Lee Strobel, an atheist journalist, set out to disprove Jesus but found proof instead.
The episode is a sermon that concludes a preaching series on the letter to the Colossians. It begins by introducing Lee Strobel, author of 'The Case for Christ,' detailing his journey from atheist journalist to Christian believer after attempting to disprove Christianity. The pastor highlights Strobel's past life as a 'drunken, immoral, narcissistic' individual who hid his private struggles behind professional success. This sets up the sermon's central theme: Christians should be 'predictably Christian' in personal, professional, and public life, avoiding hypocrisy. The pastor explains that Paul's letter divides into orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxy (right practice), with today focusing on orthopraxy. He references Palm Sunday, noting how crowds praised Jesus then demanded his crucifixion days later, illustrating fickleness. The sermon walks through Colossians 3:18-4:6, addressing specific roles: wives submitting to husbands, husbands loving wives, children obeying parents, and fathers not provoking children. It emphasizes that these actions are worship, not mere rules. The pastor shares personal confessions about being harsh with his kids and wife, relating to the text. Next, it covers professional life, discussing bondservants and masters, with examples like Joseph, Samuel, David, Daniel, and Jesus serving under ungodly authority. A story about Monty Desimantes at In-N-Out shows how work can be ministry. Another anecdote involves a man fired for evangelism at work, whom the pastor critiques for neglecting his job duties. The final section on public life encourages prayer, watchfulness, and gracious speech toward outsiders, using Paul's imprisonment and a death row inmate's devotionals as examples. The pastor contrasts two Fridays—one wasted, one fruitful—to demonstrate opportunities for gospel engagement. He lists names from Colossians 4, showing Paul's relational network. The sermon circles back to Lee Strobel, recounting how he invited a coworker to church, leading to that man's family converting years later. It closes with Lifeway Research stating 80% of people would accept a church invitation, urging listeners to invite others for Easter.
