WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.320
 We're going to finish off Act 17.

00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:07.799
 And it's going to be good to be in this chapter for a number of weeks.

00:00:08.700 --> 00:00:11.460
 And really this morning I just want to tie up a couple of loose ends.

00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:13.540
 Two things.

00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:17.240
 I want us to see, first of all, the relevance of Paul's preaching.

00:00:18.240 --> 00:00:21.420
 And then I want us to see the response to Paul's preaching.

00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:24.760
 The relevance of Paul's preaching.

00:00:25.820 --> 00:00:29.740
 If you want to sell something in the marketplace,

00:00:29.739 --> 00:00:33.119
 then you need to advertise it, don't you, in as few words as possible.

00:00:33.619 --> 00:00:38.579
 If you're going to sell something on eBay, like some of you do,

00:00:39.099 --> 00:00:43.219
 one of the key things in the description is the brevity, isn't it?

00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:47.840
 You don't want to write on eBay a really kind of long description.

00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:51.980
 People don't have time, do they, to read all the blurbs.

00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:56.019
 So if you want to catch people's attention and you need to do so quickly,

00:00:56.579 --> 00:00:58.859
 you need a brief phrase, you need a catchphrase.

00:00:58.859 --> 00:01:04.039
 You need a couple of appropriate words to catch people's attention,

00:01:04.180 --> 00:01:05.420
 to claim people's attention.

00:01:06.519 --> 00:01:09.379
 And that's not only good salesmanship, that's good preaching.

00:01:10.659 --> 00:01:17.980
 Any preacher worth his salts should be able to summarize his sermons in a few words.

00:01:19.780 --> 00:01:22.140
 I do the children's sheets, so you children have got the sheets.

00:01:22.140 --> 00:01:25.340
 And what I often find is that as I seek to summarize the sermon,

00:01:26.099 --> 00:01:29.920
 my sermon often unravels when I'm doing the children's sheets.

00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:34.739
 And as I try to contract the sermon and think this is what I'm trying to say,

00:01:34.819 --> 00:01:37.460
 what I often find is my sermon isn't logical at all.

00:01:38.260 --> 00:01:39.579
 And it's good for preachers.

00:01:40.299 --> 00:01:43.879
 If you've got to just reduce the sermon to ten words,

00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:44.879
 what would those ten words be?

00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:47.699
 And you can't do that with lots of preachers,

00:01:47.819 --> 00:01:49.259
 but you can do it with the apostle Paul.

00:01:50.119 --> 00:01:52.459
 And that's exactly what Luke does with Paul.

00:01:52.739 --> 00:01:54.500
 Luke is the author of the Acts of the Apostles,

00:01:54.579 --> 00:01:57.560
 and he sums up Paul's preaching in Athens in two words.

00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:00.399
 You can see them in verse 18.

00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:04.399
 Paul preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

00:02:05.459 --> 00:02:05.919
 There it is.

00:02:06.140 --> 00:02:07.519
 Paul's preaching in a nutshell.

00:02:07.979 --> 00:02:09.340
 That short hand, if you like.

00:02:10.139 --> 00:02:10.620
 Two words.

00:02:10.740 --> 00:02:11.099
 Jesus.

00:02:13.180 --> 00:02:13.539
 Resurrection.

00:02:15.299 --> 00:02:16.539
 There's quite a bit of confusion about that.

00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:19.800
 They didn't quite understand that at first.

00:02:19.979 --> 00:02:21.039
 They didn't know what he was talking about.

00:02:21.079 --> 00:02:21.819
 Look at verse 18.

00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:26.680
 They think, Paul, are you trying to introduce a couple of new gods

00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:28.960
 to their overcrowded pantheon?

00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:31.259
 Foreign deities.

00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:33.780
 And they were interested in that.

00:02:33.819 --> 00:02:35.159
 There's an element of confusion here.

00:02:35.159 --> 00:02:38.099
 But be that as it may be,

00:02:38.659 --> 00:02:39.659
 and they got the message.

00:02:40.859 --> 00:02:43.240
 They got the distinct impression in Paul's preaching.

00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:46.539
 And you wouldn't get it, I think, from a lot of preaching today.

00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:49.699
 They got the distinct impression from Paul's preaching

00:02:49.699 --> 00:02:52.319
 that he was setting up Jesus as God.

00:02:54.159 --> 00:02:55.579
 At least they understood that much.

00:02:56.759 --> 00:02:57.740
 In all their confusion,

00:02:58.680 --> 00:02:59.859
 they understood this much,

00:02:59.919 --> 00:03:02.460
 that whatever else Paul was saying about Jesus,

00:03:02.460 --> 00:03:03.900
 he was saying that Jesus was God.

00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:06.560
 There can be no doubt,

00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:09.620
 Paul preached Jesus as the God-man.

00:03:10.079 --> 00:03:13.539
 We've seen him in Acts 17 that he preached about God,

00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:15.960
 and he preached about man,

00:03:16.340 --> 00:03:19.620
 but he also preached that God became man.

00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:25.099
 That this great God who doesn't dwell in buildings made with hands,

00:03:25.460 --> 00:03:28.579
 this God who is the creator and the sustainer of the universe,

00:03:28.580 --> 00:03:31.600
 the one who has made us,

00:03:32.460 --> 00:03:36.500
 but this God became a man and lived amongst us.

00:03:36.660 --> 00:03:37.640
 He dwelt in our midst,

00:03:38.540 --> 00:03:39.920
 in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:42.780
 And that is the focus of Paul's preaching.

00:03:43.880 --> 00:03:45.300
 That is the focal point.

00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:47.020
 He preached about God,

00:03:47.240 --> 00:03:48.880
 he preached about man,

00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:50.760
 and he focused on Jesus,

00:03:50.980 --> 00:03:51.600
 the God-man.

00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:54.919
 And he particularly focused on Jesus and the resurrection.

00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:57.539
 He focused on the person and work of Jesus.

00:03:57.960 --> 00:03:59.680
 So there are some people that come to Acts 17,

00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:00.099
 and they say,

00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:00.539
 well,

00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:02.259
 Paul didn't preach the cross.

00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:04.079
 That's nonsense.

00:04:05.459 --> 00:04:07.460
 Because the resurrection includes the cross.

00:04:08.759 --> 00:04:10.419
 You can't have a resurrection,

00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:11.060
 can you,

00:04:11.079 --> 00:04:12.120
 unless someone has died.

00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:16.060
 You can't preach the resurrection

00:04:16.060 --> 00:04:18.100
 without speaking about the death of Christ

00:04:18.100 --> 00:04:19.220
 and the meaning of his death.

00:04:19.879 --> 00:04:22.120
 And so this is the focus of Paul's preaching in Athens.

00:04:23.399 --> 00:04:25.540
 He preached Jesus and the resurrection.

00:04:25.980 --> 00:04:28.420
 He preached the person and the work of Christ.

00:04:28.939 --> 00:04:30.340
 And Jesus and the resurrection

00:04:30.340 --> 00:04:32.399
 always go together in apostolic preaching.

00:04:33.860 --> 00:04:35.800
 As far as the early Christians were concerned,

00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:38.180
 the resurrection was the supreme evidence

00:04:38.180 --> 00:04:39.819
 that Christianity was true.

00:04:39.819 --> 00:04:44.659
 It was a sign that they pointed to.

00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:47.959
 It was a sign that Jesus pointed to

00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:49.819
 when he refused any other sign.

00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:53.120
 So in the days of his flesh,

00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:54.060
 they kept coming to him,

00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:54.399
 didn't they?

00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:55.100
 And they say,

00:04:55.219 --> 00:04:56.219
 if you are the Messiah,

00:04:57.100 --> 00:04:59.219
 if you are who you say you are,

00:04:59.899 --> 00:05:00.839
 if you are the Son of God,

00:05:00.899 --> 00:05:01.539
 show us a sign.

00:05:02.779 --> 00:05:04.199
 Do something in the heavens.

00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:05.639
 Do some kind of conjuring trick

00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:06.560
 with the stars,

00:05:06.759 --> 00:05:07.959
 and then we'll believe you.

00:05:07.959 --> 00:05:09.959
 Do some kind of miracle.

00:05:11.359 --> 00:05:12.620
 And Jesus refused to do that.

00:05:14.779 --> 00:05:15.399
 In fact,

00:05:15.500 --> 00:05:17.159
 the only sign that Jesus pointed to

00:05:17.159 --> 00:05:18.359
 was the sign of his resurrection.

00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:19.680
 And so he says,

00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:20.039
 doesn't he,

00:05:20.259 --> 00:05:22.599
 just as Jonah was in the belly of a fish

00:05:22.599 --> 00:05:24.500
 for three days and three nights,

00:05:26.099 --> 00:05:27.079
 so the Son of Man

00:05:27.079 --> 00:05:28.579
 will be three days and three nights

00:05:28.579 --> 00:05:29.859
 in the belly of the earth.

00:05:31.179 --> 00:05:32.539
 He said to them on another occasion,

00:05:32.620 --> 00:05:32.959
 do you remember?

00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:35.399
 I will destroy this temple,

00:05:35.919 --> 00:05:37.060
 and in three days

00:05:37.060 --> 00:05:38.239
 I will rise it up again.

00:05:39.019 --> 00:05:40.019
 And John tells us,

00:05:40.060 --> 00:05:40.319
 doesn't he,

00:05:40.479 --> 00:05:42.839
 that the body that Jesus was talking about

00:05:42.839 --> 00:05:43.739
 was his own body.

00:05:47.379 --> 00:05:49.599
 The only sign that Jesus pointed to

00:05:49.599 --> 00:05:50.259
 was the resurrection.

00:05:52.699 --> 00:05:54.079
 Sometimes people say to us,

00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:54.419
 don't they,

00:05:55.419 --> 00:05:58.159
 if you could produce some non-Christian

00:05:58.159 --> 00:05:59.179
 witnesses

00:05:59.179 --> 00:06:01.199
 to the resurrection,

00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:02.420
 I believe.

00:06:04.060 --> 00:06:04.920
 There aren't any.

00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:07.560
 Of course there aren't any.

00:06:08.579 --> 00:06:09.000
 Why?

00:06:10.039 --> 00:06:10.979
 Because the resurrection

00:06:10.979 --> 00:06:12.019
 makes people Christians.

00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:14.079
 Of course,

00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:15.099
 there aren't any

00:06:15.099 --> 00:06:16.339
 non-Christian witnesses

00:06:16.339 --> 00:06:17.579
 to the resurrection.

00:06:18.019 --> 00:06:19.819
 The resurrection is the sign.

00:06:20.180 --> 00:06:20.980
 It is the evidence

00:06:20.980 --> 00:06:22.360
 that Christianity is true.

00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:24.759
 And the apostles preached that.

00:06:24.819 --> 00:06:25.639
 They weren't ashamed of it.

00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:28.500
 They didn't preach it

00:06:28.500 --> 00:06:29.300
 in the way that we do.

00:06:29.300 --> 00:06:30.379
 And so,

00:06:30.540 --> 00:06:31.020
 very often,

00:06:31.180 --> 00:06:33.259
 when people talk about the resurrection,

00:06:34.860 --> 00:06:36.379
 well,

00:06:36.400 --> 00:06:37.000
 they may say this.

00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:37.460
 They say,

00:06:37.740 --> 00:06:39.939
 you ask me how I know he lives.

00:06:41.180 --> 00:06:42.960
 He lives within my heart.

00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:43.800
 You know that hymn?

00:06:45.740 --> 00:06:47.460
 You ask me how I know he lives.

00:06:47.540 --> 00:06:48.500
 He lives within my heart.

00:06:48.580 --> 00:06:49.400
 Sounds very spiritual,

00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:49.840
 doesn't it?

00:06:50.660 --> 00:06:52.519
 Jesus lives on in the human heart.

00:06:52.519 --> 00:06:56.139
 That's not what the apostles preached at all.

00:06:58.199 --> 00:06:59.219
 The apostles didn't preach

00:06:59.219 --> 00:07:01.339
 their subjective experience

00:07:01.339 --> 00:07:02.399
 of the resurrection.

00:07:02.799 --> 00:07:04.959
 They preached the objective reality of it

00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:06.199
 in space and time

00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:07.099
 in human history.

00:07:07.539 --> 00:07:10.479
 That God raised a man from the dead

00:07:10.479 --> 00:07:11.879
 called Jesus of Nazareth.

00:07:13.159 --> 00:07:14.620
 And that's the very heart

00:07:14.620 --> 00:07:16.159
 of the gospel that Paul preached.

00:07:16.479 --> 00:07:17.740
 The apostolic gospel.

00:07:18.539 --> 00:07:20.779
 The resurrection vindicates Jesus.

00:07:20.779 --> 00:07:21.000
 It is.

00:07:21.639 --> 00:07:22.119
 Doesn't it?

00:07:24.179 --> 00:07:24.839
 Do you remember how

00:07:24.839 --> 00:07:27.359
 Peter preached it earlier on in Acts?

00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:29.939
 He comes to the very town

00:07:29.939 --> 00:07:31.159
 where Jesus was crucified

00:07:31.159 --> 00:07:32.199
 and he says to the people,

00:07:32.599 --> 00:07:34.000
 you crucified him,

00:07:34.739 --> 00:07:35.959
 God raised him.

00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:38.819
 You've got a problem,

00:07:38.919 --> 00:07:39.119
 haven't you?

00:07:40.159 --> 00:07:40.879
 You've got a problem

00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:41.779
 because you thought

00:07:41.779 --> 00:07:43.059
 that he was worth nothing.

00:07:43.419 --> 00:07:44.339
 You wrote him off.

00:07:44.699 --> 00:07:45.079
 You thought,

00:07:45.179 --> 00:07:46.439
 we're finished with him now.

00:07:46.799 --> 00:07:47.739
 He was an imposter.

00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:49.159
 You wrote him off.

00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:51.120
 But what did God do?

00:07:51.260 --> 00:07:53.220
 God raised him from the dead.

00:07:54.780 --> 00:07:56.280
 And your opinion of Jesus

00:07:56.280 --> 00:07:58.380
 is diametrically opposed

00:07:58.380 --> 00:08:00.280
 to what God thinks of Jesus.

00:08:01.440 --> 00:08:02.320
 And you thought

00:08:02.320 --> 00:08:03.620
 that he was worth nothing,

00:08:03.960 --> 00:08:05.460
 but God has raised him.

00:08:06.860 --> 00:08:07.520
 And the resurrection

00:08:07.520 --> 00:08:08.720
 vindicates Jesus.

00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:10.800
 And it doesn't only vindicate Jesus,

00:08:10.940 --> 00:08:12.000
 it sets him apart

00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:13.340
 and it singles him out

00:08:13.340 --> 00:08:14.620
 from all other men.

00:08:14.620 --> 00:08:17.600
 from every single figure,

00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:20.360
 from every central figure

00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:21.280
 of world religions.

00:08:22.579 --> 00:08:23.939
 And that's what Paul says

00:08:23.939 --> 00:08:24.840
 to the Athenians.

00:08:25.259 --> 00:08:26.720
 This is the man,

00:08:26.819 --> 00:08:27.319
 quite literally.

00:08:28.500 --> 00:08:30.800
 The man whom God has appointed

00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:32.419
 to deal with the sin question.

00:08:33.860 --> 00:08:34.620
 And he's given us

00:08:34.620 --> 00:08:35.440
 assurance of that,

00:08:35.500 --> 00:08:36.720
 he says in verse 31,

00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:37.919
 by raising him from the dead.

00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:41.039
 He hasn't raised Buddha

00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:41.579
 from the dead.

00:08:43.459 --> 00:08:44.819
 Mohammed lies

00:08:44.819 --> 00:08:46.199
 a-mouldering in the grave.

00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:47.379
 You go and you visit

00:08:47.379 --> 00:08:48.419
 the tombs of these people.

00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:51.159
 Their shrines are there

00:08:51.159 --> 00:08:51.639
 to go to,

00:08:51.719 --> 00:08:52.979
 but Jesus is alive.

00:08:54.439 --> 00:08:55.279
 And he's been raised

00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:55.779
 from the dead

00:08:55.779 --> 00:08:56.559
 and the resurrection

00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:58.019
 singles out Jesus

00:08:58.019 --> 00:08:59.019
 and it sets him apart

00:08:59.019 --> 00:09:00.679
 from every other great name

00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:01.399
 in world history.

00:09:02.599 --> 00:09:03.980
 That this is the man

00:09:03.980 --> 00:09:06.379
 whom God has appointed

00:09:06.379 --> 00:09:09.620
 to deal with the sin question

00:09:09.620 --> 00:09:10.360
 one way or another.

00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:13.620
 This is the one

00:09:13.620 --> 00:09:14.820
 whom God has set apart

00:09:14.820 --> 00:09:15.340
 to deal with

00:09:15.340 --> 00:09:16.080
 the greatest problem

00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:17.080
 that you and I have.

00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:20.420
 The problem of sin.

00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:23.600
 And Jesus Christ

00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:24.580
 will deal with

00:09:24.580 --> 00:09:25.680
 that great problem

00:09:25.680 --> 00:09:27.220
 in one of two places.

00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:29.740
 Either in his death

00:09:29.740 --> 00:09:30.659
 upon a cross

00:09:30.659 --> 00:09:32.019
 or upon the judgment day

00:09:32.019 --> 00:09:32.920
 when he comes back.

00:09:33.980 --> 00:09:35.860
 Because he is the man

00:09:35.860 --> 00:09:36.740
 that God has appointed

00:09:36.740 --> 00:09:37.560
 to deal with

00:09:37.560 --> 00:09:38.860
 the problem of human sin.

00:09:38.940 --> 00:09:39.120
 You see,

00:09:39.460 --> 00:09:40.700
 we are not going to meet

00:09:40.700 --> 00:09:41.920
 an unknown God.

00:09:43.680 --> 00:09:44.759
 On the day of judgment

00:09:44.759 --> 00:09:45.779
 it will be Jesus

00:09:45.779 --> 00:09:47.000
 who we will meet.

00:09:48.100 --> 00:09:49.300
 The man whom God

00:09:49.300 --> 00:09:49.820
 has appointed

00:09:49.820 --> 00:09:51.440
 and God has chosen

00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:52.680
 to reveal himself

00:09:52.680 --> 00:09:54.620
 and to reconcile himself

00:09:54.620 --> 00:09:55.779
 to sinful men and women

00:09:55.779 --> 00:09:56.500
 and boys and girls.

00:09:57.740 --> 00:09:59.200
 And God has chosen Jesus

00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:00.420
 for that purpose

00:10:00.420 --> 00:10:01.560
 and the resurrection

00:10:01.560 --> 00:10:02.440
 sets him apart

00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:03.519
 in the most powerful way.

00:10:03.980 --> 00:10:07.740
 Is God saying

00:10:07.740 --> 00:10:09.320
 in the most emphatic

00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:10.360
 and the most eloquent

00:10:10.360 --> 00:10:11.120
 way possible,

00:10:11.620 --> 00:10:13.360
 this is my beloved son

00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:16.279
 with whom I am well pleased.

00:10:17.639 --> 00:10:18.159
 Hear him.

00:10:19.920 --> 00:10:21.080
 It is God's guarantee,

00:10:21.240 --> 00:10:21.560
 isn't it?

00:10:22.940 --> 00:10:24.000
 It is God's guarantee

00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:25.279
 that it is not written

00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:26.639
 on a scrap of paper.

00:10:26.800 --> 00:10:29.279
 You buy a washing machine

00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:31.659
 and you get a guarantee,

00:10:31.860 --> 00:10:32.179
 don't you?

00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:33.659
 And it is written down

00:10:33.659 --> 00:10:34.079
 on paper.

00:10:34.220 --> 00:10:35.179
 It is stuck in an email

00:10:35.179 --> 00:10:35.740
 attachment.

00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:37.839
 Something goes wrong

00:10:37.839 --> 00:10:39.159
 and you can't find it

00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:39.959
 but God has given

00:10:39.959 --> 00:10:40.459
 a guarantee

00:10:40.459 --> 00:10:41.199
 and he has written it

00:10:41.199 --> 00:10:41.899
 in human history

00:10:41.899 --> 00:10:42.879
 and he has written it

00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:43.819
 in time and space.

00:10:44.959 --> 00:10:45.720
 And it is there

00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:46.659
 for people to examine.

00:10:47.139 --> 00:10:48.079
 God has given us

00:10:48.079 --> 00:10:48.620
 assurance

00:10:48.620 --> 00:10:50.659
 of this very thing

00:10:50.659 --> 00:10:52.579
 by raising Jesus

00:10:52.579 --> 00:10:53.279
 from the dead.

00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:57.240
 He is underwritten

00:10:57.240 --> 00:10:58.000
 if I can put it like that,

00:10:58.059 --> 00:10:58.579
 the whole mission

00:10:58.579 --> 00:10:59.059
 of Jesus

00:10:59.059 --> 00:11:00.159
 by the resurrection.

00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:03.720
 Let's say

00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:05.079
 you get an insurance policy

00:11:05.079 --> 00:11:06.600
 and you have

00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:07.319
 an insurance policy

00:11:07.319 --> 00:11:08.600
 and in the small print

00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:09.600
 it says this policy

00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:10.279
 is underwritten

00:11:10.279 --> 00:11:12.139
 by Lloyds of London.

00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:14.919
 And you are given

00:11:14.919 --> 00:11:15.579
 assurance, aren't you?

00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:16.059
 Because you think,

00:11:16.139 --> 00:11:16.279
 well,

00:11:16.959 --> 00:11:17.659
 if Lloyds of London

00:11:17.659 --> 00:11:18.240
 underwrite it,

00:11:18.339 --> 00:11:19.699
 it surely must be valid.

00:11:19.700 --> 00:11:22.259
 But verse 31

00:11:22.259 --> 00:11:23.420
 of Acts 17

00:11:23.420 --> 00:11:24.220
 is telling you

00:11:24.220 --> 00:11:25.560
 that God has underwritten

00:11:25.560 --> 00:11:26.400
 the claims of Jesus.

00:11:27.040 --> 00:11:27.940
 This man.

00:11:32.900 --> 00:11:34.600
 Why this one man?

00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:38.340
 Why Jesus of Nazareth?

00:11:40.140 --> 00:11:41.700
 Why does everyone,

00:11:42.540 --> 00:11:43.640
 all people,

00:11:43.900 --> 00:11:44.440
 everywhere,

00:11:44.580 --> 00:11:46.080
 need to come to this one man,

00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:47.060
 to Jesus of Nazareth?

00:11:47.059 --> 00:11:50.959
 Can't people

00:11:50.959 --> 00:11:51.759
 have their own Jesus?

00:11:54.119 --> 00:11:55.139
 Well, because Jesus

00:11:55.139 --> 00:11:56.559
 is the man

00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:57.479
 whom God has appointed.

00:11:58.079 --> 00:11:59.919
 He is the universal man.

00:12:02.059 --> 00:12:03.779
 He is the inescapable man.

00:12:05.319 --> 00:12:06.139
 He is the man

00:12:06.139 --> 00:12:07.039
 with whom you have to do.

00:12:08.699 --> 00:12:10.059
 And God has appointed him

00:12:10.059 --> 00:12:10.859
 to deal with

00:12:10.859 --> 00:12:12.179
 your greatest problem,

00:12:12.779 --> 00:12:13.899
 your problem of sin

00:12:13.899 --> 00:12:14.939
 once and for all

00:12:14.939 --> 00:12:16.019
 in one way or another.

00:12:16.019 --> 00:12:17.519
 either in salvation

00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:18.259
 at the cross

00:12:18.259 --> 00:12:19.000
 or in judgment

00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:19.939
 on the day of judgment.

00:12:21.460 --> 00:12:22.620
 And this is the man

00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:23.500
 with whom you and I

00:12:23.500 --> 00:12:24.360
 have to do

00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:25.779
 and God has underwritten that.

00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:27.460
 And God has given

00:12:27.460 --> 00:12:28.519
 assurance to you

00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:28.840
 of that

00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:29.480
 by raising him

00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:29.980
 from the dead.

00:12:32.120 --> 00:12:33.899
 And God is saying

00:12:33.899 --> 00:12:34.779
 to you this morning,

00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:35.360
 in effect,

00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:36.419
 you can trust him

00:12:36.419 --> 00:12:37.139
 with your soul

00:12:37.139 --> 00:12:37.799
 and with your life.

00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:41.319
 He's saying to you,

00:12:41.319 --> 00:12:41.740
 you can believe

00:12:41.740 --> 00:12:43.000
 everything that he's said

00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:43.519
 about himself,

00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:44.620
 everything he's claimed,

00:12:44.620 --> 00:12:45.580
 everything he's said

00:12:45.580 --> 00:12:46.259
 about his person,

00:12:46.620 --> 00:12:48.860
 every claim that he's made

00:12:48.860 --> 00:12:49.360
 about his work,

00:12:49.399 --> 00:12:50.519
 you can rely on him.

00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:51.879
 Says God,

00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:53.259
 this is my beloved son

00:12:53.259 --> 00:12:54.120
 with whom I'm well pleased.

00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:56.519
 And the resurrection

00:12:56.519 --> 00:12:57.419
 sets him apart.

00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:01.000
 The resurrection vindicates him

00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:02.000
 and the resurrection

00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:03.440
 universalizes him.

00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:07.260
 Just think for a moment.

00:13:08.340 --> 00:13:09.320
 If only I'd been there

00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:12.220
 when Jesus was alive.

00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:12.960
 You hear that,

00:13:13.040 --> 00:13:13.300
 isn't it?

00:13:13.940 --> 00:13:14.600
 It's awful in Bibles.

00:13:14.700 --> 00:13:16.680
 If only I'd been living

00:13:16.680 --> 00:13:18.180
 when that man

00:13:18.180 --> 00:13:19.420
 was lowered through the roof

00:13:19.420 --> 00:13:21.240
 and met Jesus.

00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:21.580
 Well,

00:13:21.880 --> 00:13:22.740
 let's think about that.

00:13:22.800 --> 00:13:23.680
 How would you have got

00:13:23.680 --> 00:13:24.380
 to meet Jesus

00:13:24.380 --> 00:13:26.320
 in the first century?

00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:29.900
 How easy was it

00:13:29.900 --> 00:13:30.560
 to meet Jesus

00:13:30.560 --> 00:13:31.380
 in the first century?

00:13:31.379 --> 00:13:36.039
 How would you have

00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:36.500
 got to meet him?

00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:36.639
 Well,

00:13:36.700 --> 00:13:37.620
 with great difficulty,

00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:38.939
 if you were living here,

00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:40.379
 that would have been

00:13:40.379 --> 00:13:41.000
 particularly difficult,

00:13:41.059 --> 00:13:41.299
 isn't it?

00:13:41.340 --> 00:13:41.939
 You couldn't have gone

00:13:41.939 --> 00:13:42.480
 to Heathrow.

00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:46.919
 COVID restrictions

00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:47.700
 wouldn't let you fly anyway,

00:13:47.779 --> 00:13:48.419
 but you wouldn't have

00:13:48.419 --> 00:13:49.220
 been able to get there.

00:13:49.899 --> 00:13:50.480
 But let's say you,

00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:51.559
 let's say you could

00:13:51.559 --> 00:13:52.500
 get on board a plane

00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:53.720
 and you could have

00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:54.399
 got to Palestine

00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:55.200
 in the first century.

00:13:55.320 --> 00:13:55.659
 You would have

00:13:55.659 --> 00:13:56.779
 had great difficulty

00:13:56.779 --> 00:13:57.679
 locating Jesus.

00:13:57.679 --> 00:13:59.959
 And then you'd have

00:13:59.959 --> 00:14:00.599
 queued up with all

00:14:00.599 --> 00:14:01.439
 the other crowds.

00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:01.779
 You see,

00:14:02.339 --> 00:14:03.739
 the point of the resurrection

00:14:03.739 --> 00:14:05.079
 and the ascension

00:14:05.079 --> 00:14:05.719
 is that

00:14:05.719 --> 00:14:08.279
 Jesus is alive

00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:10.359
 and it universalizes him.

00:14:11.739 --> 00:14:12.839
 It universalizes

00:14:12.839 --> 00:14:13.599
 his availability

00:14:13.599 --> 00:14:15.339
 and his accessibility.

00:14:15.899 --> 00:14:16.620
 He is now

00:14:16.620 --> 00:14:17.279
 at the right hand

00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:18.299
 of the majesty on high.

00:14:20.659 --> 00:14:21.859
 Let me use

00:14:21.859 --> 00:14:22.779
 the Puritan illustration.

00:14:23.139 --> 00:14:24.179
 You think of the illustration

00:14:24.179 --> 00:14:24.839
 of the sun.

00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:27.960
 So when you get up

00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:28.879
 early in the morning

00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:31.139
 and you see

00:14:31.139 --> 00:14:32.240
 the sun

00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:33.820
 in the distance

00:14:33.820 --> 00:14:34.700
 rising,

00:14:36.019 --> 00:14:36.680
 you see the sun

00:14:36.680 --> 00:14:38.280
 in this big ball

00:14:38.280 --> 00:14:39.120
 on the horizon

00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:41.420
 and you see it

00:14:41.420 --> 00:14:42.320
 coming up

00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:44.300
 and it's cold

00:14:44.300 --> 00:14:44.920
 in the morning

00:14:44.920 --> 00:14:47.620
 and you see the sun

00:14:47.620 --> 00:14:48.259
 but you don't feel

00:14:48.259 --> 00:14:49.220
 the heat of the sun

00:14:49.220 --> 00:14:49.639
 yet.

00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:51.540
 And it seems

00:14:51.540 --> 00:14:52.660
 so near to you

00:14:52.660 --> 00:14:53.259
 but you don't get

00:14:53.259 --> 00:14:54.480
 any advantage of it.

00:14:55.320 --> 00:14:56.259
 But then as the sun

00:14:56.259 --> 00:14:57.879
 rises so that it's

00:14:57.879 --> 00:14:58.800
 up in the sky

00:14:58.800 --> 00:15:00.040
 at midday,

00:15:00.100 --> 00:15:01.320
 you can't even gaze

00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:02.000
 on the sun

00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:03.019
 because when it's

00:15:03.019 --> 00:15:03.720
 at its highest,

00:15:03.980 --> 00:15:05.100
 you can't dare

00:15:05.100 --> 00:15:06.280
 look into the sun

00:15:06.280 --> 00:15:07.460
 but you feel

00:15:07.460 --> 00:15:07.840
 the heat

00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:09.139
 of it.

00:15:10.420 --> 00:15:11.420
 You feel the heat

00:15:11.420 --> 00:15:11.720
 of it

00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:13.160
 at its most,

00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:15.000
 at its highest

00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:15.780
 level.

00:15:17.019 --> 00:15:17.899
 That's when it's

00:15:17.899 --> 00:15:19.180
 at its most effective.

00:15:19.320 --> 00:15:19.759
 That's when it's

00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:21.040
 nearest to you.

00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:24.379
 When you feel

00:15:24.379 --> 00:15:24.879
 the heat

00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:25.639
 and the strength

00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:25.860
 of it

00:15:25.860 --> 00:15:26.179
 more than

00:15:26.179 --> 00:15:27.059
 any other time.

00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:29.519
 And so the Lord

00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:30.699
 Jesus is no longer

00:15:30.699 --> 00:15:32.839
 here upon earth

00:15:32.839 --> 00:15:33.879
 but the Bible

00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:34.799
 says that he has

00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:35.740
 been raised

00:15:35.740 --> 00:15:36.480
 and he is

00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:37.259
 exalted

00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:38.519
 to the right hand

00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:39.039
 of the majesty

00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:39.500
 on high.

00:15:40.779 --> 00:15:41.519
 He is in the

00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:42.199
 highest place

00:15:42.199 --> 00:15:43.319
 that heaven affords.

00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:44.019
 It is his

00:15:44.019 --> 00:15:44.899
 by sovereign

00:15:44.899 --> 00:15:45.860
 right.

00:15:45.860 --> 00:15:46.940
 So this morning

00:15:46.940 --> 00:15:47.980
 he is raised

00:15:47.980 --> 00:15:49.440
 and exalted

00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:51.060
 and glorified

00:15:51.060 --> 00:15:51.740
 and seated

00:15:51.740 --> 00:15:52.460
 at the right hand

00:15:52.460 --> 00:15:53.000
 of the majesty

00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:53.500
 on high.

00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:55.740
 And that makes

00:15:55.740 --> 00:15:56.720
 him universally

00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:57.300
 accessible.

00:15:58.980 --> 00:16:00.100
 More accessible.

00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:03.680
 It universalizes

00:16:03.680 --> 00:16:04.460
 his availability

00:16:04.460 --> 00:16:05.560
 and so this morning

00:16:05.560 --> 00:16:06.620
 there are men

00:16:06.620 --> 00:16:07.039
 and women

00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:07.899
 and boys and girls

00:16:07.899 --> 00:16:08.779
 that can call upon

00:16:08.779 --> 00:16:09.500
 him instantly

00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:10.340
 from every corner

00:16:10.340 --> 00:16:10.980
 of the earth.

00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:13.320
 In every language

00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:13.840
 of the world

00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:14.340
 right now.

00:16:15.860 --> 00:16:16.600
 Because God

00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:17.159
 has raised him

00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:17.480
 from the dead.

00:16:17.539 --> 00:16:17.980
 He is the man

00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:18.659
 for all seasons.

00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:20.740
 He is the man

00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:21.519
 for the whole world.

00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:24.340
 He is the man

00:16:24.340 --> 00:16:24.940
 whom God

00:16:24.940 --> 00:16:25.480
 has ordained

00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:26.019
 to deal with

00:16:26.019 --> 00:16:26.480
 the question

00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:27.159
 of your sin

00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:27.740
 and guilt.

00:16:29.659 --> 00:16:30.039
 And so what I

00:16:30.039 --> 00:16:30.680
 want to say to you

00:16:30.680 --> 00:16:31.220
 is what could be

00:16:31.220 --> 00:16:31.720
 more relevant

00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:32.580
 than that this morning?

00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:39.080
 You see being

00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:40.220
 relevant is not

00:16:40.220 --> 00:16:40.899
 about telling people

00:16:40.899 --> 00:16:41.379
 what they want

00:16:41.379 --> 00:16:42.159
 to hear is it?

00:16:44.180 --> 00:16:45.080
 It's telling people

00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:45.440
 about what they

00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:46.000
 need to hear.

00:16:53.740 --> 00:16:54.740
 What does the world

00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:55.420
 need to hear?

00:16:57.740 --> 00:16:58.340
 At the moment

00:16:58.340 --> 00:16:59.160
 what does the world

00:16:59.160 --> 00:16:59.640
 need to hear?

00:17:02.280 --> 00:17:03.180
 It needs to hear

00:17:03.180 --> 00:17:03.560
 doesn't it?

00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:04.840
 The message of

00:17:04.840 --> 00:17:05.460
 Jesus Christ.

00:17:07.120 --> 00:17:07.940
 That he is Lord

00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:08.680
 that there is hope

00:17:08.680 --> 00:17:09.460
 in the midst of life

00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:09.820
 and death.

00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:10.380
 There is hope

00:17:10.380 --> 00:17:10.799
 in the midst

00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:11.559
 of this virus.

00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:14.779
 there have been

00:17:14.779 --> 00:17:15.339
 lots of people

00:17:15.339 --> 00:17:16.839
 who when they

00:17:16.839 --> 00:17:17.299
 heard that Paul

00:17:17.299 --> 00:17:17.639
 was going to

00:17:17.639 --> 00:17:18.139
 preach in Athens

00:17:18.139 --> 00:17:18.839
 they would tell him

00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:20.399
 listen if you're

00:17:20.399 --> 00:17:20.720
 going to preach

00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:21.319
 in the Areopagus

00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:22.179
 it's a great

00:17:22.179 --> 00:17:22.700
 opportunity.

00:17:23.740 --> 00:17:24.119
 It's a really

00:17:24.119 --> 00:17:24.559
 really great

00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:24.879
 opportunity.

00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:25.259
 You know it's

00:17:25.259 --> 00:17:25.679
 the intellectual

00:17:25.679 --> 00:17:26.259
 capital of the

00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:26.519
 world.

00:17:28.839 --> 00:17:29.460
 Leave out the

00:17:29.460 --> 00:17:29.819
 resurrection.

00:17:30.899 --> 00:17:31.419
 They'll only

00:17:31.419 --> 00:17:32.019
 laugh at you.

00:17:33.480 --> 00:17:34.220
 And whatever you

00:17:34.220 --> 00:17:34.899
 do Paul please

00:17:34.899 --> 00:17:35.819
 don't preach about

00:17:35.819 --> 00:17:36.319
 judgment because

00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:37.139
 nobody really

00:17:37.139 --> 00:17:37.759
 believes in

00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:38.579
 judgment anymore.

00:17:38.579 --> 00:17:39.539
 And remember

00:17:39.539 --> 00:17:40.579
 you're talking

00:17:40.579 --> 00:17:40.859
 to the

00:17:40.859 --> 00:17:41.359
 sophisticated

00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:42.399
 intellectuals of

00:17:42.399 --> 00:17:42.619
 the day.

00:17:42.679 --> 00:17:43.500
 Don't tell them

00:17:43.500 --> 00:17:44.299
 to repent of

00:17:44.299 --> 00:17:44.980
 their sins.

00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:47.139
 These are decent

00:17:47.139 --> 00:17:48.000
 civilized people

00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:48.519
 I'm sure.

00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:50.939
 And there would

00:17:50.939 --> 00:17:51.279
 be lots of

00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:51.559
 people wouldn't

00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:51.659
 there?

00:17:51.699 --> 00:17:52.159
 They would come

00:17:52.159 --> 00:17:52.839
 and give to

00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:53.659
 Paul all sorts

00:17:53.659 --> 00:17:54.039
 of advice.

00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:54.980
 Paul it's the

00:17:54.980 --> 00:17:55.579
 opportunity of a

00:17:55.579 --> 00:17:55.859
 lifetime.

00:17:55.980 --> 00:17:56.339
 Do you realize

00:17:56.339 --> 00:17:56.819
 how privileged

00:17:56.819 --> 00:17:57.359
 you are to get

00:17:57.359 --> 00:17:57.839
 to speak at

00:17:57.839 --> 00:17:58.439
 the Areopagus?

00:17:59.099 --> 00:17:59.579
 Make sure you

00:17:59.579 --> 00:17:59.980
 don't talk about

00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:00.460
 this and don't

00:18:00.460 --> 00:18:01.059
 talk about that.

00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:03.879
 But being relevant

00:18:03.879 --> 00:18:04.399
 is not telling

00:18:04.399 --> 00:18:04.960
 people about what

00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:05.339
 they want to

00:18:05.339 --> 00:18:05.539
 hear.

00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:08.059
 It's telling

00:18:08.059 --> 00:18:08.599
 people about

00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:08.819
 what they

00:18:08.819 --> 00:18:09.119
 need to

00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:09.319
 hear.

00:18:13.399 --> 00:18:13.899
 And isn't

00:18:13.899 --> 00:18:14.159
 it very

00:18:14.159 --> 00:18:14.579
 strange?

00:18:14.700 --> 00:18:15.139
 Very often

00:18:15.139 --> 00:18:15.559
 the very

00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:16.079
 truths that

00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:16.399
 men and

00:18:16.399 --> 00:18:16.679
 women and

00:18:16.679 --> 00:18:16.980
 boys and

00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:17.480
 girls do

00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:18.139
 not want

00:18:18.139 --> 00:18:19.019
 to hear are

00:18:19.019 --> 00:18:19.679
 the very

00:18:19.679 --> 00:18:20.179
 truths they

00:18:20.179 --> 00:18:20.539
 need to

00:18:20.539 --> 00:18:20.759
 hear.

00:18:25.559 --> 00:18:26.079
 And so

00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:26.440
 here is

00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:27.059
 Athens in

00:18:27.059 --> 00:18:27.299
 the first

00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:27.779
 century with

00:18:27.779 --> 00:18:28.279
 the vast

00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:28.919
 heritage of

00:18:28.919 --> 00:18:29.639
 human learning.

00:18:30.740 --> 00:18:31.659
 The institutions

00:18:31.659 --> 00:18:32.259
 they possessed,

00:18:32.379 --> 00:18:33.099
 they celebrated

00:18:33.099 --> 00:18:34.500
 names among

00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:34.960
 their leading

00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:35.740
 thinkers but did

00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:36.460
 they know God?

00:18:36.460 --> 00:18:37.259
 because for

00:18:37.259 --> 00:18:37.880
 all their

00:18:37.880 --> 00:18:38.500
 learning and

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:38.880
 all their

00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:39.420
 religion did

00:18:39.420 --> 00:18:39.900
 they know

00:18:39.900 --> 00:18:40.380
 God?

00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:42.200
 Have they by

00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:42.819
 their wisdom

00:18:42.819 --> 00:18:43.640
 found God?

00:18:43.779 --> 00:18:44.120
 No.

00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:46.279
 And so

00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:47.000
 Paul says

00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:48.019
 right at the

00:18:48.019 --> 00:18:48.980
 very center

00:18:48.980 --> 00:18:49.640
 at the heart

00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:50.079
 of Athens

00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:50.519
 there is an

00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:51.220
 altar to the

00:18:51.220 --> 00:18:52.039
 unknown God.

00:18:52.120 --> 00:18:52.299
 You are

00:18:52.299 --> 00:18:52.700
 ignorant.

00:18:56.299 --> 00:18:56.799
 And if

00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:57.059
 ever there

00:18:57.059 --> 00:18:57.559
 was a cry

00:18:57.559 --> 00:18:57.900
 from the

00:18:57.900 --> 00:18:58.220
 heart of

00:18:58.220 --> 00:18:58.700
 the city

00:18:58.700 --> 00:19:00.920
 that is it

00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:01.259
 isn't it?

00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:01.900
 An altar to

00:19:01.900 --> 00:19:02.400
 the unknown

00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:02.860
 God.

00:19:02.859 --> 00:19:06.099
 And

00:19:06.099 --> 00:19:06.599
 Augustine

00:19:06.599 --> 00:19:07.079
 tells us

00:19:07.079 --> 00:19:07.339
 that there

00:19:07.339 --> 00:19:07.679
 is a

00:19:07.679 --> 00:19:08.019
 God

00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:08.459
 shaped

00:19:08.459 --> 00:19:09.000
 void.

00:19:11.059 --> 00:19:11.599
 There is

00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:12.319
 a God

00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:12.919
 shaped

00:19:12.919 --> 00:19:14.059
 blank

00:19:14.059 --> 00:19:16.279
 in every

00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:16.819
 human heart

00:19:16.819 --> 00:19:17.159
 that only

00:19:17.159 --> 00:19:17.679
 Christ can

00:19:17.679 --> 00:19:18.000
 fill.

00:19:22.919 --> 00:19:23.419
 Isn't that

00:19:23.419 --> 00:19:23.859
 ridiculous?

00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:24.299
 Isn't it?

00:19:24.599 --> 00:19:25.000
 Extreme

00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:25.779
 sang a love

00:19:25.779 --> 00:19:26.559
 song when I

00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:26.819
 was a

00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:27.099
 teenager.

00:19:27.199 --> 00:19:27.479
 There is a

00:19:27.479 --> 00:19:27.919
 hole in my

00:19:27.919 --> 00:19:28.259
 heart that

00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:28.799
 can only be

00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:29.279
 filled by

00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:29.579
 you.

00:19:29.779 --> 00:19:29.879
 It is

00:19:29.879 --> 00:19:30.299
 ridiculous.

00:19:30.299 --> 00:19:30.859
 Isn't it?

00:19:30.859 --> 00:19:32.699
 It is

00:19:32.699 --> 00:19:33.099
 true of

00:19:33.099 --> 00:19:33.500
 God.

00:19:36.159 --> 00:19:36.519
 The

00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:36.879
 Athenians

00:19:36.879 --> 00:19:37.259
 didn't see

00:19:37.259 --> 00:19:37.519
 it like

00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:37.939
 that but

00:19:37.939 --> 00:19:38.179
 that was

00:19:38.179 --> 00:19:38.639
 the reality.

00:19:40.740 --> 00:19:41.059
 So what

00:19:41.059 --> 00:19:41.500
 can be more

00:19:41.500 --> 00:19:42.219
 relevant for

00:19:42.219 --> 00:19:42.559
 those in

00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:43.099
 Athens than

00:19:43.099 --> 00:19:43.599
 for Paul to

00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:43.819
 come and

00:19:43.819 --> 00:19:44.039
 talk to

00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:44.319
 them about

00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:44.659
 Christ?

00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:44.879
 They

00:19:44.879 --> 00:19:45.159
 didn't see

00:19:45.159 --> 00:19:45.339
 it like

00:19:45.339 --> 00:19:45.559
 that.

00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:45.939
 They

00:19:45.939 --> 00:19:46.219
 thought

00:19:46.219 --> 00:19:46.519
 that this

00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:46.819
 gap,

00:19:46.959 --> 00:19:47.059
 this

00:19:47.059 --> 00:19:47.419
 void,

00:19:47.879 --> 00:19:48.039
 this

00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:48.579
 unknown

00:19:48.579 --> 00:19:48.899
 God,

00:19:48.959 --> 00:19:49.059
 they

00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:49.219
 thought

00:19:49.219 --> 00:19:49.359
 it was

00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:49.639
 just a

00:19:49.639 --> 00:19:49.939
 gap in

00:19:49.939 --> 00:19:50.079
 their

00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:50.500
 knowledge.

00:19:52.439 --> 00:19:52.899
 But in

00:19:52.899 --> 00:19:53.119
 fact it

00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:53.359
 was a

00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:53.559
 fatal

00:19:53.559 --> 00:19:53.959
 flaw in

00:19:53.959 --> 00:19:54.099
 their

00:19:54.099 --> 00:19:54.399
 thinking.

00:19:56.619 --> 00:19:57.139
 And Paul

00:19:57.139 --> 00:19:57.659
 comes along

00:19:57.659 --> 00:19:57.899
 and he

00:19:57.899 --> 00:19:58.319
 preaches

00:19:58.319 --> 00:19:58.959
 Jesus.

00:19:59.079 --> 00:19:59.159
 He

00:19:59.159 --> 00:19:59.419
 doesn't

00:19:59.419 --> 00:20:00.459
 talk more

00:20:00.460 --> 00:20:00.660
 about

00:20:00.660 --> 00:20:01.100
 philosophy

00:20:01.100 --> 00:20:01.519
 and more

00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:01.720
 about

00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:02.180
 science

00:20:02.180 --> 00:20:02.519
 to them.

00:20:02.579 --> 00:20:02.860
 He talks

00:20:02.860 --> 00:20:03.039
 about

00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:03.360
 Jesus.

00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:03.680
 That's

00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:03.880
 what he

00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:04.259
 focuses

00:20:04.259 --> 00:20:04.579
 on.

00:20:06.420 --> 00:20:06.860
 And he

00:20:06.860 --> 00:20:07.220
 talks about

00:20:07.220 --> 00:20:07.759
 Jesus of

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.279
 Nazareth who

00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:08.579
 is the

00:20:08.579 --> 00:20:09.039
 man whom

00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:09.440
 God has

00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:10.019
 ordained to

00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:10.319
 deal with

00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:10.660
 the problem

00:20:10.660 --> 00:20:11.279
 of sin.

00:20:11.740 --> 00:20:11.980
 Nothing

00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:12.299
 could be

00:20:12.299 --> 00:20:12.740
 more relevant

00:20:12.740 --> 00:20:13.140
 than that.

00:20:16.380 --> 00:20:16.940
 And that's

00:20:16.940 --> 00:20:17.319
 demonstrated,

00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:17.680
 isn't it,

00:20:17.720 --> 00:20:18.460
 today again and

00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:18.819
 again and

00:20:18.819 --> 00:20:19.140
 again.

00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:20.860
 Here we

00:20:20.860 --> 00:20:21.819
 are, we've

00:20:21.819 --> 00:20:22.299
 got far

00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:23.079
 more than

00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:23.600
 the Athenians

00:20:23.600 --> 00:20:23.819
 had,

00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:24.120
 haven't we?

00:20:24.119 --> 00:20:27.019
 we not

00:20:27.019 --> 00:20:27.339
 only have

00:20:27.339 --> 00:20:28.339
 wisdom, we

00:20:28.339 --> 00:20:28.539
 have

00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:29.139
 science.

00:20:30.639 --> 00:20:31.119
 And science

00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:31.599
 says,

00:20:31.939 --> 00:20:33.099
 lockdown.

00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:34.699
 Science

00:20:34.699 --> 00:20:35.039
 says,

00:20:35.139 --> 00:20:35.699
 COVID tears.

00:20:36.779 --> 00:20:37.179
 And science

00:20:37.179 --> 00:20:37.359
 says,

00:20:37.419 --> 00:20:37.679
 lockdown.

00:20:37.919 --> 00:20:38.179
 And science

00:20:38.179 --> 00:20:38.459
 says, do

00:20:38.459 --> 00:20:38.759
 this, and

00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:38.959
 science

00:20:38.959 --> 00:20:39.299
 says, do

00:20:39.299 --> 00:20:39.579
 that.

00:20:41.879 --> 00:20:42.359
 And we

00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:42.639
 put our

00:20:42.639 --> 00:20:43.039
 trust in

00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:43.599
 science.

00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:48.299
 And so we

00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:48.639
 have a great

00:20:48.639 --> 00:20:49.259
 explosion in

00:20:49.259 --> 00:20:49.459
 human

00:20:49.459 --> 00:20:50.039
 knowledge,

00:20:50.659 --> 00:20:51.099
 but is the

00:20:51.099 --> 00:20:51.399
 world a

00:20:51.399 --> 00:20:51.719
 better place

00:20:51.719 --> 00:20:51.979
 to live

00:20:51.979 --> 00:20:52.139
 in?

00:20:52.140 --> 00:20:53.980
 Is the

00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:54.259
 world a

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:54.820
 safer place

00:20:54.820 --> 00:20:55.100
 to live

00:20:55.100 --> 00:20:55.280
 in?

00:20:57.860 --> 00:20:58.360
 Are you

00:20:58.360 --> 00:20:58.960
 really any

00:20:58.960 --> 00:20:59.440
 happier than

00:20:59.440 --> 00:20:59.980
 your grandparents

00:20:59.980 --> 00:21:00.400
 were?

00:21:02.560 --> 00:21:03.220
 You've much

00:21:03.220 --> 00:21:03.720
 fuller homes,

00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:04.420
 you have much

00:21:04.420 --> 00:21:05.400
 fuller lives,

00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:06.240
 but just like

00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.140
 Solomon said in

00:21:07.140 --> 00:21:07.820
 Ecclesiastes,

00:21:08.360 --> 00:21:08.900
 in much

00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:09.460
 knowledge,

00:21:09.640 --> 00:21:10.180
 much wisdom,

00:21:10.300 --> 00:21:10.700
 so much

00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:11.100
 grief.

00:21:13.360 --> 00:21:13.620
 He who

00:21:13.620 --> 00:21:14.060
 increases

00:21:14.060 --> 00:21:14.580
 knowledge,

00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:15.040
 increases

00:21:15.040 --> 00:21:15.500
 sorrow,

00:21:15.560 --> 00:21:15.900
 isn't that

00:21:15.900 --> 00:21:16.200
 true?

00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:18.860
 There's never

00:21:18.860 --> 00:21:19.320
 been a

00:21:19.320 --> 00:21:19.920
 generation that's

00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:20.620
 had more,

00:21:20.860 --> 00:21:21.140
 and

00:21:21.140 --> 00:21:22.540
 and yet

00:21:22.540 --> 00:21:22.900
 there's never

00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:23.180
 been a

00:21:23.180 --> 00:21:23.720
 generation that

00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:24.280
 struggles with

00:21:24.280 --> 00:21:24.880
 mental health,

00:21:25.800 --> 00:21:27.780
 with issues

00:21:27.780 --> 00:21:28.140
 like we're

00:21:28.140 --> 00:21:28.780
 facing today.

00:21:31.880 --> 00:21:32.280
 Ecclesiastes

00:21:32.280 --> 00:21:32.720
 goes on,

00:21:32.740 --> 00:21:32.920
 it says,

00:21:33.020 --> 00:21:33.240
 what is

00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:33.820
 crooked cannot

00:21:33.820 --> 00:21:34.280
 be made

00:21:34.280 --> 00:21:34.640
 straight.

00:21:35.020 --> 00:21:35.600
 You cannot

00:21:35.600 --> 00:21:36.080
 make things

00:21:36.080 --> 00:21:36.400
 together,

00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:37.400
 come together,

00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:37.620
 can you?

00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:38.360
 You can't

00:21:38.360 --> 00:21:39.080
 strengthen things

00:21:39.080 --> 00:21:39.420
 out, and

00:21:39.420 --> 00:21:39.880
 that is the

00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:40.660
 human problem.

00:21:42.620 --> 00:21:43.180
 There's no

00:21:43.180 --> 00:21:43.800
 human answer,

00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:44.380
 Ecclesiastes

00:21:44.380 --> 00:21:44.960
 tells you.

00:21:47.560 --> 00:21:48.220
 Let me tell

00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:48.500
 you of the

00:21:48.500 --> 00:21:49.540
 poet Samuel

00:21:49.540 --> 00:21:50.600
 Taylor Coleridge.

00:21:51.140 --> 00:21:52.960
 Samuel Taylor

00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:53.560
 Coleridge was

00:21:53.560 --> 00:21:53.900
 one of the

00:21:53.900 --> 00:21:54.700
 finest poets

00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:55.540
 of his time,

00:21:55.880 --> 00:21:56.640
 but there's a

00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:57.300
 back story.

00:21:59.460 --> 00:21:59.820
 There's a

00:21:59.820 --> 00:22:00.700
 personal tragedy

00:22:00.700 --> 00:22:01.240
 with Samuel

00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:02.160
 Taylor Coleridge.

00:22:02.360 --> 00:22:03.560
 He was an

00:22:03.560 --> 00:22:04.240
 opium addict,

00:22:04.420 --> 00:22:04.780
 he was a

00:22:04.780 --> 00:22:05.200
 junkie,

00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:05.759
 he was a

00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:06.120
 druggie.

00:22:08.840 --> 00:22:09.180
 And Samuel

00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:09.759
 Taylor Coleridge

00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:10.160
 wanted to be

00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:10.620
 free of it,

00:22:10.680 --> 00:22:10.980
 so you know

00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:11.360
 what he did?

00:22:13.700 --> 00:22:14.380
 Coleridge hired

00:22:14.380 --> 00:22:15.280
 a man to

00:22:15.280 --> 00:22:16.180
 watch him day

00:22:16.180 --> 00:22:17.000
 and night so

00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:17.280
 that he'd

00:22:17.280 --> 00:22:17.580
 kick the

00:22:17.580 --> 00:22:17.840
 habit.

00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:19.799
 It's a

00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:20.220
 really wise

00:22:20.220 --> 00:22:20.459
 thing to

00:22:20.459 --> 00:22:20.559
 do,

00:22:20.619 --> 00:22:20.879
 isn't it?

00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:22.099
 Got

00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:22.519
 accountability,

00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:23.240
 good thinking.

00:22:24.899 --> 00:22:25.339
 So he

00:22:25.339 --> 00:22:25.779
 hired this

00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:26.379
 man to

00:22:26.379 --> 00:22:26.639
 live in

00:22:26.639 --> 00:22:27.000
 his house

00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:27.319
 and to

00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:27.799
 watch him

00:22:27.799 --> 00:22:28.119
 and to

00:22:28.119 --> 00:22:28.419
 be with

00:22:28.419 --> 00:22:28.859
 him day

00:22:28.859 --> 00:22:29.339
 and night

00:22:29.339 --> 00:22:30.000
 so that

00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:30.279
 he would

00:22:30.279 --> 00:22:30.939
 break the

00:22:30.939 --> 00:22:31.199
 drug

00:22:31.199 --> 00:22:32.619
 habit that

00:22:32.619 --> 00:22:33.000
 had taken

00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:33.319
 hold of

00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:33.599
 his life

00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:33.879
 and was

00:22:33.879 --> 00:22:34.339
 spoiling

00:22:34.339 --> 00:22:34.740
 his life.

00:22:35.019 --> 00:22:35.319
 It's good

00:22:35.319 --> 00:22:35.539
 thinking,

00:22:35.659 --> 00:22:36.079
 it's very

00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:36.519
 wise,

00:22:36.619 --> 00:22:36.799
 but it

00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:36.980
 didn't

00:22:36.980 --> 00:22:37.299
 work.

00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:39.759
 It didn't

00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:39.980
 work.

00:22:40.059 --> 00:22:40.179
 What

00:22:40.179 --> 00:22:40.619
 happened?

00:22:41.059 --> 00:22:41.299
 Well,

00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:42.240
 Coleridge

00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:42.939
 started to

00:22:42.939 --> 00:22:43.699
 make plans

00:22:43.700 --> 00:22:45.340
 to deceive

00:22:45.340 --> 00:22:45.900
 the very

00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:46.480
 man he

00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:47.000
 was paying

00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:48.460
 to set

00:22:48.460 --> 00:22:48.860
 him free.

00:22:50.539 --> 00:22:51.059
 Isn't

00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:51.380
 that a

00:22:51.380 --> 00:22:51.660
 perfect

00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:52.080
 illustration

00:22:52.080 --> 00:22:53.279
 of our

00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:54.039
 moral

00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:54.460
 problem?

00:22:57.140 --> 00:22:57.440
 So the

00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:57.759
 problems in

00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.160
 your life

00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:58.440
 and my

00:22:58.440 --> 00:22:59.100
 life can't

00:22:59.100 --> 00:22:59.500
 be touched

00:22:59.500 --> 00:22:59.900
 by just

00:22:59.900 --> 00:23:00.319
 getting more

00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:01.240
 education or

00:23:01.240 --> 00:23:02.100
 more science

00:23:02.100 --> 00:23:02.720
 or more

00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:03.180
 technology

00:23:03.180 --> 00:23:05.440
 because actually

00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:05.759
 when we're

00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:06.259
 really honest

00:23:06.259 --> 00:23:06.700
 we know that

00:23:06.700 --> 00:23:07.380
 those things

00:23:07.380 --> 00:23:07.980
 don't even

00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:08.500
 touch the

00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:08.920
 problems that

00:23:08.920 --> 00:23:09.340
 we have.

00:23:11.660 --> 00:23:12.140
 Resolutions,

00:23:12.580 --> 00:23:13.400
 they don't

00:23:13.400 --> 00:23:13.940
 touch the

00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:14.360
 problems that

00:23:14.360 --> 00:23:14.740
 we have.

00:23:14.860 --> 00:23:15.200
 It's a

00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:15.680
 moral problem.

00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:16.000
 There's a

00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:16.960
 moral kink in

00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:17.500
 our nature.

00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:18.660
 And so

00:23:18.660 --> 00:23:19.380
 Paul says

00:23:19.380 --> 00:23:20.180
 in Act 7

00:23:20.180 --> 00:23:20.560
 the good I

00:23:20.560 --> 00:23:21.040
 want to do,

00:23:21.100 --> 00:23:21.680
 I don't do.

00:23:22.340 --> 00:23:22.960
 The evil that

00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:23.920
 I hate to

00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:24.620
 do, I find

00:23:24.620 --> 00:23:25.280
 myself doing

00:23:25.280 --> 00:23:25.940
 it, that's

00:23:25.940 --> 00:23:26.300
 true to

00:23:26.300 --> 00:23:26.680
 life.

00:23:28.580 --> 00:23:29.140
 You see

00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:29.460
 the right

00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:30.100
 thing, you

00:23:30.100 --> 00:23:30.640
 know it's

00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:30.880
 the right

00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:31.200
 thing, you

00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:31.660
 want to do

00:23:31.660 --> 00:23:31.860
 it, but

00:23:31.860 --> 00:23:32.240
 you can't

00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:32.660
 do it.

00:23:34.820 --> 00:23:35.400
 You don't

00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:35.780
 do it.

00:23:37.019 --> 00:23:37.320
 And the

00:23:37.320 --> 00:23:37.680
 thing that you

00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:38.080
 don't want

00:23:38.080 --> 00:23:38.780
 to do, you

00:23:38.780 --> 00:23:39.460
 know it's

00:23:39.460 --> 00:23:40.140
 wrong, you

00:23:40.140 --> 00:23:40.640
 know it will

00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:41.440
 spoil your

00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:41.940
 life, but you

00:23:41.940 --> 00:23:42.340
 can't stop

00:23:42.340 --> 00:23:42.740
 yourself from

00:23:42.740 --> 00:23:43.140
 doing it.

00:23:43.400 --> 00:23:46.620
 And that's

00:23:46.620 --> 00:23:46.880
 the problem.

00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:47.400
 So what can

00:23:47.400 --> 00:23:47.720
 touch a

00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:48.140
 problem like

00:23:48.140 --> 00:23:48.360
 that?

00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:49.560
 The answer

00:23:49.560 --> 00:23:49.960
 is nothing

00:23:49.960 --> 00:23:50.440
 but Jesus

00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:50.740
 and the

00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:51.120
 resurrection.

00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:55.120
 That's what

00:23:55.120 --> 00:23:55.640
 Paul discovered

00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:55.940
 in it.

00:23:56.019 --> 00:23:56.740
 That was his

00:23:56.740 --> 00:23:57.140
 testimony.

00:23:57.300 --> 00:23:57.640
 He tried

00:23:57.640 --> 00:23:58.140
 everything else.

00:23:58.220 --> 00:23:58.480
 He tried

00:23:58.480 --> 00:23:59.140
 religion, he

00:23:59.140 --> 00:23:59.720
 tried knowledge,

00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:00.380
 he was a

00:24:00.380 --> 00:24:00.840
 university

00:24:00.840 --> 00:24:02.740
 professor, he

00:24:02.740 --> 00:24:02.880
 was a

00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:03.500
 religious man,

00:24:03.560 --> 00:24:04.160
 a Pharisee, a

00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:04.700
 member of the

00:24:04.700 --> 00:24:05.400
 ruling council,

00:24:05.540 --> 00:24:05.860
 he tried

00:24:05.860 --> 00:24:06.600
 knowledge, he

00:24:06.600 --> 00:24:07.880
 tried religion,

00:24:09.160 --> 00:24:10.259
 he tried all

00:24:10.259 --> 00:24:10.700
 sorts of things,

00:24:10.780 --> 00:24:11.160
 but he said

00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:13.019
 actually to know

00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:13.839
 him to know

00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:14.460
 Jesus and the

00:24:14.460 --> 00:24:14.879
 power of his

00:24:14.879 --> 00:24:15.299
 resurrection.

00:24:17.299 --> 00:24:18.079
 It was nothing

00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:18.759
 less than the

00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:19.619
 power of a

00:24:19.619 --> 00:24:20.599
 raised Jesus

00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:21.940
 from the dead

00:24:21.940 --> 00:24:23.920
 was able to

00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:24.379
 deal with the

00:24:24.379 --> 00:24:24.799
 sin in his

00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:25.220
 life and in

00:24:25.220 --> 00:24:25.700
 my life.

00:24:25.859 --> 00:24:26.079
 And you

00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:26.740
 need Jesus.

00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:29.440
 And you

00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:29.819
 need his

00:24:29.819 --> 00:24:30.779
 atoning death

00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:32.220
 on Calvary's

00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:32.960
 cross to wash

00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:33.500
 away the guilt

00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:34.139
 of your sin

00:24:34.139 --> 00:24:34.920
 from before the

00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:35.339
 face of a

00:24:35.339 --> 00:24:35.839
 holy God.

00:24:39.180 --> 00:24:40.019
 The hold that

00:24:40.019 --> 00:24:40.660
 sin has upon

00:24:40.660 --> 00:24:40.839
 you.

00:24:40.839 --> 00:24:41.299
 You need

00:24:41.299 --> 00:24:41.879
 Jesus to

00:24:41.879 --> 00:24:42.299
 break the

00:24:42.299 --> 00:24:42.699
 power of

00:24:42.699 --> 00:24:43.019
 cancelled

00:24:43.019 --> 00:24:43.339
 sin.

00:24:44.659 --> 00:24:45.179
 And there's

00:24:45.179 --> 00:24:45.519
 nothing more

00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:46.000
 relevant than

00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:48.579
 that, than

00:24:48.579 --> 00:24:49.199
 this message

00:24:49.199 --> 00:24:49.759
 that Paul had

00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:50.119
 to preach.

00:24:50.199 --> 00:24:50.559
 Oh, that I

00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:50.939
 may know

00:24:50.939 --> 00:24:51.379
 him, says

00:24:51.379 --> 00:24:51.659
 Paul.

00:24:53.919 --> 00:24:54.599
 So Paul had

00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:55.119
 a relevant

00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:55.699
 message to

00:24:55.699 --> 00:24:56.179
 preach in the

00:24:56.179 --> 00:24:56.619
 last five

00:24:56.619 --> 00:24:56.799
 minutes.

00:24:56.919 --> 00:24:57.419
 I just want

00:24:57.419 --> 00:24:57.699
 us to see

00:24:57.699 --> 00:24:58.359
 the response

00:24:58.359 --> 00:24:58.799
 of the

00:24:58.799 --> 00:24:59.519
 people to

00:24:59.519 --> 00:24:59.740
 Paul's

00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:00.019
 preaching.

00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:02.399
 The response

00:25:02.399 --> 00:25:02.980
 of the people

00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:03.319
 to his

00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:03.619
 preaching.

00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:06.500
 What was

00:25:06.500 --> 00:25:07.019
 the response

00:25:07.019 --> 00:25:08.339
 of the people

00:25:08.339 --> 00:25:08.539
 to his

00:25:08.539 --> 00:25:08.720
 preaching?

00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:08.980
 Well, the

00:25:08.980 --> 00:25:09.259
 immediate

00:25:09.259 --> 00:25:10.039
 response looks

00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:10.519
 disappointing,

00:25:10.660 --> 00:25:10.980
 doesn't it?

00:25:12.100 --> 00:25:12.559
 You look at

00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:12.880
 the verses

00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:13.360
 from verse

00:25:13.360 --> 00:25:14.120
 32 to the

00:25:14.120 --> 00:25:15.519
 end, and

00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:15.880
 it almost

00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:16.339
 seems to

00:25:16.339 --> 00:25:16.920
 deny everything

00:25:16.920 --> 00:25:17.360
 I've said

00:25:17.360 --> 00:25:17.819
 this morning

00:25:17.819 --> 00:25:18.339
 about the

00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:18.980
 relevance of

00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:19.220
 Paul's

00:25:19.220 --> 00:25:19.579
 message.

00:25:19.940 --> 00:25:20.240
 We're told

00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:20.519
 in verse

00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:20.960
 32,

00:25:21.059 --> 00:25:21.339
 Now when

00:25:21.339 --> 00:25:21.740
 they heard

00:25:21.740 --> 00:25:21.920
 of the

00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:22.299
 resurrection

00:25:22.299 --> 00:25:22.600
 of the

00:25:22.600 --> 00:25:22.759
 dead,

00:25:22.900 --> 00:25:23.120
 some

00:25:23.120 --> 00:25:23.880
 mocked,

00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:24.360
 but others

00:25:24.360 --> 00:25:24.720
 said,

00:25:25.019 --> 00:25:25.339
 We'd like

00:25:25.339 --> 00:25:25.660
 to hear you

00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:26.100
 again on

00:25:26.100 --> 00:25:26.360
 this.

00:25:27.100 --> 00:25:27.400
 So Paul

00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:27.759
 went out

00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:28.019
 from their

00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:28.299
 midst.

00:25:29.319 --> 00:25:29.779
 But some

00:25:29.779 --> 00:25:30.259
 men joined

00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:30.559
 him and

00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:30.839
 believed,

00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:31.539
 among whom

00:25:31.539 --> 00:25:31.960
 also were

00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:32.539
 Dionysius,

00:25:32.660 --> 00:25:33.259
 the Areopagite,

00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:33.680
 and a woman

00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:34.319
 named Demorius,

00:25:34.339 --> 00:25:34.600
 and others

00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:39.680
 paraphrases it

00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:40.220
 like this.

00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:41.799
 Having

00:25:41.799 --> 00:25:42.579
 apparently

00:25:42.579 --> 00:25:43.460
 made little

00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:44.059
 impression,

00:25:44.440 --> 00:25:45.039
 Paul went

00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:45.539
 on to

00:25:45.539 --> 00:25:46.100
 Corinth.

00:25:47.960 --> 00:25:48.279
 Having

00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:48.779
 apparently

00:25:48.779 --> 00:25:49.420
 made little

00:25:49.420 --> 00:25:49.860
 impression.

00:25:51.740 --> 00:25:52.360
 It's funny

00:25:52.360 --> 00:25:52.600
 isn't it?

00:25:52.620 --> 00:25:53.240
 You never

00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:53.640
 hear that

00:25:53.640 --> 00:25:54.120
 said about

00:25:54.120 --> 00:25:54.519
 missions

00:25:54.519 --> 00:25:54.980
 today,

00:25:55.339 --> 00:25:55.579
 do you?

00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:57.160
 Having

00:25:57.160 --> 00:25:57.680
 apparently

00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:58.460
 made little

00:25:58.460 --> 00:25:59.059
 impression.

00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:01.640
 I took

00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:02.819
 a university

00:26:02.819 --> 00:26:03.319
 mission in

00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:03.900
 Belfast

00:26:03.900 --> 00:26:05.960
 a couple

00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:06.180
 of years

00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:06.440
 ago.

00:26:07.579 --> 00:26:08.039
 It was

00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:08.460
 enormous

00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:08.860
 amounts of

00:26:08.860 --> 00:26:09.160
 work,

00:26:09.340 --> 00:26:09.579
 morning,

00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:09.840
 noon,

00:26:09.900 --> 00:26:10.160
 and night.

00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:11.340
 Absurd

00:26:11.340 --> 00:26:11.680
 amounts of

00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:11.900
 talks,

00:26:12.019 --> 00:26:12.360
 and lots

00:26:12.360 --> 00:26:12.680
 and lots

00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:12.980
 of people

00:26:12.980 --> 00:26:13.319
 came.

00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:15.660
 As far

00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:15.840
 as I

00:26:15.840 --> 00:26:15.940
 know,

00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:16.340
 there was

00:26:16.340 --> 00:26:16.720
 one man

00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:17.240
 who professed

00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:17.480
 faith,

00:26:17.900 --> 00:26:18.180
 and it's

00:26:18.180 --> 00:26:18.519
 going on

00:26:18.519 --> 00:26:18.740
 with the

00:26:18.740 --> 00:26:18.920
 Lord.

00:26:20.740 --> 00:26:21.340
 But it

00:26:21.340 --> 00:26:21.660
 was a

00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:22.299
 pretty hard

00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:22.620
 week,

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:23.039
 and pretty

00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:23.579
 discouraging.

00:26:24.500 --> 00:26:24.960
 And then,

00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:25.680
 a couple

00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:25.840
 of months

00:26:25.840 --> 00:26:26.019
 did I

00:26:26.019 --> 00:26:26.299
 got the

00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:26.900
 prayer letter

00:26:26.900 --> 00:26:27.140
 from

00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:27.380
 Queen's

00:26:27.380 --> 00:26:27.759
 University

00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:28.120
 Belfast

00:26:28.120 --> 00:26:28.519
 giving the

00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:28.980
 report of

00:26:28.980 --> 00:26:29.100
 the

00:26:29.100 --> 00:26:29.340
 mission.

00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:29.960
 Well,

00:26:30.100 --> 00:26:30.460
 it was

00:26:30.460 --> 00:26:30.840
 like I

00:26:30.840 --> 00:26:30.980
 was

00:26:30.980 --> 00:26:31.180
 Billy

00:26:31.180 --> 00:26:31.500
 Graham.

00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:33.019
 History

00:26:33.019 --> 00:26:34.079
 had been

00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:34.539
 rewritten

00:26:34.539 --> 00:26:35.319
 about the

00:26:35.319 --> 00:26:35.819
 amazing

00:26:35.819 --> 00:26:36.539
 impact that

00:26:36.539 --> 00:26:37.019
 the speaker

00:26:37.019 --> 00:26:37.359
 had made

00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:37.599
 on the

00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:38.119
 university.

00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:38.659
 It bore

00:26:38.659 --> 00:26:39.639
 no resemblance

00:26:39.639 --> 00:26:40.200
 to how I

00:26:40.200 --> 00:26:40.720
 felt or

00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:41.359
 what happened.

00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:43.240
 And by

00:26:43.240 --> 00:26:44.159
 modern standards,

00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:44.680
 that mission

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:45.159
 was a bit

00:26:45.159 --> 00:26:45.740
 of a flop.

00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:47.899
 And Paul's

00:26:47.899 --> 00:26:48.460
 mission,

00:26:48.579 --> 00:26:49.200
 it would seem,

00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:49.619
 wouldn't it,

00:26:50.180 --> 00:26:50.740
 was a bit of a

00:26:50.740 --> 00:26:51.440
 flop at Athens,

00:26:51.619 --> 00:26:51.960
 was it?

00:26:53.539 --> 00:26:54.379
 I'm not so sure.

00:26:54.539 --> 00:26:55.359
 Let's just look at

00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:55.759
 the results.

00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:57.359
 I think if I

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:57.879
 got verses

00:26:57.879 --> 00:26:59.039
 32 to 34

00:26:59.039 --> 00:26:59.740
 this morning,

00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:00.440
 I'd be very,

00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:00.859
 very happy.

00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:03.420
 If I knew

00:27:03.420 --> 00:27:03.799
 that every

00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:04.359
 Sunday when I

00:27:04.359 --> 00:27:04.740
 got up to

00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:05.059
 preach,

00:27:06.220 --> 00:27:06.660
 the thing

00:27:06.660 --> 00:27:07.140
 that happened

00:27:07.140 --> 00:27:07.460
 here in

00:27:07.460 --> 00:27:07.960
 Athens was

00:27:07.960 --> 00:27:08.259
 to happen

00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:08.619
 in Ealing,

00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:08.940
 I'd be

00:27:08.940 --> 00:27:09.160
 very,

00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:09.599
 very happy.

00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:11.220
 So let's

00:27:11.220 --> 00:27:11.480
 look at what

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:11.660
 happened.

00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:12.160
 Three things.

00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:12.740
 First of all,

00:27:12.779 --> 00:27:13.259
 they mocked.

00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:15.480
 And I

00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:15.859
 think that's

00:27:15.859 --> 00:27:16.140
 hit the

00:27:16.140 --> 00:27:16.500
 target.

00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:17.460
 What we

00:27:17.460 --> 00:27:17.759
 get is

00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:18.259
 apathy.

00:27:20.099 --> 00:27:20.279
 And so

00:27:20.279 --> 00:27:20.660
 people come,

00:27:20.740 --> 00:27:21.000
 they shrug

00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:21.480
 their shoulders

00:27:21.480 --> 00:27:21.960
 and they say,

00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:22.160
 well,

00:27:22.180 --> 00:27:22.480
 there's

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:23.359
 nothing in

00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:23.460
 it.

00:27:23.539 --> 00:27:24.059
 That's what

00:27:24.059 --> 00:27:24.720
 I face.

00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:27.079
 But if

00:27:27.079 --> 00:27:27.259
 we had

00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:27.740
 people coming

00:27:27.740 --> 00:27:27.940
 out of

00:27:27.940 --> 00:27:28.339
 this building

00:27:28.339 --> 00:27:28.759
 mocking,

00:27:28.879 --> 00:27:29.079
 that would

00:27:29.079 --> 00:27:29.500
 be a step

00:27:29.500 --> 00:27:29.779
 forward.

00:27:29.900 --> 00:27:30.000
 And so

00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:31.140
 let's not

00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:31.740
 be afraid

00:27:31.740 --> 00:27:32.039
 of the

00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:32.319
 world

00:27:32.319 --> 00:27:32.799
 mocking.

00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:34.599
 We're

00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:35.240
 terrified of

00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:35.379
 it.

00:27:36.279 --> 00:27:36.640
 Absolutely

00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:37.299
 terrified of

00:27:37.299 --> 00:27:37.460
 it.

00:27:38.220 --> 00:27:38.720
 But it

00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:39.000
 is an

00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:39.339
 authentic

00:27:39.339 --> 00:27:39.779
 response

00:27:39.779 --> 00:27:40.019
 to the

00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:40.319
 gospel.

00:27:42.819 --> 00:27:43.539
 Verse 32,

00:27:43.640 --> 00:27:43.980
 some people

00:27:43.980 --> 00:27:44.279
 say, well,

00:27:44.299 --> 00:27:44.640
 we want to

00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:44.879
 hear you

00:27:44.879 --> 00:27:45.240
 again on

00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:45.680
 this matter.

00:27:46.519 --> 00:27:46.799
 And that

00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:47.140
 might have

00:27:47.140 --> 00:27:47.440
 been an

00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:47.920
 excuse like

00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:48.400
 Felix,

00:27:49.460 --> 00:27:49.700
 that's

00:27:49.700 --> 00:27:50.180
 24,

00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:51.099
 you know,

00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:52.180
 people say,

00:27:52.240 --> 00:27:52.420
 oh, you

00:27:52.420 --> 00:27:52.879
 must come

00:27:52.879 --> 00:27:53.519
 round sometime,

00:27:53.660 --> 00:27:53.859
 but they

00:27:53.859 --> 00:27:54.240
 never give

00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:54.460
 you a

00:27:54.460 --> 00:27:54.660
 date.

00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:57.019
 We must

00:27:57.019 --> 00:27:57.200
 have a

00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:57.599
 talk about

00:27:57.599 --> 00:27:57.900
 this.

00:27:58.619 --> 00:27:58.839
 It may

00:27:58.839 --> 00:27:59.059
 have been

00:27:59.059 --> 00:27:59.420
 an excuse,

00:27:59.539 --> 00:27:59.759
 but I

00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:00.839
 don't think

00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:00.980
 so.

00:28:01.019 --> 00:28:01.299
 I think it

00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:02.019
 could genuinely

00:28:02.019 --> 00:28:02.379
 have been

00:28:02.379 --> 00:28:02.859
 an expression

00:28:02.859 --> 00:28:03.440
 of interest.

00:28:03.579 --> 00:28:03.759
 It's a

00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:04.099
 tremendous

00:28:04.099 --> 00:28:04.359
 thing,

00:28:04.420 --> 00:28:04.660
 isn't it?

00:28:06.680 --> 00:28:07.299
 If people

00:28:07.299 --> 00:28:07.920
 leave the

00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:08.319
 preaching of

00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:08.579
 God's

00:28:08.579 --> 00:28:08.940
 words and

00:28:08.940 --> 00:28:09.180
 thinking,

00:28:09.379 --> 00:28:10.039
 I really

00:28:10.039 --> 00:28:10.279
 want to

00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:10.619
 know more

00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:11.059
 about this.

00:28:12.619 --> 00:28:13.079
 A genuine

00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:13.480
 interest,

00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:13.859
 we want to

00:28:13.859 --> 00:28:14.160
 take this

00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:14.519
 further.

00:28:16.539 --> 00:28:16.799
 And then

00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:17.119
 you notice

00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:17.440
 in verses

00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:18.160
 34,

00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:18.900
 we're given

00:28:18.900 --> 00:28:19.400
 the names

00:28:19.400 --> 00:28:20.059
 of these

00:28:20.059 --> 00:28:20.379
 prominent

00:28:20.379 --> 00:28:20.660
 people,

00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:21.400
 Dionysius,

00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:21.759
 the

00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:22.400
 Areopagite,

00:28:22.660 --> 00:28:23.000
 and a

00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.339
 woman named

00:28:23.339 --> 00:28:23.720
 Demaris.

00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:26.539
 It's

00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:26.839
 interesting,

00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:27.259
 Luke is

00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:27.500
 probably

00:28:27.500 --> 00:28:28.019
 writing about

00:28:28.019 --> 00:28:28.440
 10 years

00:28:28.440 --> 00:28:29.059
 after this

00:28:29.059 --> 00:28:29.339
 event,

00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:29.660
 and here

00:28:29.660 --> 00:28:29.940
 are two

00:28:29.940 --> 00:28:30.259
 people,

00:28:30.660 --> 00:28:31.119
 a man and

00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:31.339
 a woman,

00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:31.619
 who are

00:28:31.619 --> 00:28:32.160
 well known

00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:32.420
 in the

00:28:32.420 --> 00:28:32.660
 church.

00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:34.319
 And Paul

00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:34.879
 mentions their

00:28:34.879 --> 00:28:35.140
 name,

00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:35.539
 and everybody

00:28:35.539 --> 00:28:36.059
 knows who he's

00:28:36.059 --> 00:28:36.519
 talking about.

00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:39.000
 Ah, that's

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:39.599
 when Demaris

00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:40.220
 became a Christian,

00:28:40.299 --> 00:28:40.519
 was it?

00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:42.319
 And they all

00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:42.879
 knew it, not only

00:28:42.879 --> 00:28:43.339
 in the local

00:28:43.339 --> 00:28:44.059
 church, but in

00:28:44.059 --> 00:28:44.559
 the wider

00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:45.339
 church as well,

00:28:46.420 --> 00:28:46.680
 in the

00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:47.140
 presbytery.

00:28:47.140 --> 00:28:49.940
 And I'd be

00:28:49.940 --> 00:28:50.440
 very encouraged

00:28:50.440 --> 00:28:50.759
 if there were

00:28:50.759 --> 00:28:51.340
 people converted

00:28:51.340 --> 00:28:52.060
 here today who

00:28:52.060 --> 00:28:53.400
 10 years down

00:28:53.400 --> 00:28:53.860
 the track are

00:28:53.860 --> 00:28:54.440
 still standing.

00:28:55.360 --> 00:28:55.580
 There's no

00:28:55.580 --> 00:28:56.000
 flash in the

00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:56.300
 pan.

00:28:58.580 --> 00:28:59.320
 No trumped

00:28:59.320 --> 00:29:00.120
 up statistics.

00:29:01.660 --> 00:29:02.400
 But people who

00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:03.040
 stood and became

00:29:03.040 --> 00:29:03.820
 prominent in the

00:29:03.820 --> 00:29:04.400
 work of the

00:29:04.400 --> 00:29:04.740
 gospel.

00:29:08.560 --> 00:29:09.160
 And in fact,

00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:09.540
 we're told,

00:29:09.620 --> 00:29:09.860
 aren't we,

00:29:10.080 --> 00:29:11.480
 some men joined

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.220
 them and

00:29:12.220 --> 00:29:12.600
 believed.

00:29:14.220 --> 00:29:14.800
 Church was

00:29:14.800 --> 00:29:15.160
 formed in

00:29:15.160 --> 00:29:15.759
 Athens, we

00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.200
 don't know much

00:29:16.200 --> 00:29:16.640
 about it for the

00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:17.020
 first hundred

00:29:17.020 --> 00:29:17.420
 years.

00:29:21.240 --> 00:29:21.560
 Dionysius

00:29:21.560 --> 00:29:22.180
 apparently became

00:29:22.180 --> 00:29:22.780
 the first bishop,

00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:23.500
 the first minister

00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:23.980
 of the church.

00:29:26.300 --> 00:29:26.860
 We don't know

00:29:26.860 --> 00:29:27.340
 much about it in

00:29:27.340 --> 00:29:28.040
 the first century,

00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:29.000
 but in the first

00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:29.680
 half of the second

00:29:29.680 --> 00:29:30.600
 century, we do

00:29:30.600 --> 00:29:30.980
 know that the

00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:31.420
 church in Athens

00:29:31.420 --> 00:29:32.080
 was a flourishing

00:29:32.080 --> 00:29:32.440
 church.

00:29:34.060 --> 00:29:34.600
 That's not a

00:29:34.600 --> 00:29:35.100
 failure, is it?

00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:37.340
 That's a great

00:29:37.340 --> 00:29:38.060
 success, isn't it?

00:29:38.080 --> 00:29:38.740
 That's nothing to

00:29:38.740 --> 00:29:39.220
 be disappointed

00:29:39.220 --> 00:29:39.480
 about.

00:29:41.100 --> 00:29:41.680
 And I don't

00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:43.180
 think Paul was

00:29:43.180 --> 00:29:43.880
 disappointed in his

00:29:43.880 --> 00:29:44.560
 preaching in Athens.

00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:45.320
 Some mocked.

00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:47.360
 Some expressed a

00:29:47.360 --> 00:29:48.140
 genuine interest

00:29:48.140 --> 00:29:48.920
 to know more.

00:29:49.860 --> 00:29:50.440
 Others were told

00:29:50.440 --> 00:29:51.240
 believed and the

00:29:51.240 --> 00:29:51.980
 church was formed.

00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:53.460
 But what about the

00:29:53.460 --> 00:29:53.900
 rest of them?

00:29:56.660 --> 00:29:57.340
 Paul warned

00:29:57.340 --> 00:29:58.080
 Timothy, he said

00:29:58.080 --> 00:29:58.380
 there will be

00:29:58.380 --> 00:30:00.560
 those who will

00:30:00.560 --> 00:30:01.000
 be, they'll

00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:01.759
 listen to anybody

00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:02.480
 but they'll never

00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:02.980
 arrive at a

00:30:02.980 --> 00:30:03.340
 conclusion.

00:30:05.860 --> 00:30:06.420
 They'll never

00:30:06.420 --> 00:30:06.940
 arrive at a

00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:07.620
 knowledge of truth.

00:30:08.020 --> 00:30:08.480
 Some people are

00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:08.780
 like that.

00:30:10.820 --> 00:30:11.440
 There are people

00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:12.080
 that come Sunday

00:30:12.080 --> 00:30:12.600
 by Sunday and

00:30:12.600 --> 00:30:13.180
 they treat church

00:30:13.180 --> 00:30:14.300
 like, or Christian

00:30:14.300 --> 00:30:15.540
 truth, they treat it

00:30:15.539 --> 00:30:16.180
 like chewing gum.

00:30:16.519 --> 00:30:17.359
 They chew it

00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:19.480
 over for hours

00:30:19.480 --> 00:30:19.899
 but they never

00:30:19.899 --> 00:30:20.359
 swallow it.

00:30:22.379 --> 00:30:23.200
 So how do you

00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:23.799
 relate to the

00:30:23.799 --> 00:30:24.460
 message of Jesus

00:30:24.460 --> 00:30:25.200
 and the resurrection?

00:30:27.099 --> 00:30:27.879
 How do you

00:30:27.879 --> 00:30:28.500
 regard it?

00:30:31.099 --> 00:30:31.700
 Something to

00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:32.119
 mock?

00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:35.639
 Something out of

00:30:35.639 --> 00:30:35.920
 date?

00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:38.279
 Or a novelty

00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:39.000
 to chew over?

00:30:39.460 --> 00:30:39.839
 Something to

00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:40.440
 throw away?

00:30:42.399 --> 00:30:43.180
 Or something to

00:30:43.180 --> 00:30:43.839
 believe and stick

00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:44.299
 your eternity

00:30:44.299 --> 00:30:44.579
 on?

00:30:46.980 --> 00:30:47.480
 Let's pray.

00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:47.500
 Let's pray.