Sharing Scripture — December 17, 2022

Texts: Luke 2:52; Matthew 4:23; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; Psalm 24:3, 4; Acts 8:4–24; 1 John 3:1–3

Can one thinker really change the world?

Since his Twitter takeover, Elon Musk plummeted from Time’s 2021 Person of the Year to the floundering Twitter fanatic. Although his free speech campaign and recent actions to release government-related documents are applauded by some, many believe Musk’s latest strategies fall flat, already reflected in his $4.7 billion drop to second-richest person in the world.

But despite his detractors, the zillionaire — inventor, visionary, dare we say genius — has launched humanity into a new realm of exploration.

Musk’s SpaceX gives us Starlink and the potential of safe travel to Mars. His company Tesla may be one answer to reducing our carbon footprint (what to do with the batteries is another question). He may also soon create brain chips that take us one step closer to cyborgism … although, Neuralink must navigate its way around animal testing first.

Whether or not his investments prove successful, the Twitter CEO has already left indelible marks in human history by living out his philosophy.

All it takes is one charismatic thinker for a movement to surge behind a philosophy.

Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle fathered the golden era of Greek Philosophy, and we still study their methods today. John Locke, though English, is one of the greatest American idealists we’ve seen. Sigmund Freud scarred us with his theories of emotional development and yet continues influencing the field of psychology. Mahatma Gandhi’s example inspires nonviolent revolutions for civil rights around the world. And Charles Darwin’s seismic development of the theory of evolution by natural selection permeates the curriculum of every public school in the Western world.

And most importantly, Jesus Christ, despite being the son of a lowly carpenter and His upbringing in the ghetto (John 1:45-46), changed the world by preaching the gospel and literally living it out.

Although most of the world ridiculed Christ, the disciples continued spreading the gospel and dying as martyrs.

The Scriptures are clear that persecution of believers will not cease until the Second Coming. Many will die living out their philosophy, their worldview based on what the Scriptures reveal of God’s character.

Praying for Holy Spirit’s guidance and transformation of our hearts, joyfully spending time with God, modeling our lives on that of Jesus’ (including treating the body as the temple of God), sharing God’s love to others, learning the Scriptures, and keeping ourselves eager for the Second Coming are good indicators that we are also following Jesus’ philosophy.

 

Sharing: One of your best friends claims Elon Musk is the antichrist, and your other bestie wants him to run for President of the United States. They’re about to break into a heated argument. What do you do?

1. Try to distract them with another topic
2. Try my hand at mediation
3. Remind them that Musk is a flawed human being but not Satan incarnate
4. Avoid them until they’re done
5. Ask them to join me in a Bible study to study about Jesus and the End-Times
6. Other:

Applying: Draw a simple diagram (or plan an active learning exercise) that expresses how a Biblical worldview impacts one’s lifestyle and spiritual welfare. Share it with friends and ask for feedback so that when the time comes, you can explain the concept to someone who has not yet found or accepted Christ.

~Stefani Leeper