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Is Christianity Intolerant?

“Tolerance” and “inclusivity” are principles of high value in our modern society. Likewise, one of the most common critiques of Christianity these days is its perceived lack of tolerance and inclusivity. When we take a look at Luke 13, however, we find a picture of Jesus that illustrates, yes, his shockingly exclusive commitment to God, but also the shockingly inclusive nature of his relationships. When we examine Jesus’ actions and words, we find that what he offers — and therefore what Christianity offers — goes far beyond tolerance. It is a radical love extended to all, as all have sinned and are in need of rescue. Watch this sermon as we consider the inclusive hope of the gospel.

April 14, 2024 | Watch

Study Guide

Is Christianity Intolerant?

Purpose To discover and experience Jesus Christ in our midst To cultivate mutually encouraging relationships To participate in God’s mission to the world  Opening Prayer Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth so that they may return into the way of righteousness: Grant to all who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s service that they may renounce those things that are contrary to their profession and follow all such things as are agreeable to it; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Responsive Prayer—Psalm 96 Oh sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples! Summary and Connection Blaise Pascal was a 17th century French mathematician and physicist who also, after a profound conversion experience, thought deeply about philosophy and the Christian faith. Among his writings, he left this observation about Christianity: “Men despise religion. They hate it and are afraid it may be true. The cure for this is first to show that religion is not contrary to reason, but worthy of reverence and respect. Next make it attractive, make good men wish it were true, and then show that it is.”  If we follow Pascal’s steps, we’ll note that, first, no one is neutral about Christianity. If Jesus is truly who he says he is, then we have to completely change our lives, and no one can be neutral about that. Second, Christianity can actually be respected if we respect our neighbors enough to give them good reasons for our hopes. Third, no one then, and no one now, is very interested in whether Christianity is true unless they are first interested in whether Christianity is good. That is why we’re in a sermon series called Good for You? and this week we are asking the question, “Is Christianity Intolerant?” In Luke 13, as Jesus is journeying towards Jerusalem, a questioner asks him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” Passing over all the intermediate objections, this gets right to the heart of whether Christianity is intolerant: Is Christianity eternally narrow? Is heaven going to be exclusionary? If so, how do Christians relate to those who believe otherwise? And why would anyone want to believe something so constricting?  Jesus answers the question, not with a yes-or-no statement, but with a command, saying to the crowd: “Strive to enter through the narrow door.” Paradoxically, as he explains it, the narrow door leads to the broad way of life in God’s kingdom, to the feast that diverse people from all over the world are called to attend, and to a stunning reversal where the last will be first and the first will be last. Jesus combines exclusivity, his authoritative command and knowledge of salvation, with inclusivity, inviting all without exception to come to God’s table while there is still time. Yet what is most attractive as we keep reading the Gospels is how, on the cross, Jesus executes the greatest reversal of all: God for man, the first for the last, him for us. If we understand that, we just might want to learn if it’s true. Discussion Questions 1. Looking at the Bible Observation: Read the passage privately. What does the text say? What according to you is the theme of this passage? Do you notice keywords, parallels, or surprises? See if Jesus answers the question. Does he answer the question? How does he answer it? 2. Looking at Jesus At Central we believe that all of Scripture points to Jesus. In other words, Jesus is the theological center of the Bible. Every passage not only points to Jesus, but the grand narrative of the Bible also finds its fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. Considering the whole Gospel of Luke, in what different ways will Jesus live out and finally execute the great reversal of the first becoming last, and the last becoming first? How will Jesus’ great reversal draw the world to himself? 3. Looking at Our Hearts Do you consider Jesus’ teaching here to be narrow and exclusive, or broad and inclusive? Could it be both? How should the answer change us? 4. Looking at Our World If Jesus is drawing people from all over the world, and he is, and if worldly orders are being reversed, and they are (incrementally now and finally in the new creation), what should that mean for our posture towards others in the church? What should that mean for our posture towards the world? In what ways should we be narrow, and in what other ways should we be broad? Sending God’s word is a lamp to our feet. Christ’s teachings are a light to our path. May God’s word take root in our lives. May Christ’s love nourish and sustain us. Amen.

April 14, 2024 | Read

Sermon

Is Christianity Irrational?

The very nature of faith according to Scripture is believing what cannot be seen. It’s understandable, then, that faith invites questions and even doubts. And in a world that values reason, logic, and thoughtful analysis, it’s natural that some question the rationality of Christianity. But Jesus doesn’t condemn this unbelief. On the contrary, he accommodates himself to meet us where we are and engage our doubts. Watch this sermon as we survey what faith is and consider why it is right and good for us to invite Jesus into the process of moving from doubt to belief.

April 7, 2024 | Watch

Study Guide

Is Christianity Irrational

Purpose To discover and experience Jesus Christ in our midst To cultivate mutually encouraging relationships To participate in God’s mission to the world  Opening Prayer Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us both a sacrifice for sin and also an example of a godly life: Give us grace that we may always thankfully receive the inestimable benefit of his sacrifice, and also daily endeavor to follow in the blessed steps of his most holy life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forevermore. Amen.. Responsive Prayer—Psalm 16 I have set the Lord always before me; Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; My flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, Or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Summary and Connection One of the hallmarks of a postmodern society is the general disregard towards authority and institutions that claim to promote ‘exclusive truth’. We live in a culture where absolute truth claims are rejected on the very basis of their exclusivity. In our culture, truth is relativized by being reduced to the realm of subjective. Thus, it becomes immensely vital for us to understand that in order to demonstrate the truth of Christianity, we have to show that it is good and beautiful. To not only appeal to the intellect, but also to the heart. This Spring we are engaging in a new sermon series titled Good For You? In this series we will be exploring common contemporary challenges to the Christian faith in order to show that the Christian faith is good both for you and for the world. For this week’s discussion we turn to John 20:24-31 in order to answer the question Is Christianity Irrational? In this passage we see Jesus appear, for the second time, in front of his disciples. This time around Jesus’ focus is on one particular disciple who was not present during his first appearance (John 20:19-23). The ecstatic disciples announce the good news of Jesus’ bodily resurrection to Thomas. But notice Thomas’ response in verse 25. On a plain reading, Thomas’ response might come across as a person seeking signs or evidence to believe the legitimacy of the event, in this case, resurrection. However, according to several commentators, that is not the case with Thomas. Thomas is not seeking the sign to believe, but he is refusing to believe the very possibility of resurrection, despite the fact that his fellow disciples are claiming to have seen the risen Lord Jesus. In other words, Thomas’ belief is not contingent on eye witness evidence, but on personal inspection where Jesus is considered suspect until proven innocent.  This passage raises some important questions about the essence of Christian faith. Notice, Jesus’ words to Thomas. Jesus doesn’t chastise Thomas for his disbelief. Jesus is fully aware of human finitude and our tendency to unbelief. Jesus welcomes Thomas to examine his wounds, and urges him to believe, even if it means he has to undergo full inspection. Thomas responds with a famous confession, “My Lord, and my God.” Thomas, in a matter of eight days, had gone from a skeptic to a true believer who rightly identified the deity of Christ. Jesus’ words to Thomas in verse 29 shows us the truest essence of Christian faith: “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John further confirms this in his epilogue (20:31). One of the distinctive features of the Protestant Reformation is the emphasis on the saving faith. John Calvin recognized three essential components of the saving faith: notitia (content/object), assensus (assent), and fiducia (trust). Christian faith always has an object: Jesus. We know Jesus as he is presented in the pages of Scripture. However, just knowledge isn’t sufficient for salvation. We must affirm the truth of the content. Millions of people know about Jesus, yet they’re not saved. Saving faith requires assent — a conviction that the object of faith is the truth. Thirdly, knowing and believing the truth isn’t sufficient without fully placing our trust in the person and work of Jesus. True faith is transferring our trust from self to Jesus, and that is the work of the Spirit. This passage shows us that Christianity isn’t irrational, however, Christian faith is more than just rational. Faith is the instrumental cause of our justification through which we lay hold of Jesus’ perfect righteousness in order to be justified by God. Discussion Questions 1. Looking at the Bible Observation: Read the passage privately. What does the text say? What according to you is the theme of this passage? Do you notice keywords, parallels, or surprises? Why does Thomas doubt the eye witness evidence of his fellow disciples? Why did he demand for personal inspection to believe the legitimacy of the resurrection? 2. Looking at Jesus At Central we believe that all of Scripture points to Jesus. In other words, Jesus is the theological center of the Bible. Every passage not only points to Jesus, but the grand narrative of the Bible also finds its fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. What does it mean for you to put your faith in Jesus Christ? How does your faith in Jesus influence the spheres of your life like relationships, work, and money? 3. Looking at Our Hearts It is true that as Christians we all have a tendency to lack faith, and lose our assurance of salvation. What undergirds your tendency to unbelief: is it lack of evidence to believe or outright rejection of the possibility of God’s goodness and intervention in your circumstances? Discuss. Read the last paragraph of summary and connection and discuss the three components of the saving faith. 4. Looking at Our World How might this passage challenge you to live out your faith in a culture that disregards the Christian faith claims? Sending God’s word is a lamp to our feet. Christ’s teachings are a light to our path. May God’s word take root in our lives. May Christ’s love nourish and sustain us. Amen.

April 7, 2024 | Read

Post

Grace, Then Gratitude

For many of us, the thing that we fear the most is being insignificant. This is why we are so driven and ambitious—we think that we have to do everything we can to prove that we are significant and that our life counts for something. We scramble to find whatever meaning, value, and purpose this world alone can offer.  Although it is true that there is no good or fulfilling life without significance, through Jesus we are offered not only significance but grace. While we may be tempted to try and prove our worth to God or others, God relates to us not on the basis of merit, but on the basis of grace. Our life is simply a response to his love. Accepted First God showers his love upon us simply because he loves us—not because of what we have done, will do, or what potential he may or may not see within us. This is what gives us absolute and utter security. If we do not do anything to win God's love, there is nothing that we could ever do to lose it either. Furthermore, grace means there is nothing we could ever do to make God love us more, and there is nothing we could ever do to make God love us less. His love for us is immovable. This is the difference between Christianity and every other religion. Religion requires you to obey before you are accepted. But the message of Christianity is that you are accepted in and through Jesus Christ first, despite all your faults and failures, and therefore, you obey—not in order to try to win God's love or out of obligation, but out of gratitude for the love you have first been shown. Consider the Exodus story. God could have given his people the Ten Commandments while they were living in bondage in Egypt and required them to follow the law before he rescued them. But instead, he rescues his people first. It is only after he delivers them from their bondage that he then gives them the law in order to show them how to live their lives in response to his love.  It is not law, then grace. It is grace, then gratitude. Contra-Conditional Love Grace is the most powerful force in the world. And yet, at the very same time, it is the most difficult thing for us to accept because it is an affront to our pride and self-sufficiency. When we accept God’s grace, we acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves.  Years ago I had a conversation with a college student who told me, “I hate the very concept of grace because I want God to love me for me. I want God to love me for the things I do for him because then I know what I'm worth. Then I know that I'm valuable.” I tried to help her see that grace is far better. Consider the words of Victor Hugo who said, “The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved—loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” God's love is not conditional or even unconditional. His love is contra-conditional. In Jesus Christ, he does not merely love us as we are. He loves us despite who we are and despite what we have done. That is why Pastor Jack Miller used to say, “Cheer up! You're worse than you think! But in Jesus Christ, you are more loved than you could ever imagine.” The House of David In 2 Samuel 7 we read that several decades after God raised David up to be the prince over Israel, David decides to build a house for the Lord. David is living in a luxurious house with paneled walls made out of fine cedar, and he realizes that by contrast, the Ark of the Covenant—the place where God said that he would dwell in the midst of his people—is being kept in a tent. It suddenly dawns on him that his housing is better than God’s! David, understandably, wants to do something for God by building him a permanent house.  But rather than allowing David to follow through with his plans, God responds by saying God is going to make a house for David, and David's son, in gratitude, will be the one who builds a house for the Lord. In 2 Samuel 7:16 God says, “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.” God makes this unconditional promise to David—not because of any merit on David's part but out of sheer grace. This is how God works with all of us. Like David, we might want to go out there and do something great for God as a way to prove our worth or win other’s respect and admiration. But God’s grace always precedes our work. He makes the first move and takes the initiative. His grace comes first.  If you continue reading through the Bible, you discover the house of David eventually comes crashing down. The kingdom is plagued by civil war, and eventually, the Babylonians conquer David's kingdom, setting fire to the temple that Solomon builds and carrying away the last kings in the line of David into exile. And yet centuries before, the prophet Isaiah promises that one day a child will be born who will establish and uphold the throne of David with justice and righteousness forever.  The promise made to David in 2 Samuel 7 points us forward to Christ, the true son of God, who knows God as Father. That is why Jesus is repeatedly referred to as the Son of David. When Jesus begins his public ministry, he proclaims: “the kingdom of God is at hand.” And when Jesus establishes the kingdom of God, he says that he will build a house for the Lord in the midst of his people, not in a temple made out of human hands. This means that the moment we put our faith in Jesus, we become a temple of the Holy Spirit. Building for the Kingdom After becoming a Christian, we might start talking about bringing the kingdom, building the kingdom, advancing the kingdom, expanding the kingdom. But “bringing the kingdom” is precisely the one thing that we cannot do. Only Jesus can do that.  Matthew 6:33 tells us we are called to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” We are called to proclaim the good news of the kingdom, to testify to the kingdom, to inherit the kingdom. The kingdom is not something that we achieve through our own effort but rather something we receive as a gift of grace. But that does not mean that we are supposed to sit back and passively await the coming of the kingdom in its fullness. We may not be able to build the kingdom of God, but we can and must build for the kingdom of God. New Testament scholar N.T. Wright writes, “The final coming together of heaven and earth is, of course, God’s supreme act of new creation, for which the only real prototype—other than the first creation itself—was the resurrection of Jesus. God alone will sum up all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth. He alone will make the ‘new heavens and new earth.’ It would be the height of folly to think that we could assist in that great work. But what we can and must do in the present, if we are obedient to the gospel, if we are following Jesus, and if we are indwelt, energized, and directed by the Spirit, is to build for the kingdom…You are—strange though it may seem, almost as hard to believe as the resurrection itself—accomplishing something that will become in due course part of God’s new world.  Every act of love, gratitude, and kindness; every work of art or music inspired by the love of God and delight in the beauty of his creation; every minute spent teaching a severely handicapped child to read or to walk; every act of care and nurture, of comfort and support, for one’s fellow human beings and for that matter one’s fellow nonhuman creatures; and of course every prayer, all Spirit-led teaching, every deed that spreads the gospel, builds up the church, embraces and embodies holiness rather than corruption, and makes the name of Jesus honored in the world—all of this will find its way, through the resurrecting power of God, into the new creation that God will one day make. That is the logic of the mission of God.” The kingdom of God is a present reality because the kingdom is present in Jesus. It is a kingdom of grace, which means that it can only be received. That is why Jesus said in Luke 12:32, “‘Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’” He went on to say that only those who receive the kingdom like a child will ever enter it. How does a child receive the kingdom? With empty hands. Our faith does not add or contribute anything to our rescue. Faith is simply empty hands which receive what Jesus gives. And what Jesus gives us is himself. Wherever Jesus is, there is the kingdom. There is grace. ___ Adapted from David and The Good Life: Grace, a sermon delivered by Jason Harris on October 23, 2022. Listen to the sermon or read the full transcript. Christ and Contemporary Culture is a journal written by Jason Harris which reflects on the intersection between Jesus Christ and our contemporary culture. If you are skeptical or resistant to Christianity, the hope is that you might pause to reflect on your pre-existing ideas about the way things are and perhaps think again. For those who have embraced Christianity, these posts will serve to encourage you in your ability to communicate the gospel in a way that takes our current cultural context seriously. Produced by Mary-Catherine McKee

August 9, 2023 | Read

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Beyond Morality: Living a Life of Worship

When most of us think of the “good life,” we are not merely imagining an ethical or moral life but a life that is truly worth living, even in the face of the existential problems with which we must contend. Luc Ferry, a French philosopher and self-proclaimed atheist, offers this interesting thought experiment: Imagine we could wave a magic wand and cause everyone living today to begin treating one another perfectly, with equal dignity and respect. There would be no more war, genocide, racism, or xenophobia. There would be no need for a police force or a standing army. Our judicial system and prisons would eventually disappear. And yet, Ferry suggests that even if we were to wave that magic wand, the most profound existential challenges we face would still not be resolved. This is how he puts it,  “Still—and here I have to weigh each one of my words—none (I really mean none) of our most profound existential problems would be resolved if this came to pass. Nothing, even in a perfect realization of the most sublime morality, would prevent us from aging; from witnessing, powerless, the appearance of wrinkles and white hair; from falling sick, dying, and seeing our loved ones die; from worrying about the outcome of our children’s education or from struggling to achieve what we want for them. Even if we were saints, nothing would guarantee us a fulfilled emotional life.” The point is that morality is indispensable to human life. And yet, it is not enough.  We read in the story of David in 1 and 2 Samuel about the importance of living a life of worship before God. David is far from perfect, but that is not what matters. What matters is that whether winning a great victory or committing an egregious sin, David lives a life of repentance and faith. Whether in triumph or defeat, hope or despair, David does not run away from God. He runs towards God. And that is what fills his life with enduring meaning, value, and purpose. What Is Worship? The problem with religion is that it leads us to think of God like a genie in a bottle—rub the lamp and out will pop God to grant you your wishes. Religious people tend to think God is there to serve us, to fulfill all our dreams, and to make us feel good about ourselves. We assume that if we are good enough, pious enough, zealous enough, devout enough, if we say all the right prayers, observe all the right rituals, and keep all of the right rules, then God is obligated to bless us and to make our life go well. We are not really interested in God for who he is—we are merely using God to get whatever we want. And if God does not deliver, then we become angry, bitter, and resentful because he did not fulfill our expectations.  It is critical to realize that the real God will challenge our dreams, not merely fulfill them. The poet W.H. Auden once wrote that a Christian is someone who says, “I believe because He fulfills none of my dreams, because He is in every respect the opposite of what He would be if I could have made Him in my own image.” God is not here to serve us. We are here to serve him. In fact, in Hebrew the word “worship” and “serve” are the very same word. God is not here to worship us. We are here to worship him. God is not supposed to follow us according to our terms. Rather we are supposed to follow God on his terms. And if we do, then he promises that he will bless us—not out of necessity, but as a pure gift.  Christianity offers this unique view of salvation: God relates to us on the basis of sheer grace, which means that a relationship with God is not something that we achieve through our own efforts, but something we can only receive with empty hands. Religion leads us to say, “I obey, and therefore, God accepts me.” But the gospel tells us, “God accepts me, despite my sin, through the substitutionary sacrifice of another, and therefore I obey.” We strive to love, serve, and honor God, not motivated by mere duty or obligation, but motivated by gratitude and joy for what he has first done for us—not as a way to try to win God's love, but in order to demonstrate that we already have it. If we know that God has done absolutely everything that is necessary in order to cover our sin and put us in right relationship with himself, then that will infuse our life with insuppressible joy, regardless of our life circumstances or personal challenges. There is, of course, a rightful place for lament as we mourn those aspects of our lives or within the wider world that are not yet in line with his purposes. Nevertheless, the foundation of a Christian’s’ life must be one of joy. The English author G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial. Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul.” Why Worship Matters When Isaiah has a vision of the Lord seated enthroned above the ark of the cherubim in Isaiah 6:5, he immediately says, “‘Woe is me! For I am lost!’” Isaiah acknowledges that he is a sinner and “a man of unclean lips.” But despite Isaiah’s sin, God does not strike him down. Instead, one of the seraphim flies to the altar, the place of the sacrifice, and removes one of the burning coals and places it on the lips of Isaiah saying: “‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.’” God has now made Isaiah clean.  This, of course, was just a vision. We get something far better. There are only two places in the New Testament where the Greek word for “mercy seat” or “place of atonement” is used—once in Romans 3 and once in Hebrews 9. In both cases, “mercy seat” or “place of atonement” is used not to describe a place but a person. Hebrews 10 tells us that the blood of bulls and goats could never do anything to actually take away people's sin. This is just a symbol meant to prepare us for the ultimate high priest who does not enter the most holy place within a humanly constructed temple, but rather he enters into the presence of the divine being himself. And there he offers not the sacrifice of an animal, but rather the sacrifice of his very own self. He gives himself for us so that our sin might be covered by his blood, and so that God in his mercy might forgive us and cleanse us so that we can enter into his holy presence and live. Jesus is the mercy seat and the place of atonement. He is the true prince of peace and the one who makes it possible for us to approach the throne of grace and live. And the mercy seat is open, still.  The gospel tells us that God is so holy and you and I really are so flawed that Jesus had to die. There was no other way for us to be able to enter into God's holy presence and live. And yet, at the same time, God is so loving and you and I are so valuable, that Jesus was willing to die for us. When you take these two truths deep into your heart and into your life, then that is what unlocks the joy. Morality and ethics are essential and important, but they are not sufficient to actually live the “good life.”  The Westminster Shorter Catechism, a historic document of faith from the 1600s, begins with this question: What is the chief end of man? In other words, what is the meaning of life? The answer is short: To glorify God and to enjoy him forever. As C.S. Lewis astutely observed, those two commands are actually one and the same. In commanding us to worship him, God is inviting us to enjoy him. The only way in which we truly learn to live the “good life” is through worship, by living our lives before the God of grace. And when we do, it will fill our lives with insuppressible joy.  ___ Adapted from David and The Good Life: Worship, a sermon delivered by Jason Harris on October 16, 2022. Listen to the sermon or read the full transcript. "Christ and Contemporary Culture" is a journal written by Jason Harris which reflects on the intersection between Jesus Christ and our contemporary culture. If you are skeptical or resistant to Christianity, the hope is that you might pause to reflect on your pre-existing ideas about the way things are and perhaps think again. For those who have embraced Christianity, these posts will serve to encourage you in your ability to communicate the gospel in a way that takes our current cultural context seriously. Produced by Mary-Catherine McKee

May 18, 2023 | Read

Resources

In the Spotlight

Part 1: The Joy of Generosity

Latest Resources

Is Christianity Intolerant?

Is Christianity Intolerant?

Is Christianity Irrational?

Is Christianity Irrational

Is Christianity Sexist?

Will Science Dispel Christian Faith?

Grace, Then Gratitude

Beyond Morality: Living a Life of Worship

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