The uniqueness of Christianity
1. A recent editorial in a local newspaper caught my eye.
2. A writer was commenting on how some expressions from the past are no longer used.
3. Some years ago people spoke of “picture shows”; now some don’t know that a picture show is a movie.
4. The writer commented on the expression “foot feed” (two words meaning step on the gas pedal).
5. He was also old enough to remember when people didn’t use the word “pregnant.”
6. “With child” was how pregnancy used to be expressed.
7. In Ex. 21 we read about a law that involved women who were “with child.”
THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING LAW DESCRIBED IN VERSES 22-26 OF EX. 21 AND HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM IT.
a) The writer pictured a situation where two men were fighting.
b) In the process of a struggle a pregnant woman was somehow injured and she miscarried.
c) While the expectant mom lost her child, she did not lose her life.
d) In the case of the mother being injured, the person who did the damage would pay some money.
2) This almost sounds like a modern “personal injury” court case.
a) A little later in Ex. 21:23, a different set of circumstances is pictured.
b) If the mother’s life was lost, then the man who took the mom’s life was to lose his.
c) I want to read the information in verses 24-25 – READ.
d) When injuries happened under the described circumstances, there was point-by-point retribution.
3) Jesus picked up on this very theme in the New Testament.
4) We heard this from our Scripture reading (Mt. 5:38-40).
5) Jesus came to give the world a brand new way of religion.
6) What heaven had to offer was completely new to the people in the first century and even today.
a) In Mk. 2:22 Jesus spoke about putting “new wine” into “old wineskins.”
b) He said this could not be done.
c) Sometimes people see the word “wine” in the Bible and think it must be liquor.
d) Mark 2:22 shows this conclusion to be wrong.
e) Jesus spoke of “new wine” and meant an unfermented beverage.
f) We know it was not fermented because Jesus said this product would not be put into “old skins.”
7) In the first century it was not uncommon to use animals skins to carry around or keep beverages.
8) Sometimes grape juice was kept in animal skins.
9) When this juice fermented, animal skins would expand.
10) Old skins would not be used for wine that had not fermented (expanded).
11) If unfermented wine were put into old skins, when the juice fermented, the skins would break.
12) Jesus spoke of an unfermented beverage (grape juice) and called it “wine.”
13) Jesus compared this well-known process to His teachings.
14) The Lord came with “new wine” (a brand new religious system).
15) The Lord said this new system would not fit in with the old.
16) Christianity is an entirely new way.
TODAY WE WANT TO LIST SOME THINGS ABOUT THIS SYSTEM OF RELIGION THAT ARE TRULY UNIQUE AND NEW TO THE WORLD.
a) Christianity is revolutionary because it is for all people.
b) Most organizations have some criteria that certain people cannot meet.
c) If there is a wives club, you probably need to be a wife to join.
d) If there is a car club, we probably need a car and most likely a certain type of car.
e) People are not invited to a chess club unless they can play chess.
2) When it comes to the gospel, all are welcome.
3) Rev. 3:20 has the Lord saying He stands at “the door and knocks.”
4) Jesus gives an open invitation to all people.
5) Christianity is unique in that the one who invites all people to come is a king.
6) Pilate asked if the Lord was a king (Jn. 18:37); Jesus said it was to this “end” He had been born.
7) A lot of religions have a leader or a self-proclaimed prophet.
8) How many faiths can we identify where people claim their leader is a king?
9) Jesus is not only a king, He is the “king of kings” (1 Tim. 6:15).
10) Heb. 7:25 further tells us our king “ever liveth” (nothing can destroy Him).
11) Christianity is in a class all by itself because it is supernatural and supernatural in an unusual way.
a) In the Old Testament we certainly read about supernatural events.
b) Before Moses laws was given, there were supernatural acts done by God.
c) Christianity has a miraculous element to it that is not found anywhere else.
d) Miracles by God were signs; they were like markers on a road that pointed to something.
e) Christianity is not about signs; it is primarily about a man who was crucified.
f) Paul came to a place called Corinth and began to preach.
g) He told the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 15:1-3 that he didn’t come to show off supernatural power.
h) Neither did he come with a lot of philosophy and wisdom.
i) He said (verse 3 of chapter 15) the Corinthians heard him preach, “Christ gave His life for us.”
j) Christianity is in a class all by itself because of the Lord’s sacrifice.
k) All of Jesus miracles helped point out He was the savior.
l) A crowing event in the Lord’s life was the resurrection.
m) After the resurrection Jesus ascended to heaven to continue helping His people.
12) 20% of the New Testament is comprised of four unique books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).
13) All four of these books lead up to Jesus and His experience on the cross.
14) The passing of the Lord is an event so great, even the Old Testament predicted it in various places.
15) With the crucifixion there is also the resurrection.
16) No other religion can match the story and theme of the Christian faith.
17) If we go back and look at what people of the world thought and believed, we certainly find references to gods.
18) Again and again these references typically refer to myths and stories about gods who never lived.
19) Christianity highlights a single person—Jesus of Nazareth—and His earthly life and heavenly reign.
20) Christianity bases its claims on a living savior.
21) Jesus is also unique in that Christianity concentrates on a person instead of good works.
a) A lot of religious systems emphasize works.
b) Many forms of religion require works and put a great deal of stress on them.
c) Several years ago Teresa and I knew a couple where the wife was a Christian and the husband was not.
d) The non-Christian husband did as many good works as any Christian in the congregation.
e) He was busy with good works because that was what his religion commanded him to do.
f) Christians do good works, but they do not save us. This makes us unique.
22) If we look at other faiths, we often find some kind of creed statement.
23) New Testament Christianity is unique in that there is no creed.
24) We simply take the words of the Lord and follow them without addition or subtraction.
25) A lot of people hear that and find it to be a revolutionary concept.
26) Loosely tied to this thought is worshipping the Lord.
a) Some of our songs actually (and rightly) speaking of honoring and worshipping the Lord.
b) We have statements in the gospels that say Jesus accepted worship.
c) Compare this to what we see with well-known religious leaders.
d) Pick nearly any figure and we find that the person’s followers revered him or her.
e) There is great admiration and respect for a wide variety of religious leaders.
f) Followers of Christ do not merely admire and respect Jesus; they worship Him.
g) That makes Christianity distinct from virtually any other religion.
h) When we add on the fact that we worship the living Christ, that really makes Jesus unique.
27) Speaking of other religious leaders, how many claimed to literally be the truth?
28) Jesus did. He was “full of truth” (Jn. 1:14).
a) Then in Jn. 14:6 He claimed to be “the truth.”
b) It is one thing to say we have the truth; we sometimes make that claim.
c) Imagine a person saying, “I am the truth.” That is a stunning claim.
d) It is a claim of deity and a claim of non-human superiority.
29) Christianity is special because it says all people can actually have a relationship with God.
30) Faith is not only based upon the Lord’s teaching but upon the person of Jesus Christ.
31) Many of the gods imagined by men are impersonal and distant.
32) It is hard to find any reference to a god in the world that wants a relationship with man.
33) What piece of stone or rock that is worshipped wants a relationship with men and women?
34) The gospel contains the element of a relationship; God says we can spend eternity in His presence.
35) If all these claims are not enough, Jn. 1:14 says “God (Christ) became man.”
36) We hear tales of men becoming gods; people supposedly can start from the ground and move up.
37) What religion tells of a God becoming man and then terminating life for fallen creatures?
38) That is a unique story among the world’s religions.
39) Not only did God become man, the Bible says Jesus as a man was sinless.
40) So-called religious leaders and prophets have often claimed to have been “enlightened.”
41) A few misguided and self proclaimed prophets have claimed to be without sin.
42) Generally this claim of sinlessness only comes from those who are not stable.
43) Jesus was sinless.
44) Christianity (1 Tim. 2:5) says Jesus is a mediator to the Father, and He is the only mediator.
45) What other faith makes this same claim?
46) We know Jesus was a sacrifice for each one and the Bible says He was the only perfect sacrifice.
47) What other faith makes this same claim or claims the sacrifice and mediator are exactly the same?
48) Most religions are founded on the “life” of the founder.
49) Christianity is really rooted in the Lord’s death.
50) Christianity is the only faith that was truly specifically predicted hundreds of years in advance.
51) There are college classes that are taught on “comparative religions.”
52) If teachers know their stuff and know what the Bible says, they will say this to their class:
53) Christianity as it is described in the Bible is unique in way after way.
54) It offers things—true things—that cannot be found anywhere else.
55) The gospel is from God, about God, and our way to God.
56) It is the most unique book that has ever been written and it is our key to eternal life.
57) One said B Bible-c (9:676) Christianity overcame Roman paganism in three ways:
58) The gospel “‘out-lived’ the pagan, ‘out-died’ him, and ‘out-thought’ him.
59) Christianity is superior to any other religion and different from any other religion.
60) We have the key to this system all around us—the Scriptures.
61) Have we used the Word of God to open the door to salvation?
62) Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, Rm. 10:17.
63) Salvation beckons; God calls through His word; have we responded to this unique call?