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‘A better story’ – 2

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Behind the sexual revolution is an ideology of radical individualism.  This ideology has been driven, in part, by the philosophy of Nietzsche (‘there are no facts, only interpretations’) and Marx (‘our identity is determined by our social context’).  Berger added the idea of ‘plausibility structures’ – by means of which ideas gain leverage who endorses them, and how, rather than by the application of evidence and reason.

But:-

‘We mustn’t abandon reason simply because we have learned how easily she can be fooled…The biblical concept of human beings created in the image of God means that we expect a meaningful correspondence between the reality that God has put us in, and our abilities to make sense of it through the gift of reason.’…

‘A better story’ – 1

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Since the 1960s we have witnessed ‘the overturning and liberalization of long-established social and moral attitudes to sex.’

Central to this sexual revolution has been a relaxation of the idea that sex is given for enjoyment within the constraints of marriage.  But it also includes:-

  • a more explicit portrayal of sex in the media
  • a normalisation of cohabitation
  • a liberalisation of attitudes towards same-sex sex
  • the mainstreaming of pornography
  • a greater acceptance of sexual deviancy
  • the increasing acceptance the notion of gender fluidity

A number of factors have been at play in this sea-change of attitudes and behaviours:-

  • the introduction of generous welfare benefits
  • the rise of service industries
  • campaigns for equal pay for women
  • second-wave feminism
  • liberalisation of divorce laws
  • reliable contraception

Such changes – many of them good in themselves – have contributed to a weakening of the link between sex and marriage, and of the idea that marriage entails a life-long commitment.…

‘A better story’ – intro

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Two movies illustrate the sexual revolution that has been taking place since the 1960s:-

The Magdalene Sisters tells the story of four women incarcerated, in the 1960s, in one of Ireland’s ‘laundry asylums’.  For the ‘crime’ have having an illegitimate child, such a woman could be kept out of sight and out of mind for years on end, and her child quietly removed and put up for adoption.

By contrast, in recent years Ireland was, in more recent years, the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage, and over one-third of births now take place outside marriage. …

Jn 7:25-52 – Will the real Jesus…? (sermon notes)

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Text: John 7:25-52

Kid McCoy was a US boxer, world champion in 1896. He became involved in a barroom brawl, when a drunk insisted that the boxer was not who he said he was. McCoy flattened his opponent, who struggled back onto his feet and said, “It’s him alright. It’s the real McCoy.”)

1. People, then, as now, have confused and conflicting ideas about who Jesus is.

‘The people were divided because of Jesus.’

Today, some consider Jesus to be

(a) a myth
(b) a Martian (i.e.…

John 8:12-30 – “I am the light of the world” – sermon notes

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Whereas the main question in chapter 7 is, ‘Who is Jesus?’, in chapter 8 this question develops into ‘How do we know that his testimony is valid?’

1. Declaration: “I am the light of the world”

“I” – Jesus points to himself, begging the question: mere man? madman? myth? menace? mistaken? Messiah?

“I am” – The 2nd such statement in this Gospel.  N.b. Yahweh’s self-revelation in Exodus and Isaiah.

“I am Light” – representing learning, love laughter, and life (in contrast to darkness, which represents dullness, depravity despair and death).…

Presuppositionalist apologetics

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Many Christians will be aware of the evidentialist approach to apologetics.  This approach uses among other strategies, logical arguments for the existence of God and historical evidence for the person and work of Jesus Christ.  These are marshalled in order to convince the unbeliever see that the Christian faith is reasonable and evidence-based.

Less familiar, however, is the presuppositionalist approach.  Rooted in the thought of Augustine and Anslem (“I believe in order to understand”), it is most often associated with Cornelius Van Til and his disciples. …

The three loves

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1. GOD’S LOVE FOR US

1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world” – Heaven’s brightest beam.

“That he gave his only-begotten Son” – Earth’s greatest theme.…

On being filled with the Holy Spirit

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INTRODUCTION

If you are truly a Christian, then the Holy Spirit dwells in you, Roman 8:9.

There is no ‘Premier Division’ to be promoted to.  But we should all seek to be filled more and more by the Holy Spirit.

SOME EXAMPLES

John the Baptist, Luke 1:15;

Our Lord, Luke 4:1;

Peter, Acts 4:8;

Stephen, Acts 6:5; 7:55;

Saul, Acts 9:17; 13:9;

Barnabas, Acts 11:24.

We also read of larger numbers being filled at the same time, Acts 2:4; 4:31; 6:3; 13:52.…

The Holy Spirit

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INTRODUCING THE HOLY SPIRIT

Here are some of his names and titles:-

Breath of the Almighty…Power of the Most High…Spirit of power…Spirit of the Father…Spirit of the Living God…Eternal Spirit…Holy Spirit…Power of the Most High…Sevenfold Spirit…Spirit of the Lord…Spirit of fear of the  Lord…Spirit of life…Spirit of truth…Spirit of revelation…Spirit of knowledge…Spirit of understanding…Spirit of wisdom…Spirit of prophecy…Spirit of holiness…Spirit of glory…Spirit of fire…Spirit of counsel…Spirit of Christ…Spirit of sonship…Spirit of grace…

It is clear that we are talking about a Divine Being. …

Faith lessons from Abraham

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Some lessons on faith from the story of Abraham in Genesis 15-18.

1. Faith is a response to God’s Word

Abraham took God at his word concerning the birth of a son in his old age.  Faith is not some kind of quality worked up in our own minds (‘believing in God for a miracle’).  It is simply taking God at his word.  If this is so, then the more we get into God’s word the stronger our faith will become.…