Truth Seekers (Apologetics)

Good morning, church! 

I'd like to share with you a little story. My friend George once said, “I’ve got this great metal detector, and I’m going to find buried treasure!” So, George spent every day searching with his metal detector in his backyard. But the only thing he ever found were bottle caps and old nails. One day, his neighbor saw him digging and asked, “George, what are you doing?” George replied, “Searching for buried treasure!” The neighbor laughed and said, “George, this land has been searched many times before. There's no treasure here." But George just smiled and said, “Well, if I don’t search, how will I ever find it?”

In a way, we're all like George. We're all searching for something valuable, something worth dedicating our lives to. And the good news is, we have a much better guide than a metal detector - we have God's word. 

Our topic for today is being "Truth Seekers," in the sense of Christian Apologetics.

As our guiding verse, let's look at John 14:6: "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

Apologetics is the defense of the Christian faith, giving a reason for the hope we have in Jesus. It's not about winning arguments, but about seeking truth, and helping others do the same.

In Acts 17, when Paul was in Athens, he engaged with the philosophers of his day, using their own poetry and philosophy to point them to the truth of God. He didn't dismiss their beliefs, but sought to understand them and then directed them towards the truth in Christ. This is what apologetics is about - understanding, engaging, and directing towards truth.

One of the greatest Christian apologists, C.S. Lewis, once an atheist, spent years searching for truth. He said, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." His journey to faith was a journey of questioning, understanding, and finally seeing the truth in Christ.

But remember, as Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3:15: "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." Apologetics should always be done with gentleness and respect, seeking not to win an argument, but to win a soul.

Let us seek the truth with passion, let us engage with love, and let us direct others to the truth we have found in Christ. 

Let’s pray: Heavenly Father, we ask for wisdom as we seek your truth. Give us understanding and compassion as we engage with those who are searching. Help us to always point them to You, the way, the truth, and the life. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen!