New Life Church in Cupertino
Prepared - Suffering Hope
When many of us think about being prepared to share our faith, it can feel like being prepared for a job interview. In this series, the goal is to try to help you be prepared with some anchor points to share your faith - moving from passing comments to conversations that may just percolate over time. If you are new to faith or not a Jesus follower, this will be a great opportunity to look behind the scenes at what we believe and more importantly why. Join us online (http://www.nlnc.online.church) each Sunday at 10:30am as we become more prepared to share our faith with others.
Locations & Times
Silicon Valley Christian Assembly
3131 Bowers Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA
Sunday 10:30 AM
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We should be prepared to explain the hope that we have and why we follow Jesus.
The Problem of Pain
If you could, would you remove everything bad from the world right now?
If you have a good reason not to do away with everything bad, is it possible God has a reason as well?
Christians believe that you and I are the reason.
If you have a good reason not to do away with everything bad, is it possible God has a reason as well?
Christians believe that you and I are the reason.
FOR DISCUSSION
How have you responded to this problem of pain, suffering, and a good God? What has helped and what has not?
How have you responded to this problem of pain, suffering, and a good God? What has helped and what has not?
ASSUMPTION #1
Certain things should not be.
Certain things should not be.
"Quarreling means trying to show that the other man is in the wrong. And there would be no sense in trying to do that unless you and he had some sort of agreement as to what Right and Wrong are…
Supposing you hear a cry for help from a man in danger. You will probably feel two desires—one a desire to give help (due to your herd instinct), the other a desire to keep out of danger (due to the instinct for self-preservation). But you will find inside of you in addition to these two impulses, a third thing which tells you that you ought to follow the impulse to help, and suppress the impulse to run away.”
- C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity
Supposing you hear a cry for help from a man in danger. You will probably feel two desires—one a desire to give help (due to your herd instinct), the other a desire to keep out of danger (due to the instinct for self-preservation). But you will find inside of you in addition to these two impulses, a third thing which tells you that you ought to follow the impulse to help, and suppress the impulse to run away.”
- C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity
ASSUMPTION #2
The world is broken.
The world is broken.
FOR DISCUSSION
Given those assumptions, can you see hope? Explain.
Given those assumptions, can you see hope? Explain.
Christians Believe
The current world is not the final world.
The current world is the path to the best possible world.
The current world is not the final world.
The current world is the path to the best possible world.
ANCHOR POINT
Pain and suffering is not evidence of the absence of God. It is evidence that we know things aren't right, and they should be better.
Pain and suffering is not evidence of the absence of God. It is evidence that we know things aren't right, and they should be better.
ANCHOR POINT
If God removed evil from the world, He would have to begin with me. I believe God entered this evil world through His Son to forgive me rather than remove me.
If God removed evil from the world, He would have to begin with me. I believe God entered this evil world through His Son to forgive me rather than remove me.
ANCHOR POINT
I believe He died on the cross for my sin and rose from the dead. Until Jesus brings a renewed world, we will pray “Come, Lord Jesus.”
I believe He died on the cross for my sin and rose from the dead. Until Jesus brings a renewed world, we will pray “Come, Lord Jesus.”
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