God's Not Dead: I Just Saw Him On a Donkey

March 29, 2015                         NOTES NOT EDITED

God’s Not Dead:  Because I Just Saw Him On A Donkey

John 12:12-22

SIS—Jesus is the King of Kings and His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem proves it.

Have you ever heard it said, “The clothes make the man.”  Another way I’ve heard it said is, “You must dress for success.”  Well, I don’t believe that at all.  You can put a tuxedo on a pig and he’s still going to be a pig—a well-dressed pig perhaps, but still a pig.  I was readin an article this week and the writer said, “I’ve heard it said, “What a man drives says a lot about him.”  I think there may be some truth to that.  Girls, this might be helpful when it comes time for you to shop for a husband.  Let’s start with an All-American ride:  the tried and tested “pick-up truck.”  What’s that say about a man?  He’s rugged.  He’s simple.  He’s available to move your furniture.  Then, there’s the classic “VW Bus.”  This could send a mixed message.  It could say that the man is happy, carefree and always ready for adventure.  Or, it could say, he’s unstable and never knows when he might have to live in his van!  What about the classic red “sports car?”  This gives one unmistakable message.  It says, “Hey, look at me.”  Now, that isn’t necessarily always bad.  Here’s a man that works hard, has had some success in life . . . or, it is a spoiled brat that is spending his trust fund!

I don’t know what a man’s ride says about him.  A car’s a car perhaps.  Except, girls let me caution you, if the man pulls up in this for your first date [slide: pink smart car], well, I just don’t know what that ride says about him, but it can’t be good!  Maybe a man’s ride doesn’t really say anything about him.  But, and this is really important, what Jesus rode into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday over 2000 years ago had a lot to say about “who Jesus is, what He is like, what He came to do—and most importantly what Jesus was riding tells us what Jesus is going to do.

Jesus is the King of Kings and riding a donkey into Jerusalem proves it.   Let’s read that story together.  John 12:12-22.

Question 1:  What does the donkey say about “Who Jesus is?”

There are over 61 prophecies directly dealing with the identity of the one Who would be called, “the Messiah”—and taking into consideration the number of images Jesus fulfilled, like the Passover Feast, Feast of Tabernacles, and various other feasts and holidays, there are many more references to the identity of the one that would be called, “the Messiah.”

One such prophecy, written at least 500 years before Jesus was born deals directly with the donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem in the spring time of AD 30.  Verses 14-15 repeats the prophecy from Zech. 9:9:

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey  and sat on it, just as it is written: ¹⁵ Fear no more,  Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.

Notice the reference to “Your King is coming.”  The donkey is directly related to Jesus being the King of Kings.  Now, most of the prophecies about Jesus, could not have been manipulated in any way by Jesus—to perpetuate a fraud on the people.  For example, no man could have guaranteed where he would have been born (Micah 5:2).  However, this donkey was not just any donkey.  It was a donkey that had been waiting for Jesus for thousands of years.  It is actually a donkey’s “colt,” meaning a young donkey that the Bible says had never been ridden by any other man (Luke 19:30).  Also, look at the miraculous way that this donkey became part of the Triumphant Parade (Matthew 21:1-5):

When they approached Jerusalem  and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives,  Jesus then sent two disciples, ² telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, you should say that the Lord needs them, and immediately he will send them.”

⁴ This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: ⁵ Tell Daughter Zion, “Look, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”

Here in the West, in our modern culture, the donkey isn’t a status symbol.  More often, the donkey is topic of jokes.  This was not the case in the Ancient East of Jesus’ day.  Donkeys were highly prized.  They were also “saddle animals.”  People rode donkeys like we ride horses here in Western culture.  One person stated it like this:  “In the East, however, it is ridden by persons of the highest rank and is decorated with saddle and harness as rich as those of the horse.”  In our common vernacular we would say that in the Ancient East of Jesus’ day, a donkey was a “ride fit for a king!”  And, upon this donkey was riding, “the King of Kings.”  The donkey tells us, “Who Jesus is—the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”

Question 2:  What is Jesus like?

One of the unfortunate misunderstandings in regard to Jesus, on behalf of the Jews especially, was that the Messiah would be a “political king” who would free the Jews from the yoke of Roman bondage.  In Roman life Jews were second (or third) class citizens.  They had some autonomy but did not have the type of freedom for which they so passionately longed.  Several times, the Bible tells us that the people tried to “make Jesus their king,” that is, there political ruler.  One such occasion came after the grand miracle involving the feeding of the 5000 with just five loaves and two little fish: John 6:14-15 says,

¹⁴ When the people saw the sign  He had done, they said, “This really is the Prophet  who was to come  into the world!”  ¹⁵ Therefore, when Jesus knew that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king,  He withdrew again  to the mountain by Himself.

Jesus is indeed a King, but His kingdom is not like the petty kingdoms of the world.  Even though the donkey could—and did—reflect a “ride fit for a king,” the Bible also reminds us that the donkey was:  “beast of burden” (Mat. 21:5).  I think the Bible reminds us that a donkey was also a “beast of burden” because this is not the image the crowd seemed to get of Jesus riding on a donkey.  They saw the donkey as a “status symbol” fit for a king as we have said.  But, we have the advantage of greater insight from the Word of God.  God wants us to see Jesus on the donkey as representing a “King,” but at the same time a “different kind of king.” 

Jesus is not the pompous, powerful ruler that the people expected.  He rode on a humble beast, “a beast of burden.”  He did not seek fame, nor fortune, nor worldly acclaim of any kind.  A donkey is a humble beast and bore a humble King.

First, Jesus’ kingdom is spiritual, not physical. In John 18 Jesus is confronting Pilate at His trial.  Pilate wants to discuss Jesus as being a “king,” obviously because Pilate is a political power, himself. 

³⁴ Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about Me?”  ³⁵ “I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” ³⁶ “My kingdom  is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If My kingdom were of this world,  My servants  ^t would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. As it is, My kingdom does not have its origin here.”  ^v37 “You are a king then?” Pilate asked. “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world or this: to testify  to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”

Every kingdom on earth has been identified with “geography.”  Whether it was the Holy Roman Empire that began about 800 AD which included Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, and large portions of France, Poland, or Italy, or whether it is a nation like Colonial England extending around the globe through colonies, earthly kingdoms are about real estate in this world.  Such earthly kingdoms come and go and boundaries are always changing.  Not so with the Kingdom of Jesus.  It is “not of this world.”  The Kingdom of God extends beyond geographical borders and not only includes the cosmos, but all the realms of the spirit world.  Jesus Kingdom is boundless.

Second, the Kingship of Jesus is different because it is sustained by the Might of God’s Providence, not the might of a military.  Consider the kingdom of Israel 200 years or so before the time of Jesus Christ.  In the late 2^nd Century, about 167 BC, a pagan ruler by the name of Antiochus had captured Jerusalem and had a pagan statue of Zeus erected in the Temple.  He ordered pigs sacrificed on the sacred altars.  A family, nicknamed the Maccabees, revolted and 163 BC or so, successfully regained Jerusalem.  The leader was Judas Maccabee, called affectionately, “The Sledge Hammer.”  He was a powerful military leader and through his powerful leadership the kingdom of Israel reclaimed her glory.  This successful military campaign is celebrated in the Feast of Hanukkah.  The story is told that Judas, the Hammer Maccabee, rode into the reclaimed city on a massive stallion while people waved palm branches.  The people thought Judas was the Messiah because he rode a mighty stallion and lead a successful military campaign.  The people identified him as the one mentioned in Zechariah.  But, they were wrong.  God’s Kingdom is not protected by military might but by the strong arm of God’s Holy Spirit.  Zechariah actually declared, ““This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit,’  says the Lord of Hosts.”” (Zech. 4:6).

What is Jesus, the King of Kings, like?  Well, not like all the petty kings and potentates of this world.  His kingdom is spiritual and boundless.  His Kingdom is protected my the “Might of God’s Spirit” not the “military might” of mere men.  We do err greatly when we as God’s Church seek to possess political power in order to bring forward God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  Jesus, the King, will rule over all the earth, but not now.  Now, the Kingdom of God is established in the hearts of men, women, and children—often with no political or military power at all.

Question 3:  What did the King of Kings come to do, then?

What was the mission of Jesus, then, when He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey if it was not to establish His political rule on earth?  Recall, I said a moment ago that the donkey was a “humble beast”--especially in our day.  Not too many donkeys are being sold for big money.  People pay big bucks for race horses, however.  The Green Monkey

Sold in 2006 for $16 million as a two-year-old, this thoroughbred was sired by Forestry and his dam was Magical Masquerade.  At the time of his sale, The Green Monkey was the most expensive horse ever sold at auction.  However, his racing career was a flop after having competed in only three races with only one third place finish.  Oh well, what’s $16 million dollars?  The most expensive horse sold at auction was Fusaihi Pegus, which sold for $64 million in 2000.

Fusaichi Pegasus was the 2000 Wood Memorial Stakes and Kentucky Derby winner.

Donkeys are humble beasts.  Many places in the Ancient Middle East used donkeys as “saddle animals,” but in other places they were given less impressive duties.  Our text in Matthew 21:5, remember, referred to this donkey as a “beast of burden.” The “burden” refers to the mission of Jesus, or what he came to do.  No doubt caught up in all the pomp and ceremony, two Greeks wanted to meet this “hero of the day.”  Verses 20-22 says,

²⁰ Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ So they came to Philip,  who was from Bethsaida  in Galilee,  and requested of him, “Sir,  we want to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went and told Andrew;  then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

Jesus was not seeking celebrity status, and so he cautioned those caught up in the pageantry to remember His mission.  Jesus replied,

²³ Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man  to be glorified.  ²⁴ “I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat  falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop.

This was not the answer the disciples were expecting.  In fact, the disciples spent much of their time in a state of confusion.  Look at verse 16:

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him.

So many people, even God’s people, fail to fully grasp the mission of Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem focused on moving toward the cross.  It would not be long before this same crowd, ecstatic with expectation crying, “Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” would be shouting as an angry mob, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (Jn. 19:6).  They wanted a “different kind of King.”  They wanted a “different kind of Messiah.”  They wanted grandeur.  Jesus offered grace.  They wanted freedom.  Jesus offered forgiveness.  They wanted power.  Jesus offered propitiation.  The one thing none of them wanted was a “dead king.”  Yet, that’s what Jesus offered.  Jesus came to die on a cross not to give us what we wanted, but to give us what we need.  The Bible tells us: “the wages of sin is death!” (Rom. 6:23).  We have all sinned (Rom. 3:23) and either we have to die for eternity in hell, or Someone Eternal had to die in our place once for all.  The mission of Jesus, identified by riding on a beast of burden, “was to bear the burden for every sin ever committed or that would ever be committed” in order that those who accept the free gift of grace can have eternal life.  Jesus came to die in our place.  His was not a mission of grandeur, but a mission of grace.

Jesus riding the donkey answers many questions.  Who is He? What is He like?  What did He come to do?  But, there is one other question for which the donkey suggests an answer: 

Question 4:  What is yet to come? 

Jesus rode a donkey to make a contrast between the kind of King He came to be, and the kind of king the people expected.  As we said, the people expected a “political conqueror” who would ride into battle on their behalf and crush their enemy, the Romans.  This is what the great warrior, Judas Maccabees had done 165 years earlier.  This day was different from that day—as different as a spiritual, everlasting kingdom is different from a worldly king—but is there ever a time in Scripture when Jesus will ride the white stallion of a Conqueror Lord?  Revelation 19:11-16 says,

¹¹ Then I saw heaven opened,  and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True,  and He judges and makes war in righteousness.  ¹² His eyes were like a fiery flame,  and many crowns  were on His head.  He had a name written that no one knows except Himself.  ¹³ He wore a robe stained with blood,  ^q and His name is the Word of God.  ¹⁴ The armies that were in heaven followed Him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. ¹⁵ A sharp  sword  came from His mouth, so that He might strike the nations with it.  He will shepherd  them with an iron scepter.  He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God,  the Almighty. ¹⁶ And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS
AND LORD OF LORDS.

Jesus will make another entrance at the end of this age when He will come riding a “White Horse” as a Conqueror, not the donkey of a Savior.  He will crush all those that oppose Him and will reign in Jerusalem for 1000 years.  This time, He will not come to die but He will come to reign supreme. 

We call this Sunday before Easter, Palm Sunday, because they waved palm branches and laid them in Jesus’ path.  Palm branches had become a national symbol for Israel by the time of Jesus according to Josephus.  Palms were often used in the ceremonies of military generals returning from victories on foreign soil.  The writer of Revelation mentions these “palms of victory” associated with the Second Coming of Jesus (Rev. 7:9):

⁹ After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language,  which no one could number,  standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were robed in white with palm branches in their hands.

Jesus riding upon that donkey over a palm lined path was prophetic.  It forebodes the time when He will come again, riding on a White Horse conquering all His foes and ruling over all the earth.

Palm Sunday looks back, but also looks forward.  God is not dead because I just saw Him riding on a donkey!  Indeed, God is very much alive reigning in His spiritual kingdom awaiting that date when He will return to crush His enemies.  Palm Sunday is more than a celebration, it is a warning.

The world for the most part ignores the King of Kings.  There is coming a time, the King will not tolerate this rebellion any longer.  For now, He patiently offers citizenship in His Kingdom to any and all who will surrender to Him as Lord of Lord and King of Kings.  You can become a part of His Kingdom, today.  Prayerfully consider laying your palms before the King.

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God In the Dock

March 22, 2015

God’s NOT Dead_Pt_3:  God In the Dock               Notes Not Edited

Hebrews 11:1, et. al.

SIS—There is strong and varied evidence to prove the existence of God.

Before we move forward, let us take a step back.  Last week we looked at one of the most established and popular theories in science—the theory of evolution.  We put a “FACE” on evolution to help us frame the discussion.  We spoke of questions raised about Fossils, Apes becoming men, the improbability of Chance as a modus for bringing the cosmos into being, and the limitations of Empirical science.  This FACE strongly indicates that evolution is not sufficient to account for the diversity and design now much more apparent in creation, much less can evolution answer the most basic question, “why is there something rather than nothing?”  Darwinian evolution, and evolution in general, has suffered more severe decay as science has advanced, rather than being more firmly established.

We will begin there with our continuing investigation of the theme:  God’s NOT dead.  We will look at the almost staggering amount of evidence that points to not only a “Creator and Designer,” but a personal Creator.  The evidence for believing in God is both good and varied.  We will examine it from three evidentiary angles:  philosophical evidence, circumstantial evidence, and personal evidence. 

It would be helpful to discuss what is meant by “evidence and proof.”  I came across this explanation in regard to “proving anything, especially the existence of some thing.”  I’ll share it to provide a launching pad for our discussion.  The writer said, “I should probably observe that to the scientific sense of the word "proof", the answer is trivial: you go look at it. In the mathematical sense of the word "proof", you can easily prove the existence of mathematical things, given axioms and a system. But mathematics does not yield physics on its own; or if it ever will, we're not anywhere near there yet, and if we ever get there I think it will look radically different from anything we have now. So my advice is that this is the kind of question philosophers like to ponder because it's easier than work. Go do work instead.”  I agree with this writer that merely offering evidence for one proposition as opposed to another proposition—that is, God is NOT dead as opposed to God IS dead—leads to a dead end.  As long as God remains nothing more than the topic of a philosophical discussion, no one will be benefitted and many will be eternally harmed.  My goal is to provide a bridge between the fact that God exists and the fact that God will eternally reward those that seek a personal relationship with Him.  The writer of Hebrews describes this two-step process:   Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him (Heb. 11:6).

Many Christians get all tangled up in “dead-end” discussions with ideological skeptics and atheists because they suppose that the primary goal of discussions is to “prove the existence of God.”  To speak in Palinian (see 2008 presidential campaign) terms this results in building a “bridge to nowhere that benefits no one.” If merely believing in the existence of God were enough, the demons of hell would be saved because the Bible says, “Even the demons believe that—and they shudder” (Jam. 2:19).  Our goal in helping others to see that God’s NOT dead! is to help them walk across that intellectual bridge to connect spiritually with Yahweh by faith.

No amount of “evidence or proof” will ever be sufficient in bringing a person into a saving relationship with God.  In fact, I don’t believe it is possible to “prove” the existence of God in the sense the word is commonly used in science.  I DO, however, believe that one can “prove” the existence of God as that word is commonly used in a courtroom—beyond a reasonable doubt and to a moral certainty.  Let us begin our journey today reading about “evidence or proof”

ROMANS 1:18-20; HEBREWS 11:1

One of the sharpest minds of his day—both in academic and religious circles—was the “atheist-become-Christianity-defender,” C.S. Lewis who was professor at Oxford University in the 1950’s.  He is popularly known for such great works of art as the Chronicles of Narnia.  He wrote many other books, including a collection of essays titled, “God in the Dock.”  The word, “dock,” refers to the place where an accused person sat in a British courtroom.  God is NOT dead, but He is indeed on trial in our culture, and around the world.  Does Yahweh, the God of the Bible, even exists; and, if He does exists, what is He like?  The evidence will show today that God does indeed exists, and He is a God of order, majesty, and shows extreme care and concern for His creation, especially mankind.

1.  PHILOSOPHICAL (RATIONAL) EVIDENCE

Last week we touched a bit on the rational necessity of God when we discussed the philosophical axiom widely held by many philsophers as well as scientists, “ex niholo nihil fit—from nothing, nothing becomes.”  Why is there something rather than nothing?  It simply is not reasonable to suggest that if there ever were a time when nothing existed there could now be anything—much less a vast, almost incomprehensible universe that demonstrates properties of intricate design.  The human mind simply cannot imagine “nothingness.”  Even science tells us that “nature abhors a vacuum.”  Man cannot escape the thought of God.  Man CAN, and DOES, rebel against the thought of God as Paul describes in Romans 2:14-16:

                                                                                *(fr. φύσις, by nature)

¹⁴ So, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, instinctively* do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts.  Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts will either accuse or excuse them  ¹⁶ on the day. . . .

Paul simply states that it is “irrational” to not believe in God.  In order to “not” believe in God a person must “suppress” the truth that is evident in one’s own mind through personal observation.  Romans 1:18-20 says,

¹⁸ For God’s wrath  is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth,  ¹⁹ since what can be known  about God is evident among them,  because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world,  being understood through what He has made.  As a result, people are without excuse.

A great thinker thought this thought a long time ago and developed one of the “classical proofs for the existence of God”—a purely “rational” proof.  Anselm, the Archbishop of Canterbury, offered this purely rational, self-evident proof for the existence of God:  “God is that which nothing greater can be conceived.”  This proof relies on nothing more than a person’s rational thoughts.  This proof does not necessitate a particular name or character for God.  It would take something more (as Anselm argues further in the Proslogion) to establish the character and qualities of this deity.  Man’s mind is incapable of going back further than God—for, that which is further would be God.  The importance of this argument is that “that which nothing greater can be conceived” must exist or that which is the same thing, but existed, would be greater. 

Other philosophical proofs for the existence of God relate in some way to a “cause/effect” relationship between what is—the effect—and from what or whom did it arise—the cause.  St. Thomas Aquinas addressed this philosophical issues in what is called the Quinque Viae, or Five Ways.  Space only allows me to list these five proof­s.

The First Way.  Aquinas reasoned that God is the Prime Mover.  If anything has ever moved in the cosmos, Someone had to move it.  There had to be a “ground or starting point” for all movement, which Aquinas called the “Unmoved Mover,” who is God.

­­­­The Second Way.  Like the “Unmoved Mover,” this argument is a cosmological argument, arguing from what we observe in the cosmos.  Just as God is the “Unmoved Mover,” logically God is also the “Uncaused Cause.”  Everything in life has a cause (or multiple causes), and nothing can cause itself, therefore God is the “Uncaused Cause.”  An infinite list (regression of causes) creates a logical absurdity.  Every regression must end in an “Uncaused Cause.”

The Third Way.  This is the way referred to as “The Argument from Contingency.”  Everything in this world can exist or not exist.  If it exists, then something prior to it must have existed.  This argument implies that contingent things require a “necessary” thing, because a thing cannot create itself.  To do that it would have to “be and not be” at the same time and in the same way, violating the Logical Rule of Non-contradiction. 

The Fourth Way.  The Quarta Via, or Fourth Way, is a rational argument from “Degree” (ex gradu).  This purely rational, or philosophical argument, derives from the common perception that things in our world exist in varying degrees of perfection.  For example some things can be deep or deeper.  This logically postulates, both grammatically and philosophically that some “one thing” is the deepest.  Likewise with virtue some things are good and some things are better, so therefore something must be “best.”  Like a mountain has a pinnacle, the degrees of perfection we observe in our world must have an “ultimate pinnacle,” which according to Aquinas is God.

The Fifth Way.  The Fifth Way has been one of the most enduring and convincing of Aquinas’ rational arguments for the existence of God.  This way is referred to as the “Teleological Argument.”  Teleos is the Greek word that can be translated as “purposeful design,” hence this argument is also called the “Design Argument.”  In our 21^st century discussion it is expressed in science by the Anthropic Principle (which I will discuss in a minute) and by proponents of Intelligent Design; though, neither of these postulate anything about the nature or identity of the “Designer.”  Many scientists, including the atheist, Richard Davies, recognize the unique design features of the cosmos.  The argument is sound and common sensical.  If we see evidence of design (particularly information), we must rationally infer a “Designer.” 

Now, if you were a skeptic before this short discussion of the philosophical or rational proofs for the existence of God, I doubt you have become a “true believer.”  However, my purpose is to merely demonstrate that, contrary to common thinking, there is an abundance of philosophical evidence supporting a believe in God.  There is other evidence also.

2.  CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 

Under the heading “circumstantial evidence” I am lumping together a broad package of proofs from various disciplines, including multiple branches of science, as well as forensic approaches to history, including literary criticism, archeology and other disciplines.  I call this circumstantial evidence because there is no “direct” evidence for Who or What existed before the creation.  Many trials, however, do not have such direct evidence.  Circumstantial evidence is considered as worthy and weighty in a criminal trial as direct evidence.  Dozens of T.V. shows have arisen outlining the work of forensic scientists (Crime Scene Investigators) who collect evidence to put together a successful circumstantial case.  Paul points us to the idea of circumstantial evidence in Romans 1:18-20:

⁸ For God’s wrath  is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth,  ¹⁹ since what can be known  about God is evident among them,  because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world,  being understood through what He has made. 

Again, I can only list the areas in which science, history, literary criticism and other disciplines come together to present a convincing case for the existence of God.  Creation bears the Fingerprints of God.

Let’s take a look at science.  In the area of physics the most significant evidence (and there are many) of a God who intricately designed the universe is gravity.  One physicists points out that gravity, necessary for life on our planet, is precisely calculated to be 1 part in one hundred million billion billion billion billion billion!  This is an accuracy equivalent to throwing a dart from outerspace and hitting the bulls-eye on a target no bigger than a trillionth of a trillionth of an inch in diameter on Earth.  Scientists have discovered that there are no less than 30 such cosmological parameters necessary for life on our planet that are fine-tuned with the same precision.  It is simply mind boggling to consider how precise gravity needs to be for life to appear, let alone 29 or more other such parameters.  Many scientists agree that for these properties to exist exactly as they are with such unimaginable precision as a result of chance stretches the mental capacities of even the strongest skeptics.  Consider evidence for a Creator-Designer in the field of biochemistry.  Darwin did not have the advantage of intricate high-powered microscopes.  His work does not mention bacteria at all.  There were studies on bacteria in the century before Darwin, but Darwin did not know of the study of microbes, or did not care.  With the advancement in the study of microscopic life with ever increasingly powerful microscopes, scientist realize how complex are even the tiniest of creatures.  In fact, Michael Behe, a biochemist, introduced the idea of “irreducible complexity” from his study on the mechanism of bacterial flagellum—the structure that allow bacteria to move.  His studies show that the biomotors that drive bacteria are as complex as the engine and drive shaft of a car.  All the parts must come together all at once in order for the flagella to work.  Incremental development, such as evolution supposes simply could not account for the intricate design of molecular machines like flagella.  Another area of scientific study pointing to a purposeful Creator is information science.  Inside every one of our body’s one hundred trillion cells is a six-feet coil of DNA.  This DNA uses a four-letter code to provide all the instructions for the precise assembly of every protein from which our bodies are made.  DNA is not just an intricate arrangement of chemicals, but this arrangement contains “information.”  Even if chance could account for the arrangement of chemicals forming DNA, chance cannot possibly account for “information.”  A hurricane can rearrange rocks on a beach to appear to be in an orderly manner, but it would be something else entirely if the hurricane arranged the rocks to spell out Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.  Lastly, let’s consider the evidence for a purposeful Creator that comes from the study of the mind.  The mind and its relationship to the body has puzzled philosophers for centuries.  Science has given us an amazing understanding of the brain and nervous system, and how it relates to muscular action.  If I raise your right arm above the head, science is sufficient to tell you exactly what physical processes came into play to cause that to happen.  What science cannot explain is: “why did I raise my arm over my head in the first place?”  The brain, nerves, and muscles can account for how, but not why.  The mind accounts for why.  But what is the mind?  The “mind/body” question at this point, raises huge issues that can only be addressed philosophically or by reason—science has no answer for the mind, or information.

The circumstantial evidence for a purposeful Creator from every branch of science is absolutely astronomical in scope—literally.  Add to this studies from history and archeology, as well as studies showing the extreme accuracy of the Biblical texts, and the amount of circumstantial evidence point to the existence of God rises to the level of a “mountain of evidence.”  We are back to the conclusion Paul makes about the evidence for God in creation:

“the natural world points to a Supernatural Being” (Rom. 1:18-20)

So, when a skeptic says that there is no proof for the existence of God, that person either does not know what proof is, or they have closed their minds before they opened an investigation.

Philosophically, according to reason alone, there is good evidence that God exists.  Likewise, a mountain of circumstantial evidence from science, history, archeology, and literary studies (among others) points to the existence of God. The strongest evidence, however, is

3.  PERSONAL EVIDENCE

I said earlier that there was no “direct” evidence in regard to the creation moment, and Who was or was not there at the time.  In other words, the creation event had no eye-witnesses.  This is direct evidence and the kind of evidence every prosecutor dreams about.  There is no direct, personal testimony to the creation event, but there is direct, personal testimony from those who have met God personally.  This is the strongest evidence for the existence of God—transformed lives.  Many Christians discount the power of a testimony of salvation.  Many feel it is “too subjective” to carry any wait with unbelievers—even skeptics.  I believe it is the strongest evidence.  Let me go back to something the Lord, Himself said:

Let your light shine  before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven (Mt. 5:16)

The most significant truth in this verse comes as much from what the Lord did NOT say, as what He did say.  The Lord did not say:  “Let your ideas be expressed before men.”  He did not say, “Let your scientific results be paraded before man.”  He said, “Let others see the glaring light of your transformed life expressed in outrageous deeds of love” (my paraphrase).  That’s where the real power in witnessing lays—the proof of the gospel shining forth in a transformed life.  It seems so simple.  Nobody will ever “argued into heaven.”  People are not saved by “evidence.”  They are saved by grace.  What we try to do through “evidence” is simply peel away the scales of sin that has encrusted the eyes of a man (or woman’s) soul.

Philosophical evidence for the existence of God is convincing.  Circumstantial evidence through science, history, archeology, and literary studies is substantial.  The most powerful evidence, however, is personal—the personal testimony of someone who has for himself or herself experienced the transforming power of God’s grace.

I think of the blind man Jesus healed on one Sabbath day.  Jesus spit in the dirt and made a mudpack.  He placed it on the blind man’s eyes and instructed the man to go wash in the pool of Siloam.  The man did as he was told, and “came home seeing” (Jn. 9:7).  First, the townspeople interrogated the man as to how it was possible he could now see.  Then, the Pharisees questioned the man as to everything he knew about Jesus, the one that healed him.  The man didn’t know much about Jesus but told them exactly what took place.  The skeptical Jews questioned the man further.  Still, no satisfactory (acceptable) proof was forthcoming.  Then, they interrogated the man’s parents because they knew, “men blind from birth stay blind.”  The parents had not scientific explanation suitable to the skeptics.  So, they interrogated the man yet again.  The skeptics believed only God, or God’s representative could bring about such a miracle, yet they refused Jesus was God.  He did not fit the parameters of proof that the Jewish skeptics required.  Now, the man is frustrated by all this investigation and seeking for some suitable explanation for his healing.  The man lifts up his voice and declares,

““Whether or not He’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!”” (Jn. 9:25)

There’s the most powerful proof that anyone can offer for the existence of God—personal proof!  Proof that arises out of a sin-overcoming, life transforming encounter with God, Himself.  This is as close to direct, eye-witness testimony as one can get! 

The evidence for the existence of God is strong and varied.  This does not mean that we can “prove” God exists in the sense that we can prove sodium and chloride produces salt.  What we can do is provide they strong and varied proof from philosophical, circumstantial, and personal evidence that God exists beyond any reasonable doubt.  Beyond that a person must exercise faith and accept God’s grace.  God’s NOT dead, but a person’s soul without God is certainly dead and only “grace, through faith” that brings eternal life.  The Bibles says (Eph. 2:8-10):

⁸ For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— ⁹ not from works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time  so that we should walk in them.

Accept the evidence.  Begin the walk of faith.  God’s NOT dead.

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