No Arguments, Just Awe
Some News You Can Use from Shelby Center
Have you ever experienced a moment of truth so powerful that it left you speechless? There were no more arguments or answers - just awe.
Lee Strobel, a journalist for the Chicago Tribune, Yale Law student, atheist, and skeptic wrote a book about just such a moment in his life. Using his skills in investigative journalism and legal depositions, he sought to vanquish the Christian faith by disproving its central claim - the resurrected Christ.
What happened? The power and wisdom of the cross made him a follower of Christ! His mouth was stopped, and he became guilty before God.
He went from scoffing at the foolishness of preaching to a new paradigm of life through faith in the resurrected Christ! No more argument, just awe!
In his book, A Case for Christ, he details his journey to faith in Christ. What convinced him? God’s word gives the answer: The power of God on the cross, and the wisdom of God in the cross-examination.
Lee concluded it took far more faith to remain an atheist than to place one’s trust in Christ.
Friend, people argue over all kinds of things: Politics, sectarian views, religions, doctrines, and philosophies of life. We compare, compete, contradict, criticize and if we’re not careful miss the central thing that cuts through all that keeps us at odds. Calvary cuts through the controversy.
Paul continues laying the groundwork for unity in the church amid all that we contend over by bringing us to the great equalizer:
Christ crucified for you and for me - that’s the central thing, that’s what unifies us! It’s simple. (From 1 Corinthians 1:18-25):
1. The Power of God on The Cross (18-21)
· Calvary invites investigation. Yet belief is born of revelation, not reason alone, the Logos, not mere logic.
Men foolishly seek God through merit, miracles, and mental massages; God redeems by mercy.
· To understand the preaching of the cross, study the preaching from the cross. Calvary was vicious, but it was also vicarious (1 Pet. 3:18). The God-man speaks with power and wisdom. Listen:
1) Lk. 23:34. The gentle hurting forgiver holds the power to wisely be free and set others free.
2) Lk. 23:43. Stop looking for paradise in all the wrong places, you’ll find it in the crucified life.
3) Jn. 19:26. At Calvary we’re never alone, always provided for, pointed to our need for community.
4) Mt. 27:46. The Substitute for sin is gifted/received at great expense: Himself (2 Cor. 5:21).
5) Jn. 19:28. His humanity on display. The Creator thirsts so we won’t have to (Jn 4:13-14, Rev. 22:17).
6) Jn. 19:30. All power to save in Christ. Wise men hear “done” not “do” (Eph. 2:8-10, Gal. 2:20-21).
7) Lk. 23:46. What can you trust in this world? Jesus answers, God. At Calvary, a perishing skeptic was convinced: He wisely pondered Calvary and it was powerful (Lk. 23:34 w/ Mt. 27:54).
2. The Wisdom of God in The Cross-Examination (22-25)
· What do you do when the evidence is overwhelming, the testimony compelling yet counter-intuitive, but simple enough so even a child could believe? It calls for a verdict (Heb. 11:1-3, 6, Mt. 11:25).
· The problem for the scholar, sophisticated, skeptic, scoffer or sage may be poor Christian example or poor explanation, or lack of examination, but it is not lack of evidence. Ponder it lest you perish.
Calvary cross-examined wins every time. It’s the power and wisdom of God. Look, ponder, examine it. See Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, hanging, bleeding, dying. For what? Your sin and mine!
When you experience that moment of truth it will leave you speechless. No more arguments, no need for more answers - just awe. The evidence demands a verdict and faith in Christ deserves your vote.
Friend, if you’re ready to stop arguing about philosophies, doctrines, sects, and all the other stuff and get to what matters most, power and wisdom beckon you.
Christ crucified, buried, risen for your sin and mine cuts through the controversy. None of us sees God correctly until we see Him at Calvary. No more argument, just awe. It’s that simple.
Come to Jesus lest you perish. You’ll cut through the controversy at the foot of the cross. Will you come?
Lee Strobel, a journalist for the Chicago Tribune, Yale Law student, atheist, and skeptic wrote a book about just such a moment in his life. Using his skills in investigative journalism and legal depositions, he sought to vanquish the Christian faith by disproving its central claim - the resurrected Christ.
What happened? The power and wisdom of the cross made him a follower of Christ! His mouth was stopped, and he became guilty before God.
He went from scoffing at the foolishness of preaching to a new paradigm of life through faith in the resurrected Christ! No more argument, just awe!
In his book, A Case for Christ, he details his journey to faith in Christ. What convinced him? God’s word gives the answer: The power of God on the cross, and the wisdom of God in the cross-examination.
Lee concluded it took far more faith to remain an atheist than to place one’s trust in Christ.
Friend, people argue over all kinds of things: Politics, sectarian views, religions, doctrines, and philosophies of life. We compare, compete, contradict, criticize and if we’re not careful miss the central thing that cuts through all that keeps us at odds. Calvary cuts through the controversy.
Paul continues laying the groundwork for unity in the church amid all that we contend over by bringing us to the great equalizer:
Christ crucified for you and for me - that’s the central thing, that’s what unifies us! It’s simple. (From 1 Corinthians 1:18-25):
1. The Power of God on The Cross (18-21)
· Calvary invites investigation. Yet belief is born of revelation, not reason alone, the Logos, not mere logic.
Men foolishly seek God through merit, miracles, and mental massages; God redeems by mercy.
· To understand the preaching of the cross, study the preaching from the cross. Calvary was vicious, but it was also vicarious (1 Pet. 3:18). The God-man speaks with power and wisdom. Listen:
1) Lk. 23:34. The gentle hurting forgiver holds the power to wisely be free and set others free.
2) Lk. 23:43. Stop looking for paradise in all the wrong places, you’ll find it in the crucified life.
3) Jn. 19:26. At Calvary we’re never alone, always provided for, pointed to our need for community.
4) Mt. 27:46. The Substitute for sin is gifted/received at great expense: Himself (2 Cor. 5:21).
5) Jn. 19:28. His humanity on display. The Creator thirsts so we won’t have to (Jn 4:13-14, Rev. 22:17).
6) Jn. 19:30. All power to save in Christ. Wise men hear “done” not “do” (Eph. 2:8-10, Gal. 2:20-21).
7) Lk. 23:46. What can you trust in this world? Jesus answers, God. At Calvary, a perishing skeptic was convinced: He wisely pondered Calvary and it was powerful (Lk. 23:34 w/ Mt. 27:54).
2. The Wisdom of God in The Cross-Examination (22-25)
· What do you do when the evidence is overwhelming, the testimony compelling yet counter-intuitive, but simple enough so even a child could believe? It calls for a verdict (Heb. 11:1-3, 6, Mt. 11:25).
· The problem for the scholar, sophisticated, skeptic, scoffer or sage may be poor Christian example or poor explanation, or lack of examination, but it is not lack of evidence. Ponder it lest you perish.
Calvary cross-examined wins every time. It’s the power and wisdom of God. Look, ponder, examine it. See Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, hanging, bleeding, dying. For what? Your sin and mine!
When you experience that moment of truth it will leave you speechless. No more arguments, no need for more answers - just awe. The evidence demands a verdict and faith in Christ deserves your vote.
Friend, if you’re ready to stop arguing about philosophies, doctrines, sects, and all the other stuff and get to what matters most, power and wisdom beckon you.
Christ crucified, buried, risen for your sin and mine cuts through the controversy. None of us sees God correctly until we see Him at Calvary. No more argument, just awe. It’s that simple.
Come to Jesus lest you perish. You’ll cut through the controversy at the foot of the cross. Will you come?
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Posted in Lee Strobel, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, cross, Calvary, 1 Peter 3:18, Luke 23:34, Luke 23:43, John 19:26, Matthew 27:46, John 19:28, John 4:13-14, Revelation 22:17, 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 19:30, Ephesians 2:8-10, Galatians 2:20-21, Luke 23:46, Matthew 27:54, Hebrews 11:1-6, Matthew 11:25, cross-examination, Awe, argument