Hundreds of years later we have historical evidence to prove this. So I ask you, is this not reasonable evidence that you can trust the Bible is the all we have to do is what Lee Strobel said following evidence and it will lead us to the truth so Christianity is a reasonable faith not only because they still feel prophecy, but also because it's based on eyewitness accounts. Look at verses wanted to again many of undertaking to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who, from the first war witnesses and servants of the word. These accounts, by the way were handed down in both oral and written form by eyewitnesses. You probably all know this particular lawyer but credible eyewitness accounts are in essence a guarantee of the reality route. Reliability of truth claims that while their land in a court of law. And if you get to eyewitnesses to agree that something happened that that crossroad so that a murder took place over there that the verdict is pretty much been settled. You bring a credible witness into a court of law and case closed salute.

What he did. He traveled all over Asia Minor and Greece. He traveled with the apostle Paul travel with Mark, Timothy, and with many others, and he himself had had apparently not seen Jesus, therefore he relied on the eyewitness accounts of the many travel with.

And as I've always said I believe he recently went to Mary and interviewed her and so is a historian Luke took meticulous notes any documented everything that he heard in these were credible witnesses, many of whom died for their faith, which only served to solidify their testimonies. Would you want to adopt what you believe in acts chapter 12 we learn that James the brother John was the first? Of the early church. He was put to death by the sword of the work he was beheaded on the order of King Herod.

Paul was later beheaded in Rome under Emperor Nero voice faith in Jesus. You see, they were willing to die because they knew what they believed was truly taking voluntarily to Hebrews your back to the end of the end of your Bible.

You see, Revelation go to left and you see Hebrews after Sam convicted. When I see what some of these people willing to do for their faith. Hebrews 11 beginning with verse 35 says that others were tortured and refuse to be released so that they might gain a better resurrection some facing jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stone. They were solid until they were put to death by the sword man. People don't willing to die for something they know to be a lot. This is why we can believe these written I was accounts salute, listen to their stories. He heard about the miracles but more than anything else.

He looked into the house of man like Peter and Paul, and he saw their faith was unshakable Dino man like that you just know that they believe what they say they believe if I could just unshakable see possible. She may loose all man that will ready and willing to die for what they believed he saw men who were eyewitnesses of his Majesty turn with me to first John chapter 1 first John is right before Revelation behavior in Hebrews. Your turn to your right. Again, this is John the disciple.

He was an eyewitness listener what he writes begin with verse one. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at in our hands have touched this we proclaim concerning the word of life.

The life appeared.

We have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the father has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen in her so that you also may have fellowship with us and our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ. So men, if you want to have fellowship with God. Remember, God created us to know him. He we critters have a personal relationship with him, and many of you have that. I hope all of you have that but if you're if you're here and you're not sure if you have that down when she can happen is to believe these written accounts we have in the Bible.

Place your trust not in the you believe the Bible but you place your trust in the person who is behind the Bible that person of Jesus Christ.

So I'm asking how many eyewitness accounts and you need to read before we believe not only do we have Luke that we have Matthew we have Mark, John, Peter, Paul, James, and Jude all these are the writers of the New Testament and all given as was accounts follow the evidence, and it will lead you to the truth so listen Christianity is, I believe is you family is a reasonable faith because is based on fulfilled prophecy is based on what is accounts but thoroughly and perhaps most importantly is based on change lives. Look at verses wanted to again many of undertaking to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who, from the first what eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Certainly you see Mitch's witnesses, but he also mentions servants of the words of who were these servants of the word with these were simply man like you and me who heard the gospel and believed they solo the miracles and believed in. They went around sharing their faith that's ornamented you do so you when you got to share your faith, you become a servant of the war following the Greek word that from this phrase we get service of the word is used here to refer to someone who not only have personal knowledge of the fact but also personal experience of the facts. In other words, their lives have been changed and that's what they were going all around the countryside preaching the gospel, because it allows have been changed in John chapter 4 of the store. The Samaritan woman at the well. She was a woman who had five husbands and the one she was now living with was not her husband and she encountered a man by the name of Jesus on a hot sunny day at the whale she was there she thought no one else will be there also.

This man shows up his Jewish she Samaritan and he asked careful glass of water and they get to talking to each other. Is he talking to her. He begins to tell her everything about her life and he just matter. She Allison realized who he was and she placed her trust in him and then what she did. She went back to town. She had a bad reputation in town. She began tell everybody come out and meet the man he knew everything about me and what they did. They all have to meet this man want because a Salish life been changed with people look at you.

Can they tell that your life is been changed from when Jesus was arrested. The garden all the disciples did what fled in fear.

What happened after the resurrection. Remember 10 of them were martyred for their faith. What happened, they saw the risen Christ in their last were changed. The apostle Paul's life was changed. One minute he was out arresting that even murdering Christians in the next minute he's out sharing the gospel. Why because he saw the risen Christ on the road to Damascus in his life was forever changed.

I heard Billy Graham went on to say that everyone who encountered Jesus in the New Testament in a saving manner left with her life changed.

You really cannot encounter Jesus in a saving way in your life not be changed. I would argue that a changed life is the greatest evidence of the validity of the Christian faith is a people can argue against your truth claims they can try to refute the Bible, but when they see a changed life. All they can say is nothing.

Silence back in 2012 I had a friend of mine came up and asked if I would lead a Bible study with about 8 to 10 of his friends and I said to Galante when we began meeting in my office in two of the guys that came about Bible study were Charles Creech and Sam Barros of you probably know them well. When Shaw started coming. He said to my left and there were now than he would drop a cuss word and I had to remind him that we went on in a Bible study. They started coming to Salina to charge looking you can even cuss every now and then on Friday morning which can to deny the way jostled him a very good friend, Esther, Sam, but I can tell you that of the 10 guys that came to that Bible study. Charles and Sam are two of the most changed man of ever saying you say during the course of that year.

First year in battling with still maybe now that was 2012 was still meeting in about a cent together. Allison, I just believed it didn't happen.

I don't think in a moment in time it happened gradually as they begin to study the Bible and now their lives are so changed their languages changed their desires of changed their whole outlook on life is change.

Their worldview is changed and their friends can tell a lot of been changed. They may think they got little religious, but they can tell that there are lots of in change and understand this teaching his dollars the Bible met one of his naughty wakes up in the morning and she's up read the Bible jostled the same thing with his family.

Did you like the change. DFP's sole contentment. Do you have eternal hope. Give assurance where you spend eternity.

I see that your non-George something happened to George. He showed up in a Bible study did you George. His life is been changed maybe don't change the most. I would suggest any changes or if you come here tonight in search of the treatment of life you something concrete to hang onto the greatest evidence that you will ever have is when you test the Bible.

Jesus said just do it and then when your life is changed that to be the greatest evidence you will ever get. I can sit here and preach some blue in the face, but you have to decide at some point Chico climate of that hammock can place your trust in Jesus Christ. Look at verses three and four almost done. Therefore, living right since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things even talked listen. Not only is the Christian faith a reasonable faith is also a sure and certain faith in verse four and Luke here. He rightly says that you may know the certainty of the things you can tell this war know about the way in the Greek it means to know completely to know fully to know beyond a shadow of doubt. Personally speaking, I just thinking as Russ enters the ball hit it off from Bethel.

He left that part out sound know this book is true I've been, and I'm not bragging MMO. I've been reading this book for about a figure of about 58 years and I never discovered anything untrue and it and I have lived out what this Bible says life will be like. I know that I'm seeing good, bad and ugly of of problem.

The simple route and I tried the obedient round and what the Bible says about both routes is truly this one engine death. This one engine life.

And I will stay on this one.

Plus have a changed heart. My desires of changed this world holds nothing that I won't except you guys looking for to that song we sang when the Lord returns, we hear that trumpet in the clouds part and there he asked.

He was 11. One of the innovations now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see Joan notice that Luke. He wrote this gospel for one person. Theophilus, the office must've meant a lot to him. Luke had a sure and certain faith and he wanted Theophilus to have a sure and certain faith, and I bet you every later and here it is just one man among in their group that needs a sure and certain faith best we won't for you. I will she man to have a sure and certain faith so that only when we sing blessed assurance, you know that you have blessed assurance. The only white man that you can have real peace in life, man you not to find it out there is when you know this boy knowledgeable.but did you know the moment you fall asleep this Bible throughout the Christian being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders glorify God by helping men and their purpose for living.

You discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources purpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh. Find out more finding purpose.net. This is the Truth Network