RonParrs.com: Notes from My Desk...

Acts and Apologetics: an Introduction

We know what the Book of Acts is all about...

Well, maybe. Sometimes it's known as the Book of the Acts of the Apostles authored by the Greek physician Luke. It is the history book of the New Testament. Others have "renamed" it the Acts of the Holy Spirit. That idea has a lot of merit. As the Holy Spirit comes into or indwells all believers in Jesus Christ as part of the New Covenant of God, He, the Spirit, acts in and through us.

Now mention the word "apologetics" and most people's eyes glaze over. That happens, I believe, because we don't understand what apologetics is.  They think it's something that requires years of seminary study or professional training. We think of today's "big name" evangelists such as Billy or Franklin Graham, Luis Palau or Ravi Zacharias or any number of radio and television pastors.

Strictly speaking, apologetics is simply the ability of defending an idea. We see it done every day with a variety of ideas and even products. There's the "apologetics" of abortion or its opposite, the Right to Life. There's conservatism versus liberalism or a market economy versus a planned economy (capitalism v. socialism or communism). 

Apologetics is the give and take of ideas based on a person's knowledge, belief or understanding of those ideas. It's not only what you believe, but why you believe what you believe.

The Trinity & The Passion: Conclusion...?

Out of all the religions and belief systems that exist, Christianity is the only one with a proven promise.

We can go and visit grave sites and monuments to martyrs and philosophers or even "prophets", but there isn't one for Jesus.

Christianity, true Christianity, doesn't have that. The grave is empty. And has been for about 2000 years.

We rejoice and agree with the angels that first Resurrection morning who said to the women visiting the tomb, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." Matthew 28:5, 6.

Contrary to the idea that those women went to the wrong tomb, you can be sure that they were at the right one. They were most likely there when Jesus was buried, and it was probably the only tomb with angels visibly posted nearby waiting for the disciples.

In his book "The Case for Easter," Lee Strobel takes the reader through many proofs for Jesus death and resurrection.

Avoiding the Cross

As long as we present Jesus as "gentle" or "kind" or "loving", the world is more willing to speak about Him.

But bring up personal sin and the saving message of the Cross, and you've got an argument on your hands.

I came upon the following quote that I want to share with you. Michael Lane of Delve Ministries was discussing a recent trip to India. He contrasted Indian Christians with North American Christians. Indian Christians were on the streets boldly proclaiming the message of Jesus and the Cross. They had something to fear. The Hindus, the Muslims, and others would do their best to silence the Message of the Gospel. These believers could literally loose their lives at the hands of radicals. 

Here's what Michael said:

"I have never once feared violence in this ministry. I have never known a single minute in my life when I was in danger because of my faith.

The Trinity & The Passion: Ultimate Pain

The stage was set. The Time had finally come. The characters were all in place. All of history had been pointing to and expecting this specific time and day.

History and creation had been anticipating this day since the Fall. The Words that God spoke back in Genesis 3:15 were finally about to pass.

God, speaking to the devil disguised as a serpent in the Garden, said, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Since Adam and Eve had disobeyed God and eaten what they were not supposed to, mankind, and all of creation had been cursed. Sin abounded. The Bible does not gloss over the sinfulness of man from that point on. Murder, infidelity, rape, incest, lying and deception, theft, idolatry. All in varying degrees. And you know the offenders of each of these crimes against God. Even a person who has not actively read the Bible, knows some, if not all, of the people who committed these crimes who are found in the pages of Scripture.

But where sin abounded, God's Grace abounded even more. Romans 5:20.

God's Condescending Speech

Being "talked down to" is not something any of us want to experience.

Think about it. Whether it's a person of authority such as a policeman or teacher, we don't like it. If it's a politician, it's even worse (I won't say anything more about that here).

We expect to be spoken to with some amount of respect and understanding as to who we are. Yes, that person in authority may have authority or greater knowledge, but we don't want to be treated as imbeciles.

We don't want to be disparaged. We don't want to feel like a five year old in a kindergarten class with Mrs. Wagginfinger as our teacher (or maybe it was Sister Mary Margaret who got so flustered that we got sent over to Father Paul), who looks over her glasses at us with one finger constantly up in the air as she speaks.

The Trinity & The Passion: a Father's Heart

As fathers, as parents, we love our children. We want to see them grow and accomplish great things.

We want to see them succeed. We hurt when they hurt. We laugh when they laugh and cry when they cry. Our children are a part of us.

At times, we have to sit and watch - almost helplessly - as they endure a trial. We are there for them; success or failure. Infant, toddler, teen or "grown up", we watch over them. Let's be honest, we would die for our children.

God is no different, and at the same time very different.

He is God. And His Son is the second person of the Trinity. And the love that the Three Persons of the God-head have for each other is incomparable and incomprehensible.

As I've prepped for this study, I made the incorrect assumption that this lesson would be the simplest. Let's just say that that's not necessarily so. But struggling is good. Sometimes, the only way that we can understand God and how He works is when we compare and contrast our lives and paint a word picture to describe Him in feeble, finite, human terms.

When a Mentor Passes

The receiving line was long, but the mood of the assembled was respectful, a bit melancholy, a bit pensive, with maybe even a little joviality thrown in for good measure.

Unfortunately, I wasnt' there, but that's what I was told. The calling hours were from 4 in the afternoon until 8 in the evening. My wife was in line for a good while before she was able to offer her condolences to Andrea, Krista, Elise and Jessica. But she said it was a good wait seeing old friends and acquaintances. They shared some brief stories and caught up on children and now grandchildren. They shared memories of a friend.

Dave would have liked that.

On Saturday, the church and Family Life Center were almost filled to capacity with many, if not most of these same people plus their children and many others who traveled from various parts of the United States. We gathered to remember the life of a man who meant so much to us.