Text: Matthew 16:13-18
Topic: Why to believe in the church

• Modern pluralism suggests the church is quaint and irrelevant.
• I believe the church is neither.
  • Matthew 16:18

• Illustration: Kesler details Pascal's Proposition, a philosophical argument that suggests all people need to consider eternal judgment.
  • Illustration: The rabbits of Watership Down illustrate our society's preference to ignore death and eternity in this lengthy retelling of one scene from the tale.

• Scripture gives man more worth than modern philosophy.
  • Psalm 8
  • Illustration: Kesler contrasts Khruschev's philosophy of mankind expendable for society with C.S. Lewis's comparison of the worth of one eternal man to a 5,000 dynasty.
  • Illustration: The heart of a man with a master's degree to translate the Bible into the language of the mere 600 South American Cofan Indians demonstrates the value of every individual to God and his church.

• Illustration: Kesler tells a long story of encountering a youth whose education didn't include any reason not to be violent.
  • Illustration: When nearly all of England was immersed in the slave trade, the conversion of one man, William Wilberforce, to Christianity brought an end to the popular practice.

• The church cares for one another as family.
  • Illustration: Kesler tells two brief stories of people in his church acting as family.
• The church provides forgiveness and understanding in times of trouble.

• Illustration: Kesler describes among other good works, St. Francis' work to alleviate others' suffering.