Please read Acts 17:22-31 and John 14:15-21

Evidence for Australia

We begin with this discussion:

Person 1: I don’t believe in Australia.
Person 2: What do you mean you don’t believe in Australia?
Person 1: Well, people say it exists, but I’ve never seen it.
Person 2: But you’ve seen photos and TV pictures.
Person 1: Yes, but you can fake things like that.
Person 2: But what about people who’ve been out there on holiday?
Person 1: They might have been conned. After all, you sit in a tin box for 3 hours.You could be flying round in circles for all you know. When you land, it could be anywhere.
Person 2: You mean it could really be Dargaville?
Person 1: Yes!
Person 2: What about the
kangaroos?
Person 1: Brought in from the zoo to fool you.
Person 2: What about the hot weather? What about the different scenery, and food and people and….
Person 1: It’s no use. I don’t believe in Australia and I’m never going to believe, whatever you say.
Person 2: Is anyone convinced? Does anyone think that Australia doesn’t really exist?

If we changed ‘Australia’ to ‘God’, there are lots of people who will argue in the same way. ‘I’ve never seen God’, ‘I’ve never heard God’, and so on. Today we are going to think about how we know that God is real and how we know what he is like.

Evidence for God
Paul in Athens used evidence that people would be familiar with in order to convince them about Jesus.
We have four headings which you can use to think about evidence for God: ‘Evidence we can see’, ‘Evidence we can hear’, ‘Evidence we can understand’ and, ‘Anything else’. Using these headings, what evidence can you think of that shows that God exists and what he is like? ‘Does this prove God exists?’

In this world of many faiths there are many who question our claim that Jesus is the only way to God. Paul lived and worked in just such a world (see Acts 17:22,23). Having spent some time in Athens observing the city, catching something of the local flavour and seeing the many gods on offer, Paul went to the Areopagus. This was the forum where new ideas were discussed and assessed.

It is always important to understand how others think and to look for bridges. Paul saw that God was already at work in Athens and found a point of contact in the sense of wonder at something beyond our world, that all people experience. Even ardent atheists have such a sense of wonder – perhaps directed towards the natural world. It comes naturally to children, but can often diminish with age. Perhaps this is one of the ways in which we can make Jesus known in our world. Paul taught us to be looking for points of contact and never to underestimate what God has already done in preparing people.

Acting on the evidence
If you wanted to learn to play football, d
o you think you could learn to play by reading a book about it, by listening to stories about it or by watching other people? No? So what is needed to learn to play football? A ball and some space to kick it around. That’s right, we actually have to play.

But what do we need once we start playing? We need a coach: someone to come alongside us, show us new ways to play, teach us new skills and bring out the best in us.

I started skiing at a fairly early age. One night, after a day’s skiing a group of us were talking technique with our instructor. What he said clicked in my mind. Next day I went out and put into practice what he had described and my skiing improved – you could say, overnight. That’s a principle one can use in many situations: think it through, then go do. Later, after I’d done my instructor training, I figured that there are three basic essentials to skiing: keep your knees bent and your hands in front of you and point your knees in the direction you want to go. There’s a little more to it but these three principles are the basic essentials – miss any one of them and you’re in trouble.

I did well at skiing thanks to my coaches. But no coach is any use these days as I haven’t been skiing in years. You have to play the game to get anywhere at it. When we are actively living and witnessing for Jesus the Holy Spirit helps us along.

Often we do not speak out for Jesus because we are afraid that we might be asked a curly question that we can’t answer. Paul probably didn’t think that he had all the answers when he started out. It is not always easy to make sense of the world, especially when confronted by conflicting claims to the truth. We all need help. Jesus has promised that the Spirit will help us (John 14:15-21). He is the Spirit of truth who helps us to know more about God and his plans. He helps us to see and know God. And he will help others to see the truth, too. So when we step out like Paul and begin to tell others about Jesus, we need not worry that everything depends on us. We can be confident of the help of the Spirit, who lives in us and constantly reminds us that God is with us.

In or out?
Let’s take a straw poll.
How many people play football? How many used to play? How many people go to football matches? How many watch football on TV? How many are not interested at all?

Point out that the same pattern is true as far as believing in God is concerned:
-some people aren’t interested at all;
-some people keep their distance – they come to church at Christmas and Easter or they watch hymns on television;
-some people come along to church but haven’t really signed up for the team –
haven’t accepted Jesus as their team captain and aren’t living for him;
-some people are actively involved in living (playing) for God.

Where are you? For those who have joined the team and are following their captain, Jesus, there is a bonus: we have the best coach in the world, the Holy Spirit. Have another look at John 14:15-17.

If you are not already a Christian what’s to stop you ‘signing up’ today? Talk it over with Jesus and tell him you want to join his team – with him as captain and his Spirit as coach. And those of you who have ‘signed up’ to Jesus, have you ‘signed up’ to coaching as well? Ask and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you in all you do.