Coke or Pepsi? Star Wars or Marvel? Faith or Reason? Our world puts religious faith and rational reason as opposites — like it’s a game of “This or That?” But Peter, one of Jesus’ closest followers, invites us to think differently as Christians. // 1. Think about the definitions of “faith” and “reason.” Are faith and reason opposites? How do they relate? What are the real opposites of “faith” and “reason”? // 2. Now think about two categories: reasonable belief and unreasonable belief. What are some things that belong in either category? (reasonable belief: a chair can hold my weight, an airplane can fly safely in a storm, a rollercoaster can carry me safely, an elevator won’t drop when I step into it... unreasonable belief: the Earth is flat, something bad will happen on Friday the 13th, every dog wants to attack me, there’s monsters in my closet…) In which category does Christianity belong? What are some things about Christianity that might seem unreasonable to believe? (miracles, Jesus rising from the dead, etc.) How would you explain to someone that Christianity is reasonable to believe? // 3. Read Acts 2:1-13. Something pretty hard to believe happens in these verses—what is it? How did the crowd respond? Were they having a hard time reasoning about the Holy Spirit? After Peter gives a sermon about Jesus, what was their response in v.41? How did their reason and faith work together? // 4. What could happen if we only use reason and never have faith? Read James 1:19. What could happen if we only use faith and never have reason? Read Galatians 1:8 and 1 John 4:1.
