Episode 90 :: Michael C. Sherrard :: Stories of Relational Apologetics, Loving our Enemies, and Why You Matter
Today is the very last episode of season 2 of the podcast!! And man, is this one incredible episode for us to put a period on the sentence of this season. I’m chatting today with author and pastor Michael Sherrard. Michael and I have a power packed conversation that springs off the heart of his two books Relational Apologetics: Defending the Christian Faith with Holiness, Respect, and Truth and Why You Matter: How Your Quest for Meaning is Meaningless Without God. Michael breaks down for us why there is so much meaning behind knowing the heart of who God is, which impacts knowing our own selves and enhances our ability to love our neighbor and carry the Light for the Gospel in a way that fights against the darkness. We also tackle what so many of us wrestle with when we experience hardship, betrayal or suffering, how the Lord can and will make Himself known in it, and as Michael says “understanding why we matter is an anchor that will help us when we experience the waves of hardship.”
This message is more timely than I can even begin to convey, and even though we recorded it back in the winter, I knew in the marrow of my bones, it was a conversation to save for right now. I don’t know where you are, but I feel like we are in a season where the Lord is asking His people to trim the lamps and keep them burning. I know so many who are weary. I know so many who are frustrated with fellow believers or people who they think are the source of all wrong. Take it all to the Lord. Let Him refine your heart, let Him reveal to you what He sees, then ask Him to show you the stories you need to know Him AND His creation better.
I think one of my favorite (of the many) profound points Michael made in this conversation was this one: If we want to share the Truth of the Gospel with people, we have to be equipped with a language that can meet them where they are and the very real things they are struggling with. “We can’t give textbook answers, when people don’t hold textbook beliefs.” Why relationships matter, loving our neighbor is really all about and how we have a call to love the people we don’t agree with.
I pray that as you go into wherever you are, you can courageously pray for the Lord to light this kind of fire in you, or to help you tenderly breathe life back into the dwindling embers of the fire you once had. The Lord is not through with your story and all of it matters to Him.
Connecting with Michael:
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References:
Reasonable Faith -William Lane Craig
Dominion-Tom Holland- his commentary on how Jesus’s teaching changed the world
Scripture References:
1 Peter 3:15 - always be able to give a defense for the hope within you
Acts 15:2 / Acts 17:2 / “Argue, reason, explain,” in the book of Acts
Ephesians 4:1-6-the Word says to pursue unity, come around one another and bear one another’s burdens
Acts 15-the council at Jerusalem what to do about the Gentiles / How do we practice Judaism, argument over circumcision, etc.
Luke 5:17-39- Paralytic man coming through the roof
Ephesians 4:15-Love their neighbor with gentleness and respect and conversation
Luke 24:13-29- The 2 men on the road to Emmaus
Hebrews 10:24-25- Spur one another on
Luke 22- Jesus knew betrayal
Hebrews 4:15- We have a high priest who can sympathize
2 Timothy 4:16-18- Paul saying “I’ve been left I”m not alone”
2 Timothy 4:8- “I received my crown of righteousness”
Isaiah 40:31- “They that wait upon the Lord”
Romans 8:28 / Psalm 57:2- Our lives have purpose
Genesis 1:1-2 / John 1:1-5- God chose to create
Genesis 1:26-31- We are significant because we are made in God’s image
Leviticus 25-27- Leviticus where so much is taken care of if you keep your promise, but if you break it then… and yet there’s always a way back
Genesis 15:1-15- The covenant where the splitting of animals happens
Matthew 26:36-46- Jesus lonely in the garden
John 14:15-31 // Acts 2:1-41- The Holy Spirit came and now we will never be alone ever again
Matthew 5:43-48- Love your enemies
Psalm 57:4 (one of MANY)- Psalms and David talking about being surrounded by enemies
John 13:35- The world will know Him by our love
Matthew 27:11-26- The leaders of the Law inciting people to murder
Luke 22:54; Matthew 26:57; Mark 14:53; and John 18:12- Sneaking around at night with an illegal trial
John 3:1-21 - Nicodemus approaching to Jesus
Psalm 139:23- Search me and know me, God
Matthew 5:3-8- Message translation of the Beatitudes from the outro
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*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com