1 Session 1.1 Life’s BIG Questions Week 1 Session 1

2 Session 1.1 Welcome We are here to find answers to some of Life’s BIG questions Does everyone have a Reference book?

3 Session 1.1 Welcome We want the atmosphere to be friendly The seminars move quickly to keep to time We change presenters and subjects – so hang on! –Please keep your questions till the end of each session –Most subjects are split up over two or more weeks –Break for discussion half way

4 Session 1.1 Why are you here? Liked the sound of the course –Wanted to learn more Got problems –Would like to find some helpful answers Sceptical –Want to hear the evidence Disillusioned –Want something more from life Well we have something for each of you!

5 Session 1.1 What does the future hold? Unfortunate fact Virtually everything in our world is deteriorating Sooner or later that includes us as well No long-term future

6 Session 1.1 What does the future hold? Help has to be trustworthy Helper must have ability & be willing to solve our problem If good evidence of God –willing AND able to help Please at least consider whether there could be a solution to our problem

7 Session 1.1 What does the future hold? Good reasons to believe the God of the Bible Answers other questions as well!

8 Session 1.1 Answers to Life’s Big Questions Why should I believe in a God I can’t see? Is the Bible a message from a God I can’t see? Is there a God I can’t see?

9 Session 1.1 Answers to Life’s Big Questions Why does God allow suffering? Has science disproved the Bible? Has Christianity caused wars? Problems in believing in a God I can’t see?

10 Session 1.1 Answers to Life’s Big Questions What is the world coming to? What is the meaning of life? Is there more to life than this? Introduction to the message from a God I can’t see?

11 Session 1.1 Why should I believe in a God I can’t see?

12 Session 1.1 Belief can sometimes be difficult Please take time to consider the possibility that there may be a God No one can see God Suffering Peer pressure Busy lives Why should I believe?

13 Session 1.1 Why Should I Believe? There probably IS a God. So stop worrying and fulfil your life.

14 Session 1.1 Assessing the evidence Judge or jury: Weight of many pieces of evidence compelling! Looks at the evidence One or two pieces of evidence coincidence? More evidence – more convincing

15 Session 1.1 Assessing the evidence Weigh up the evidence Maybe wasting our time? Maybe evidence of a God offering a long term future? Foolish not to consider evidence of a God offering a long term future! Should we believe in a God?

16 Session 1.1 Design Our “just so” world The laws of physics Moral law The Bible Please weigh up the evidence for yourself... What is the evidence?

17 Session 1.1 Design WDLMNLTDTJBKWIRZREZLMQCOP –Random sequence no design ABCDABCDABCD –Ordered sequence but design? THIS IS A SENTENCE –example of specified complexity

18 Session 1.1 Chance and Design Carved heads on Mount Rushmore clearly different from eroded rocks

19 Session 1.1 The Argument of Design Looks complicated Features have purpose Features been thought about Been designed Something Complex Needs a Creator

20 Session 1.1 Information in life Information stored Information controls systems Vast amount of information Information produced by intellegence

21 Session 1.1 Where did life come from? What does the evidence of nature tell you?

22 Session 1.1 A “Just so” world Features “just right” –distance from the sun –stability of the sun –size of the sun and earth –angle of axis tilt –speed of rotation –proportion of land and sea –composition of the atmosphere Universe & our earth have been “arranged” to support life

23 Session 1.1 The laws of physics Very precise laws Pendulum For a given length, time of swing exactly same Laws imply a law giver

24 Session 1.1 Moral Evidence Every culture has laws Murder, lying, stealing universally rejected Everyone has a sense of right and wrong Where did this sense of right and wrong come from if not from a God?

25 Session 1.1 Evidence in the Bible Claims to be message from God Accurate predictions Law ahead of its time Variety of Bible writers Ring of Truth Bible “echoes”

26 Session 1.1 Bible evidence - Accurate predictions Our predictions based on past experience Varying degrees of success Bible makes many predictions – some highly unlikely All 100% accurate

27 Session 1.1 Bible evidence - Accurate predictions Clear and direct Written before event Writers have no influence to make them happen Fulfilled by people not aware Predictions:

28 Session 1.1 Bible evidence - Accurate predictions To be generally disliked Have history unlike any other nation Predictions about Jews: Couldn’t be guesses based on other nations All 100% accurate!

29 Session 1.1 Bible evidence - Accurate predictions Clear and different for each city and nation Right prediction chosen for each city and nation Predictions about other nations: Evidence of Power greater than ourselves

30 Session 1.1 Bible evidence – Law ahead of its time Advanced community health practice Morally advanced civil law Ideas adopted by countries in 19 th century

31 Session 1.1 Bible evidence - Writers and their messages Different:  backgrounds  centuries  and places Writers They do in the Bible! Give the same message?

32 Session 1.1 The Bible writers Doctor Shepherd High ranking Jew King Fisherman Musician Prisoner Slave

33 Session 1.1 The Bible writers 440 BC 630 BC 580 BC 1000 BC 62 AD 750 BC 96 AD 1450 BC

34 Session 1.1 The Bible writers

35 Session 1.1 The Bible writers The challenge …  Different backgrounds  Different times  Different cultures No other book in the world can make this claim … ONE consistent message

36 Session 1.1 The “ring of truth”  The painful truth  Abraham – betrayed his wife  King David – murdered to cover earlier misdeeds  Early apostles – all wanted to be leader  Paul - murderer No other record of history is so honest !

37 Session 1.1 Bible echoes  Similar themes  Show how Scripture fits together  ‘Treasury’ contains 500,000 links

38 Session 1.1 More evidence in later sessions What is the evidence? Design Our “just so” world The laws of physics Moral law The Bible - accurate predictions - law ahead of its time - variety of writers - ring of truth - echoes

39 Session 1.1 Summary Evidence for God Evidence of design A “just so” world Laws of physics Moral law The Bible as evidence There probably IS a God so stop worrying and fulfil your life!

40 Session 1.1 Conclusion Thank you for being here this week Review the notes from this session We look forward to your company next week - God willing