Church : CSI Sharjah worship center
Date: 15 August 2008
Topic: Gospel and Religious Pluralism
Greetings to you in the matchless name of our lord and savior Jesus Name , because there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved.(Acts 4:12)
Happy Independence day.1947-2008 August 15th 61 years, in the place where I come from we celebrate 60 years since it was under the Nizams Rule.
Introduction
Breaking the word religious Plurality which would only mean, many religions and its perceptions
Adherents of religious pluralism recognize that different religions make different truth claims. For example, most Christians believe that Jesus was (is) God incarnate and that he died for the salvation of humanity, while most Buddhists believe that enlightenment liberates the individual from the cycle of rebirth so that he may enter Nirvana.
The gospel would go a step forward to prove that the Christian claim is the truth on the basis of non contradiction.
Explaining the word non-contradiction would mean, there can be only one truth, and that there can’t be 2 truths which would eventually make one truth to be a lie.
Example: Mr. Ashish meets with an accident along with his friend Benoy, on the express way, Mr. Ashis dies, but Benoy is in no position to speak. But an onlooker reports it to the news paper that he was not looking at the road while driving, and they print it. “car hits the divider”. To Which Benoy, after unconscious state reports that the onlooker was wrong in his claims. Benoy was in the center of the accident. To which he would say “the steering wheel came off the hook”
Whom would you believe or why would you Believe?
My first point is
Isa : 45:1-8
Cyrus:
Who was he? Cyrus ; c.f 2 Chronicles 36 : 22
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the lord spoken by Jeremiah, the lord moved the heart of Cyrus King of Persia to make a proclamation throughout ………….” The lord has given all the kingdoms of the world and has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.
V:4 Though you don’t acknowledge me , I am the lord there is no one besides Me….let salvation spring up (v:8)
Why did God choose Cyrus instead a heir of King David?
God’s Ways are not stuck up with His people. But his people are the world.
In our context the general presumptions of being saved are to be pious and do good works, and be a Christian. God’s view is that People are saved by Grace and not by works.
My second point is
Psalm 67
As we look at the crux of the passage in verse 4 :
May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.
Ps 96 : 10 -13
God Judges with equity.
The Lord we worship is for justice, from the beginning, even at Egypt or the apartheid movement or the quit India movement.
The lord acted justly towards his people to which we celebrate Independence Day. Some say its because of the freedom fighter we got independence, so was the leadership of Moses, Which brought the people came back to their land. God uses his people for his purpose.
But in all this God hovers over the world. To relieve his people from their oppressors.
Our whole Justice system is based on him. Because from the beginning he is the moral law giver.
Jesus was put on the cross, to say and to fulfill the law.
How are we responding to that Law? Only by accepting it. It is finished. On the cross.
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
We are Justified
My third point is
Matthew 15:21-28
To the Dogs?
Why dogs? From the passage Mt 15 21-28 that even the dogs eat the crumbs that are fallen from the table?
Jesus’ incarnation took place firstly to his own chosen people. That is the place where he was born.
What happens? Jesus 3 ½ years preaching to his people, which would mean Samaritans also, because they were connected.
during that time a Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to Him and begs Jesus to Heal her Daughter. He says that I have come for Israel and not for others. To which She says that ‘even the dogs eat the crumbs that are fallen from the table?’
After much persuasion her daughter was healed.
Why did Jesus move away from his focus?
Because his people had closed their minds and hearts to the gospel. But still he tried.
He came unto his own but his own rejected him.
The people who followed Jesus are 2 kinds – 1. Oklos (pagan crowd) 2. Laos (spiritual crowd)
The majority of the people that followed Jesus that are mentioned in the gospels that is Oklos than Laos.
They that did not have hope, recognized their need of hope. That is to look at Jesus, even if they would have been called as a dog. No matter what they had received their Hope.
My final point is
To the God nobody knows
Acts 17 :16-31
Paul is angry and upset that the people , he looks at the and they are aimless.
Paul is reasoning and preaching the good news with his people in the synagogues, and here comes the Epicureans and Stoics who basically believed in ‘eat make merry and listen to new ideas’. They Invite him to the main ‘theater of discourse’, so that Paul can present the ‘new way’.
The first thing Paul does is he appreciates them saying that they are religious, and fascinated by the shrines points to the one which has an inscription saying ‘to the God nobody knows’
Paul says= I am here to introduce it to you. He explains God to them as the creator not as a creation. Then presents the Good News the Gospel to them and offers repentance.
This incident happed in a pluralistic world.
When an opportunity like this comes the gospel walks in, the only thing is that we walk the gospel into their worlds.
What an idea sir ji
In conclusion
It’s the gospel good news – Incarnation God becoming flesh. Not only when Jesus came but that was His intention from the beginning. Adam was not an Israelite. But Israelites were called only after Jacob’s name changed.
Gospel is God reaching out to man, not man reaching to God
Max warren says, ‘What a wonderful opportunity that religious pluralism offers to Christians and to everyone else to make a new discovery of Jesus Christ. How gratefully we should accept God’s providential challenge.’
The gospel is working…God is working NOW.
· So from my first point
God uses anyone from any Anglician/CSI / Martoma / Methodist/ Pentecostal / Hindu/Muslim /Buddhist etc
For his purpose. Are we available for him to be use as an instrument for his glory. Or are we sitting comfortably like Israel? Still waiting for God to work
· Secondly
When we go through pain or suffering ? and ask for justice
Do we believe that God is a just God who will hear our cry, no matter who I am.
Do I act justly according to my heavenly father .
· Thirdly
Do we trust in Jesus in all the areas like that gentle lady?
Or do we depend on our own money /medicine/ power/ tradition/ religion/ knowledge ?
· Fourth
Are we like Athenians who are very religious. But very reluctant to ask for forgiveness and believe in gospel
There is no point in knowing about apples? How good? what nutrition? Or the color.
What matter is the Taste.
Lets taste and see that God is good. Not only for us but for all
Jesus Said: ‘Just as the father sent me (Incarnation) so I send you (Incarnation)
Closing Prayer
Amen
Jai hind
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