Lee Strobel

Lee Strobel @ Saddleback Church 3/19/2017

• Discuss valleys of life today
• Struggled with his dad
  • Had a big argument with his dad day of high school graduation
  • "I don't have enough love for you to fill my little finger."
  • All great philosophers had issues with their dad
    • Freud pointed out that anyone whose father failed them in real life is less likely to accept a heavenly father
    • Thinks this is also why he struggled with atheism
  • Never fully reconciled with his dad
    • The guy who played his dad in the upcoming movie (Robert Forester?) one day stayed in character, walked over to him, put his hand on Lee's shoulder, and said, "I'm sorry."
    • Was a huge healing moment for him.
    • God can use US to help heal someone and get them through a valley.
  • Imagine what the perfect dad would be like
    • Supportive, loving, encouraging, etc… that's what God is like.
    • We all may have some trouble believing in a Father like that because we are let down by our fathers on earth (no one is perfect).
    • Had some surprise during his funeral that told him his dad loved him in ways that he just wasn't able to be expressed. (What was it? See the movie. Don't spoil it.)
• Wife was the one who brought him to God
  • He was about to walk out and divorce her
    • As an Atheist, he told his wife that in two years, he wasn't going to be doing this anymore.
  • He thought she was cheating on him with Jesus
    • Jesus is giving her emotional support so he was out of a job
  • Friend named Linda was giving her good Godly advice and support
    • So that it wouldn't become Linda and Leslie vs Lee when he was trying to find his way
    • That's why small groups are SO important.
    • He felt so alone during that time, and he thought that it wasn't a situation that was redeemable by God.
    • She learned from her valleys.
      • Jesus needed to learn obedience in his lifetime as well.
      • If Jesus needed to learn it, how much more do we need to learn it as well???
• 5 years ago, Lee almost lost his life
  • Serum sodium was 112 (normal is around 140)
    • Brain expands - get confusion, hallucinations, coma, death
      • He had collapsed and wife had found him.
    • Doctor told him "You're one step away from a coma, two steps away from dying."
  • Couldn’t work for 6 months, income was gone.
  • God took the worst thing that could possibly happen in the history of the universe - diocide
    • Diocide - death of Jesus
    • God used that to open up heaven to everyone
    • "If God can take the worst thing to ever happen and use it for good, he could use my health crisis and make good out of that."
      • Lee learned that time is short and became more effective at sharing the story of Jesus with others.
  • His son sensed that he felt far from God while he was confused.
    • His son sat him down and prayed together.
    • Stripped his identity of everything else in this world - dad, son, author, bank account, etc etc.
      • At the end, he was only a "redeemed son of the God most high."
      • It reformed his relationship with God.
      • We don't bring anything to the table. We are given everything as a gift, and it is extremely humble to remind ourselves of that.
      • "We all feel far from God sometimes."
      • "We all need other people to bring us back." We aren't meant to live a Christian life alone.

• People ask "Why does God allow pain and suffering?"
  • He asks "Of all the questions in the universe, why did you ask that one?"
  • Turns out people aren't really looking for a theological answer. Usually they have a personal experience that they are struggling with. That's what they're really after.
    • They need the Jesus in you. God doesn't just give you an answer; He gives you the answerer.
    • You can help them through that struggle, talk to them, hold them.
  • There are about 20 strong lines of evidence that points towards God's existence.
    • Most people counter with "Why is there pain and suffering?"
    • Faith still stands in light of one-counter argument.
    • God created the universe with free will - he did not create evil. He created the POTENTIAL for evil.
      • You cannot create a world of free will without creating the potential for suffering. He does not CREATE suffering. WE are the ones that potentiate suffering.
      • You can't choose to shoot someone with a gun and then blame God.
• Reaching out to people who don't believe
  • His wife left a note saying "God loves you and I do too." LMAO
  • She also left books with lines underlined
  • She eventually learned that it's really about growing your relationship with God and letting others see the changes He makes in our lives that Lee would find attractive
  • He lived a selfish, immature, drunken, self-destructive life (and he loved it)
    • He loved being drunk - friendly drunk who bought everyone drinks
    • Drank an insane amount the first time he ever had alcohol and woke up in a coffin
      • It was Halloween. He got super drunk, went to a sorority house with decorations, climbed into the coffin, and passed out.
      • He probably should've realized at the time that it was a message from God that this drinking thing wasn't going to turn out well LOL
    • When he face valleys as an atheist, he went to the bars.
      • He had no hope. Jesus is the only thing that can really give you hope in those situations.
      • It's VERY difficult to face as an atheist.
• Romans 8:28 - god's plan is for all his believers to bring good to those who believe in him

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

The Case For Christ is probably going to be an amazing movie. Definitely gonna check it out!