Can we believe the Bible

Readings:

1 John 1. 1-7

The Incarnation of the Word of Life

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete.

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.

Footnotes:

1. 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
2. 1 John 1:7 Or every

Luke 1. 1-4

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Footnotes:

1. Luke 1:1 Or been surely believed

Suggestions for hymns and songs

Thou whose Almighty Word 557 SOF combined

You’re the Word of God the Father (sheet?)

Colours of day 64 SOF combined

You are the King of Glory 627 SOF combined

There is a higher throne 1541 SOF3

Take eat this is my body

Broken for you

Eat it and remember I died for you

Gaze out of the window,

See my broken world out there

and let me ask you a question

'Do you care?'

Blood of the covenant,

poured out for you

For your forgiveness,

making you new,

Look beyond these four walls,

Look with eyes that see, and ask

if you will be poured out for me.

www.sheilahamil.co.uk

Tell out my soul 520 S of F

Children’s story and activity:

Invite children out to hear a different slant on a familiar story of Red Riding Hood.

Tell it in such a way as to alter the facts: Red Riding Hood is Blue Riding Hood an so on. Invite the children to indicate if they thin a part of the story is wrong.

Blue Riding Hood

Grandpa’s house not Grandma’s

Fox not a wolf

Grandma in the fridge and not the wardrobe

What long eyebrows rather than big eyes

What beautiful ear-rings rather than big ears

What big white teeth you have! All the better to dazzle you with rather than eat you with!

Local dentist, rather than woodcutter cuts off the wolf’s tail rescues RRH and her grandma

Info and comments

Earlier versions have Red Riding Hood eaten as a stern warning!

Later copies were written for children hence RRH and Gran get rescued!

It was written in 1600 and later published by other authors

It was a story designed basically as a warning to children not to go off with strangers.

BUT

· The story written by someone

· Handed down passed on through word of mouth and written word

· Open to scrutiny, even children can point out what is correct and incorrect

· Story where the central theme is clear even though the telling of it may vary

· BUT IT IS A WORK OF FICTION, a made up story, not as I hope to show a living and true testament of people who really did exist.

Children’s activity. (in a designated area with teachers, while address is given to adults)

Provide a wide selection of bibles, including many modern ones including the Graphic Bible, and invite the children to explore them, comment on which ones they like and would read, and which they find most exciting. Invite them to report back.

Address

Can we believe the Bible?

Much of the information I found on this subject comes from Amy Orr Ewing’s excellent book ‘Why Trust the Bible,’ (Inter Varsity Press)

I suggest you buy her book and use the information found there, (because of copyright restrictions I cannot reprint it.) but below are the parts I added when I preached on this subject. The titles marked in blue she covers admirably.

If most of these GOSPELS AND LETTERS were written within thirty (or forty or fifty years) of Jesus death, what can we who are older remember from a similar period of time?

BEATLES Would you mind finishing these songs off for me please? I’m not even going to tell you first who wrote them!

· Yesterday

· Eleanor Rigby

· Love, love me do

· Help (Someone had to have written these wonderful lyrics and tunes.)

 Just over THIRTY years ago, if you were alive then, you’ll remember that John Lennon was murdered on the 8th December 1980, by Mark Chapman, having earlier given him his autograph, outside the Dakota apartments

 FORTY YEARS, you may remember the group he had been part of, The Beatles, who were one of the most popular and influential musical groups in history and were disbanded in 1970. They ceased touring in 1966; their manager, Brian Epstein, died in 1967, resulting in the Beatles being personally involved in financial and legal conflicts.

 All four band members had begun working on solo projects by 1970 and animosity made it impossible for the group to continue working together. Paul McCartney made the break-up public knowledge as part of the press release for his first solo album

 FIFTY YEARS ago, I was only 11/12 years old when they became famous, but I remember buying their records, I remember seeing them play on television at concerts to hordes of hysterical fans, when you couldn’t hear what they were singing for the screaming that went on.

 Two of the Beatles are still alive today, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. The other Beatle, George Harrison died in 2001 of cancer.

Does anyone so far want to disagree with me? Carol also an eye witness.

There may (or may not) be people here who will verify what I’m saying, because some of us were alive then.

(Not only do we have these accounts I have here a copy of one of John Lennon’s songs in its formation, in his own hand. I even have a photo of him with his oldest son! ) You can see the Beatles on You tube; you can listen to their many songs.

I would like to know if those of you who are under the age of thirty, don’t believe these facts?

Do you believe that we believe them?

That information and memories may vary slightly but the main facts remains.

THERE IS NO OTHER DOCUMENT LIKE THE NT

NO OTHER DOCUMENTS FROM ANTIQUITY APPROACH THIS AMOUNT!

If we doubt this history, then we must also doubt all others, the volume of which Comes nowhere near the NT.

DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

EARLY FATHERS

But we also have proof from the letters by early church Fathers at the end of the first century.

What about the apostle JOHN after whom this church was named, was not just a researcher like Luke, he was a key witness, right from beginning of Jesus ministry.

He was the only one of the disciples who lived to a very old age, and ended his life on the island of Patmos.

Some might accuse , ‘Why was his gospel different from the other three?’

The answer is quite simple.

Well he didn’t need to repeat what was being said already by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. When the writings of all the apostles and eye witnesses were being sent around the churches, and copied and translated into all different languages, he was still preaching orally.

He more than any could have said, ‘This did not happen’ or This is untrue’. But he did not.

Now say Paul McCartney lives to the grand old age of 100, and he is the only Beatle left alive; would his recollections of conversations and conflicts not hold MORE authority over research or hearsay?

John fully accepted them and bore witness to their truthfulness, but these gospels were lacking an account of the deeds done by Christ at the beginning of his ministry. John’s writings were different because he took it upon himself to write of intimate conversations…and also the intense controversies between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. John writes with great detail and detailed knowledge of the area of Palestine and Jerusalem. He writes reflecting on all that he believed Jesus to be, having heard his teaching intimately, for he was the disciple closest to Jesus. He filled in the gaps left by the other writers.

When John writes movingly of the crucifixion of Jesus, he says

…one of the soldiers pierced Jesus side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.

Similar things are said at the beginning of 1 John the letter we have just heard.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched, this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

Then there’s the evidence of

Non-Christian writers

If you were writing about your life, wouldn’t you want certain things left out! Things of which you are ashamed? Not so the Bible,

It records people’s weaknesses. e.g.

the disciples were SLOW to understand Jesus’ teaching, and had to have them explained quite a few times. They were cowardly when Jesus was arrested, and after his death.

Peter not only denied Jesus, he failed him, some of his responses were said without thought; impulsive, he was reprimanded by Jesus, who said to him ‘Get behind me Satan!’ It’s all written there.

Then to those today who say the writings were sexist, bear in mind that they record that it was a woman who first took the good news of the Gospel to men who were hiding, and afraid. It was women who went first to the tomb; it was a woman who offered to give birth to the Saviour, at great risk of stoning and Joseph was going to divorce her; it’s all in there.

Also these followers were willing to die for the truth of Jesus, and what was written and believed. Would they have been willing to die for a lie?

Archaeology also bears witness to scripture, times people, with various discoveries, and with each new find it confirms our confidence in the bible, both Old and New Testaments.

In one edition of the Word for Today, it is said that

‘We are the only Bible some people will ever read! That should wake us up to the fact that we must share it, ( if we do it will never return to God empty, without accomplishing all it was meant to do.)

And we must take our bibles down from the shelf if they’re there gathering dust, and read them, inwardly digest them, LIVE out their message!

ACT OUT in our lives what we profess with our mouths, rightly using the word of God to BRING LIFE TO OTHERS!

History sadly shows a disgraceful amount of bad examples, by people of faith who perhaps were hot on loving God, but not on loving their neighbour.

What Christian message was given to the American Indians, the Aborigines when treaties were broken for gold and land was stolen? What Christian message to Africans treated as less than human, and made to work as slaves? Or to Muslims in the Crusades? What message is given in our need for oil?

What message was given to the world, in the violence between denominations where people were burned at the stake and inquisitions were set up to enforce religion, or even today in bombings and shooting in sectarian violence?

What message do we give to visitors who can view the church in certain places of worship with all its vast gold and splendour; when people starve in the world.

Our Lord had nowhere to even lay his head.

What message is given to young children when people in authority, Church included, abuse those in their care, who have their trust.

Is it any wonder so many doors are shut in the face of faith today.

People ignore the fact that many wonderful Christians have lived their lives for their Christian principles, and fought hard and spoken out against injustice and poverty and cruelty, their entire lives poured out for the truth of the gospels..

But we are forced to admit that the church has not always got it right.

That’s why there has been so much division in history; when people don’t actually ‘live out their faith’; when people don’t follow the way of the master.

Jesus’ message still RINGS TRUE today.

It is wonderful, pure, holy, good .

Sing ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon

In John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’ he recommends loving others, and being at peace with one another; and he decries things that can be the source of DIVISION in the world, such as class, possessions, religion, citizenship. It’s so our responsibility to choose the right path!

Jesus pure message was exactly that; the only difference between him and John Lennon is that Jesus did speak of belief in heaven and hell. He also was faithful in prayer and fellowship.

So how will it be lived out in our own lives?

What, if anything, can we still put right of the wrongs WE have done?

We who believe the bible to be true?