Sunday, October 25, 2009

Cow Tipping Gets Really Serious

What does the Bible really say about homosexuality and sexual orientation?

Today we attempted to address the most challenging issue I think we've ever addressed in a weekend message: the subject of homosexuality...

I'll post an abbreviated set of notes, but if you really want to get at the heart of what we shared this morning you need to download the podcast. An mp3 is available on our website at www.a2church.org or via iTunes - just type a2 Church into the iTunes Store Search Engine. It should bring up our podcast...

Here are the notes:


What does the Bible really say about homosexuality and sexual orientation?
Cow Tipping – Part 2

Seven Important Insights:

1. The church has largely blown it in terms of how it has addressed this difficult issue.

Our greatest need: A combination of biblical conviction and personal compassion.

Here's God's heart for people:

John 3:16 (ESV), For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8 (NIV), But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.


2. Human beings are created in the image of God, and God has a specific intention for our life in general and our sexual experiences in particular.

This is the concept of original intent. God’s original design for human sexuality is described in the first two chapters of Genesis.

Genesis 1:26-27 (NLT), Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us…” 27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Genesis 2:21-25 (NLT), So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.
23 “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’
 because she was taken from ‘man.’”
24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.
25 Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.


Matthew 19:4-6 (NLT), “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ 5 And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’] 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”


3. We live in a fallen, messed up world and we are fallen, messed up people. The “fall” messed up every aspect of our existence and experience, including our sexuality.

Psalm 51:5 (NIV), Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Romans 5:12 (NLT), When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.


4. The way sexual orientation is formed is an extremely complex issue.

Possible Contributing Factors:

• Developmental factors: A history of destructive and dysfunctional family dynamics.

• Early childhood sexual abuse.

• Environmental conditioning.

• The “God made me this way” theory.

“There’s no compelling evidence your loved one was born gay. Genetic makeup may have made him or her more susceptible to other factors that helped create the homosexuality, but the condition – or orientation – is not, in and of itself, a genetic, immutable trait.” ~ Joe Dallas, When Homosexuality Hits Home


5. Regardless of the complexity surrounding the issue, God’s Word indicates that homosexual behavior is ultimately a result of our fallen state and a violation of God’s original design, purpose and intent.

Leviticus 18:22 (NLT), Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin. (Cross Reference: Leviticus 20:13)

Romans 1:21-23 (ESV), For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.


1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (ESV), Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.


6. Our deepest desire is not for a sexual experience, but for an intimate relationship with God.

Story of Jacob and Leah
Genesis 29

“Jacob’s behavior was that of an addict… Rachel was not just [Jacob’s] wife, but his ‘savior.’ He wanted and needed Rachel so profoundly that he heard and saw only the things he wanted to hear and see. That’s why he became vulnerable to Laban’s deception.” ~ Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods

“If you get married as Jacob did, putting the weight of all your deepest hopes and longings on the person you are marrying, you are going to crush him or her with your expectations. It will distort your life and your spouse’s life in a hundred ways. No person, not even the best one, can give your soul all it needs. You are going to think you you have gone to bed with Rachel, and you will get up and it will always be Leah.” ~ Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods, pages 38-39

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world…” ~ C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity


7. Grace, forgiveness and freedom are available in Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (ESV), Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.


Resources: Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller, When Homosexuality Hits Home by Joe Dallas, 101 Frequently Asked Questions About Homosexuality by Mike Haley

Monday, October 19, 2009

Pics from Yesterday's Water Baptism Celebration @ a2












Nine people followed the Lord in water baptism yesterday @ a2! Yeah, God! Here are a few pics...

a2's ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY



a2 First Anniversary Celebration
November 22, 9:45 am
a2 Church, Vestavia City Center

I'm amazed! In a few days we'll celebrate a2's first anniversary! Our first service in the space in Vestavia City Center actually took place on November 9, 2008. We'll celebrate on November 22.

Here's the graphic. Here's the date. Hopefully, you can save the date and join us for what promises to be an incredible day.

We're pulling out all the stops and bringing our absolute best to our GREAT GOD! We'll sing LOUD, worship with PASSION and celebrate the stories of radically changed lives!

And that's just the beginning. We'll follow up the action packed worship experience with an old fashioned Thanksgiving Dinner, along with give-aways, inflatables games for the kids and a live house band. If you've been a part of our first year in any way, or just want to check things out, we hope you'll join us for the party.

Plan your trip to Birmingham... Ask for the a2 Special Rate on airline tickets and hotels... JK... But maybe one day their will be a special rate...

Seriously, we would love to have you all join us for an incredible day celebrating the faithfulness of our AWESOME GOD!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Is Jesus the Only Way?

Okay, I have taken several days... Um... Well, a few weeks off when it comes to blogging... I'll try to get back in the habit this week.

This morning we kicked off the brand new series, Cow Tipping @ a2 on "sacred cows." You know those issues, ideas and topics we don't really "want" to talk about... But issues, ideas and topics that are on the minds of a lot of people. This morning we tackled this question: "Is Jesus The Only Way?"

In this age of relativism and pluralism this is one of the most emotionally charged topics out there. Even media icon OPRAH WINFREY has weighed in on the subject. Some time ago on her television show, Oprah made this statement:

“... one of the biggest mistakes humans make is to believe that there is only one way. Actually, there are many diverse paths leading to what you call God.”

When she was challenged by a member in the audience who reminded her that Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life…” Oprah responded by saying rather firmly, “There couldn’t possibly be only one way ...”

Here are the notes. You can also download an mp3 on our website @ www.a2church.org or on iTunes.

John 14:6 (NIV), Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

This is the most politically incorrect and totally controversial statements of Jesus in the Bible because it strikes at the heart of three assumptions that are common in our culture.

Three Common Assumptions:

1. ASSUMPTION #1: All religions are basically the same.

“Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity are not saying the same thing. They are distinct and mutually exclusive religious doctrines. They all can’t be true at the same time.” ~ Ravi Zacharias, quoted by Lee Strobel in The Case for Faith…

REALITY: Christianity can’t be reconciled with any other religion…


2. ASSUMPTION: Christianity is only one path or philosophy among many paths and philosophies. It’s only as valid as any other path or philosophy.

But TRUTH, by its very nature is exclusive. Any time a person makes a TRUTH CLAIM, they’re saying that every other contradictory claim is false. Truth is always non-negotiable.

Question: How do we know that Jesus Christ was telling us the TRUTH when He said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’”

REALITY: Only Jesus backs up His claims with unique credentials giving Him unique credibility.


Evidence That Confirms That Claims of Jesus Christ:
• The reliability of the New Testament as a historical document.
• The miracle of fulfilled predictive prophecy.
• His remarkable character.
• His amazing miracles.
• The reality of His actual and physical resurrection.


3. ASSUMPTION #3: Christians are narrow-minded, arrogant and bigoted because they believe Jesus is the only way to get to God.

REALITY: It’s not arrogant or narrow minded to act upon the evidence and pursue the truth


THREE MORE QUESTIONS:

Is God some kind of sadistic tyrant who gets a kick out of sending people to hell?

John 3:17, For God did not send the Son into the world to condemn or judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJ), The Lord is…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

No one wants people to spend eternity in heaven one millionth as much as God does! God paid the ultimate price so that no one need ever experience the reality of hell.

There’s a warning that people will sometimes use… If they really don’t want another person to do something… If they’re dead set against it… They’ll look at the other person and say, “You’ll do that over my dead body…”

That’s what Jesus says to every member of the human race… Jesus looks at every human being and says, “You have to go to hell over my dead body…”

In other words, Jesus says, “The only way to get to hell… If you want to go there… If you want to spend eternity in hell… The only way to get there is for you to walk around the cross…”


• Why do people end up in hell?

The short answer is because God takes human freedom with the utmost of seriousness...

God doesn't send anyone to hell. We choose to send ourselves to hell.

In Romans 1 Paul writes about people who make a decision to shut God out of their lives and this is what Paul says…

Romans 1:21-22 (NLT), …they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. 22Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.


Then there’s a phrase that Paul keeps repeating to describe God’s response to the decisions that human beings make…

Romans 1:24 (NAS), Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity…

Romans 1:26 (NAS), For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions…

Romans 1:28 (NIV), …since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

Underline the phrase, “God gave them over…” It’s one of the saddest expressions in the New Testament.

It means to “hand over control or responsibility.” It means that God, in His humility, makes it possible for a human being to reject Him…

The Message picks up on this idea in its paraphrase…

Romans 1:24 (MSG), God said, in effect, “If that’s what you want, that’s what you get.”


G.K. Chesterton described it like this: “Hell is God’s great compliment to the reality of human freedom and the dignity of human choice.”

C.S. Lewis put it like this: “The doors of Hell are locked from the inside…”


• What are you going to do with Jesus?

John 14:6 (NIV), Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”


“I am trying to prevent anyone saying the really foolish things that people often say about him. “I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher but I don't accept his claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on a level with the man who says He is a poached egg -- or he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” ~ C.S. Lewis