Episode 90 :: Michael C. Sherrard :: Stories of Relational Apologetics, Loving our Enemies, and Why You Matter

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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:

Why You Matter

Relational Apologetics 

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References:

Crosspoint in Georgia

Reasonable Faith -William Lane Craig

Apologetics- apologia 

The Bible Recap

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”

God is good

God is loving 

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

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:
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*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com