Jesus is to be Followed
Patrick Edwards
John 1:35-51
Introduction
You know it's not hard to watch the news these days and to think that the sky is falling. To see violence, hatred, global conflict, or even societal shifts in worldview and to wonder, ''How did we get here?'' In particular, I find inside the church many people lamenting where we are as a society and nation; often I hear comparisons between today's church or today's culture and what some call 'the good old days.'
Right? It can seem that there are fewer Christians than there used to be, that family values aren't held in high esteem as they once were, that culture is far more immoral and promiscuous than it used to be. It's easy to think that there has been a general decline in the faith and in Christianity. But consider this: Ecclesiastes 7 says, ''Say not, 'Why were the former days better than these?' for it is not from wisdom that you ask this.'' In other words, don't think that things used to be better. Why? because they weren't.
I mean think about that. You see while, I will admit, there used to be more of pretense of morality in our country, while those claiming to be Christian used to be more abundant, the reality is that you didn't know what was in people's hearts. You didn't know what they did behind closed doors. I mean, yes, we used to certainly act more of the part of being Christians and being a Christian nation, but I'm not sure if we ever actually were.
My point is just to ask this morning, 'Has there actually been a numerical decline in Christianity or are people just more willing to own the fact now that they don't actually believe?' I just think back to my own experience in high school, where every kid was expected in church on Sunday morning, but that didn't stop them the night before from drinking and partying and sleeping around. The local storeowner in town may have been a deacon in the church, but that didn't stop him from being a racist and being abusive towa ...
Patrick Edwards
John 1:35-51
Introduction
You know it's not hard to watch the news these days and to think that the sky is falling. To see violence, hatred, global conflict, or even societal shifts in worldview and to wonder, ''How did we get here?'' In particular, I find inside the church many people lamenting where we are as a society and nation; often I hear comparisons between today's church or today's culture and what some call 'the good old days.'
Right? It can seem that there are fewer Christians than there used to be, that family values aren't held in high esteem as they once were, that culture is far more immoral and promiscuous than it used to be. It's easy to think that there has been a general decline in the faith and in Christianity. But consider this: Ecclesiastes 7 says, ''Say not, 'Why were the former days better than these?' for it is not from wisdom that you ask this.'' In other words, don't think that things used to be better. Why? because they weren't.
I mean think about that. You see while, I will admit, there used to be more of pretense of morality in our country, while those claiming to be Christian used to be more abundant, the reality is that you didn't know what was in people's hearts. You didn't know what they did behind closed doors. I mean, yes, we used to certainly act more of the part of being Christians and being a Christian nation, but I'm not sure if we ever actually were.
My point is just to ask this morning, 'Has there actually been a numerical decline in Christianity or are people just more willing to own the fact now that they don't actually believe?' I just think back to my own experience in high school, where every kid was expected in church on Sunday morning, but that didn't stop them the night before from drinking and partying and sleeping around. The local storeowner in town may have been a deacon in the church, but that didn't stop him from being a racist and being abusive towa ...
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