Sermon Tone Analysis

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*Bad Medicine: The First Cult*
*February 20, 2005*
 
 
I apologize for my *cough *and* sniffles*; I’ve been sick.
I *gave* it to both my *daughters*.
There’s *nothing* worse than seeing my little girls *sick* and *miserable* – unless it’s knowing it’s my fault!
*Conspiracy theory*
 
Everyone loves a *conspiracy*, if *movies* are any gauge: X-Files, The Matrix, Oliver Stone’s JFK, Men in Black.
All these movies give an *alternate* view of *reality* and play upon on our *suspicion* of the *official* *account*.
·         Conspiracy theories are *scary*, but *exciting*.
·         They’re the *adult’s* ghost stories.
“And after the *Illuminati* unite *Europe*, with the help of the *Freemasons*, the *U.N.* will invade Canada, using *Chinese* troops.
That’s when *Elvis* will come out of hiding and be the *antichrist*.”
One of the more *recent* and *popular* conspiracy theories is found in “The da Vinci Code.”
It’s a *fiction*, but it *purports* to be well *researched*.
According this story the Catholic *Church* has *conspired* to *hide* the *truth* about early Christianity:
 
·         Jesus was a *man*, deified by *Constantine*, in the *forth* century.
·         Jesus was *married* to *Mary* Magdalene.
·         The *Church* *excluded* some books from the Bible, to *hide* the *truth*.
*The gospel of Thomas*
 
In 1945, a *collection* of ancient books from *c. 350 AD* were found in Egypt, at Nag Hammadi.
It included a book called “The *Gospel* of *Thomas*,” a *collection* of sayings, ostensibly made by Jesus.
·         Some of the sayings are *exact* *quotes* from the NT, some *modified* things Jesus said, and others were *completely* *new*.
As these books *came to light*, they caused quite a stir [photo].
Were they *part* of the Bible that had been *lost*?
Maybe they were *hidden* by the *church* to *protect* their power!
*Who put the bible together?*
Q: *Who* decided which books belonged in the Bible?
*Contrary* to “the da Vinci Code,” the NT was not put together by *Constantine*.
Churches *through* *out* *Roman* *Empire* had reached a *general* *consensus* on which books had been *inspired* by God, within the lifetime of people who *knew* the *apostles*.
The early church was *very* *aware* of books like the Gospel of Thomas.
The reason the church *rejected* them is that they *perverted* what *Jesus* and the *apostles* had *actually* *taught*.
·         These books were from the *first* Christian *cult*, *Gnosticism*.
·         That makes the Gospel of Thomas the first “Book of Mormon.”
It was not only the early church fathers that combated Gnosticism.
The *Apostles* also *opposed* it; *Colossian* and *1* *John* were both written to fight *early* *versions* of *Gnosticism*.
*What is Gnosticism?*
 
It’s difficult to *summarize* Gnosticism, because there were so many *versions* of it, but at the risk of *over*-*simplifying*, here’s the *basic* idea:
 
1.
All *matter* is *evil*.
Only the *spiritual* is *good*.
In fact the universe wasn’t created by *God*; it was created by a *devil*.
2.
“*Salvation*” comes from gaining special, *secret* *knowledge*, allowing one to *escape* this world and go to the *spirit* *realm*.
3.
*Christ* was a *messenger* from the spiritual realm who taught a *select* *few* this *secret* *knowledge*.
*bad medicine*
 
*Gnosticism* and its *books* disappeared for 1500 years not because of a *conspiracy*, but because they were *discarded* as a *counterfeit*.
But with the *reappearance* of the books, *Gnosticism* is also making a *comeback*.
In fact, many of the theories in “The da Vinci Code” are simply *variations* of Gnostic teachings.
·         Some Gnostic teachings have *subtlety* *infiltrated* our culture.
·         Some of them *blatantly* live on in the modern *New* *Age* movement.
·         This stuff is contagious!
As we have learned in Romans, all *humanity* is *sick*.
We are mortally *ill* with a *sickness* of our own *choosing*: *sin*.
*Gnosticism*, and its modern *variations*, attempts to heal this sickness, but their *prescription* is really some pretty *bad* *medicine*.
*1.
Bad medicine: We can Pick and choose*
 
Gnosticism was a mixture of *Christian* teachings, *Jewish* mysticism, *eastern* mystery religions, and *Greek* philosophy.
It invited people to *pick* and *choose* their way to *salvation*.
The *appeal* is hard to miss.
We don’t want *anyone* else *telling* us what to *do* or what to *believe*.
We like being in *charge*.
This is especially appealing in our current culture of *hyper*-*tolerance*.
 
*Q:* Ever wonder why only *doctors* can prescribe *medicine*?
*A:* Not really.
Left to ourselves [photo], we would take *codeine* at the first sign of a *headache* and *Prozac* when our team *loses*.
These medicines are *powerful* and serve a *purpose*, but we lack the *knowledge* and *perspective* to *self*-*prescribe*.
It’s foolish to make *life* and *death* decision about things we are *ignorant* of.
·         If this is true of our *body*, how much more our *spirit*?
Good medicine: When it comes to our eternal health, God’s prescription is best.
I am the *way* and the *truth* and the *life*.
*No* *one* comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6 NIV 
 
This *absolute* claim is very *offensive* to our world, but if we listen to the *Good* *Physician*, we will find that *Jesus* is the *only* *medicine* that can make us *well*.
*2.
Bad medicine: secret knowledge can make us better*
* *
Gnosticism emphasized finding special, *secret* *knowledge*.
They said Christ *revealed* this to a *select* few.
This secret knowledge was passed down to the *insiders*.
(Gnosis)
 
·         Gnosis is Greek for *knowledge*.
*Q:* What would you think of a person who *discovered* the cure for *cancer*, but only revealed it to a *select* *few*?
God does *not* *hide* the cure for *sin* and *death*.
He loudly *proclaims* it, making it available to *any* who would *accept* it.
But still, *special* *knowledge* is enticing, even for *believers*.
If I know something that the masses don’t – some special *prayers*, Greek *definitions*, end-time *prophecies*, *genealogies* – I feel just a little *superior*, and maybe even *closer* to God.
 
Knowledge *puffs* up, but *love* *builds* up.
The man who thinks he knows something does *not* *yet* know as he ought to know. 1 Corinthians 8:1-2 NIV 
 
Aren’t we are called to grow in *knowledge* and *wisdom*?
Isn’t part of *maturity* studying and learning God’s *Word*?
Paul is not against *knowledge* – his education allowed him to write half of the NT.
Turn away from *godless* *chatter* and the opposing ideas of what is *falsely* called *knowledge*... 1 Timothy 6:20 NIV 
 
Paul is against “*false* knowledge.”
How can we tell the difference?
·         False knowledge *delights* in the *obscure*.
·         True knowledge *delights* in life *change*.
·         False knowledge *puffs* *up*.
·         True knowledge brings *humility*.
·         False knowledge leaves us *empty*.
·         True knowledge *satisfies*.
·         Good Medicine: God’s *simple*, *clear*, and *life* *changing* knowledge can make us better.
*3.
Bad medicine: We don’t sin, we’re just ignorant.
*
 
Gnosticism taught that people didn’t *sin*; their *ignorance* just *entraps* them in this evil material world.
(nail gun)
 
A construction worker recently banged his mouth on a nail gun and *hurt* his *tooth*.
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