The Hope of Heaven (3 of 10)
Series: Faith at the Margin
Will McGee
1 Peter 1:3-9
INTRODUCTION
Ten years ago.... Richard Dawkins and the British Humanist Association ran an advertising campaign all throughout London. The campaign was not to advertise a product or a service... But rather they bought up ad space all over the city... And put up this slogan on buses, on billboards, and in the Tube.
''There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.''
Now, as you can imagine, I have a lot of opinions about this slogan.
But the thing that sticks out the most... Is that this is the most unrealistic slogan one would could possibly live by. It seems simple enough... There is no God, therefore stop worrying about rules and heaven and hell... Judgement... Enjoy yourself. It makes sense on the surface, doesn't it? Enjoy life!
But think about how insensitive that slogan is to those whose very lives are a nightmare.
Would you tell a slave in 19th century Charleston, SC ''There is no God. Stop worrying. Enjoy your life!''
Would you tell that to our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico right now?
What about the teenage girl who is abused by her step father every day after school?
''There is no God.... Stop worrying.... Enjoy your life.''
This is an empty slogan... That could only have been written by privileged people who don't understand the complexity of life on this earth.
In the letter of 1 Peter... (Which we have been studying for 3 weeks now)... The Apostle Peter is writing to Christians who are suffering ''various trials.'' They've been exiled from their homes. They are living under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. Many of have been persecuted. Jailed. Mocked. Stripped of their credentials... Some even killed. Simply for their faith in Jesus.
They were living at the margins of society... Trying to figure out how to live in a hostile environment.
Peter writes this letter to encourage these Christian ...
Series: Faith at the Margin
Will McGee
1 Peter 1:3-9
INTRODUCTION
Ten years ago.... Richard Dawkins and the British Humanist Association ran an advertising campaign all throughout London. The campaign was not to advertise a product or a service... But rather they bought up ad space all over the city... And put up this slogan on buses, on billboards, and in the Tube.
''There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.''
Now, as you can imagine, I have a lot of opinions about this slogan.
But the thing that sticks out the most... Is that this is the most unrealistic slogan one would could possibly live by. It seems simple enough... There is no God, therefore stop worrying about rules and heaven and hell... Judgement... Enjoy yourself. It makes sense on the surface, doesn't it? Enjoy life!
But think about how insensitive that slogan is to those whose very lives are a nightmare.
Would you tell a slave in 19th century Charleston, SC ''There is no God. Stop worrying. Enjoy your life!''
Would you tell that to our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico right now?
What about the teenage girl who is abused by her step father every day after school?
''There is no God.... Stop worrying.... Enjoy your life.''
This is an empty slogan... That could only have been written by privileged people who don't understand the complexity of life on this earth.
In the letter of 1 Peter... (Which we have been studying for 3 weeks now)... The Apostle Peter is writing to Christians who are suffering ''various trials.'' They've been exiled from their homes. They are living under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. Many of have been persecuted. Jailed. Mocked. Stripped of their credentials... Some even killed. Simply for their faith in Jesus.
They were living at the margins of society... Trying to figure out how to live in a hostile environment.
Peter writes this letter to encourage these Christian ...
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