Sermon Series
Dr. Gary VanDeWalker Evangelical
Free Church
10 Things That Annoy
Me About God
1. He takes everything personally.
Matthew 25:40 "The
King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
2. He thinks what He said 2,000 years ago
applies to today.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven
and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
3. He won’t let me take anything with me when
I die.
1 Timothy 6:7 For we
brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
4. He allows evil to continue.
Psalm 74:10-11 How
long will the enemy mock you, O God?
Will the foe revile your name forever?
Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds
of your garment and destroy them!
5. He isn’t impressed by what I do.
Romans 4:2-3 If, in
fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not
before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was
credited to him as righteousness.
6. He is way too generous with my possessions.
Matthew
7. He doesn’t justify Himself to me.
Job 38:4 Where
were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
8. He won’t let me earn my way to heaven.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it
is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it
is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
9. He won’t prove His existence to the world.
Luke
10. He isn’t politically correct.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me.“
I
may be overstating my case a bit. These
10 things no longer annoy me, but in the past they have. At different times in my life I have
questioned why God does some of the things He does or why He has set up the
world the way He has done. I’ve had more
than 10 annoyances; however, these 10 are the ones I have found I have most in
common with other people.
As I have thought about God, I’ve
wondered…why is He so touchy about things?
Why so dogmatic? Don’t the things
I do count for something good in His eyes?
If He is all-powerful, then why does evil exist? He could explain Himself to me and prove
Himself to everyone, so why doesn’t He? Sometimes,
He seems out of touch with the real world.
I love finding answers when I
can. Questions bother me. When I have a question I pursue an
answer. I haven’t found answers to all
the questions I have. But to these 10
things, I have discovered amazing truths about God and this world.
For the next 10 weeks, I invite you to
join me in the adventure of probing into these issues and discovering why what
once annoyed me about God has drawn me into a closer and more personal
relationship with Him.
--Pastor Gary
He thinks what He said 2,000 years ago applies to today.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my
words will never pass away.
1. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
2. Why should I accept its _______________________?
--The Bible calls for an investigation of its __________________
--The Bible and its alternatives should be placed under the same ________
…the manuscript test
…the internal test
…the external test
3. Why should I accept its ________________________?
--If it is true, it should fully ______________, if it is false, it should be vigorously _______________________.
--Don’t accept the Word as a __________________ play by people
--Accept the Word only if it carries the _______________ of God
4. Why should I let it determine how I
should ___________________?
--If the Bible is true and carries the authority of God, then it
holds sway over your __________________
--If the Bible is true, then it best corresponds on how you should live in the ____________________________
5. This week, in order show that the Bible is authoritative in my life, I will:
2. April 6
He thinks what He said 2,000 years ago applies to today.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my
words will never pass away.
1. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
2. Why should I accept its history?
--The Bible calls for an investigation of its accuracy
--The Bible and its alternatives should be placed under the same tests
…the manuscript test
…the internal test
…the external test
3. Why should I accept its authority?
--If it is true, it should fully pursued, if it is false, it should be vigorously opposed.
--Don’t accept the Word as a power play by people
--Accept the Word only if it carries the authority of God
4. Why should I let it determine how I
should act?
--If the Bible is true and carries the authority of God, then it
holds sway over your life
--If the Bible is true, then it best corresponds on how you should live in the real world
5. This week, in order show that the Bible is authoritative in my life, I will:
2. Bible Study
1. What is a famous book that has influenced people, besides the Bible?
2. What do you think made this book influential?
3. What is a book or story that influenced you growing up? How so?
4. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
5. Where does Scripture come from? How did it come from this source?
6. According to verse 17, why did God give the Scripture?
7. The Scriptures do many things in molding you. Think of examples of how it does each of its tasks:
--teaching
--rebuking
--correcting
--training in righteousness
8. How does each of the above areas help one become more equipped to do good works?
9. How can you be sure that you are letting the Scripture speak to you in each of the four ways listed?
10. Which way do you have the hardest time allowing the Scriptures to equip you?
11. How can you make the Scriptures have more of an impact on your life?
12. What is one thing you can do this week to allow the Scriptures to have more of an impact?
13. If people looked into your life, where would they see the impact of the Scriptures the most?
14. How would you like the Scriptures to influence you right now, in what area?