Why Not Jesus?

Many scientists, atheists, and humanists avoid Jesus as the answer for the big questions of life. However, as Colossians 1:15-23 shows us, He is unavoidable. So why do these three groups avoid Him?


I. Why Not Jesus as the Explanation of Life? (vs. 15-17
A. Scientists avoid Jesus as the Explanation of Life because:
     1. Jesus is a threat to their established philosophy and worldview and
     2. Faith in what you’ve studied is hard to break.
B. Jesus is unavoidable as the Explanation of Life because:
     1. Jesus was/is the chance for us to find out Who the Creator was.
     2. This world was created by Him and for Him, and He holds it all together.



II. Why Not Jesus as the Giver of Life? (vs. 18-22)
A. Atheists avoid Jesus as the Giver of Life because:
     1. Life changes with Jesus in the picture in the areas of morality, priorities, and philosophy

     2. The unknown of life after death

B. Jesus is unavoidable as he Giver of Life because:

     1. Life changes with Jesus!

     2. The known of heaven after death

III. Why not Jesus as the Answer for Life? (vs. 23)

A. Secular and religious humanists avoid Jesus as the Answer for Life because:

     1. They see the answers to life within themselves

     2. They try to fill God’s role with themselves

B. Jesus is unavoidable as he Answer for Life because:

     1. God created us to need Him since the beginning of time

     2. He is actively at work to draw us to Himself through any means

     3. Beware of becoming a “Christian Humanist:” someone living their life as a believer with as little interaction with God as possible

Conclusion

Do you know someone who rejects Jesus as the explanation for life? Do they use science as their reasoning?

Has belief in Jesus as the explanation for life been easy for you? Why or why not?

Re-read Colossians 1:18-22. What role did/does Jesus have in your salvation according to these verses? Take a minute to thank Him.

Col. 1:23 (NLT) “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.”

How is Jesus the answer to your life’s questions or struggles?

How has Jesus filled any emptiness or loneliness you have?

How has Jesus helped you understand the difficulties in your life?

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From my research for the Sunday morning sermon on February 27, 2011, "Why Not Jesus?")

Text from NLT of Colossians 1:15-23
Additional information about Carbon-14 dating (Wikipedia) and from a Christian perspective found here and here.
More information on secular humanism (Wikipedia) and how they differ from atheists and agnostics from the Council for Secular Humanism's site and from a Christian perspective found here and here.
More information on spiritual humanism (Wikipedia) and from their website. Information on technical definition of Christian humanism (Wikipedia) and here. (Not the definition I used in my message.)