Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Generally:
  • Churches are seeing diminishing numbers
  • There is a trend to a loss of young people
• Why?- multi-faceted causes
  • Anti-Christian teaching in Uni
    • Examples
    • Have we failed to answer these questions/issues
  • Persuasive secularism
  • Humanism
  • Anti-theism?
    • Examples
    • They say God is dead and religion is a waste of time
• But things seems to be changing
  • Examples
  • Could the tide by turning? / Is there a new climate?
• John 7:26 - key text
  • Do the leaders know this is the Christ?
  • They should have known he was from God
• We need to ask the question - who is Jesus Christ?
  • Quote from C S Lewis
    • Liar, lunatic or Lord?
    • Not just a good man with moral teaching
    • You cannot be neutral
    • Either "mad, bad or God"
• Jesus had given a promise of living waters (7:37-42)
• Overview
  • Who is the Christ?
  • What difference does it make if our leaders believe in Him?
  • How should we respond to some of the questions of our secular age

Who is the Christ?

• There was confusion (7:12)
  • Jesus had gone to the feast
  • The question was 'who is the Christ?'
    • Some said He was good
    • Some said He was a deceiver
    • Many were impressed by Him (7:15)
      • Example of His teaching (7:21-24)
• The question comes - do the rules know He is the Christ (7:26)
• It was a tense time
  • He was staying away from Galilee (7:1)
  • Many did not speak openly of him because of fear (9:22)
  • There was confusion
    • People wondered if He was to be killed (7:20)
    • Some are saying people are seeking to kill Jesus (7:25)
• Jesus' doctrine is clear
  • He has been sent from God the Father (7:16)
  • He knows God and has been sent by God (7:29)
  • Many had seen His miracles
• Who is Jesus?
  • Sent from God
  • With the power to perform miracles (including resurrecting people from the dead)
  • The authority of the Father
  • He sought His Father's glory
  • The one who provides rivers of living water (7:37)
    • The feast was celebrating God's provision in the wilderness
    • The Jews were living in a spiritual desert
    • God would send the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
    • Luke 4:18
• Challenge: who is Jesus Christ to you?
  • Has He satisfied your deepest longing?
  • Can you say you are satisfied, found, alive, with a quenched thirst
  • Example #1
  • Example #2: Ray Comfort
  • What do you think of Jesus Christ?
  • Do you know He is Lord and Saviour who can meet your deepest needs?
  • You must make a decision - liar, lunatic or Lord?

What difference does it make if our leaders believe in Him?

• Do the rulers know that He truly is the Christ?
  • Great good may result - examples
    • 7:44,51
    • Acts 5:34-39
    • Further examples
  • We are not dependent on this
    • When society is changed - it is rarely from the top down ... but from the bottom up
      • Examples
  • We are to be thankful when we seeing things changing
    • Example of Jordan Peterson, Tom Holland, Glen Scrivener
    • Further examples
  • We put our confidence in God
    • Acts 2:22-24
    • Acts 4:25-28

How should we respond to some of the questions of our secular age

Time does not permit to look at this

Closing Remarks

• Tell your own story - what God has done in your life
• Have full confidence in the Bible
• Do not fear, present your testimony, speak of Christ
• Know the Bible - the power of God until salvation
• Walk in holiness and loving God
• Be genuine
• Be kind - Example of Ray Comfort
• People will notice your reaction