Question 5: Why did God put the forbidden tree in the garden? Wouldn't it be better if He had just left it out?

TITLE: More Than a Robot.

TEXT: Gen 1-3; Mathew 21:28-32

THEME: God created you as a moral being who can freely choose to love and obey Him.

Why did God put the forbidden tree in the garden?

I. God created the world to be very ________. (Genesis 2:8-17)

A. God had the right to create any kind of world He wanted.

B. God created a world in which He could demonstrate all his

________________.

C. God created a world that is very good for our benefit.

II. God created us in His ____________. (Genesis 1:27, 3:1-7)

A. God gave us ________________ to make choices.

B. We are given the capacity to love Him or reject Him.

C. There are consequence’s when we disobey Him.

III. Without the tree we have no way to ___________ our love for Him. (Mt. 21:28-32)

A. Every good story has _____________ and hardship.

B. God is the hero of your story.

C. God welcomes home those who humbly return to Him.

Question 4: Why did God create us?  What is my purpose on Earth?

TITLE: Living For Something Beyond Yourself.

TEXT: Genesis 1:27, Psalm 8, II Corinthians 4:1-5,

THEME: God created you in His image to love Him, enjoy Him and glorify Him forever.

Why did God create you and what is your purpose on earth?

I. God created us to bear His ___________. (Gen. 1:27)

A. His image is spiritual- not physical.

B. He made us to draw attention to the many perfections of God.

C. He made us with a _____________ capacity to love, enjoy and glorify Him.

II. The gospel restores in us the tainted image that sin

________________. (II Corinthians 4:1-6)

A. Sin distorts the image that God created us with.

B. Satan _____________ us from the truth of the gospel.

C. Christ reflects the true image of God that we were created to be.

III. Bearing God’s true image is what gives us ___________, meaning and significance. (Psalm 8)

A. He is the basis for value in life.

B. He is the basis for our significance in life. (Psalm 8)

C. He gives us our ultimate _______________ in life.

(Romans 8:28)

Question 3: Why does God use an imperfect institution like the church to represent Him? Isn't it filled with hypocrites and sinners so why should I Why should I go to church since it is filled with hypocrites?

TITLE: The Imperfect Messenger

TEXT: Matthew 7:3-5, 16:13-20, Eph. 4, Heb. 10:24-25, I Cor. 6:9-11

THEME: The church is built on the person of Jesus Christ- not the saved sinners who are part of it.

I. Jesus Condemned _______________. (Matthew 7:3-5)

A. The Pharisees were condemned by Christ for their self-righteousness.

B. The Word “hypocrisy” originates from the Greek theatre.

C. There is a ___________ kind of judgement that does not involve hypocrisy.

II. Christianity rests or falls on the ___________ of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 16:13-20)

A. Christianity does not stand or fall on how Christians

______.

B. The church is founded on who Jesus is.

C. The presence of hypocrites does not invalidate who Jesus was.

III. God’s is in the business of ___________________ sinful people (I Corinthians 6:9-11)

A. We are all sinner’s __________________ on God’s incomprehensible grace.

B. Salvation is a free gift granted to all who believe in Jesus.

C. God’s grace frees us serve Him out of gratitude.be part of it?

Question 2:  Why do some Christians have a problem with evolution? Isn't it scientific fact? Do they have a problem with science?

TITLE: And God said: Creation by Divine Fiat

TEXT: Genesis 2

THEME: It changes how we view reality if we know we are created by a benevolent God.

Why should you accept creation by a benevolent creator as the source of our origins?

I. Evolution is the only modern _________________ to the creation.

A. It teaches that all of life has a common ancestry that begins with a __________________.

B. It teaches that random mutations and natural selection explain the diversity of life.

C.  It teaches that life began through purposeless, directionless, unguided, natural processes.

II. The actual evidence for evolution is ______________.

A. Evolution is based on scientific naturalism.

B. The Icons used to prove evolution are misleading.

C. Some systems of life are irreducibly ______________.

D. The fossil record does not have the transitional forms evolution predicts.

III. Creation by divine fiat is consistent with all the ____________. (Genesis 1-2)

A. It says that creation is by divine fiat- not time and chance.

B. It says that life _______________ after its own kind.

C. It says that there is intelligence and purpose behind creation.

D.  It shapes how we view reality.

QUESTION 1: Why do we believe the Bible is the Word of God? Isn’t it outdated, filled with conflicts, and science proven it wrong?

TITLE: Time Tested Truth

TEXT: Hebrews 1:1-3

THEME: The eternal God of the universe has spoken and reveals Himself in His unchanging word.

Why do we believe the Bible is the Word of God?

I. Most modern critics of the Bible are biased toward a secular

___________.

A. They believe that history is on an ongoing arch toward

“____________”.

B. They believe the Bible is a primitive, outdated relic written by ignorant, incompetent men.

C. Their beliefs have blinded them to the weaknesses of their own worldview.

II. The New Testament _____________ on the person and work of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 1:1-3)

A. In the Old Testament God spoke through prophets.

B. Now God speaks to us through Jesus Christ.

C. The New Testament is our ____________ resource for the life and ministry of Jesus.

III. The New Testament is the most ___________________ book of ancient history.

A. It is unlike any other book written or shall be written.

B. Each book was written and/or supported by men who lived with Jesus.

C. It has more and better manuscript _____________ that any ancient book.

 Why Series? 

TITLE: The Final Answer

TEXT: John 1:1-3

THEME: Jesus is the answer to the major “why” questions of life.

How is Jesus our answer to the big “why” questions of life?

I. He is theLogos.

A. The Greeks and “the logos”

B. Aristotle and the Final Cause

C. The logos is identified as Jesus (1:14)

II. He is God.

A. An intentional echo of Genesis 1:1

B. He shares Gods attributes (Philippians 1:5-9)

III. He was in the beginning with God.

A. God is three in persons and one in essence.

B. Jesus was the creator.

C. Jesus is the source of life.