Rev. Bonnie A. Nygaard

Serving Christ in Spain,
in memory of Chaplain Al.

Mini Sermon

Mini Sermon

Study Christian Evidence P2

Good morning our foundational scripture is found is the book of Jer. 10;12-13.

12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. 13 When he uttered his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he caused the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

KJV

We are in our second week of Christian Evidence. We are teaching this to help the true born-again Christian solidify his or her relationship with Christ to help those who are not born again understand the truth about Christianity. The study is not to help you win arguments or become big headed about learning the truth but to have you confident about tour beliefs, so that your faith will grow, your relationship with Christ would be stronger, you will enjoy more of the abundant life that Christ promised and be ready to gently and fully explain your salvation to anyone, anywhere ,anytime. Remember 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asked you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: KJV

I want you this morning to be aware of the Exclusive Claims of Christianity. Yes, the Exclusive claims of Christianity. If Christianity is regarded as only one religion, among the many others, with each one possessing an uncertain mixture of truth and error, then of course the study Christian Evidence is futile and pointless. Acceptance or rejection of Christianity in that case becomes merely a matter of personal convenience, not conviction. Christianity is just a matter of personal convenience to many of you when Christianity should be your conviction. Most people today view religion is either true or false. If you have that view I can tell you your Christianity is not pure, is not real. You cannot tell me that the Bible is the Word of God, believe it’s teaching , and carry it with as you go to church, and yet claims religion as being true or false. When you understand Bible Christianity, that is a born again person, one who has excepted Jesus Christ as Lord of his or her life, that person believes the Bible, that is where the word Biblical comes from, biblical means from the Bible, Biblical Christianity with it’s structure is such that it must either be absolutely and uniquely true or else be completely and grossly false. There is no in between. If you have an attitude of indifference where Christianity is concerned if you are in reality saying that you do not believe the Bible and you are an hypocrite. Indifference is the same as repudiation and repudiation is refusing the Word of God. Our teaching from God this morning is Christian Evidence part 2. A great deal of what passes for current Christianity consists in denouncing other people’s ,vices and faults. Most of us are guilty of doing that. Christianity does not teach a doctrine of weakness. But the strength it gives a man is quite different from his natural strength. It is a God directed strength, doing what God wills. It wins great victories, but they are only evil and self, not the destructive that are won over others. Jesus said “And Ye shall know the Truth ,and the Truth will set you free” John 8:32. Christianity can be condensed into four words, admit, submit, commit, and transmit. Let me give you a few claims to the exclusiveness and uniqueness of Christianity. We go back to our foundational scripture where we have (1) The God of the Bible ,being the only true God, beginning with verse 10 of Jeremiah 10 -13.

Jer 10:10-13,10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. 11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.13 When he uttered his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he caused the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.KJV

Let me paraphrase those verses for you, the Lord is the only true God, the living God. He is the everlasting King! The whole world trembles at His anger. The nations hide before His wrath.11. Say this to those who worship other gods; Your so called gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will vanish from the earth12.. But God made the earth by His power, and He preserves it by His wisdom. He has stretched out the heavens by His understanding. 13. When He speaks, there is thunder in the heavens. He causes the clouds to rise over the earth. He sends the lighting with the rain and releases the wind from His storehouses What a beautiful Christian Evidence. The world fears the power of the nuclear bomb, yet we belong to the God of the universe, who not only created the nuclear power but also raised Jesus Christ from the dead. God’s incomparably great power is available to help you ,help us. There is nothing to difficult for Him. Let me give you more Christian Evidence of His power from the book of Eph.1; 18-23.

Eph 1:18-13.18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that fills all in all .KJV

Here we have the Christian evidences of God so greatly explained to each one of us from Paul, he says “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so you can understand the wonderful future God has promised to those He called By the way, God; s calling is through His Son Jesus Christ, I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance He has given to His people. To us His people are those who have excepted His Son Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Paul then says “ I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of His power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power 20, that raised Christ from the dead and seated His Son Jesus Christ in the place of honour at God’s righthand in heavenly realms.21. Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come. 22. And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and He gave Him this authority for the benefit of the church. 23. And the church is His body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with His presence Amen, Amen and Amen. More beautiful Christian Evidences in our teaching part two. I hope you are beginning to understand that Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship, a relationship with he Son Jesus Christ. Christianity seems at first to be all about morality, all about duties and rules and guilt and virtue. To the majority it is another religion with rules and regulations. But for those who do except Christ as their Savior and not Christianity as a religion it leads you on, out of the religious realm, into something beyond, something beautiful, something peaceful, something everlasting, something eternal, something wonderful, it leads you into the abundant life. Most churches and everyone are full of religion and not the truth. People are to busy looking at their source of their religion and not the Gospel truth . Religion and family tradition, is what people are following. Would I be right in saying you are following the tradition of religion and not the personal relationship with the Son of God who created all things. Let me give you another claim to the exclusiveness and uniqueness of Christianity. (2) Christ claims to be the only way to God, to salvation, and to Heaven. In the book of John, Jesus speaks to us.” I am the way ,the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by Me”. Anther powerful Christian evidence. Jesus says He is the only way to God the Father. Some people argue that this way is to narrow . In reality it is wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept it. Instead of worrying how limited it sounds having only one way, we should be saying “ Thank You God ,for providing a sure way to get to You” Say that with me, “ thank You God for providing a sure way to get to You”.. How is your relationship with Jesus?? How many Christian evidences do you need before you realize that Jesus is the only way to get to Heaven. Jesus and the cross is the only way to forgive our sins Jesus is the only way to have a peace and understanding of your life and what purpose your life has. Jesus is the only way to live an abundant. How is your relationship with Jesus today? May be your one of the Critics who complain that, if the world is in its present state after twenty centuries of Christianity, then it can not be a very good religion. If you are this type of cretic you are making to mistakes. The first is this, Christianity – the real thing has never been accepted on a large scale ,there fore never been in a position to control” the state of the world”, The second mistake is misunderstanding the nature of Christianity. It is not to be judged by its success or failure to reform the world which rejects it. It is a revelation of the true way of living, the way to know God, the way to live life of eternal quality. This in its self is another Christian evidence. The third claim to the exclusiveness and uniqueness of Christianity is this,(3) The Bible is claimed as the only true revelation from God. Let me give you the words of Isaiah, a prophet of God.

Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

KJV

God is saying” in this scripture “Check their predictions against my testimony. If their predictions are different from mine, it is because there is no light or truth in them. I can safely say, that religion is that way. If the religion is not of God there is no light or truth in it. Did you know that people continually blame God for their self – induced problems. Why because they are religious. I told you earlier that most people today view religion as either being true or false, if you now believe this, your Christianity is not pure. Your Christianity is not real. The person who continually blames God, has religion but not a relationship. Hoe do you respond to the unpleasant results of your own choices? Where do you fix the blame? Instead of blaming God, look at the Christian evidence of God, the Christian evidence of Jesus give up your religion. Look at the Christian evidence of God, the Christian evidence of Jesus. Give up your religion and take on a relationship with the Son of God Jesus Christ. Now I want to give you a fearful warning, not to play with religion and the Word of God. You cannot see or understand the Christian evidences if you do not believe the Bible to be the Word of God completely. You cannot believe the parts you like and disregard the parts you don’t like. The warning I about to give you is found in the book of Revelation.

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book KJV

God is declaring to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book, The Book. He says” if anyone adds anything to what is written here, He will add to that person the plagues disrobed in this book. Then He tells us, if anyone removes any of the words of this prophetic book. He will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the Holy City that are described in this book. Now which portion of the Bible do you want to change or disregard it. The fourth claim to the exclusiveness and uniqueness of Christanity is this. May I add of the more important. (4) The way of salvation presented in the Bible is claimed to be the only way. In the book of Acts Peter said” Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. KJV

Then in the book of Galatians, Paul gives us a warning. “if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that you have received, let him be accused”.

If anyone preach any other gospel than he gospel, of Jesus Christ, God’ curse falls upon that person. You have been presented with Christian Evidence today. Christian Evidence that will straighten your faith if you are a born- again Christian and Christian Evidence that will damn your soul if yo0u are not born-again. Bow your head, every head bowed, and pray with me this Sinners Prayer, excepting Jesus Christ as Lord. And Savior. Amen.