Introduction

·        Illustration: A radical newspaper's abuse of the Promise Keepers organization is typical of how Christianity is viewed by the world.

Christianity has always been in conflict with culture.

·        It is no longer an assumption that Americans are Christians.

·        A dark and tasteless world doesn't want salt and light brought into it.

·        Christians in the Roman Empire were persecuted and killed for not declaring Caesar Lord.

·        Many want to believe that world religions can co-exist, but Christianity the way the Bible teaches it will not tolerate being one of many faiths.

Christianity has always been and will remain a stumbling block and foolishness to unbelievers.

·        1 Corinthians 1:22–23

Mankind continues to seek answers within itself.

·        We still have essentially the same two mindsets competing with Christianity today that Paul had to deal with 1,900 years ago.

·        Many people are looking for signs.

      -     Illustration: People pay $3.99 a minute to talk to someone at the Psychic Friends         Network, looking for signs.

·        Paul contracts those who look to logic and science with those who look to Jesus.

·        Other religions devise plans for people to earn salvation, but Christianity acknowledges that it is impossible for mankind to save itself.

      -     Romans 6:23

Christianity is completely unique.

·        The idea of grace, of God simply giving us salvation because we could not earn it ourselves, is completely unique among all the world's religions.

·        Acts 4:12

Conclusion

·        Jesus' primary mission was not to teach us how to be like God; that was his secondary mission.

·        Jesus' primary mission was to come to this Earth and live in such a way that he satisfied God's standard of holiness and died that God might overlook our sins.

·        Christianity is unique because our faith rests in Christ crucified, not in anything else.