Focus - Week 1

We take the Bible seriously because we take the Gospels seriously. We need a short and focused answer to the question of why we’ve chosen to follow Jesus. To do that we need to focus on the essentials of our faith and how we share that with others? Sometimes we just get tongue tied, hyper focused, and start talking about technicolor dream coats, animals on an Ark, and oh yeah, Jesus rose from the dead. Or someone cuts you off and sort of dismisses your faith or makes a comment and leaves you feeling defeated.
One of the most frustrating things about being a Christian is in the moments when people ask us a question about what we believe, why we believe it, or question what we believe.

What was that experience like for you and how did it end?
We don’t always have 15 minutes of people’s undivided attention, where we can further explain ourselves or give an answer.
*Take some time to share how you have responded when someone has made the following comments to you.
Regarding the Bible: “So, you believe all that?”
“So, you’re religious, is that it?”
“So, how can you believe that?”
“Do you get to have any fun?”
“Not sure I can say this around you, so close your ears”
Have you ever had a time when sharing our faith became overcomplicated?
This series is designed to help us focus on how to respond, not react, when there’s little time and even less interest. Peter, the first post-resurrection evangelist is going to help us.

He gave us the reason for his hope. It was the hope of the first-century believers. We should use it as well, because it is so focused and clear: His answer was the resurrection.
It often comes down to being able to answer this question; Why are you a Christian?

Don’t over complicate it. Our response can be as simple as, “I believe Jesus died for my sin and rose from the dead. I don’t believe it because the Bible says so, I believe it because of all the eyewitnesses; Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, James, and Paul.

So, what about the Bible? Do we use the Bible to prove the Bible? No!
The term “Bible” comes from a Latin term that was derived from a Greek term that means “book” or “books.”
Bible = Books; 66 books with four being the gospel of Jesus
The most important books in the Book are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Christians don’t believe the Gospels are reliable because they are in the Bible.
Christians believe the Gospels were included in the Bible because they are considered reliable.
The Gospels are considered reliable because of who wrote them (two eyewitnesses and two friends of eyewitnesses) and when they were written.

Read together 2 Timothy 4:2-5
Here Pastor Timothy is being reminded and encouraged by Paul to preach and teach the message of Jesus. Paul’s charge to Timothy is to keep at it, regardless. We are not exempt.