Sermon Theme
It was a most interesting movie..
About the very real work some scientists devote their lives to re the listening for contact with extra terrestrial life – ‘Contact’
It’s all about listening endlessly to radio frequencies coming from outer space in an effort to detect something that is more than just noise – something that only intelligent life could produce
Interestingly the movie was an examination of the role of Science over against Faith
Main star was the scientist who was adamant that she could not accept the existence of God without scientific evidence.
Male lead was a theologian who repeatedly demonstrated that faith in the existence of God required no such facts – faith was faith – a conviction about something the individual just KNEW to be true.
The same struggle between scientific provable facts and faith existed for doubting Thomas “So the other disciples told him, ‘‘We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, ‘‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”” (Jn 20:25, NIV)
That raises a question: ‘Is Christian Faith a blind faith’ – i.e. a leap into the dark?
Do we believe in a God and a method of salvation for which there is no evidence?
How would you explain to a person for whom evidence is all important, why it is you believe?
Sermon outline
- THE DEMAND FOR HARD EVIDENCE
- THE EVIDENCE THAT IS RIGHT UNDER OUR NOSES
- CHRIST – GOD’S LAST WORD
Readings reproduced on this page:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996, 1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Readings
Romans 1:1–23 (NIV84)
1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
2the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures
3regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David,
4and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
5Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
6And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
9God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
10in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—
12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.
15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Text
Hebrews 1:1–3 (NIV84)
1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
