Sermon Tone Analysis

*“Why I Am a Christian”*

*#4: “Aren’t All Religions Just Wishful Thinking?”*

Pastor Greg Henneman

January 28, 2007

 

Text:          Topical

 

Theme:      The cross makes all the difference.

Goal:          To better understand our own worldview by learning about other worldviews, so that we can be better salt and light.

*Introduction*

 

The last several Sundays we’ve looked at atheism, Islam, and Hinduism.

Today as we conclude this series I want to ask four basic questions that are often asked by seekers and skeptics.

On your outline you’ll notice the first question…

 

*1.

Aren’t all religions just wishful thinking?**

(1 C 15; 1 John 1:1-4)*

 

*Illust:* My dad is somewhere between an agnostic and an atheist.

When push comes to shove he really doesn’t believe there’s a god.

He thinks that when you die lights are out and end of story.

We’ve had several conversations over the years where my dad would say, “Greg, I think Christ is a crutch.

Religions are just props to help people cope with life.

It’s all just wishful thinking!

I said, “Dad, I think atheism is a crutch!

In spite of all the evidence for God and for Christ, you don’t want to believe in him because you don’t want to change!

You want to do your own thing and so atheism is a crutch to help you live life your way!”

 

Pray for my dad.

He’s now 69 years old and the girlfriend he’s living with is a heavy smoker and has CPD, and her health is going down rapidly.

Pray for her and her whole unchurched family.

*Illust:* Last August I told you about the privilege I had to work at the Buick Open Golf Tournament on two days.

I went with Pastor Dan one day and Brent Cooley on the other day.

We worked as evacuation drivers.

They had 17 minivans strategically placed all over the golf course.

If it rained, our group of evacuation drivers was responsible to get the players and their caddies off the course and back to the club house.

If you were here that Sunday last August you’ll remember my highlight of the week…*[SHOW PICTURE OF TIGER WOODS AND ME]*

 

…but actually, the highlight of the week for me was not Tiger Woods.

On Thursday, when we had to evacuate the players for the second time, I happened to have a group of players on my fairway that you wouldn’t know their names.

I didn’t know their names.

One of the guys was Henrik Bjornstad, from Oslo, Norway.

Henrik Bjornstad’s caddie got into the van with me about five minutes before the other guys got in.

I don’t even know his name, but this caddie was from England and had worked as a caddie for almost 20 years, primarily on the ladies tour, but more recently on the men’s tour.

This caddie sat in the passenger seat right next to me.

I asked him all kinds of questions and he was open and eloquent.

Then he asked me, “So what do you do?”

I said, “I’m a pastor.”

He said, “Oh that’s great.

You’ll go to heaven when you die.”

I said, “Hopefully you will too.”

He said, “Unfortunately I don’t believe in heaven.”

I said, “Oh, what do you believe?”

He said, “I think this life is all there is.

We humans are at the top of the food chain, and we don’t like the fact that we’re at the top and this is all there is.

We like to think there’s something more.

So people have created all these religions to meet those desires.

But it’s a deception.

It’s just hopeful, wishful thinking.”

Then he went on to say, “But what you do is good because it helps people feel better and gives them hope.”

I said, “I appreciate your view.

Obviously I believe otherwise.”

I went on to say, “Why is it that almost everybody around the world has deeper desires for something more, some kind of god, some kind of religion?

Could it be that rather than being wishful thinking, it may be a pointer that there is something more?

After all, if there is no god and this life is all there is, why do so many people long for more?

Why not just face reality and say…this is it, enjoy it?

Maybe all these desires for a higher purpose and power are pointers that there is something more?”

He paused.

“Nah.

Religions have caused too much hatred and killing in the world.

It can’t be a good thing.”

Which leads us to the second question in a moment.

But get this:

Our deepest desires are spiritual!

All over the world people /want/ to believe in some higher power and that there’s something /more/ than this life and what you see on the surface!

You can say that it’s all illusion and wishful thinking, or you can say it’s a pointer to the truth!

There’s another angle on this.

Turn to 1 John 1:1-4.

All other religions are basically teachings and philosophies.

For example, Buddhists don’t really care if Buddha ever existed or not.

What matters is the teaching.

What matters are the ideas.

In Islam, Muhammad is just a man who taught things about God.

Now you can sit around and debate ideas and philosophy for ever!

But the Christian faith is more than a philosophy or a teaching.

The Christian faith is the only worldview in the world that lays itself on the line.

The Christian faith says that Jesus died on the cross and rose again –and if you can prove that Jesus never existed –if you can prove that he didn’t really die –or if you can prove that he didn’t rise again, then you destroy the Christian faith!

So far from being “wishful thinking”, the Christian faith makes actual historical claims.

It says, “Here’s the evidence!

Look at it!

Disprove it if you can!”

This is why the NT writers said what they said…*READ 1 JOHN 1:1-4.

(comment) also 1 C 15:14-16*

 

So when someone says, “Aren’t all religions just wishful thinking?”

Say, “No, all the spiritual desires that people have all around the world are indicators that there is something more; and when you really investigate it…

 

          *Answer: The Christian faith makes the most sense.*

It makes the most sense in every category:

 

·       Why do we long for love and relationships?

·       Why is there evil and suffering in the world?

·       What is the basis for morality?

·       What is the purpose of life?

 

*          The Christian Worldview:*

*          Creation → Corruption → Reconciliation → Restoration*

 

The Christian worldview makes the most sense intellectually; it’s the most satisfying emotionally; and it’s the most practical and workable –for individuals and societies!

Resources:

/Evil and the Justice of God/ by N.T. Wright

/Pocket Handbook to Christian Apologetics/ by Kreeft and Tacelli