There is a philosopher… he also is an atheist. His name is Norwood Hanson, and he once wrote the following:

I’m not a stubborn guy. I would become a theist under some conditions (in other words – I would believe in God under some conditions). I’m open-minded – the conditions are these: Suppose, next Tuesday morning - just after breakfast, all of us in this one world are knocked to our knees by a percussive and ear-shattering thunderclap. Snow swirls… leaves drop from trees… the earth heaves and buckles… buildings topple and towers tremble — The sky is ablaze with an eerie silvery light, and just then, as all of the people of this world look up… the heavens open, and the clouds pull apart - revealing an unbelievably radiant and immense Zeuse-like figure - towering over us like a hundred Everest’s. He frowns darkly as lightning plays over the features of his Michelangeloid face, and then he points down… at me… and explains for every man, woman and child to hear: “I’ve had quite enough of your too-cleaver logic chopping and word-watching in matters of theology. Be assured Norwood Russell Hanson, that I do most certainly exist!” (Intelligent Design, Dembski 27)

Wow!…. wow… imagine if that happened! If it did, I think just about anyone would be convinced. In other words, Norwood Hansen said that he would believe in God… if God would just give him an incredible sign. And I must say… what an incredible sign that would be! Cause, if Norwood’s sign came to fruition - that would be a sign of the greatest magnitude! In fact, I think it would be fair to say that if just such a sign occurred… it would be undeniable evidence for the existence of God! So much so, that even a hard core athiest – someone like Norwood – would have come to faith. Or else, simply choose to live in foolish denial. You see – what I’m suggesting, is that if just such a sign occurred… we could know that God is real!

And that’s the question we’re asking this moring… Are you real, God? Are you real?

So, here’s what I want us to do… For the next few minutes I want us to think about… what makes it that way? What makes Norwood Hanson’s sign so powerful - so life changing that if it actually happened… it would make the existence of God undeniable even to a hard-core atheist?
Cause - again…. I think that it is fair to say that if just such a thing happened to any of us…
• We would either believe…
• Or we would simply have to choose… to live the rest of our lives in denial. And that would just be foolish.

So, what is it… What is it that…

What makes Norwood Hanson’s sign so powerful… so life changing?

For the sake of review, Norwood said he would become a theist under some conditions.

The conditions were these…….
• Next Tuesday, just after breakfast, all of the world is knocked to their knees…
• Snow swirls, leaves drop, the earth heaves, the sky is ablaze — and just then, the heavens open up… the clouds pull apart and God points down at him…
• And explains for everyone to hear: “I most certainly exist!”

The question is, what is it that makes this sign so powerful? What makes it so life-changing?

Well, I’ve done a lot of thinking on this, and I believe, really, there are two things — Two things that make this sign so powerful that if it actually occurred we would either have to believe… or simply choose to live in foolish denial.

The two things are these….

1. Norwood’s sign is extraordinary!

You see, what Noorwood describes – with God cracking the sky and yelling at him in front of all of humanity… is not just something that’s beyond ordinary… It’s extraordinary! In fact, it’s so far beyond normal, it demands our attention! And isn’t that part of the why we look for signs in the first place?

I mean, think about it… isn’t it true that we all tend to look for signs — especially when what is being communicated - might be questionable?

ILLUSTRATION: I think the classic example is when we’re entering in to new relationship – a love relationship – or at least we hope it is…
• But the point is – it’s brand new – so we’re not sure.
• We’re not sure what the other person thinks of us: if they like us, if they adore us, if they just think we’re a dweeb – and there’s all that awkwardness???
• So, what do we do? We look for signs!

I remember as I was first getting to know Cortnie (my wife) - I was looking for all the signs… In fact, I was desperate for a sign (pause)
• Now, thankfully – with my keen relational ability – I spotted some… Or at least I… made some up
o You see, I thought the lights were green…
o I found out latter - some were red!
• But I guess I’m just color blind — when it comes to love

POINT… We all tend to look for signs - when reality is questionable. Signs to clue us in.

And isn’t it true… that… the more extraordinary the sign is… the more weight we tend to give it.

ILLUSTRATION: Several years back I was going through a very low point in my life. I’d gone through a relational nightmare… and then stack on top of that a job transition – a reduction in pay – and then I got an infection in my arm & had to go to the hospital to have it x-rayed. Nonetheless, some time later, I went out to the mail box and I came back with a stack of letters. I can remember it clear as day – I sat at my kitchen table. I took the first letter off the stack and it was a bill for $300.00. To be honest it was like a punch to the gut – a final straw! And at the time, I remember feeling like God had abandoned me. And so, after opening this bill, I literally yelled out, “That’s great God! Where am I going to get $300.00?”

And then I reached down and picked up the next envelope in the stack. As I opened it – out fell a personal check – written to me – for exactly… $300.00! (pause)

To be honest… I felt that was a pretty extraordinary sign that God was listening!

You see, the more extraordinary a sign is… the more powerful it becomes! (pause)

But here’s the thing… just because something is extraordinary, that doesn’t mean it’s a sign from God!

But what made the sign undeniable… was the note that came along with the check. You see, this person that I hardly knew - that lived 3 states away - simply wrote that they had been praying and God laid it on their heart to send me some money.

They wrote - and I quote… “God was very specific about the amount – make it $300.00. Any reason for that amount exactly?”

Yeah there was a reason… It was a sign!!!! It was an extraordinary sign that God had not abandoned me!

That’s a true story! (Christmas, 2003)

Now, my sign would have been extraordinary if all that had happened was I got a check for $300.00. But the problem with that - is that I could have rationalized it away! In other words, I could have chalked it up to coincidence – or something like that. But here’s the deal… it was the note that made it undeniable – and here’s why….
• The person that wrote that note… did it before there was ever even a need for $300!
• And the fact that God had told her… “Make it $300… exactly…” Means that it very clearly specified!
• Then add to that – I opened it just after I proclaimed “God, where am I going to get $300!”

POINT: If a sign is not only extraordinary – but clearly specified – and in advance — then it becomes virtually undeniable!

And that’s the second reason that Norwood Hanson’s sign was so powerful!

You see, the first was that…

1. It was extraordinary!

But the second is that it was…

2. Clearly specified… in advance!

Remember, Norwood gave very specific instructions about what his sign was to look like…
• God had to enter his life on Tuesday…
• But not just Tuesday.. Tuesday, in the morning…
• And not just any time in the morning, but just after breakfast…
• And Norwood goes on and on to list more and more specific things that his sign must contain….
You see… the idea of a sign being clearly specified in advance, makes it virtually undeniable… And it does this because it removes the problem of rationalization.

There’s an author – his name is William Dembski, and he illustrates our tendency to rationalize even the most incredible workings of God – and he does this by re-writing a scene from the Simpsons (You know the Simpsons… Bart / Holmer / Marge / Lisa)? Nonetheless, Dembski re-wrote this scene in which Homer is praying to God. It goes something like this…

Homer begins praying…. “I present to you this offering… of cookies and milk. If you want me to eat them for you – God… give me absolutely no sign.” (pause)
- Suddenly, there’s a loud clap of thunder!

Holmer says, “Since it’s raining outside, I expected the thunder.” “Thank you for giving me… no sign.”
- Instantly, there is a powerful earthquake that shakes the house.

Homer continues, “Since we live on a geological fault, mild tremors aren’t out of the ordinarily. Thanks for giving me… no sign.”
- The radio comes on unexpectedly - and the announcer describes the carcinogenic effects
of cookies and milk

Homer declairs, “This part of the country is known for weird atmospheric disturbances, so thanks for giving me… no sign.”
- A loud voice cracks the sky and exclaims, “Homer, you big dummy, this is God–don’t eat
those cookies and milk!”

Whoa! Back in my teenage years I used to drop acid. I’ve had flashbacks and weird mystical experiences ever since. So, God, thank you for giving me absolutely… no sign. Thy will be done!

You see, we laugh… But we laugh because it’s true! We tend to rationalize the most amazing things of God. If something happens that’s literally… extraordinary… we tend to rationalize it away.

(ILL) Think of all the miracles described in the Bible!
• The book Science and the Bible – Christian scientists try to explain how God could have done the miracles.
• They miss the point… they are miracles!

But the POINT is this…

Rationalization goes out the window the instant a sign is not only extraordinary…
but also clearly specified - in advance.

There just becomes no way to rationalize it away… and Norwood Hanson’s sign is not only…

1. Extraordinary…

But it’s also…
2. Clearly Specified…

So, if his sign were to occur – he’d either have to believe - or simply choose to live in denial – and I don’t know about you, but I would say… it would be foolish denial. And that brings me to a fascinating point in this thought experiment: because – you see – God could do all those things - and yet Norwood could still choose to live in denial. In other words, the choice is still his! God doesn’t force us….

And so, I wonder… how many of us are living like Norwood Hansen. We’re saying, “If God would just send me a sign — an extraordinary, clearly specified sign - if he would just do that - well then, of course I would believe!” And we would even go so far as to say, “And if I didn’t believe… then you could call me a fool!”

Well, here’s the thing… perhaps you don’t know that God has already sent just such a sign? He’s already done it! Oh, it wasn’t exactly what Norwood requested, but God’s sign was, indeed…
1. Extraordinary
2. And Clearly specified… well in advance

The sign that I’m referring to, is the death & resurrection of Jesus!

And get this… the fact that no-one has ever died on a cross only to be resurrected three days later - other than Jesus - doesn’t make it any less true… it just makes it all the more extraordinary!

The problem is – if there is to be a problem with the resurrection… is that it’s so extraordinary… that as time has passed… it makes us doubt as to whether or not it ever really occurred!

I mean think about it… Have you ever gone fishing… and then actually - almost caught the REALLY BIG fish?
• What happens when you go back and try to tell your friends about it…
• Yeah, right… Sure….!

You see, the problem is, the more extraordinary the story - the less likely people are to believe it. Even if it’s true!

Check this out… the historian, Luke tells us….

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: `The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others… But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. (Luke 24:1-11)

You see, the problem is, the more extraordinary the story - the less likely people are to believe it. Even if it’s true!
• And then that gets even worse as time passes…
• As we go from generation to generation…
o You see, you might be tempted to believe that God sent me $300 – a few years ago…
o but to raise a corpse – more than 2,0000 years ago?????

You know, the early Christians were aware of this problem? But they were also aware of the significance of God’s sign…

The apostle Paul actually wrote to the early Christians, and said…

If there is no resurrection… then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless and so is our faith. (1 CO 15:13-14)

In other words, the early Christians knew that the resurrection of Jesus was an extraordinary sign… and that if it didn’t actually occur… well then everything they were teaching - everything they were believing … was just meaningless!

But the thing is - they really believed it was true! They really believed that Jesus rose from the grave. And they believed it because they lived it… they experienced it. You see, they touched him… they ate with him… they walked with him.
• In fact, early historians (both Christian & non-Christian) record that many people claimed to have spent time with the risen Christ.
• In fact, the Bible tells us that Jesus appeared to more than 500…
o And not only did he appear – but he did many convincing proofs!
• In other words, there were more than 500 convinced witnesses…
• Different people… in different families… in different situations…
o And they all went home and said, “You’re not going to believe what happened to me today! You’re not going to believe who I walked with… talked to… ate with…”

And here’s something to think about - with both non-Christian & Christian historians saying that there were all these people going around claiming that Jesus had risen! There isn’t even one person that went on record saying - it wasn’t true!
• Oh, there were lots of people that didn’t like Jesus… but no one that said his miracles weren’t real.
• In other words, there wasn’t even one person that went on record saying, “I was there… it didn’t happen!”
• And realize – several of these Jesus sightings occurred in large groups!

You see – here’s where I’m going with this… the Death & Resurrection of Jesus was an extraordinary sign from God! But maybe… you’ve always rationalized it away?

For instance…
• Maybe you’ve just thought… those historians are crazy!
• You can’t trust the Bible!
• Or, maybe you thought the whole thing was faked!
• Or, perhaps you just thought those ancient people were more naive than we are, today. I don’t know – it was 2,000 years ago!

Truth is, I think a lot of people rationalize away the Death & Resurrection of Jesus. But maybe that’s because they don’t realize just how clearly specified – and in advance… God’s sign was.

Cause remember how we said that when a sign is not only extraordinary, but also clearly specified - & in advance… well then, rationalization goes out the window? In other words, you just can’t rationalize away a sign that has been clearly specified in advance. (Do you remember that?)

Well, I wonder if you’re familiar with the fact that…
• In the Old Testament, there are 60 major prophecies that are all fulfilled in the 1 person of Jesus!
• And within those 60 prophecies (if you think of them as a whole unit)… there are more than 250 specific, prophetic, details – Things like…
o He has to come on Tuesday… but not just any time Tuesday – Tuesday before breakfast!
o Ok, that’s not really one of them — but things like that!
o Specific prophetic details – 250 of them!
• And get this… they were ALL fulfilled in the life, death… & resurrection of Jesus!

EXAMPLES —-

o God’s savior had to come from Jesus’ family line
o The savior had to be born in Bethlehem – and yet from Nazareth…
 Even more confusing… he had to come out of Egypt
o His birth had to trigger a massacre of infant boys
o He had to have a ministry of miraculous healings
o He had to be rejected by his own people & hated without a cause
o He had to be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver

Oh, and there’s one more thing I want you to know…
• There is no-one… at least no-one that is an expert in the field… that would deny that these specific, prophetic, details weren’t written long before Jesus was even born.
• In fact, all of them were written at least 400 years before Jesus even lived!
o And that’s just in the Old Testament

You see, the life, death & resurrection of Jesus wasn’t just an extraordinary sign … it was a clearly specified sign!

A sign to let us know that…
• God is real!
• And that Jesus is who he claimed to was!

But even with that, we’re still left with a decision…

Will we believe?

You see, Jesus really is…
• The Messiah - The King of Kings - The Holy One
• The Son of God - The Savior

And on the Cross, he bore the sins of those that would believe & follow him…

The question is…
Will we believe?

And…
What does it mean… to follow him?

Well, here at Colorado Ridge, our goal is to help you understand what it means to follow Christ. But as for today, let me close with this…

There are a couple of things I find ironic about Norwood Hanson’s sign.
• The first, is that Norwood Hanson declared that if God would just send an extraordinary… clearly specified… sign… then he would believe.
o The irony is… God did send just such a sign… but as far as we know, Hanson never believed.
o And he actually died in 1967.
o But let me just comment on that for a second…

You see, some people demand a personal sign… But here’s the thing…
 If God really is real…
 And he is so powerful that he created the entire universe and everything in it…
 Then don’t you think that giving a sign should be on his terms… rather than ours
• I mean, aren’t we just lucky that he sent us an extraordinary – clearly specified sign in the first place?
• And aren’t we arrogant (if not irreverent)… to then further demand our own personal, extraordinary sign?
• I think we are!
o I mean… at what point does God say, Look… isn’t it extraordinary enough?
o Isn’t the death & resurrection of my son enough?

• But there’s another thing I find rather ironic about Norwood Hanson… and his sign - as he described it…
o God, cracking the sky…
o Bringing everyone to their knees…
o Removing all doubt…
o God saying, “I’ve had enough…”
o And even hard-core atheists confessing to the reality of God’s existence.

What’s ironic is that the Bible actually says that just such a thing will occur… and it will occur when Jesus comes again. You see, the Bible describes it this way…
• Jesus will return in the clouds…
• With trumpets blaring…
• And with legions of angels…
• And at that time, every knee will bow… and every tong will confess…
• That Jesus is Lord!

But at that point… we will face the consequence of our decision… to believe & follow (explain)
• And if we decided to believe in Jesus & follow him… according to the Bible we’ll spend eternity with him.
• But if we decided not to believe… well then we’ll be made out to be fools & be eternally separated from him.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Co 1:18)

Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles… (1 Co 1:22)

HOMEWORK:
• Spend some time this week – in silence… meditating on the (personal) ramifications of God’s sign

What do our groups need?

1. Safety
• People feel safe in a group when they know what the rules of the group are.  Are we confidential?  Are we confrontational? 
• Safety comes from helping one another
• Safety is produced by modeling (by the leader and others)
• Establish group norms - because a group will then enforce its norms
2. Prayer
• In doubt about what to say next or how to handle something that comes up in your group? Stop and pray!  Prayer is never a bad thing in a group.
• Pray about where God would take your group, and for each individual in your group.
• Spend time as a group praying for one anothers direct needs - job, health, finances, etc.
3. Community
• Community is messy, but God writes His story in the mess.  With messes, we have to wade into it and figure out how the mess can be converted into healthy product (the speaker used the illustration of a pig farm, that I wont elaborate on!)
• Mess can be a catalyst for transformation.
• There are 3 types of messes - Sin mess (between you and God), Relational mess (when life touches life, conflict between people), and Life mess (just what happens to people in their lives).
• As group leaders, we dont want to be inspectors, who point out all the problems or issues in a group.  We want to be engineers, who look for solutions.

So how do you deal with messes in your groups?

1. When mess happens, acknowledge the mess.  Don’t ignore it.
2. Identify the kind of mess (from the 3 kinds above).
3. Have the right perspective on the mess (is it a mess, or a masterpiece?) (Is it a catalyst for growth, or a by-product of growth?)
4. Talk to the right people - have professionals who can help you if the mess gets out of hand (pastors, counselors)
5. Communicate a Biblical goal (how can God get the glory from this mess?)
6. Know that resolution takes time - fight for community and commit to it!

Remember that Jesus called us to “make” disciples, not “find” them.  That means it’s hard work!  It’s not always rosy, and it’s not always easy to be in community with other flawed people.  But it is what we are commanded to do, and relationships are the only things (besides Christ) that will continue on with us into eternity!