Last week fr’nklin posted this quote: “Apologetics is answering the questions raised by our lives.” This is a brilliant statement, and a much better way of looking at apologetics than I had ever heard before.
As we talked about this, we wondered about the kinds of questions currently being asked about the church. Questions like, “Why does the church hate gays?” How about, “Why can’t people in the church get along?” Maybe you’ve heard, “Why is the church always asking for money?” Then there’s, “Why do churches need those big buildings?” When these questions are asked, the answers that are given usually have little to do with the teachings of Jesus.
What if people began to ask, “Why do those people share their things with others?” What if, instead of asking why we’re against certain people, folks asked why we showed love to everyone, even those who were hostile to us. When the religious leaders in Jerusalem were questioning the disciples, they wondered about the fact that they were unschooled, but then took note of the fact that those men had been with Jesus. Imagine the questions this raised in those leaders’ minds.
When those around us see our lives, what kinds of questions do they ask? Do they take note that we have been with this religious group or that church, or do they see that we have been with Jesus?