Speaker: Lud Kiramidjian Date: 12/17/22 Location: Orinda The apostle Peter exhorts us to always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us. The questions we are asked may be from friendly, non-hostile people who sincerely want to know what we believe. However, Christ warned us that sometimes the questions may be hostile, insincere, confrontational, and adversarial from enemies who want to cause us to stumble. In such situations, Christ tells us not to worry beforehand, or premeditate on what we will speak. If we draw close to God the Father, He will (by the power of the Holy Spirit) give us the right answer in defense of our faith. To illustrate what God promises to do for us if we should ever be confronted with such hostile questioning, this message focuses on two examples (out of many provided in the Gospels) of how God the Father inspired Christ to give amazingly profound answers to clever and confrontational questions hurled at Him by enemies. This message focuses on the following two examples that occurred in Jerusalem on a day near the end of Christ’s earthly ministry: (1) When Pharisees and Herodians tried (but failed) to entrap Jesus with a brilliantly clever question regarding whether or not to pay taxes to the Roman government (Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; and Luke 20:20-26); and (2) When Sadducees tried (but failed) to trip up Jesus with a question regarding whether there will be a resurrection. As God the Father so inspired Christ to give brilliantly profound answers that silenced the questioners and amazed the people, God promises to do the same for us should that situation ever arise in some of our lives in the future. Please Note: Additional messages given in the SF Bay Area congregation may be searched by date, presenter name &/or title at https://www.ucg.org/sermons/all?group=San%20Francisco%20Bay%20Area,%20CA

Lud Kiramidjian