Mere Christianity. C. S. Lewis.

The main themes of C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity.

1: Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe (The Moral Law). Core Theme: The universal sense of "oughtness"—the Moral Law or Law of Human Nature—points to a moral Lawgiver.

• Romans 2:14-15: What does this passage say about how God's law is known to everyone, even without special revelation? How does this correspond to Lewis's argument?

• Matthew 5:43-48 & Luke 6:31: Jesus appeals to a standard beyond custom. What is He appealing to? How does the "Golden Rule" assume a universal moral law?

• James 2:8-11: What does breaking one point of the law reveal about our relationship to the whole law? How does this illustrate Lewis's point that we all know the Law but fail to keep it?

• Discussion: Can you think of a time you appealed to a standard of "fair play" that others recognized? What does that instinct reveal?

Christians were Never Meant to be Normal. Extremism. Evil People.

“Christians were never meant to be normal. We’ve always been holy troublemakers, we've always been creators of uncertainty, agents of dimension that’s incompatible with the status quo; we do not accept the world as it is, but we insist on the world becoming the way that God wants it to be. And the Kingdom of God is different from the patterns of this world.” Jacques Ellul. 1912-1994, died 82. 20th-century French social theorist and resistor against Nazi occupation.

When Christians were First Called Christians (Acts 11:1-30)

1. How should the church in Jerusalem have received the news of "the Gentiles [receiving] the word of God" (Ac 11:1, 23)? Why were "the circumcised believers" critical of Peter (Ac 11:2-3; Lk 5:30; 15:2; 19:7)? What did they expect of Gentile converts (Ac 15:1, 5; Gal 2:11-14)?
2. What can we learn from Peter's response to their criticism (Ac 11:4-17)?

"The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch" (Ac 11:26b).

How the early Christians described themselves. They spoke of being

• disciples,
• believers,
• saints,
• brothers and sisters,
• Nazarenes (Ac 24:5), or
• followers of the "Way."

By being "called Christians" (Ac 11:26), Luke is indicating that the followers of Jesus were first perceived to be a group clearly distinct from Jews in Antioch. He wants his audience to be able to distinguish Christians (both Jews and Gentiles) from Jews who are not followers of Christ. Thus, this distinction is not ethnic but social on the basis of adherence or religious loyalties. 

What is a Christian? (Phil 3:8-11)

Phil 3:8-11; Key Verse: 3:8

"I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord..."

Based on Paul's testimony in Phil 3:8-11, I pondered the question, "What is a Christian?" But this past week was a very tough week. A former Bible student was arrested and charged with criminal sexual assault. Ever since I heard the news last Sun evening, I have been distressed and distraught all week, conflicted with many thoughts and emotions. I tried to work on my sermon, but was simply distracted and depressed. The text in Philippians is bright and glorious. Paul was declaring joyfully, "Jesus is worth more to me than anything else in the world." The reality I was experiencing is dark and gloomy. A friend I have known for 5 years is charged with rape and robbery. How do I resolve such conflicts within my own heart? I am not able to. But I do know as a Christian that God is good, and that all things work out for good to those who love God and who have been called by God (Rom 8:28). I pray for him that through this sad, painful and unfortunate event, he may come to find his Joy, his Treasure and his Pleasure in Jesus. I pray that he may come to confess from his heart as Paul did in the text today. Briefly, Paul shows us his core and his center in Phil 3:7-11. He teaches us what it means to be a Christian.