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Introduction: Let
me ask you some basic questions: -
Does God
exist? -
Is
Christianity credible? -
Is it
reasonable to believe the Bible? -
Are the
scriptures reliable in the information that they give to mankind? Have these questions ever crossed
your mind? They
probably have. In
fact, they should! You
don't have to be a skeptic or an agnostic to ask such questions.
At some point we all have to come to grips with these
fundamental basics of faith.
We have to look for the evidence that convinces us one way
or the other. That's
what our studies together this week are intended to do -- to make
us think about the basis of our faith, to look for evidence, and
to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that
asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you" (1
Peter 3:15). Where do we start?
Simply with the most fundamental question of all: DOES
GOD EXIST? Discussion: I.
THE
NATURE OF OUR PROOF: A. There is little formal
argument in the Bible for the existence of God. That fact is just assumed throughout the scriptures.
(Gen.
1:1) B. But the existence of God can be proved to any fair-minded
observer. 1. This "Proof" is not of an empirical nature. 2. But we can develop a strong ‘prima
facie’ case, and that is what we will attempt to do in this
lesson. II.
CAUSE AND EFFECT A. This law, simply stated,
is "every effect demands an adequate cause". B. With this law in mind,
consider the physical universe (a very obvious 'effect')- What
could be the 'cause'? There
are only three choices: 1. The universe is eternal. 2. The universe is not eternal - it created itself. 3. The universe is not eternal - it was created by some force
outside itself, and superior to it. C. Which of these three is true? 1. No - it is scientifically clear that the universe is not
eternal: "As a
result of the most recent discoveries we say with a fair degree of
confidence that our universe has not existed forever; that it
began abruptly, without apparent cause, in a blinding event that
defies scientific explanation." (Dr. Robert Jastrow, UNTIL
THE SUN DIES, Warner Books, New York, 1977, pg 2) 2. No - Nothing comes from nothing.
There is no known natural process whereby matter could,
from nothing, fashion itself.
This is the very law of cause and effect. 3. Yes - This is the only alternative.
The universe was created by something that: a. existed before it did. b. is superior to it. c. is of a different nature. D. That uncaused first cause is God! E. Note what the Bible says about this: 1. Hebrews
3:4 III. DESIGN DEMANDS A DESIGNER A. The universe is literally
full of examples of an amazingly intelligent designer. 1. The stars and planets 2. The human body (Psalms
139:14) B. The Bible uses this "Proof" - Psalms
19:1-6 IV. MAN - A MORAL CREATURE A. It is evident that all men possess a moral nature or
conscience. B. Principles of right or wrong may be debated, but men
everywhere have a sense of what is right. 1. "It's my turn, don't cut in front of me!" 2. Even an incorrigible criminal demands good treatment and a
fair trial. C. How can this be explained without the concept of God? (Romans
2:14,15) V. MAN - A WORSHIPPING CREATURE A. Wherever men have been found, in whatever time and place,
they have been found to be worshipping something that they
regarded as superior to themselves. B. From whence did this universal tendency arise? Conclusion: The overwhelming evidence points to the existence of God. Will you honestly weigh the evidence and reach this simple conclusion which reason demands?
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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