Sermon Guide

CONTROVERSIAL FAITH | THE EXCLUSIVITY OF JESUS

Teaching Text

Acts 4:10-12

“Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Sermon Recap

This Sunday, Pastor Jon kicked off our new series on Controversial Faith by addressing Jesus’ scandalous exclusivity. The claim, “Jesus is Lord”, has been highly contested throughout history, and it is no different today. As individual faith has become increasingly privatized, pluralism, the belief that all religions essentially teach the same things, has emerged, but this is actually incredibly arrogant towards and dangerous for all religious systems. This belief blindly oversimplifies every faith’s answers to questions about our origins, life’s meaning, morality, and our ultimate destiny. However, the reality that there must be one true answer to these questions means it is not enough to be sincere in our beliefs, as our hearts are often misguided and unreliable. Christianity stands apart in the myriad of the world’s religions, because the answer to all the big questions of life are wrapped around the person of Jesus.

Jesus made unique, bold claims in His life that no other religious teacher has made. He claimed He was fully God and fully man, the long awaited Messiah, and chosen to be the Savior of the world. He said He had the power to forgive sins, and called His followers to love their enemies. He was all powerful, yet loved us so much that He laid down His life and rose from the dead to make a way for us to be reunited with God. These kinds of claims could only be uttered by a crazy person, the most evil of blasphemers, or someone who was actually God.

Jesus was the only person who claimed to be God, but lived like a servant. He served the outcasts, the sick, and the demon possessed, and even went as far to die on a cross. Jesus’ radically exclusive claims are also radically inclusive, because He invites everyone to believe in Him out of His rich grace, mercy, and love. However, as His followers, we must acknowledge our own sinfulness, lead with gentleness and respect when sharing our beliefs, and be willing to be misunderstood as we publicly witness Jesus Christ, the only name that can save.

If you missed this talk, you can watch it here today.

Discussion Questions

Connect

1. If you could travel anywhere this year, where would you go?

Character

Ask someone to read Acts 4:10-12 aloud. Then, ask the following questions:

1. What words, phrases, or images stand out to you in this passage?

2. What do you learn about Jesus in Peter’s declaration?

Consider

1. Do you believe following Christ is the only way to salvation? What feels challenging for you about this claim?

2. What hard questions has God answered for you? Which questions are still unanswered?

3. What does it practically look like for you to hold, practice, and share your faith? 

4. What most often keeps you from being a “public witness” about Jesus being the only one who can save?

Cover

Pray together for opportunities to share your faith this throughout this series. Pray for a spirit of fear to be broken off and for the Holy Spirit to fill you with fresh courage to proclaim the truths of Jesus.