Jesus (3 of 5)
Series: The Problem of God
Craig Smith
John 17:1-5
I. Introduction
Welcome to all of our locations, including church online. It's great to be with you today for this first weekend after Easter [by the way...Easter shout outs].
Today is the beginning of part two of our series The Problem of God and ______________. We did part one of this series back in January, as a follow-up to our Christmas services. And we're doing part two, now, as a follow up to our Easter services.
Two quick things:
1. We all have questions. Having faith doesn't mean that we stop having questions. I have faith, but I also have questions. Here's an important question: on a scale from 0 to 10, where you with faith in God? Zero would be ''no faith no questions. I've settled into a very comfortable unbelief and I'd really rather not be bothered with looking at any evidence that might challenge my lack of faith.'' On the other end of the spectrum, ten would be ''all faith, no questions. I have all the answers and I don't have any questions...and I'll probably never have any questions and I'm really insulted that you would suggest that I might have questions!'' Take a moment to write down where you are on the scale. Ok, 0s and 10s, can just go ahead and leave. Nobody? Ok, then look at someone near you and say ''it's ok, I've got questions too!'' We all have questions.
2. The other thing I want to say is this: These answers aren't weapons, they're medicine. Use them to help, not hurt.
II. Main Body
Ok, the issue we're going to tackle today what we might call the problem of God and Jesus. Now, you might not think of Jesus as being a problem, but he is. He's always been a problem. In fact, can I share my all-time favorite description of Jesus? This was written by a Jewish historian named Josephus around about 94 A.D. This is what he said:
Now there arose at this time a source of further trouble in one Jesus...(Josephus, antiquities, 18:3:3).
I love th ...
Series: The Problem of God
Craig Smith
John 17:1-5
I. Introduction
Welcome to all of our locations, including church online. It's great to be with you today for this first weekend after Easter [by the way...Easter shout outs].
Today is the beginning of part two of our series The Problem of God and ______________. We did part one of this series back in January, as a follow-up to our Christmas services. And we're doing part two, now, as a follow up to our Easter services.
Two quick things:
1. We all have questions. Having faith doesn't mean that we stop having questions. I have faith, but I also have questions. Here's an important question: on a scale from 0 to 10, where you with faith in God? Zero would be ''no faith no questions. I've settled into a very comfortable unbelief and I'd really rather not be bothered with looking at any evidence that might challenge my lack of faith.'' On the other end of the spectrum, ten would be ''all faith, no questions. I have all the answers and I don't have any questions...and I'll probably never have any questions and I'm really insulted that you would suggest that I might have questions!'' Take a moment to write down where you are on the scale. Ok, 0s and 10s, can just go ahead and leave. Nobody? Ok, then look at someone near you and say ''it's ok, I've got questions too!'' We all have questions.
2. The other thing I want to say is this: These answers aren't weapons, they're medicine. Use them to help, not hurt.
II. Main Body
Ok, the issue we're going to tackle today what we might call the problem of God and Jesus. Now, you might not think of Jesus as being a problem, but he is. He's always been a problem. In fact, can I share my all-time favorite description of Jesus? This was written by a Jewish historian named Josephus around about 94 A.D. This is what he said:
Now there arose at this time a source of further trouble in one Jesus...(Josephus, antiquities, 18:3:3).
I love th ...
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