DO ALL ROADS LEAD TO HEAVEN? (2 OF 4)
by Jeff Strite
Scripture: Acts 17:16-34, Acts 17
This content is part of a series.
Do All Roads Lead To Heaven? (2 of 4)
Series: Right Or Wrong
Jeff Strite
Acts 17:16-17:34
OPEN: In one of Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic strips, Linus and Charlie Brown are engaged in serious conversation.
''I have a theological question,'' says Linus, ''When you die, and go to Heaven, are you graded on a percentage or on a curve?''
''On a curve, naturally,'' Charlie responds.
Linus asks puzzledly, ''How can you be so sure?''
Charlie brightly answers, ''I'm always sure about things that are a matter of opinion.''
APPLY: This morning we're going to be talking about one of the most prominent theological ''matters of opinion'' in the nation. That theological matter of opinion: ''Does it matter what believe? Do all roads lead to heaven?''
ILLUS: An ancient Hindu story tells about six blind men who were brought to see an elephant:
''It's very like a wall,'' said the first man as he touched the side of the elephant.
It's very like a spear,'' said the second man as he stroked the elephant's tusk.
And the third man taking the elephant's squirming trunk in hand said) ''It's very like a snake.''
''Nonsense!'' the fourth man shouted. Stretching his arms about one of the legs, he concluded ''this wondrous beast is very like a tree.''
The fifth man, touching the elephant's ear, cried, ''even the blindest man can see that this animal is very like a fan.''
And the sixth, grabbing the tail, assured his friends that ''the elephant is really very like a rope.''
There are those who hear different people from different religions saying that they have touched God. But the gods they describe are as different as the blind men and the elephant. This has led many to conclude that - just like the blind men of the parable - everybody's right, they just have hold of different parts of the same God. And, since everybody is ''right'' then their different faiths must all lead to the same place - Heaven. Thus the phrase: All Roads Lead To Heaven.
I. Centuries ago, in ...
Series: Right Or Wrong
Jeff Strite
Acts 17:16-17:34
OPEN: In one of Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic strips, Linus and Charlie Brown are engaged in serious conversation.
''I have a theological question,'' says Linus, ''When you die, and go to Heaven, are you graded on a percentage or on a curve?''
''On a curve, naturally,'' Charlie responds.
Linus asks puzzledly, ''How can you be so sure?''
Charlie brightly answers, ''I'm always sure about things that are a matter of opinion.''
APPLY: This morning we're going to be talking about one of the most prominent theological ''matters of opinion'' in the nation. That theological matter of opinion: ''Does it matter what believe? Do all roads lead to heaven?''
ILLUS: An ancient Hindu story tells about six blind men who were brought to see an elephant:
''It's very like a wall,'' said the first man as he touched the side of the elephant.
It's very like a spear,'' said the second man as he stroked the elephant's tusk.
And the third man taking the elephant's squirming trunk in hand said) ''It's very like a snake.''
''Nonsense!'' the fourth man shouted. Stretching his arms about one of the legs, he concluded ''this wondrous beast is very like a tree.''
The fifth man, touching the elephant's ear, cried, ''even the blindest man can see that this animal is very like a fan.''
And the sixth, grabbing the tail, assured his friends that ''the elephant is really very like a rope.''
There are those who hear different people from different religions saying that they have touched God. But the gods they describe are as different as the blind men and the elephant. This has led many to conclude that - just like the blind men of the parable - everybody's right, they just have hold of different parts of the same God. And, since everybody is ''right'' then their different faiths must all lead to the same place - Heaven. Thus the phrase: All Roads Lead To Heaven.
I. Centuries ago, in ...
There are 11693 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
