Some Questions the World Asks Prt. 1

I hope everyone is having a good week and this mid-week worship and lesson is about questions Christians need to be able to answer.  This will be what we are doing in our mid-week service for a little while.  Now we will have some music to sing along with.
                        Holy Holy Holy 
                        In Christ Alone
                        You are God
                                              Some Questions the World Asks Prt. 1

I.                   First the Importance of Christians Answering Questions

A.   The reality is that we live in a Post-Christian America

1.     We need to know what we believe and why

2.     Peter wrote in 1 Pet.3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”

3.     The word defense in the Greek language is “apologia” and means to give “a reasoned defense”. We call it today Apologetics but we aren’t apologizing for anything.

4.     Basically like a good defense attorney gives a good defense in court, so do we need to be able to give a good defense of true Christianity to anyone

B.    We need to remember that apologetics can lead into evangelism

1.     Being able to answer a couple of questions may be all someone needs to accept Christ as their Savior

2.     The Christian faith is not a blind leap but a decision rooted in history and evidence

C.   Also apologetics needs to be taught after a person becomes a Christian

1.     There can be a lot of ideas that pull at a new Christian

2.     They need to be grounded in some basic beliefs

a.      God created this universe

b.     Jesus Christ proved He is God through the resurrection

c.     The Bible is from God and not just written by men, etc.

D.   Christians need to be able to answer questions that the world has so that we can see people come to have eternal life with Christ in heaven

1.     This is the most rewarding experience to a Christian

2.     There are plenty of people with questions

II.                Should We Try to Argue Someone into the Kingdom of God?

A.   Often motivated but misguided Christians will try to argue a person into salvation

1.     We have the command of 1 Pet. 3:15 to give an apologetic answer to others questions

2.     At the same time no matter how many questions you answer it is still the Holy Spirit’s business to work on the heart of people

B.    Remember it isn’t that a person can’t believe but it is that they won’t believe

1.     Once you reasonably answer their questions they have to make a decision that is between them and the Holy Spirit

2.     John 3:19 (NKJV) “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

3.     The Christian faith is reasonable but reason will not take a person fully to accept Christ as Savior

4.     As Christians we need to prepare ourselves to be able to give the answers we need and then trust the Lord in prayer that He will guide us to the people that He has prepared already