We will be adding information about this "God Questions" series as the weeks progress.  This might include additional information that we did not have time to cover on Sunday morning, resource suggestions, etc.

Read Job 42:1-6.

• As we begin to bring our questions before God and begin looking for answers, what can we learn about how we should do this from Job?
• What is the right way to approach God with our questions?

Read John 20:24-31.

• What does this story tell you about God’s attitude towards those who question and doubt?
• What can we learn from Thomas?
• What is God willing to do to help us believe? What might this look in our lives today?

Online and book resources for further self-feeding:

• www.rzim.org
• www.answersingenesis.org
• Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
• The Reason for God – Tim Keller

Here are some questions that we didn’t get to on Sunday:

Q: What age will we be in the afterlife?

That’s a good question. Others have asked this question in some painful context like the dad with tears in his eyes wants to know if he will recognize or get to know his daughter that was stillborn and he never got to show her all the love he dreamed about or planned on. Man that hurts. The answer is that we really don’t know for sure. The Jewish rabbis say that 30 years old is the prime of life (that’s when Rabbi Jesus even started his ministry is at age 30). Therefore the rabbis believe that everyone will be 30. I don’t know about this. My wife Kelly is in her 40’s and she is getting more perfect every year! (the guys are nodding saying, he scored some good points with that one!)

Actually, I don’t know when the perfect age is or for that matter the perfect body. I think if we could see Adam and Eve’s body in the Garden of Eden it would take our breath away. And I think that if Adam and Eve could see our bodies today I think it would take their breath away.

Going back to the question real quick, I would say to that dad that children have a special place in God’s heart. Jesus was constantly putting children in a place of honor. How old will this man’s daughter be when he sees her again? Will there be children in heaven? Here’s a clue. Look with me up on the screen at this beautiful passage in Isaiah 11. Speaking of heaven after the resurrection (the day of the Lord) here is the description given to Isaiah:

Isaiah 11:6-9 (NLT)
6 In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. 7 The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow.
8 The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm. 9 Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.

If this is all true, than where did the babies come from? I don’t think babies will be born in heaven (Tommy will talk next week about whether there will be marriage in heaven). I think it is very possible that children are resurrected at their age and parents will be allowed to watch them grow up. Will there be pets in heaven? There are also animals in this picture of heaven – where did they come from. I’m not sure.

Q: Can people in the afterlife see what’s going on down here?

What a great question. Jesus says in Luke 15 that there will great rejoicing in heaven when one person repents and believes. How can they rejoice if they can’t see what’s going on? In Hebrews 11, it says that because we have a mighty cloud of witnesses in heaven, therefore set aside anything that would slow you down and run the race with endurance. What a great verse. Who are the witnesses? The whole previous chapter spoke of the heroes of the faith like Abraham and Moses and Sarah and Gideon and Noah and Rahab. All those that believed in God on earth and are now in heaven cheering us on. How could do this if they couldn’t see us. Can they intervene in the affairs of this world – I don’t think so, but there should inspire us!

Okay, that’s it for this week. Please send your questions about God – no matter what there are to godquestions@gracepoint.cc.
 

On Sunday, Jan 31 we considered questions about “the church” We looked at how to respond to people who say they believe in God but don’t want to be a part of a local church. We addressed hypocrisy and even how Grace Point pays their pastors.

One question we didn’t have time for was:

Q: More than Sunday?

When many of us were growing up, all we did as a family was attend Sunday morning church. It seems as if at Grace Point, Sunday is just a commercial for the rest of the week. Yes, Sunday is like an advertisement for the rest of the week. I love it when I hear of an individual or a family taking the next step from just Sunday attendance to involvement in a life group or maybe the husband gets involved in a Thursday or Sat men’s gathering. I love it when I see a teenager go from Sunday morning to the EPIC meeting on Sunday evening. It means you’re willing to go from the crowd to experience community. When I watch this happen I see friendships form and a greater chance that Christ will be formed in you as you open up and learn from one another. Other say, “but life is crazy as it is – and I want my kids to be involved in every sport and club opportunity they can be in.” I don’t fault that you want that – but maybe they would also want to have Christian community if they saw you sacrifice for it too?

One person emailed me during the talk and asked:  “Hypocrisy in the church was mentioned, but the question arises: "How do we deal with hypocrisy in the church?" "Why is there hypocrisy in the church if we have received Christ's life changing grace?" and "How do we relate/talk about hypocrisy to our non Christian friends?"

This is a great question. One answer is that when a church is serious about reaching out to and inviting religious seekers to come “investigate faith”, there will be people at all levels of commitment to God and his ways. If someone were to say, “there are people who attend Grace Point that haven’t even become Christians yet.” What a great thing is that! Jesus came to seek and to save those that were lost. What a good example to follow. Growing to be more like Jesus is a life-long process that takes Christ’s life changing grace.
 

The main structure of the message was whether you live your life based on the default value of “love” or of “happiness.” Love asks the question: “does this honor God & what is best for the other person?” Happiness asks the question: “What’s in it for me?’ Successful decision making can be made by filtering your actions, words, and life through those questions.

• While talking about sex outside of marriage and what’s best for the other person, I sited a Rutgers University Research Study. http://www.virginia.edu/marriageproject is a website you can read more.
• On the topic of divorce, you might consider starting biblical research with this article: http://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/divorce_and_infidelity/should_i_get_a_divorce.aspx.
• If you are struggling with the issue of pornography, you can start by admitting that it is a trap and belongs in the junk drawer sexually. Share your struggle with a trusted friend and research it with ministries like www.purelifeministries.org.  

Thanks for all your questions and I hope it helped all of us feel more confidence in sharing with our “neighbor,”

Grace,
Terry