Citygate Community Group Jan 2018 Questions and Answers

We had a go at asking and answering some of our questions using Bible Gateway and Topical Bible and we did well but we also said that websites like this are no substitute for personal time in God's word over the years.  This was proved by people in the room calling to mind helpful verses the websites didn't think of.

For what it's worth, here are my answers...

Why does God heal some people and not others?
I don't know but I know we should trust him (Isaiah 55:9) and that he welcomes us to ask for whatever we want (Matthew 7:7-12), for as long as we want to (Luke 18:1-8), knowing that he can do anything (Luke 18:27).  We should also remember that all Christians will experience a sickness-free eternity (Revelation 21:1-14) so it's not a question of "if" but "when" they'll be healed. 

How can we hear God's voice without knowing he's there?
Samuel in the Bible experienced this.  He heard a voice but didn't recognise it was God at first.  The story is in 1 Samuel 3.  When God speaks, his voice is not always recognised, heard, understood or obeyed.  There are lots of example of this in the Bible.  And the same is true today.  He's spoken very clearly through Jesus (Hebrews 1:1-2) and the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17) but people aren't necessarily convinced it's really him.

Why do some people choose to be homeless when God is there and could help them?
God can help and heal and turn lives around.  God has people all over the place who can help homeless people too.  But not everyone is ready to ask for help or to accept it.  And sometimes because of drug addiction, broken relationships or other crisis, people are forced on to the streets for a while.  I think it's more complicated than we realise but I also think you're right to think there's always hope in God.

 Should the church in the West be doing more through giving money to help people in poverty, especially abroad in really poor countries?
YES.  There are many factors that influence the need but we in the West are relatively rich when we think globally.  We could definitely give and sacrifice more, knowing that it doesn't take a lot of money to save lives somewhere else.  Simplistic maybe but I know I spend more money on myself on things I don't need than on saving lives.  We should, pray, explore opportunities and set goals for what we can do.  Church leaderships should do the same on behalf of their churches too I think.

Helpful websites:
Global Rich List
Oxfam Unwrapped

The most important commandments concern 'love'.  "Love the Lord your God..."  "Love your neighbour as yourself..."  How do I make this happen?  I have prayed for help but nothing seems to change.
2 things I think.  First, we need to recognise that it's God's love working in and through us that we really need.  So keep asking God for this!  But second, we need to take action.  Love is action (1 John 3:16-18).  Obedient loving actions will bring your feelings along with them (Matthew 6:21).

 What is being said in Revelation?
Big question!  Best to read it, study it but also ask for help.  One book I'd recommend (having had a series of lectures from the author) is 'Revelation: Mystery Explained' by David Campbell.  Also The Bible Project has great videos that give overviews of every book of the Bible, including Revelation.

What is an elder and what did they DO in the New Testament?
Instructions are given about elders in Titus 1:5-9, 1 Timothy 3:1-7.  As well as lots of requirements for what kind of person is qualified to be an elder, we also learn about the main tasks of elders:
  • Lead, manage ('oversee') and look after the local church ('manage God's household', 'take care of God's church', 'put things in order', there's also the idea of completing what was started).
  • Teach the Bible ('encourage others with sound doctrine').

Who created God?
No-one.  God has always existed (Psalm 90:2).

Does God love everyone?
Yes and no.  Plenty of times the Bible tells us God loves everyone (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Psalm 103:8-12) but there are also moments where we're told that God hates sinners (Psalm 11:5, Leviticus 20:23, Hosea 9:15, Psalm 5:5).  Sometimes Christians say "God hates the sin but loves the sinner" but it isn't that simple.  Many people's sins are not yet separated from them like it is for Christians (Psalm 103:12).  God has mixed feelings for sinners (Hosea 11:8).  Only when Jesus takes a person's sin away does God have nothing but love for them (Romans 8:1-4).

Do all children go to heaven?
I don't know.

The Bible says we're sinners by nature as well as by choice - even from birth (Psalm 51:5, Romans 7:21-25) so this could imply that children (like any adult) are lost until they trust in Jesus to forgive and save them.   Also, the example of John the Baptist in the Bible shows that it's possible for God to save someone and fill them with his Holy Spirit even from before they're born (Luke 1:14-15).

On the other hand it has been argued that children don't have the capacity to understand the good news of Jesus straight away and so God doesn't expect them to believe until they reach an "age of understanding" and this varies from person-to-person.

I can see both sides of it and I don't think we're meant to know definitely one way or the other.  Instead we teach children about Jesus and encourage them to trust and follow him (Deuteronomy 6:7, Acts 16:31) and we should also trust that God will always do what is right (Deuteronomy 32:4) and is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4-5).

 Do animals go to heaven?
I don't think so.  Nothing in the Bible to suggest they are eternal, have souls or anything like that.  Could there be animals in heaven?  Possibly, but they'll be brand new ones rather than resurrected ones I think.

Which poor people should we give to?
We do have limited resources (not so limited as we tend to think) and so it's a matter of wisdom/freedom to choose how we think we should give (2 Corinthians 9:7).

 Do we need to be baptised to be saved?
No but we should be baptised to show that Jesus has saved us.  This video explains more.

Is it wrong to have tattoos or piercings?
I don't think so.  The only verse in the Bible that seems to preclude it is talking about wrong religious rituals rather than fashion (Leviticus 19:28).  God is more concerned with our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7).

Does God sometimes speak to us through our conscience?
Yes (Romans 2:14-15).

How does a Christian deal with marriage separation and carry on his/her Christian duty?
Marriages are supposed to last a lifetime (Matthew 19:6) and so it's always sad and painful when a marriage ends whatever the reason may be.  But with Jesus there is always hope following even the worst this life has to throw at us.  He can even do resurrection, so he can help us to overcome anything we may face (Romans 8:11, Philippians 4:12-13).  Good biblical counselling may be helpful and good Christian friends who can speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) or just be an encouragement (1 Thessalonians 5:11). 

Why does God choose for certain people to be born into privilege, others not?
We don't know the full answer here.  Does he have deliberate purpose, plans and strategy for how he allows wealth to be unfairly distributed?  Or is he simply allowing things to unravel and take their course in a broken world?  I'm not sure of the answer here but we do know:

Youth Club at Cornerstone Questions and Answers Jan 26th 2018

Last Friday night at Youth Club at Cornerstone Church we collected these questions.  Thanks if you were one of the people who put something in the box!  We might use some of these as we do our little video clips on Friday nights but for now, here's my answers.  I refer to Bible verses a lot because I believe it's God's words.  Don't just take my word for it, do check out the links to the verses I'm thinking of so you can see where I'm getting my ideas from!

When did you begin believing in God?
I've always believed in God.  My parents were always Christians and taught me about God from when I was little but I also believe God showed me he was real from the start.  I don't remember a time when I thought he wasn't real and then realised he was.  I've just always known it.  I've had doubts from time-to-time and lots of questions but God has proved real time and time again in my life and he has kept all the promises he makes in the Bible.

Is it wrong to support LGBTQ?
I believe the Bible shows us that God's intention for marriage is that it is for one man and one woman to become one flesh for one lifetime (Genesis 1:21-25, Romans 1:26-27). 

Christians should love everyone (God does!) but this doesn't mean they have to agree with the choices they make (God doesn't!).  I have good friends who know I don't agree with some of their lifestyle choices when it comes to their sexual relationships.  They know I care about them and we can also talk about our views without falling out.

Jesus was a friend to people others regarded as sinful (Luke 5:27-32) because he came to save people who are sinful - which is all of us by the way! (Romans 3:23-24).  I believe people's greatest need is to know Jesus' forgiveness and love by trusting and following him.

So that's what I believe but it might not be what you believe.  We can't all be right but we can pursue the truth without falling out.  Christianity should never be IMPOSED but should always be PROPOSED.

Further reading:
The Great Debate - Juston's view, Ron's view  
Q Christian Fellowship
CBMW's Nashville Statement 2017  

Why did God ever think of creating us and the world?
I've answered this recently here.

 Science?  Big Bang?  Evolution?
I've answered this recently here.

Why does God make us go through things like heartbreak if he doesn't want us to get hurt?
This article might help.

Why did God send Jesus if we are going to die one day? (The world will end??!!!?!)
Why did he send Jesus?  Find out more here.
This video about heaven and earth is helpful too.

Exodus 3:16-22 - The God of promise

If you met God in an amazing way and then told other people about it, what would you expect them to say?  What if your story seemed strange or even ridiculous to them?

God continues to speak to Moses from the burning bush.  He tells him how to get the Israelite leaders onside with his plan to get his people out of slavery in Egypt.  What's Moses supposed to say?  "The bush told me..."?!!  That probably wouldn't convince anyone.  But God gives him the specific words to use that will ensure people realise who it is that Moses has really heard from...

Exodus 3:16-22

God has already told Moses to let people know that it's "I AM WHO I AM" who has sent him to them but he also tells Moses to make sure he adds that it's "the God of your fathers - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob."  This would have anchored things for the Israelite leaders so that they might know it's not some made up bush-God hallucination that Moses has encountered but none other than the God who made promises to Abraham (that we read about back in Genesis 12).  Abraham, Isaac and Jacob loomed large in any Israelite's thinking because of the God they had followed.  Any word from that God had to be taken seriously because of the tremendous influence of previous generations.

There's something here for Christian parents.  What will your kids think of the God you follow?  Will the way you love and trust him help them recognise him when he speaks to them?  Will they be inclined to listen and to trust him when they know it's the God of their parents speaking?  God says here that he is to be remembered in this kind of way throughout all generations (v15), so how can we do that today with the children we have opportunity to love and to lead?

God's message to the leaders of Israel through Moses is that he has plans to rescue and bless them.  He has not forgotten the promises he made to Abraham about a land to live in.  He will rescue them from slavery in Egypt and he knows exactly how it's going to work - AND he tells them too!  God tells them what to say to pharoah, what pharoah's reaction will be, what he will do about that, and how they'll eventually be freed and with miraculous provision of wealth as they go.  He tells them all this in advance because he wants them to know he's the God who knows the future, has perfect plans to bless and can be absolutely trusted to deliver on every single one of his promises.
 
God lays it all out for Moses so that it should be easy for him to say YES to everything he's being asked to do.  But as we'll pick up next time, we'll see that Moses is not convinced.

Do you know this God who makes and keeps his promises throughout all generations?  Will you trust him today?

Why follow Jesus?

There are generally 3 different kinds of reasons people say they're convinced about following Jesus: 

THE EXPLANATION
Sometimes people will say that it's the explanation of Christianity that just makes most sense of everything people experience in this world.  The redemptive story line of the Bible: A loving God who made us to know him and be like him.  A rebellious and broken world cut off from God.  God who came in the person of Jesus to die in our place and defeat death.  And the offer of forgiveness, friendship with God, life to the full and life forever in a world free from sickness, suffering and death.

THE EVIDENCE
Sometimes it's the evidence for Christianity that convinces a person to trust and follow Jesus.  Particularly the evidence for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, but also the existence of the universe and other kinds of evidence too, including philosophical arguments.  This is how Nicky Gumbel (creator of the Alpha course) first became a Christian.  CS Lewis too, who said he was "the most reluctant convert in the whole of England".

THE EXPERIENCE
And sometimes people will say it's the experience of God through Jesus that makes them want to trust and follow him.  Maybe it's a miraculous healing, answered prayer or transformed life.  Or just an undeniable sense of God's presence and love.  Or the effectiveness of God's counter-cultural wisdom for relationships and other priorities.  Often it's all of these!
  • My story - A little bit of it anyway.
  • Mez's story - A friend of mine.  Used to rob banks.  Now starts churches.
  • Brian's story - Korn guitarist experiences God's love and transformation through Jesus.
  • Sean's story - Back from the dead with medical evidence to prove it.
  • Shane's story - Prison for violent crimes.  Life transformed by Jesus.

Mega Club 26th Jan 2018

Last Friday night at Mega Club at Cornerstone Church we collected these questions.  Thanks if you were one of the people who put something in the box!  We might use some of these as we do our little video clips on Friday nights but for now, here's my answers.  I refer to Bible verses a lot because I believe it's God's words.  Don't just take my word for it, do check out the links to the verses I'm thinking of so you can see where I'm getting my ideas from!

How old was Jesus when he died?
We don't know exactly but most think he was 33.  We get this from Luke 3:23 where it says Jesus was about 30 when he began his ministry (his preaching, teaching and miracles) and we know from the storyline of John's gospel that Jesus made 3 annual trips to Jerusalem during his ministry before he died on the cross.  30+3=33.

Why did God create the world?
The Bible says that everything was made FOR God (Colossians 1:16).  He is gloriously good and did it so that the people he made could know him and be with him forever (Genesis 1:26-27).  The world was perfectly good when God made it (Genesis 1:31).  He knew people would rebel against him (Isaiah 46:10) and he had a perfect plan to save them to be with him forever (Acts 2:23, Revelation 21:1-4).

How did God create the world?
The Bible says God spoke things into existence (Genesis 1, Revelation 4:11).  Christians have different views about the scientific processes God used as he created.  Some believe Genesis 1 is a literal account of what happened but many Christians don't.  ALL Christians agree on the things Genesis 1 IS clear about though: God is good, made things good, made us in his image and likeness.  Some people think being a Christian means you can't believe in the Big Bang or Evolution but that's not true.  God and Science are friends, not enemies.
 
Why did Jesus die?
This is a really important question!  Knowing who Jesus is and why he died (and then choosing to trust and follow him) is the difference between life and death both now and forever!  Find out more here.  Or watch this Alpha video.

Can God make my brother better?
Yes!  The Bible says God heals (Luke 4:18-19 and LOTS of examples of Jesus healing in the gospels).   And we are encouraged to pray and ask God for what we want (Luke 18:1-8) and to trust him when he doesn't give us what we ask for straight away because he knows best (Isaiah 55:9).  Jesus himself knows what it's like to want something in prayer, not get it and still trust God for the right outcome (Matthew 26:36-46).  Ultimately, it's God's forgiveness and love people need and Jesus can do this too (Luke 2:1-12)!

 Who is God?
The Bible answers this in lots of different ways because it tells us lots of things that are true about God.  God has many names in the Bible and each one tells us something about who he is.  You can see them here.  Jesus said "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father" (John 14:9), so if we want to know what God is like, we must look at Jesus and get to know him.  Reading a gospel (like Mark) would be a good way to start doing that.

How is God doing?
God is perfect, so he's doing great.  Everything he does is good because he is good (Deuteronomy 32:4).  However, the Bible also says he knows what it's like to suffer (Hebrews 4:15) and that he made himself one of us to save us from it if we would trust in him (Philippians 2:1-11).

 What does God eat?
God doesn't need food to live but when he became one of us (Jesus), he got hungry and ate food like anyone else (Matthew 21:18), in fact Jesus enjoyed eating meals with people (Luke 7:34). 

How is God still alive?
God is.  He just is.  He always is.  He is "I AM" (Exodus 3:14).  He is without beginning or end.  No-one made God.  He always existed and always will (Psalm 90:1-2).  It's because of him that anything else can exist.  Without him there would be nothing (John 1:3).

 Why do we have to learn about God?  Just because we are in a church, doesn't mean we have to learn about him.
At Mega Club we want to run a fun youth club but ultimately we want everyone to know the love of God through Jesus.  We can't do anything without hoping and praying and longing for others to know God's forgiveness and love.  That's why any of us are really here.  So, you're welcome at club whether you're interested in God or not but you should expect to hear a bit about him because we're not just youth leaders - we're Christians.  Keep telling us what you think and asking good questions!!

  

    

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