Historical Posts
Kepler’s Courage
Kepler spent many years of his life trying to prove a hypothesis
Johannes Kepler was a German astronomer, born in 1571. He lived in a time when astronomy and astrology were merged into a single field of study and he excelled prolifically, in both disciplines. From the time of his boyhood, he was educated to be a member of the Lutheran clergy, but instead he found work as a teacher. During one of his classroom lectures, it occurred to him that the orbits of the six planets (only Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were known at the time) were spaced in just such a way that there seemed to be a geometrical relationship between them. He thought of the five “regular” or “platonic” solids (discovered by ancient Greek thinkers, like Pythagoras and Plato) whose sides were regular polygons and theorized that these were the invisible support structures for the solar system.
Kepler spent many years of his life trying to prove his hypothesis. He labored for countless hours to construct three dimensional models of the spheres of the six planets nested within the five regular solids, but it was all for naught. He was not able to make his theory work mathematically with the available data on the orbits of the planets. He sought the most precise data available in his time from Tycho Brahe, a Danish nobleman, who was the Imperial Mathematician in the court of the Holy Roman Emperor, but even the most precise observations of the motions of the planets did not help. His problem was that he, along with every other astronomer of his time, assumed that the planets orbit the sun in a perfect circular motion. After many more years of painstaking observation and calculation, Kepler discovered that the orbits of the planets are elliptical, rather and circular.
He had the courage to admit when it was proven to be false
The thing about Johannes Kepler that impresses me is that, even after he had committed the majority of his professional life to one specific idea, he had the courage to admit it, when it was proven to be false. As a gospel preacher, I talk to numerous souls about all kinds of matters pertaining to religion. I have found that most everyone I talk to has their own ideas about God, the church, salvation, and so forth. But, few people have the courage to admit it, when their own pet theories about religion are proven wrong. People will cling to false doctrines and practices, like a drowning man clinging to a piece of his shattered boat— afraid to let go and grab the lifeline rescuers have thrown him. What a tragic situation!
We must not fear the truth
We must not be afraid of the truth, no matter what the truth may be. If God’s Word says something that contradicts what we have always believed, we must abandon our false beliefs post haste, lest we fall victim to vain religion (Matthew 15:13). Whenever I begin a new study with one who is not a member of the church, I usually say something like this: “At some point in our studies together, we are bound to encounter something in the Bible, which contradicts things that you have always believed. At that point, you will have to make a decision: are you going to do what you think is right, or are you going to do what you know the Bible says is right?” People of the modern era have a problem accepting the authority of the Bible. Most of the time, that is the first thing you have to discuss with them.
Another thing that impresses me about Johannes Kepler is his general attitude toward scientific discovery. He was not an atheist, like many modern scientists, but rather he believed the Biblical account of creation and he saw his mission as a scientist as being one of seeking to understand the mysteries of God’s creation. In his Mysterium Cosmographicum, Kepler wrote, “We do not ask for what useful purpose the birds do sing, for song is their pleasure since they were created for singing. Similarly, we ought not to ask why the human mind troubles to fathom the secrets of the heavens…The diversity of the phenomena of Nature is so great, and the treasures hidden in the heavens so rich, precisely in order that the human mind shall never be lacking in fresh nourishment.”
Do we pause to give God the credit for our blessings?
Kepler went on to calculate the elliptical pattern of the orbits of the planets and establish three laws of planetary motion, in the waning years of his life. Although some viewed his work as heretical, Kepler viewed his discoveries as being guided by the providence of God. What a wonderful attitude! How many times do we pause to give God the credit for all the blessings we have in our lives? Kepler thanked God for the privilege of making the discoveries he made in his lifetime. Let us not neglect to thank God for all of the great that we have done with our lives. As Paul put it, in his sermon on Mars’ Hill, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). It is a worthy goal for us to strive for curiosity, courage, and conviction, in this life.
Content by Russell Kline
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Daniel 01:08-21; 06:01-10 Children Today
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Text: Daniel 1:8-21; 6:1-10
Introduction
1. The Bible is filled with accounts of many godly men and women who are worthy of our emulation
2. One such person is Daniel, a man who obtained preeminence and power in his lifetime.
a. He started out preeminent among the children of Israel – Daniel 1:3-6
b. He gained preeminence among the wise of men of Babylon – Daniel 1:17-20
c. He was given power over all of Babylon – Daniel 2:48-49; 5:29
d. He received similar power over the Medo-Persian empire – Daniel 6:1-3, 28
3. How was Daniel able to reach these positions of power and influence without compromising his position as a godly man?
4. A close look at the book of Daniel reveals his secret, and shows how we too can be successful without selling our souls
Body
I. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PURPOSE
A. DANIEL PURPOSED IN HIS HEART… – Daniel 1:8
1. A young boy in a strange land, Daniel was immediately faced with a challenge to violate God’s law by eating the king’s food
2. Despite his youth and the obvious pressures to conform, Daniel purposed in his heart to uphold the law of God, no matter the cost
3. Because of his willingness to put God first, God granted Daniel favor in the sight of others – Daniel 1:9
a. How God did this is not explained, but it happened in the case of Joseph also – Genesis 39:1-4; 21-23
b. By putting God first, God blessed Joseph in such a way that favorably impressed others
B. EVERY CHILD OF GOD NEEDS TO BE A PERSON OF PURPOSE
1. No one respects a wishy-washy person, someone with no direction in their lives
2. Whereas a strong sense of purpose often breeds respect and admiration in others
3. What should be the purpose of the Christian?
a. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 6:33
b. to seek the will of God and fulfill it in our lives, no matter the circumstances
4. As Jesus promised, this will guarantee God’s favor toward us and in turn likely gain us favor in the eyes of those around us
II. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PRINCIPLE
A. HE REFUSED TO COMPROMISE HIS CONVICTIONS
1. As a young man, by refusing to eat the king’s meat or drink his wine – Daniel 1:8
2. As an old man, by refusing the gifts of Belshazzar – Daniel 5:13-17
3. Under the threat of persecution, by refusing to obey the decree of Darius – Daniel 6:10
B. PEOPLE ADMIRE PERSONS OF PRINCIPLE
1. Outwardly they may ridicule them, but inwardly they wish they had the same intestinal fortitude
2. And when they need someone that can be trusted, and depended upon to carry through with an assigned task, who do you think they will turn to?
3. God also admires individuals who will stand by their principles, and by their words – Psalm 15:1-5
III. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PURITY
A. HIS OPPONENTS COULD NOT FIND ANY FAULT
1. He was faultless when it came to management of his business affairs – Daniel 6:1-4
2. This would help to explain his rise to positions of great responsibility and power
3. Of course, his purity in business affairs was related to
a. His overall purpose to please God first
b. And the fact that as a man of principle he could be trusted
B. THE CHRISTIAN IS ALSO TO MAINTAIN PURITY OF CONDUCT
1. Whether young or old – 1 Timothy 4:12; Titus 2:6-8
2. Whether slave or free – Titus 2:9-10
3. People who maintain purity in their dealings with others are often given positions of great responsibility and privilege, because they can be trusted to use them wisely
IV. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PRAYER
A. A GLIMPSE OF HIS PRAYER LIFE – Daniel 6:10
1. He knelt in prayer, a demonstration of his humility
2. He prayed three times daily, a demonstration of his continual dependence upon God
3. He gave thanks in the midst of persecution, a demonstration of his gratitude and the fact that he had not lost sight of God’s blessings
4. His prayers were a custom since early days, demonstrating his persistence and faithfulness in his service to God
5. Is it not likely that his custom to pray so diligently helped him to remain a man of purpose, principle and purity, despite his rise to power and preeminence over the empire?
B. CHRISTIANS WOULD DO WELL TO FOLLOW DANIEL’S EXAMPLE
1. “Let us learn the lesson that the finest of God’s servants must maintain regular and fixed prayer habits in order to continue steadfast in devotion to the Lord.” (Strauss)
2. As Christians, we too are to pray often – 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18; Colossians 4:2
3. If our efforts to live purposeful, principled, and pure lives are not what they should be, could an undisciplined prayer life be the reason?
4. Are we willing to Dare To Be A Daniel in regards to prayer?
Conclusion
1. There is a false assumption that to “get ahead” in this world one must conform to the sinful practices of the world
2. But even today there are many Christians who demonstrate that when one dares to be a Daniel they can succeed in the affairs of men without selling their souls to the world
3. How about you? Will you Dare To Be A Daniel by becoming a person of:
a. PURPOSE?
b. PRINCIPLE?
c. PURITY?
d. PRAYER?
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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Hebrews 11:06 – Do We Believe That God Is? audio
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download
(Taking a Hard Look at Our Own Convictions)
Text: Hebrews 11:6
Introduction
A. In this series of lessons, we are emphasizing the need to take God more seriously. There is not a single one of us who does not need to do this!
B. In the last lesson, we saw that it’s possible for us to actually PLEASE God. That ought to be our confident hope and our highest aim.
C. In this lesson, we’ll look at FAITH — “for he who comes to God must believe that He is.”
D. Do we believe that God is? Let’s take a hard look at our own convictions.
Body
I. DO WE NEED THIS LESSON?
A. Some will already have said they don’t need to ask whether God is. They say, “of course we believe that God is!”
1. Well, perhaps we do, but in all honesty, the “faith” that many of us have is little more than a hand-me-down religion. Some indications:
(1) carnal attitudes and worldly lifestyles
(2) non-involvement in congregational life
(3) ignorance of the Scriptures
(4) vulnerability to temptation.
2. Ours may be a “Christian” nation — but few may really believe that God is.
3. And ours may be a faithful congregation but real, personal faith may be in short supply
B. The Scriptures speak of things like a “sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5) and a “genuine faith” (2 Timothy 1:5)
C. As individuals, our faith is somewhere on a continuum between the faith of others and a faith that is our own. The question is: what can we do to move toward a faith that is more our own?
D. Let’s look first at the difference between these two kinds of faith, starting with the one that we’re striving for: a truly genuine, personal faith.
II. THE INGREDIENTS OF PERSONAL FAITH
A. Genuine, personal faith has three basic elements:
1. Credence (belief) – John 8:24 – This includes not only the what but also the why – 1 Peter 3:15.
2. Confidence (trust) – 2 Timothy 1:12 – Real trust produces unconditional obedience: trust = obey.
3. Constancy (faithful unto death) – 2 Timothy 4:7-8 – Faith = Faithfulness – Revelation 2:10.
B. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your own faith in these three areas?
III. THE TRAITS OF MERE TRADITION
A. Definition: “tradition” simply refers to that which has been “received.”
B. In religion, some people’s faith is nothing more than tradition. They’ve simply been going with the flow, and their convictions are nothing more than those of the “chameleon.” Their faith is not really their own. It is a matter of convenience rather than conviction.
C. Now, what is wrong here is not tradition itself. There is nothing wrong with tradition! We are fools if we throw things away simply because they are traditional – 2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:14-15; 2 Thessalonians 2:15.
D. Our point is not that faith and tradition are opposites, but that real faith is MORE than tradition!
E. The difference is not in the CONTENT, but in the QUALITY of our faith.
1. If our faith is mere tradition, then it’s probably very weak.
2. We’ve probably never examined it or thought it through.
3. It’s probably never been seriously tested. Cf. James 1:2, 3; 1 Peter 1:6-7.
4. It’s probably quite abstract & impersonal — God is little more than an idea to talk about.
5. Worst of all, we’re probably not able to give a reason for the hope that is within us – 1 Peter 3:15 — we don’t know why we believe.
F. Three dangers of a faith that is mere tradition:
1. It won’t stand the test of temptation.
2. It won’t stand the test of hardship.
3. It won’t stand the test of judgment – Matthew 7:22-23; Matthew 15:8-9
IV. STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO GROW IN OUR FAITH
A. Many never really confront the issue of real faith until they’re faced with some serious crisis in life. Yet this is too IMPORTANT an issue to postpone until a crisis makes it URGENT.
B. Can’t we decide right now to move from “hand-me-down religion” to a deeper, more genuine faith? What practical steps can we take?
1. First, we can be honest about our faith – Mark 9:24, 2 Corinthians 13:5.
2. Then we can:
a. Feed it.
b. Challenge it.
c. Refresh it.
C. Like most valuable things, real faith has to be grown. There is no “get faithful quick” scheme – 1 Timothy 4:15-16 – We need incremental growth, little investments in our faith day by day.
Conclusion
A. We say we “believe that God is,” but how much do we trust Him in making real-life decisions?
1. Do you believe that somebody could walk over Niagara Falls on a tightrope while pushing a wheelbarrow? Many might say they believed it, but how many would . . . get into the wheelbarrow?
2. When tough, real-world decisions have to be made we find out whether we truly “believe that God is.”
B. The goal of gospel teaching is to produce love out of:
(1) a pure heart
(2) a good conscience
(3) a “faith unfeigned” (1 Timothy 1:5 KJV)
(4) what we want is a faith that is the “real deal.”
C. In future, we won’t be able to “go with the flow.” The flow is moving in too many different directions!
D. It has never been more important to decide what kind of FAITH we’re going to have
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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