09-11-22 “Can the church still reach a secular world?”

Scripture                                              2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-9

2 Peter 3:3-4

          First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. (empaigmouh = scoffing, making fun of through mockery. empaikths =  the person who makes fun through mockery / literally mockers will come mocking – a strong Hebraic phrase. Qualified with their own evil = (lustful, passionate, strong) desires.) 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
          Mark Cornell – “How can Jesus be both the son of God and the son of David?” Others in HS “Cooper – Hey Jesus! Praise the Lord!”
Have you ever head someone say: “Christianity is just a crutch.”
Mahatma Gandhi “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Aleister Crowley “One would go mad if one took the Bible seriously; but to take it seriously one must be already mad.”
Frank Turek  “If Christians continue to rely on emotion and ignore evidence, they will continue to lose their children to secularism. As Ravi Zacharias points out, a tepid Christianity cannot withstand a rabid secularism. And make no mistake-secularism is rabid. The world isn't neutral out there. Today's culture is becoming increasingly anti-Christian.”
Thomas Paine “It would be more consistent that we call [the Bible] the work of a demon than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind.”
Steven Weinberg  “With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion” (ie. crusades, 9-11, Nazi Germany).
          AGAIN – vs 4 The mockers will come mocking, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
          What is the coming they are referring too? Mark 13:32-37  "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back — whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"
 
2 Peter 3:8-9
          But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
          Who is the everyone? All those living outside a relationship with Jesus – who live a secular, rather than a sacred life with Christ. What does the secular world look like?
The secular world looks different in different places.
1       The European continent has “Utter Secularity” with an open clash of doctrines involving an unrelenting attack of gods and churches and a striving to replace them. In such an environment, many people have lost their faith.
2       Great Britain has “Mere Secularity” = God and the churches are not attacked; they are ignored by people preoccupied with this world and their daily routines.  Many people have lost their faith in this atmosphere as well.
3       United States has “Controlled Secularity” = The dominant religion in the US is a civil form or Christianity with the meaning changed for many of its symbols and no longer influencing the culture.  People in this kind of secularity have drifted away from the faith.

Some observations about this kind of secularity:

1       Other religions and world views are also losing numbers and influence. Japanese Shinto has become very secularized since WWII.
2       From 1900 to the 1990’s the percentage of the world’s atheistic and non-religious people have grown from 0.2% to over 21%. Those in this category now form the second largest group of people, second only to Christianity.
3       A secular culture especially challenges religions like Christianity whose core truths are claimed as non-negotiable.
 
What are our non-negotiable truths?
Salvation through Christ alone.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”      Acts 4:1 “Salvation is found in no one else (but Jesus), for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
The most inclusive & exclusive faith there is. You are either ALL IN or ALL OUT but all are WELCOME.
 
Authority of Scripture
2 Peter 1:20-21   Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 3:16-17   All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
          There is no other written authority for the Christian than the Bible – 66 books – it is 100% authoritative for the Christian life.
 
Incarnation
John 1:14   The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Col 1:15, 19   He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
 
Trinity
1 Peter 1:2   From Peter to those who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood.
 
Original sin
Rom 5:12   Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
 
Christ’s death/blood alone brings forgiveness
Hebrews 9:22   The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.    2 Corinthians 5:21   God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
 
Christ rose from the dead
1 Cor 15:12, 16, 17, 20-22    But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
 
Christ is coming again
The second coming is one of the most important doctrines in Scripture. It is mentioned more than 300 times in the N.T. In Titus 2:13, Paul called it the believers’ “blessed hope”. In Philippians 3:2 , Paul said this: But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US?
“Can the church, with its non-negotiables, still reach a secular world?”
 
Acts 1:1   But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

1 Tim 1:15-17   Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.