1 session 7.1 life’s big questions week 7 session 1
TRANSCRIPT
1 Session 7.1
Life’s BIG Questions
Week 7
Session 1
2 Session 7.1
What is the World Coming to?
3 Session 7.1
A World in Trouble
• Economic crisis– Unemployment
– Uncertainty
– National debts
• Strife between– Political parties
– Ethnic fractions
– Nations
4 Session 7.1
A World in Trouble• Problems
– Hunger
– Pollution
– Violence
• Problems in society– Increasing crime rates
– Over-crowded prisons
– Drug abuse
– Alcoholism
Might ask What is the world coming to?Might ask What is the world coming to?
5 Session 7.1
A View from OutsideDifferent nations
• Preserving national identity
• Claiming ‘rights’ for their population
• End of cold war yet:– Vast sums still spent on arms
– Korea & Iran generating nuclear arms
• No trust between nations
No prospect of immense burden being liftedNo prospect of immense burden being lifted
6 Session 7.1
A View from Outside
Within nations
• Competing groups– Political
– Religious
– Racial
• Each claiming their rights
7 Session 7.1
Things Haven’t ChangedIt was always like this• Read a novel by Dickens:
– Crime– Violence– Prostitution– Alcoholism
• In Victorian times in the UK– Slavery was abolished– Children were protected
But slavery & child exploitation still existsBut slavery & child exploitation still exists
8 Session 7.1
What is the root cause?
Suggest root cause is human nature
• Self-centred
• Intolerant
• Prejudiced
• Sometimes ignorant
• Sometimes downright malicious
The best of men are only men at bestThe best of men are only men at best
9 Session 7.1
The Root Cause
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 6 v 5
10 Session 7.1
The Root Cause
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
Matthew 15 v 19
11 Session 7.1
The Root Cause
The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
Jeremiah 17 v 9
12 Session 7.1
The Bible and Human Nature
• We have a selfish streak
• Our thoughts tend towards wickedness
• Human mind is responsible for all evil thoughts
• We are deceitful – Even deceiving
ourselves!
Bible is not complimentary about our nature!Bible is not complimentary about our nature!
13 Session 7.1
What is the answer?
• Is their hope that the world’s problems can be solved?
• Will we destroy ourselves?
Perhaps we need some help . . .Perhaps we need some help . . .
14 Session 7.1
Help NeededPerson or group of people
• With wisdom, authority & power to implement the right solution
• Despite opposition
• Holistic, worldwide approach needed
A world government is needed – with a A world government is needed – with a differencedifference
15 Session 7.1
Situation Vacant
WORLD PRESIDENT
Applications are invited for this most important job
Successful candidate MUST:
• Know all the answers
• Wrestle with world’s trickiest problems & come up with right solution every time
• Have personality to inspire devoted loyalty in insubordinates
16 Session 7.1
Situation Vacant
Successful candidate MUST:
• Have strength of character to impose decisions– Many of which will be highly
unpopular
• Direct World Police Force without tyranny or ruthless acts
• Have spotless personal conduct
• Be kind & understanding when confronted by weaknesses in others
17 Session 7.1
Power & Corruption
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."
1st Baron Acton
The candidate would have to be totally The candidate would have to be totally different from any previous leaderdifferent from any previous leader
18 Session 7.1
Any Applicants?
Who can fill this apparently impossible job?
• Only one person– His teaching and wisdom turned
the world upside down
– Good reason to believe the record of his life and actions
It is the Lord Jesus ChristIt is the Lord Jesus Christ
19 Session 7.1
The Ideal Candidate
• Jesus - remarkable leader– Many laid died willingly for him
• No problem enforcing his decisions– His personality was awe inspiring
• "No man ever spoke like this "No man ever spoke like this
Man!” Man!” John 7 v 46 John 7 v 46
20 Session 7.1
The Ideal Candidate
• No one can criticise his behaviour
• He threw out a challenge to his opponents:
“Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?
John 8 v 46”
Although they hated Jesus they were never Although they hated Jesus they were never able to take up his challengeable to take up his challenge
21 Session 7.1
The Ideal Candidate
• Jesus untainted by– Greatness
– Power
– Material possessions
• Bible shows he sympathised with weakness of others
Without doubt, Jesus is the only man who Without doubt, Jesus is the only man who would make a satisfactory world presidentwould make a satisfactory world president
22 Session 7.1
The Rescue Plan
Bible says Jesus is coming back to the earthBible says Jesus is coming back to the earth
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven”
Acts 1 v 11
23 Session 7.1
The Rescue Plan
Rescue plan in Bible:
• Involves sorting out all our world’s problems including:– War
– Famine
– Pollution
– Death
24 Session 7.1
Bible Teaching
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid.
Micah 4 v 2 to 4
A worldwide government is the Bible solutionA worldwide government is the Bible solution
25 Session 7.1
An Opportunity
Bible says
• We can be involved in this plan
• If we die before Jesus comes, we can be raised from the dead…
26 Session 7.1
ResurrectionBut Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep… For as in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
1 Corinthians 15:20,22,23
When Jesus returns there will be a resurrectionWhen Jesus returns there will be a resurrection
27 Session 7.1
SummaryWhat is the world coming to?
• World has lots of problems– Human nature is the root
cause
• Bible says God has a plan to take away the problems
• Plan involves Jesus as world leader– Wisdom, character & authority
to be the perfect leader
We can be involved in God’s planWe can be involved in God’s plan