Apologetics Sermon Illustration #58: Man breaks into home with signs “beware of dog” and unbelief

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Point: Presuppositional apologetics as founded by Cornelius Van Til make the point that the evidence for Christianity is plentiful but the reason for the unbelief is because of man’s sinfulness that suppress the truth in unrighteousness.  Sometimes people would object to the apologist and say that that is not true.  As a Christian apologist we say that the reality is there’s times when people can have so much evidence before them and still don’t live it out though the signs of its truth is all around them.  Can we think of an example outside the area of apologetics’ discussion where people chose not to believe the truth even though its obvious all around them but they chose instead to go ahead to live their life a certain way?

Picture: Here is a news story that illustrate the point of Presuppositional apologetics:

MASON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man from Point Pleasant is facing charges after going past several “beware of dog” signs and allegedly breaking into a Mason County Sheriff’s deputy’s home Thursday night.

“(There is) a ‘no trespassing’ sign directly on the gate that he had to open (to get on the property) and there’s also a ‘dog on premise’ sign on the same gate right beside of the ‘no trespassing’ sign,” said Mason County Deputy Jeremy Ferrell, who owns the home.

Aside from those two signs, Deputy Ferrell also has other signs like: “beware of dog” posted on his property along with his K-9 police cruiser that sits beside of his home.

“My cruiser is out beside the house, I have dog signs everywhere, I have two German shepherd statues in front of the house, so it’s obvious there’s big dogs that live here.”

Point Pleasant Police said the suspect is James Will III, who they say is a familiar face to law enforcement.

Deputy Ferrell said after Will came through his back gate, he entered into his basement while the family was home. Ferrell said he heard a noise and went downstairs to check it out.

“I came downstairs, looked to the left (and) saw some person I never seen before in my life, in my basement.”

Deputy Ferrell said at that point, he and Will got into a small fight. It was during that struggle that his current K-9 with the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, a retired K-9 and other German shepherd bit the suspect.

(Source)

I thought this story is crazy.  This home intruder obviously wanted to break into this guy’s house despite all the signs that was available that he shouldn’t do it; what are the reasons and signs?

1. A ‘no trespassing’ sign directly on the gate that he had to open.
2. A ‘Dog on premise’ sign on the same gate right beside of the ‘no trespassing’ sign.”
3. Other signs about dogs.
4. A police cruiser that sits beside the home.
5. Also the police cruiser is marked with “K-9.”
6. Two German shepherd statues in front of the house

Of course the person breaking in can’t say “I didn’t know.”  The responsibility was his not to commit this crime and second he should be observant.

That’s like the atheist saying there’s no proof there’s a God but goes around God’s world.

POSSIBLE SCENARIO FOR EMPLOYING THIS ILLUSTRATION DURING APOLOGETIC EVANGELISM

OPPONENT: I still don’t see clues and proofs for Christianity.

CHRISTIAN: I think the ability to make induction, deduction, the existence of the mind, the laws of logic and morality can only be possible because of the Christian worldview. (See lectures available here)

OPPONENT: But if these signs and proofs exists then why do some people still don’t believe and live their life like there’s no God?

CHRISTIAN: Really?  People don’t always act out rationally even though the signs are all there.  Let me share this news story.  <INSERT ILLUSTRATION>.  Do you think it was rational of the thief to assume there is the existence of no dog?

OPPONENT: No.

CHRISTIAN: Likewise something similar is going on when Romans 1:18 and following teaches people suppress the truth of God!

 

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