Trifling vs. Trusting

(Sunday message for House Church and individual use: preached 07/11 -7/17/2021)

“Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.”

(Acts 17:12)

INTRODUCING…

“For much of his life, Lew Wallace had treated Christ and the teachings of Christianity with indifference. He had not fully rejected them, and neither had he allowed himself to be deeply influenced by the teachings of the Church. As evidence to the fact that he had at least been curious about Christianity, he could point to the fact that he had attended a Methodist church on and off for many years.”

“To lift me out of my indifference [to Christianity], one would think only strong affirmations of things regarded holiest would do. . . . It only remains to say that I did as resolved, with results – first, the book Ben Hur, and second, a conviction amounting to absolute belief in God and the Divinity of Christ.” (General Lew Wallace)

“Then, one day as he boarded a train in Crawfordsville, Indiana where he resided, someone behind him called his name. To his surprise, it was Robert Ingersoll. The well-known agnostic was eager to speak with his commander from Shiloh and invited Wallace into his compartment. Wallace complied with Ingersoll’s request, but under the condition that Wallace be allowed to choose the subject of conversation—to which Ingersoll agreed. The subjects of concern to Wallace were spiritual and religious in nature. Offering up the subjects, Wallace listened as Ingersoll addressed the various Christian teachings with his agnostic flourishes. For nearly two hours, Wallace was spellbound by Ingersoll’s intellectual and rhetorical ability—all disparaging Christ and His Church. Their conversation was brought to an abrupt halt when the train entered Indianapolis Central Station. The two men bid each other farewell. Ingersoll left for his hotel, and Wallace, en route to his brother’s home on the northeast side of Indianapolis, brushed aside the use of a street-car, choosing rather to walk the darkened streets to muse over his conversation with Ingersoll.

“Years later, he reflected upon that conversation as the inspiration to seriously investigate the claims of Jesus Christ and Christianity, and the walk along the dark Indianapolis streets that led to that decision:

“To lift me out of my indifference [to Christianity], one would think only strong affirmations of things regarded holiest would do. Yet here was I now moved as never before, and by what? The most outright denials of all human knowledge of God, Christ, Heaven, and the Hereafter which figures so in the hope and faith of the believing everywhere. Was the Colonel right? What had I on which to answer yes or no? He had made me ashamed of my ignorance: and then—here is the unexpected of the affair—as I walked on in the cool darkness, I was aroused for the first time in my life to the importance of religion. To write all my reflections would require many pages. I pass them to say simply that I resolved to study the subject . . . It only remains to say that I did as resolved, with results – first, the book Ben Hur, and second, a conviction amounting to absolute belief in God and the Divinity of Christ.”

“Ben-Hur was the literary result of Wallace’s seven-year investigation. The book became the best-selling novel of the nineteenth century and regarded as the most influential Christian book of that same period. Unlike Ingersoll, Wallace’s investigation of Christ and his teachings led the General to the foot of the cross of Christ, and because it did, many have followed his example through the reading and viewing of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.

“You too may follow the example of General Wallace by seeing Jesus Christ for He truly is—Son of God; Savior of the world; your Savior!” (Flick, Stephen. “Ben-Hur: A Christian Triumph.” Christian Heritage Fellowship, Inc., 6 Apr. 2021, https://christianheritagefellowship.com/ben-hur-a-christian-triumph/. Accessed 11 Jul. 2021.)

ROUND #1: How to trifle with God in opposition.

“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.” (Acts 17:10)

ROUND #2: How to treat Jesus honestly.

“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)

ROUND #3: How to trifle with God in apathy.

“These [Thessalonians] were [not] more noble than [the Bereans], in that they [did not] received the word with all readiness of mind, and [did not search] the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11, altered for emphasis)

AND THE WINNER IS… How to trust Jesus in faith.

“Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.” (Acts 17:12)

WINNER:
- “Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.” (Acts 17:12)
LOSER:
- 31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
- 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. (Matthew 12:31-32)
A RECAP OF TODAY’S FIGHT:
- “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)

OUTLINE:

Trifling vs. Trusting

(A Message to the Multitudes)

“Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.” (Acts 17:12)

ROUND #1: How to trifle with God in opposition.

ROUND #2: How to treat Jesus honestly.

ROUND #3: How to trifle with God in apathy.

AND THE WINNER IS: How to trust Jesus in faith.

WORSHIP:

Opening:

There Were Ninety and Nine that Safely Lay (English & Korean captions)

Presentation for Christians: