WEBVTT

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 Well, I'm glad to be here with you this morning, and I am thankful that it is Easter Sunday.

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 I am also thankful that as followers of Jesus Christ, that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ the other 364 days of the year.

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 I'm thankful that we don't have to dig deep into our catalog of songs to sing songs about the resurrection.

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 I'm thankful for its ongoing and ever-present implication in my life.

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 Jesus is alive, and I have life in Him as a result.

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 This morning, we're going to continue our study of Acts in Acts chapter 17.

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 I'm glad that a year ago on this Sunday, we were in Mark chapter 16, which the resurrection story of Mark's telling is there.

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 In our text today, Paul speaks of the resurrection, and he speaks of the resurrection as the affirmation of gospel truth.

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 And so as we gather today as the church, let me assert to you that the gathering of the church is for the Christian.

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 This primarily is for those followers of Jesus Christ in order to be equipped to go out there and to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

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 As you've heard me say, we are gathered in order to go.

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 And this morning, the burden for me is that you would see in the life of Paul the way in which he deals with the Athenians,

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 and he shares this good news of Jesus Christ.

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 Give an affirmation by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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 Because as followers of Jesus, you are His marketing plan.

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 You are meant to go out and to be light in a dark world.

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 Now, even as I say this, I am thankful that there are many churches gathered today that will have people sitting in their crowds that have not heard the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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 I am thankful today that there are many pastors who typically don't preach the gospel of Jesus Christ,

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 who are having to wrestle with all of the implications of the resurrection.

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 And I pray that they are pouring forth gospel truth to a people that desperately need to hear it.

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 But I want you to understand why and to appreciate why we celebrate the resurrection of Christ every single day,

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 and certainly on the Lord's Day when we gather together.

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 It is empowering for our living.

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 Don't leave here and wait until next year to consider the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Before I preach from Acts chapter 17, I want to pause and I want to pray.

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 And I want you to join me in praying for this morning and what it means in our community and beyond.

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 And then we'll turn to the text.

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 So join me in a word of prayer this morning.

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 Father God, I praise you this morning that you are the creator and the sustainer of this world.

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 That you are sovereign.

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 That your providence never fails at any point.

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 You are always reigning over all things.

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 I praise you for your gospel truth.

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 I thank you that as we pray to you, we are praying to you clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

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 That you are hearing our prayers and you are pleased with us because you are pleased with him.

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 I praise you this morning, Father, that you have a church.

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 Jesus is building it.

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 He's drawing people to himself.

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 And I pray that that would be the case in so many gathered groups this morning.

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 That the gospel would be preached.

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 Sin would be addressed.

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 The need for repentance would be poured out.

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 That people would turn and believe in Christ.

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 I pray, Father, that men this morning who may not even themselves know what the gospel is,

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 will preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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 That we would have pastors this morning come to faith in Jesus because they have to open the word and deal with the text.

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 I pray that countless people will know that today,

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 that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is not firstly about them,

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 but it's firstly about you.

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 That they would know that they would know that they would get caught up in you bringing about the bright and proper praise that is due you this morning.

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 Father, we know that we cannot schedule a revival.

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 There's no tent large enough to rent.

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 And no personality persuasive enough to bring about a working of your spirit.

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 We know that for true revival to happen, you must visit us in a special way.

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 I would ask that you do that this morning across our communities.

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 Even now, as I'm sure, at 1120, men are opening up your word and speaking from it.

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 Save souls this morning, Father.

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 Do that in our midst.

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 Equip us for the going out.

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 Help us to see that we are meant to be your billboards,

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 displaying your grace and mercy.

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 And I pray all of this in Christ's name.

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 Amen.

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 Okay.

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 My head is clear now, I think.

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 So the book of Acts.

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 You've heard me call the book of Acts,

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 the Acts of the risen and ascended Jesus.

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 That he is now still active, right,

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 by the agency of the Holy Spirit in the life of his church.

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 And we exist still as part of this telling of the story.

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 But we get to step back, right?

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 Luke, for our benefit,

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 pinning down what happened in the life of the early church.

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 So we're going to continue our study by looking at Acts chapter 17,

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 verses 16 through 34.

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 So if you're not already there,

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 please take your copy of God's word and join me.

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 Beloved, this is God's word to us.

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 It was written for his glory and for our good.

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 We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises

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 and obey its commands.

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 And I'll begin reading in verse 16 of Acts chapter 17.

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 Now, while Paul was waiting for them at Athens,

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 his spirit was provoked within him

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 as he saw that the city was full of idols.

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 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons

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 and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

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 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him.

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 And some said,

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 what does this babbler wish to say?

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 Others said,

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 he seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities

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 because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

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 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus saying,

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 may we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting

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 for you bring some strange things to our ears.

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 We wish to know therefore what these things mean.

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 Now, all the Athenians and the foreigners who live there

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 would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

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 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus said,

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 men of Athens,

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 I perceive that in every way you are very religious.

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 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship,

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 I found also an altar with this inscription to the unknown God.

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 What therefore you worship as unknown,

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 this I proclaim to you.

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 The God who made the world and everything in it,

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 being Lord of heaven and earth,

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 does not live in temples made by man,

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 nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything,

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 since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

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 And he made from one man every nation of mankind

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 to live on all the face of the earth,

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 having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,

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 that they should seek God

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 and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.

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 Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

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 for in him we live and move and have our being,

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 as even some of your own poets have said,

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 for we are indeed his offspring.

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 Being then God's offspring,

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 we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone,

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 an image formed by the art and imagination of man.

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 The times of ignorance God overlooked,

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 but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

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 because he has fixed the day on which he will judge the world in righteousness

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 by a man whom he has appointed.

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 And of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.

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 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead,

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 some mocked,

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 but others said,

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 we will hear you again about this.

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 So Paul went out from their midst,

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 but some men joined him and believed,

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 among whom also were Dionysius,

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 the Areopagite,

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 and a woman named Damaris,

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 and others with them.

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 Now this morning our study of this text

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 will be structured in the following way.

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 Number one,

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 mankind's need to philosophize.

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 You could say mankind's need for philosophy.

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 That spelling is more comfortable for you.

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 Number two,

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 mankind's need to know who God is.

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 And number three,

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 mankind's need to know what God has said.

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 How are those for your three Easter morning points?

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 Mankind's need to philosophize.

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 Mankind's need to know who God is.

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 Mankind's need to know what God has said.

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 So Paul has traveled from Berea to Athens.

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 You can look back previously in chapter 17

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 and read more about that

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 if you have not been with us the past couple of weeks.

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 Up in the region of Macedonia,

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 he's no longer there now.

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 He's traveled far south on the peninsula,

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 and he is waiting for Silas and Timothy to rejoin him.

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 You may recall that as he leaves Berea,

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 he gives a command.

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 He leaves Silas and Timothy behind,

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 but he gives a command for them to come and join him.

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 Verse 16,

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 while he was waiting for them at Athens,

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 his spirit is provoked within him

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 as he sees this city that is full of all these graven images,

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 all of these idols, right?

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 Things that have been crafted out of stone and wood and gold

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 that are set up all over the city of Athens.

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 And he's moved by the idolatry of the city.

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 Quite possibly by zeal for the glory of the one true God

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 and by compassion for the occupants of the city.

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 However, it was that his spirit was provoked within him.

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 He immediately turns and he reasons in the synagogue with the Jews

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 and the devout persons and in the marketplace every day

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 with those who happen to be there.

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 So as was his custom,

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 as we noted in verse 2 of chapter 17,

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 Paul goes to the synagogue

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 and on the Sabbath to share the gospel with his countrymen

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 and to the God-fearing Gentiles.

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 Again, another phrase for people who were not Jewish in bloodline,

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 but people who were pursuing God through Judaism.

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 Devout persons.

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 These were God-fearing Gentiles.

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 People familiar with the scripture of their day,

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 our Old Testament.

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 So on the Sabbath, he's with these people,

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 his countrymen and the God-fearing Gentiles,

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 sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

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 And he spends his weekdays sharing the gospel

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 with anyone who would listen in the marketplace.

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 Now, don't imagine him here wandering about a Kroger

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 looking for people to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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 The marketplace would have been the center of city life in Athens,

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 where goods were traded as well as ideas.

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 And it is here that this drama begins to unfold

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 as he encounters two of the prominent philosophies of the day.

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 So this brings us to our first point,

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 mankind's need to philosophize.

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 Now, some will frame philosophy as inherently evil.

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 Right?

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 You tell somebody that you're a philosophy major,

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 they will just assume that there's no way

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 you're learning anything true whatsoever,

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 which in large part is true.

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 But philosophy itself is not evil.

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 Certainly some philosophies are.

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 Most, if not all philosophies, are flawed in some sense.

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 In some way, they err.

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 But philosophy is simply the study of theories of knowledge,

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 reality, and or existence.

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 Theories of knowledge, reality, and or existence.

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 Throughout history, mankind has philosophized.

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 Because as cognitive beings,

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 we have an innate desire to understand our place in the world.

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 We're not merely walking through the world with impulse.

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 Right?

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 Not merely ingrained responses to the environment around us.

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 But we're thinking beings.

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 And as thinking beings,

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 we want to understand where it is that we fit in the world around us.

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 All people sense that there is purpose beyond themselves.

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 That an intelligent world has an intelligent designer of one sort or another.

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 Let me insert a parenthetical at this point.

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 Some will deny the truth of intelligent design.

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 That would be to say that the world in which we live

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 is the result of billions and billions of years of happenstances.

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 We just happen to find ourselves in the place that we are.

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 Enter the atheist.

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 But even the most, let me suggest to you,

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 devout atheist,

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 when he is honest with himself,

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 knows there must be something greater than he.

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 Paul speaks to the fact that men are aware of God's existence

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 and furthers my argument by telling us in Romans 1,

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 verses 18-20,

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 that not only do they know that God exists,

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 but they deny his existence because of their sinfulness.

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 I read Romans 1, beginning in verse 18,

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 for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven

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 against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men

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 who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

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 For what can be known about God is plain to them

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 because God has shown it to them.

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 For his invisible attributes,

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 namely his eternal power and divine nature,

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 have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world

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 in the things that have been made.

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 So they are without excuse.

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 John says the same,

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 but with an application to the knowledge of a revealed Savior,

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 Jesus Christ,

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 with an analogy of light and dark.

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 John 1, verses 1-5.

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 John writes,

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 In the beginning was the Word,

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 and the Word was with God,

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 and the Word was God.

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 He was in the beginning with God.

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 All things were made through him,

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 and without him was not anything made that was made.

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 In him was life,

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 and the life was the light of men.

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 The light shines in the darkness,

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 and the darkness has not overcome it.

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 So Jesus Christ,

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 and John's telling,

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 is the light of the world.

00:17:32.299 --> 00:17:34.940
 And John continues this analogy in chapter 3,

00:17:35.100 --> 00:17:36.980
 verses 19 and 20,

00:17:38.080 --> 00:17:39.319
 where he writes,

00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:40.740
 And this is the judgment.

00:17:41.720 --> 00:17:42.440
 The light,

00:17:43.120 --> 00:17:43.480
 here,

00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:44.759
 Jesus Christ there,

00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:46.480
 the light has come into the world.

00:17:47.460 --> 00:17:49.360
 And people love the darkness

00:17:49.360 --> 00:17:51.160
 rather than the light

00:17:51.160 --> 00:17:54.140
 because their works were evil.

00:17:54.140 --> 00:17:57.560
 For everyone who does wicked things

00:17:57.560 --> 00:17:58.720
 hates the light

00:17:58.720 --> 00:18:01.160
 and does not come to the light,

00:18:01.840 --> 00:18:04.860
 lest his works should be exposed.

00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:08.759
 What is the wickedness of mankind

00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:13.200
 to invent all various forms of philosophy

00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:16.000
 that suggest that we are not accountable

00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:17.520
 to a holy God?

00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:20.580
 We need to explain the why

00:18:20.580 --> 00:18:22.160
 of why we're here.

00:18:22.420 --> 00:18:22.759
 Why?

00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:24.099
 Why do we exist?

00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:25.319
 Why are we here?

00:18:25.819 --> 00:18:27.420
 And it is the very wickedness of man

00:18:27.420 --> 00:18:29.559
 that devises all types of explanations

00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:31.779
 that exclude a God

00:18:31.779 --> 00:18:32.920
 who is holy

00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:35.579
 and places requirements on us.

00:18:35.859 --> 00:18:36.140
 Why?

00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:38.839
 Because mankind is evil,

00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:40.460
 and mankind wants to continue

00:18:40.460 --> 00:18:43.180
 in its evil ways.

00:18:44.460 --> 00:18:46.720
 Mankind needs to explain its existence,

00:18:46.920 --> 00:18:49.559
 and so often prefers to do so

00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:52.599
 in a way that preserves its freedom to live

00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:58.480
 in any way that culture deems as valuable.

00:18:59.659 --> 00:19:01.419
 And Paul here encounters adherence

00:19:01.419 --> 00:19:05.379
 to two such prominent philosophies.

00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:08.319
 These are two of the three most popular schools

00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:10.919
 of philosophy in Greece in this day,

00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:14.460
 the Epicureans and the Stoics.

00:19:14.460 --> 00:19:17.740
 Epicurean philosophy taught

00:19:17.740 --> 00:19:21.559
 that pleasure and the avoidance of pain

00:19:21.559 --> 00:19:24.200
 are the chief end of man.

00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:27.559
 Sound familiar, Americans?

00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:32.539
 They did not deny the existence of gods.

00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:35.480
 Pantheistic, this culture.

00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:38.980
 But believed they were distant

00:19:38.980 --> 00:19:40.539
 and did not interfere

00:19:40.539 --> 00:19:42.240
 or were concerned at all

00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:44.159
 with the affairs of man.

00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:47.039
 So they were functionally then atheists.

00:19:47.259 --> 00:19:48.220
 The Epicurean philosophers

00:19:48.220 --> 00:19:49.659
 were functionally atheists.

00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:50.960
 Sure, gods exist,

00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:51.899
 but they don't care.

00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:53.399
 They're not intervening at all

00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:54.820
 in what we're doing,

00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:56.720
 and the high chief end of man

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:59.440
 is pleasure and comfort.

00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:03.500
 Stoic philosophers, on the other hand,

00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:06.340
 taught that self-mastery

00:20:06.340 --> 00:20:08.400
 was the chief end of man.

00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:09.960
 Self-mastery.

00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:14.360
 Being indifferent to both pleasure and pain,

00:20:15.060 --> 00:20:17.019
 being entirely cerebral

00:20:17.019 --> 00:20:19.120
 and feeling nothing

00:20:19.120 --> 00:20:20.860
 was the highest value.

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:22.000
 Being able to walk through

00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:23.900
 whatever came your way in life,

00:20:24.180 --> 00:20:24.440
 right,

00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:25.519
 as a thinker

00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:27.819
 and not a feeler at all.

00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:29.859
 They were pantheists

00:20:29.859 --> 00:20:31.299
 and believed that the gods

00:20:31.299 --> 00:20:32.539
 tested their devotion

00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:35.180
 with both pleasure and pain.

00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:36.640
 So the gods were delving out

00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:38.460
 the circumstances of the world

00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:39.339
 and it was their job

00:20:39.339 --> 00:20:42.440
 to respond with nothing,

00:20:42.579 --> 00:20:43.740
 to not respond really at all

00:20:43.740 --> 00:20:45.380
 to both pleasure and pain

00:20:45.380 --> 00:20:46.579
 in the world.

00:20:46.740 --> 00:20:46.920
 So,

00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:49.180
 the Stoic believed

00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:50.400
 that you could enjoy nothing.

00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:52.240
 The Epicurean believed

00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:53.340
 that you should enjoy

00:20:53.340 --> 00:20:54.000
 the temporal,

00:20:54.360 --> 00:20:55.259
 those things that they could

00:20:55.259 --> 00:20:56.180
 touch and feel

00:20:56.180 --> 00:20:57.320
 and have experience of.

00:20:58.400 --> 00:20:59.400
 Christians believed

00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:00.540
 that our highest joy

00:21:00.540 --> 00:21:01.960
 is found in God,

00:21:02.320 --> 00:21:03.660
 the one true God

00:21:03.660 --> 00:21:05.340
 as revealed by Jesus

00:21:05.340 --> 00:21:07.700
 and His work on the cross.

00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:09.720
 Now, at this point,

00:21:09.740 --> 00:21:10.560
 I want to be clear

00:21:10.560 --> 00:21:11.320
 that Christianity

00:21:11.320 --> 00:21:12.840
 is not a philosophy.

00:21:13.780 --> 00:21:14.180
 Christianity

00:21:14.180 --> 00:21:15.600
 is not a theory.

00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:16.100
 Christianity

00:21:16.100 --> 00:21:17.220
 is a reality.

00:21:17.540 --> 00:21:19.740
 It's based in truth.

00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:21.620
 To be clear,

00:21:22.359 --> 00:21:23.519
 when you philosophize

00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:23.859
 with people,

00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.700
 don't present Christianity

00:21:24.700 --> 00:21:26.460
 as a philosophy of life,

00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:27.160
 not a theory.

00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:30.079
 Our highest good,

00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:31.359
 our highest aim

00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:33.440
 is joy in God.

00:21:33.539 --> 00:21:34.940
 The Westminster Shorter Catechism

00:21:34.940 --> 00:21:35.759
 asks the question,

00:21:36.200 --> 00:21:38.859
 what is the chief end of man?

00:21:39.380 --> 00:21:40.660
 If you're a good Reformed Baptist,

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.400
 you know the answer.

00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:43.400
 It's man's chief end

00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:44.880
 is to glorify God

00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:47.460
 and to enjoy Him forever.

00:21:47.460 --> 00:21:49.519
 Now, these two

00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:51.700
 extremely different philosophies,

00:21:52.180 --> 00:21:53.640
 Epicureanism and Stoicism,

00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:56.539
 were united in their contempt

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:57.600
 for false teaching.

00:21:58.819 --> 00:21:59.920
 Someone said,

00:21:59.980 --> 00:22:01.180
 this is the last part of verse 18,

00:22:02.180 --> 00:22:05.600
 what does this babbler wish to say?

00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:07.579
 The word babbler

00:22:07.579 --> 00:22:08.799
 from the Greek

00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:10.279
 literally translates,

00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:12.819
 and I think ESV did well

00:22:12.819 --> 00:22:13.940
 to say babbler,

00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:15.480
 it literally translates,

00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:16.640
 seed picker.

00:22:18.920 --> 00:22:20.120
 John B. Polhill

00:22:20.120 --> 00:22:21.320
 in the New American Commentary

00:22:21.320 --> 00:22:21.980
 on Acts

00:22:21.980 --> 00:22:23.039
 says this,

00:22:23.120 --> 00:22:24.120
 the word evoked

00:22:24.120 --> 00:22:25.500
 images of a bird

00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:27.039
 pecking indiscriminately

00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.880
 at seeds

00:22:27.880 --> 00:22:29.080
 in a barnyard.

00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:30.400
 Not a kind thing

00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:31.580
 they said of Paul.

00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.920
 It referred to

00:22:32.920 --> 00:22:34.700
 a dilettante,

00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:35.980
 someone who picked up

00:22:35.980 --> 00:22:37.000
 scraps of ideas

00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:37.860
 here and there

00:22:37.860 --> 00:22:39.480
 and passed them off

00:22:39.480 --> 00:22:39.940
 as profundity

00:22:40.620 --> 00:22:42.019
 with no depth

00:22:42.019 --> 00:22:43.019
 of understanding

00:22:43.019 --> 00:22:43.839
 at all.

00:22:44.599 --> 00:22:45.740
 You know people like that?

00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:47.039
 Look at your Facebook feed

00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:50.500
 and call somebody

00:22:50.500 --> 00:22:51.160
 a seed picker

00:22:51.160 --> 00:22:52.079
 from time to time.

00:22:53.099 --> 00:22:54.119
 It's an insult

00:22:54.119 --> 00:22:54.720
 and it was intended

00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:55.920
 as an insult here

00:22:55.920 --> 00:22:57.299
 to call Paul

00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:58.319
 a babbler.

00:22:58.879 --> 00:23:00.019
 Others said,

00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:01.740
 verse 18 tells us,

00:23:02.039 --> 00:23:03.059
 he seems to be

00:23:03.059 --> 00:23:03.500
 a preacher

00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:05.759
 of foreign divinities.

00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:07.319
 This shows

00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:07.639
 that they weren't

00:23:07.639 --> 00:23:08.099
 paying attention

00:23:08.099 --> 00:23:09.039
 to him really

00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:10.440
 at all.

00:23:10.859 --> 00:23:11.900
 The word translated

00:23:11.900 --> 00:23:12.559
 divinities

00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:13.659
 is plural

00:23:13.659 --> 00:23:14.379
 in the Greek

00:23:14.379 --> 00:23:15.619
 so they seem

00:23:15.619 --> 00:23:16.240
 to just misunderstand

00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:18.379
 him altogether.

00:23:19.619 --> 00:23:20.359
 Many scholars

00:23:20.359 --> 00:23:21.159
 have postulated

00:23:21.159 --> 00:23:22.240
 that they misunderstood

00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:22.960
 Paul

00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:23.720
 and thought

00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:24.139
 that he was

00:23:24.139 --> 00:23:25.059
 teaching them

00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:26.500
 about a God

00:23:26.500 --> 00:23:27.299
 named Jesus

00:23:27.299 --> 00:23:29.139
 and a God

00:23:29.139 --> 00:23:29.659
 named

00:23:29.659 --> 00:23:30.779
 resurrection

00:23:30.779 --> 00:23:32.299
 in the Greek

00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:33.339
 anastasis.

00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:35.200
 So Jesus

00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:35.980
 and anastasis,

00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:37.379
 these foreign

00:23:37.379 --> 00:23:38.460
 divinities,

00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:39.079
 they didn't seem

00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:39.619
 to be paying

00:23:39.619 --> 00:23:40.519
 attention at all.

00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:40.599
 Paul.

00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:42.039
 Now,

00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:42.740
 whether or not

00:23:42.740 --> 00:23:43.519
 they had

00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:44.119
 exactly what

00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:44.859
 they were thinking

00:23:44.859 --> 00:23:45.980
 cannot be known

00:23:45.980 --> 00:23:46.759
 for sure

00:23:46.759 --> 00:23:47.720
 from our text,

00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:49.200
 but I think

00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:50.500
 we can imagine

00:23:50.500 --> 00:23:52.440
 that Paul did

00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:53.200
 not speak

00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:54.160
 about Jesus

00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:55.339
 without also

00:23:55.339 --> 00:23:55.859
 speaking

00:23:55.859 --> 00:23:57.299
 of his resurrection.

00:23:57.940 --> 00:23:58.480
 The two were

00:23:58.480 --> 00:23:59.180
 always being

00:23:59.180 --> 00:24:00.299
 carried along

00:24:00.299 --> 00:24:01.579
 together.

00:24:01.579 --> 00:24:03.319
 Paul said

00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:03.779
 in Romans

00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:04.599
 chapter 1

00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:05.319
 verse 4,

00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:06.699
 he being

00:24:06.699 --> 00:24:07.159
 Christ

00:24:07.159 --> 00:24:07.939
 was declared

00:24:07.939 --> 00:24:09.179
 to be

00:24:09.179 --> 00:24:09.639
 the son

00:24:09.639 --> 00:24:10.179
 of God

00:24:10.179 --> 00:24:11.039
 in power

00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:11.740
 according

00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:12.859
 to the spirit

00:24:12.859 --> 00:24:13.359
 of holiness

00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:15.079
 by his

00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:15.819
 resurrection

00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:17.419
 from the dead.

00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:18.199
 Jesus

00:24:18.199 --> 00:24:19.059
 Christ

00:24:19.059 --> 00:24:20.439
 our Lord.

00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:21.779
 The affirmation

00:24:21.779 --> 00:24:22.980
 that all

00:24:22.980 --> 00:24:23.460
 that Jesus

00:24:23.460 --> 00:24:24.960
 said he was

00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.299
 was true.

00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:28.180
 The two

00:24:28.180 --> 00:24:29.079
 schools of

00:24:29.079 --> 00:24:29.619
 philosophy

00:24:29.619 --> 00:24:31.180
 had contempt

00:24:31.180 --> 00:24:31.779
 for what Paul

00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:32.339
 was preaching

00:24:32.339 --> 00:24:32.960
 so they

00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:33.859
 took him

00:24:33.859 --> 00:24:34.720
 and they

00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:35.460
 brought him

00:24:35.460 --> 00:24:36.059
 to the

00:24:36.059 --> 00:24:36.700
 Areopagus

00:24:36.700 --> 00:24:38.339
 verse 19.

00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:38.680
 Now the

00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:39.079
 Areopagus

00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:39.819
 was a

00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:40.240
 court.

00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:40.599
 It was

00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:40.899
 named

00:24:40.899 --> 00:24:41.200
 for the

00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:41.599
 place

00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.099
 that it

00:24:42.099 --> 00:24:42.399
 had

00:24:42.399 --> 00:24:42.839
 once

00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:43.539
 convened

00:24:43.539 --> 00:24:43.859
 and this

00:24:43.859 --> 00:24:44.059
 day

00:24:44.059 --> 00:24:44.240
 they

00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.759
 probably

00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:45.419
 didn't

00:24:45.419 --> 00:24:45.700
 still

00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:46.019
 meet

00:24:46.019 --> 00:24:46.299
 up

00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:46.539
 on

00:24:46.539 --> 00:24:46.779
 this

00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:47.240
 rock

00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:48.220
 outcropping.

00:24:48.899 --> 00:24:49.279
 Maybe

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:49.619
 they did.

00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:50.039
 Some may

00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:50.259
 want to

00:24:50.259 --> 00:24:50.599
 contend with

00:24:50.599 --> 00:24:50.859
 me on

00:24:50.859 --> 00:24:51.099
 that.

00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:51.559
 It

00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:51.759
 doesn't

00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:52.000
 matter.

00:24:52.139 --> 00:24:52.299
 It was

00:24:52.299 --> 00:24:52.460
 named

00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:52.799
 after the

00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:53.240
 place

00:24:53.240 --> 00:24:53.759
 where they

00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:54.000
 met.

00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:54.579
 But you

00:24:54.579 --> 00:24:54.839
 need to

00:24:54.839 --> 00:24:55.200
 see this

00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:55.579
 as a

00:24:55.579 --> 00:24:55.920
 court

00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:56.259
 that's

00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:57.000
 convened

00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:57.519
 to hear

00:24:57.519 --> 00:24:58.019
 what Paul

00:24:58.019 --> 00:24:58.759
 would have

00:24:58.759 --> 00:24:59.339
 to say.

00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:00.119
 And there

00:25:00.119 --> 00:25:00.779
 Paul is

00:25:00.779 --> 00:25:01.400
 informally

00:25:01.400 --> 00:25:02.000
 asked to

00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:02.339
 give an

00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:02.799
 account

00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:03.700
 of his

00:25:03.700 --> 00:25:04.079
 teaching.

00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:04.680
 And they

00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:05.019
 ask him

00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:05.279
 in this

00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:05.539
 way.

00:25:05.619 --> 00:25:05.839
 Last

00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:06.180
 part of

00:25:06.180 --> 00:25:06.380
 verse

00:25:06.380 --> 00:25:07.339
 19

00:25:07.339 --> 00:25:08.079
 and 20.

00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:08.740
 May we

00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:09.140
 know

00:25:09.140 --> 00:25:09.880
 what this

00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:10.119
 new

00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:10.480
 teaching

00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.059
 is that

00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.500
 you are

00:25:11.500 --> 00:25:12.099
 presenting.

00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:13.220
 For you

00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:13.720
 bring some

00:25:13.720 --> 00:25:14.319
 strange

00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:14.900
 things to

00:25:14.900 --> 00:25:15.319
 our ears.

00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:15.660
 We wish

00:25:15.660 --> 00:25:15.960
 to know

00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:16.299
 therefore

00:25:16.299 --> 00:25:17.019
 what these

00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:17.579
 things

00:25:17.579 --> 00:25:18.920
 mean.

00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:19.480
 And as

00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:20.519
 an apparent

00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:21.359
 parenthetical

00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:21.660
 I would

00:25:21.660 --> 00:25:22.099
 suggest

00:25:22.099 --> 00:25:23.140
 an explanation

00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:24.340
 of what

00:25:24.340 --> 00:25:24.920
 they asked

00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:25.240
 him in

00:25:25.240 --> 00:25:25.900
 verse 19

00:25:25.900 --> 00:25:26.580
 and 20.

00:25:27.160 --> 00:25:27.360
 Luke

00:25:27.360 --> 00:25:27.960
 adds,

00:25:28.620 --> 00:25:29.000
 now all

00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:29.800
 the Athenians

00:25:29.800 --> 00:25:30.240
 and the

00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:30.540
 foreigners

00:25:30.540 --> 00:25:30.940
 who lived

00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:31.960
 there would

00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:32.360
 spend their

00:25:32.360 --> 00:25:32.800
 time in

00:25:32.800 --> 00:25:33.600
 nothing except

00:25:33.600 --> 00:25:34.680
 telling or

00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:35.900
 hearing something

00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:36.520
 new.

00:25:36.620 --> 00:25:37.280
 And you have

00:25:37.280 --> 00:25:37.820
 to read that

00:25:37.820 --> 00:25:38.140
 as an

00:25:38.140 --> 00:25:38.620
 indictment

00:25:38.620 --> 00:25:39.120
 on them.

00:25:39.300 --> 00:25:39.800
 They obviously

00:25:39.800 --> 00:25:40.340
 did other

00:25:40.340 --> 00:25:41.120
 things than

00:25:41.120 --> 00:25:42.200
 hear tellings

00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:42.820
 of new

00:25:42.820 --> 00:25:43.240
 things.

00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:43.920
 But he's

00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:44.620
 characterizing

00:25:44.620 --> 00:25:44.980
 them as

00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:45.560
 saying they

00:25:45.560 --> 00:25:45.940
 were just

00:25:45.940 --> 00:25:46.360
 people who

00:25:46.360 --> 00:25:46.700
 were interested

00:25:46.700 --> 00:25:47.360
 in whatever

00:25:47.360 --> 00:25:48.360
 anybody had

00:25:48.360 --> 00:25:48.759
 to say

00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:49.920
 about anything.

00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:51.940
 So on

00:25:51.940 --> 00:25:52.300
 the surface

00:25:52.300 --> 00:25:52.720
 it seems like

00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:53.079
 there's this

00:25:53.079 --> 00:25:54.059
 genuine interest

00:25:54.059 --> 00:25:55.140
 in what

00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:56.059
 Paul had

00:25:56.059 --> 00:25:56.400
 to say.

00:25:56.460 --> 00:25:56.680
 But it's

00:25:56.680 --> 00:25:57.460
 more likely

00:25:57.460 --> 00:25:58.900
 simply a

00:25:58.900 --> 00:25:59.420
 new teaching.

00:25:59.519 --> 00:25:59.680
 They just

00:25:59.680 --> 00:25:59.940
 want to

00:25:59.940 --> 00:26:00.500
 know what

00:26:00.500 --> 00:26:00.759
 is this

00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:01.559
 new thing

00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:02.059
 that you're

00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:03.440
 going to

00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:04.059
 teach us.

00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:05.380
 And it

00:26:05.380 --> 00:26:05.600
 is the

00:26:05.600 --> 00:26:06.019
 interaction

00:26:06.019 --> 00:26:06.620
 of Paul

00:26:06.620 --> 00:26:06.920
 and the

00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:07.299
 market

00:26:07.299 --> 00:26:08.160
 with the

00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:09.059
 Epiducurean

00:26:09.059 --> 00:26:09.680
 and Stoic

00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:10.160
 philosophers

00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:10.680
 that has

00:26:10.680 --> 00:26:11.079
 set the

00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:12.259
 stage for

00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:12.559
 him to

00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:13.420
 correct the

00:26:13.420 --> 00:26:14.360
 thinking of

00:26:14.360 --> 00:26:15.539
 the Athenians

00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:16.759
 and for so

00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:17.519
 many in

00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:18.059
 our day.

00:26:18.900 --> 00:26:19.200
 And he

00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:19.920
 starts doing

00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:20.420
 that with

00:26:20.420 --> 00:26:21.259
 an observation.

00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:23.039
 he begins,

00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:23.640
 he sees this

00:26:23.640 --> 00:26:24.599
 little crack

00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:25.019
 in the

00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:26.559
 door and

00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:27.240
 he uses

00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:27.779
 this to

00:26:27.779 --> 00:26:28.420
 press the

00:26:28.420 --> 00:26:28.879
 door open

00:26:28.879 --> 00:26:29.660
 for gospel

00:26:29.660 --> 00:26:30.839
 presentation.

00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:32.660
 So Paul

00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:33.319
 stands in the

00:26:33.319 --> 00:26:33.819
 midst of the

00:26:33.819 --> 00:26:34.319
 Areopagus,

00:26:34.539 --> 00:26:34.900
 in the midst

00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:35.299
 of this

00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:36.099
 court that's

00:26:36.099 --> 00:26:36.759
 convened.

00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:37.960
 Men of

00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:38.279
 Athens,

00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:38.839
 I perceive

00:26:38.839 --> 00:26:39.099
 that in

00:26:39.099 --> 00:26:39.460
 every way

00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:39.720
 you are

00:26:39.720 --> 00:26:40.160
 very

00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:40.819
 religious.

00:26:42.200 --> 00:26:43.240
 You are

00:26:43.240 --> 00:26:44.200
 philosophers.

00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:46.140
 for as I

00:26:46.140 --> 00:26:46.860
 passed along

00:26:46.860 --> 00:26:47.200
 and observed

00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:47.580
 the object

00:26:47.580 --> 00:26:47.799
 of your

00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:48.059
 worship,

00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:48.380
 I found

00:26:48.380 --> 00:26:48.840
 also an

00:26:48.840 --> 00:26:49.200
 altar with

00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:49.380
 this

00:26:49.380 --> 00:26:49.799
 inscription

00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:51.120
 to the

00:26:51.120 --> 00:26:51.600
 unknown

00:26:51.600 --> 00:26:52.059
 God.

00:26:52.080 --> 00:26:52.279
 And he

00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:52.759
 sees this

00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:53.180
 as that

00:26:53.180 --> 00:26:53.819
 crack and

00:26:53.819 --> 00:26:54.340
 he flings

00:26:54.340 --> 00:26:54.680
 it open.

00:26:54.779 --> 00:26:54.940
 What

00:26:54.940 --> 00:26:55.680
 therefore you

00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:57.140
 worship as

00:26:57.140 --> 00:26:57.600
 unknown,

00:26:57.960 --> 00:26:58.940
 this I

00:26:58.940 --> 00:27:00.779
 proclaim to

00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.140
 you.

00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:01.799
 And he

00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:02.559
 starts off

00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:03.279
 into this

00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:04.319
 gospel

00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:04.819
 presentation,

00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:05.299
 which we'll

00:27:05.299 --> 00:27:05.680
 look at

00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:07.000
 more in

00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:07.600
 just a

00:27:07.600 --> 00:27:07.819
 moment.

00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:08.140
 But let

00:27:08.140 --> 00:27:08.480
 me stop

00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:08.740
 at that

00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:09.080
 point.

00:27:10.440 --> 00:27:10.900
 Mankind's

00:27:10.900 --> 00:27:11.400
 need to

00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:12.100
 philosophize and

00:27:12.100 --> 00:27:12.440
 give you some

00:27:12.440 --> 00:27:13.440
 application here.

00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:14.700
 We won't

00:27:14.700 --> 00:27:15.080
 have much

00:27:15.080 --> 00:27:15.500
 application

00:27:15.500 --> 00:27:15.779
 later,

00:27:15.860 --> 00:27:16.080
 so let

00:27:16.080 --> 00:27:16.700
 me give

00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:16.980
 this to

00:27:16.980 --> 00:27:17.340
 you here.

00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:18.559
 Number

00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:18.840
 one,

00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:19.500
 people need

00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:19.960
 to explain

00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:20.120
 their

00:27:20.120 --> 00:27:20.620
 existence.

00:27:22.100 --> 00:27:22.819
 People need

00:27:22.819 --> 00:27:23.180
 to explain

00:27:23.180 --> 00:27:23.319
 their

00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:23.559
 existence.

00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:23.840
 You can

00:27:23.840 --> 00:27:24.100
 get into

00:27:24.100 --> 00:27:24.920
 many wonderful

00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:25.480
 conversations

00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:25.940
 with people

00:27:25.940 --> 00:27:26.759
 if you

00:27:26.759 --> 00:27:27.400
 merely ask

00:27:27.400 --> 00:27:27.900
 them hard

00:27:27.900 --> 00:27:29.140
 questions about

00:27:29.140 --> 00:27:29.559
 the nature

00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:29.819
 of their

00:27:29.819 --> 00:27:30.640
 existence and

00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:31.440
 listen to

00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:32.340
 their answers.

00:27:33.180 --> 00:27:33.680
 Just ask

00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:33.920
 people,

00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:34.440
 why do you

00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:34.840
 think we're

00:27:34.840 --> 00:27:35.259
 here?

00:27:36.360 --> 00:27:37.100
 What happens

00:27:37.100 --> 00:27:38.360
 after we're

00:27:38.360 --> 00:27:38.799
 here?

00:27:39.299 --> 00:27:39.799
 Ask people

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:40.340
 questions,

00:27:40.580 --> 00:27:40.880
 because the

00:27:40.880 --> 00:27:41.480
 reality of it

00:27:41.480 --> 00:27:41.980
 is that very

00:27:41.980 --> 00:27:42.360
 few people

00:27:42.360 --> 00:27:43.200
 really know.

00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:43.880
 they'll

00:27:43.880 --> 00:27:44.660
 philosophize.

00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:45.200
 They'll

00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:45.640
 have some

00:27:45.640 --> 00:27:46.279
 theory.

00:27:46.620 --> 00:27:47.019
 Talking about

00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:47.420
 unsaved

00:27:47.420 --> 00:27:47.840
 people.

00:27:48.620 --> 00:27:48.799
 They'll

00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:49.059
 have some

00:27:49.059 --> 00:27:49.779
 theory of

00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:50.259
 this, but

00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:50.600
 they don't

00:27:50.600 --> 00:27:53.080
 really know.

00:27:53.539 --> 00:27:55.180
 Be willing to

00:27:55.180 --> 00:27:56.539
 philosophize with

00:27:56.539 --> 00:27:56.759
 them.

00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:57.680
 Be willing to

00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.860
 understand where

00:27:58.860 --> 00:27:59.700
 they're coming

00:27:59.700 --> 00:28:00.700
 from and seek

00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:01.740
 opportunities to

00:28:01.740 --> 00:28:04.620
 kindly, graciously

00:28:04.620 --> 00:28:05.559
 punch holes in

00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:06.000
 their argument.

00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:06.099
 them.

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:08.380
 You'll find it's

00:28:08.380 --> 00:28:08.839
 not that

00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:09.440
 difficult to

00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:09.660
 do.

00:28:09.859 --> 00:28:10.380
 People stand

00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:11.099
 on very

00:28:11.099 --> 00:28:12.359
 shaky ground

00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:12.779
 as they

00:28:12.779 --> 00:28:14.279
 theorize about

00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:15.180
 the world and

00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:16.779
 its existence.

00:28:18.420 --> 00:28:18.920
 Paul teaches

00:28:18.920 --> 00:28:19.480
 us in Romans

00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:20.160
 chapter 1 that

00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:20.480
 people are

00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:20.940
 very, very

00:28:20.940 --> 00:28:22.339
 aware that

00:28:22.339 --> 00:28:22.700
 there is a

00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:23.680
 God who

00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:24.119
 created the

00:28:24.119 --> 00:28:25.140
 world, and

00:28:25.140 --> 00:28:25.980
 all of the

00:28:25.980 --> 00:28:26.619
 bucking we

00:28:26.619 --> 00:28:27.460
 see against

00:28:27.460 --> 00:28:29.000
 recognizing that

00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:29.779
 is because

00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:30.279
 people want to

00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:30.599
 walk in

00:28:30.599 --> 00:28:30.980
 their sin.

00:28:32.579 --> 00:28:33.160
 Work with

00:28:33.160 --> 00:28:33.460
 them to

00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:34.240
 point this

00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:35.240
 out and

00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:35.940
 show them

00:28:35.940 --> 00:28:37.120
 Christ.

00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:41.099
 Two, if

00:28:41.099 --> 00:28:41.660
 the atheist

00:28:41.660 --> 00:28:42.160
 tries to

00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:42.700
 tell you

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.720
 that he

00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:45.220
 believes that

00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:45.579
 he is the

00:28:45.579 --> 00:28:46.160
 result of

00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:46.920
 billions of

00:28:46.920 --> 00:28:48.240
 years of

00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:49.200
 happenstance,

00:28:49.859 --> 00:28:51.640
 tell him

00:28:51.640 --> 00:28:52.940
 that he

00:28:52.940 --> 00:28:54.099
 is the

00:28:54.099 --> 00:28:55.299
 evidence of

00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:55.779
 a designer.

00:28:57.220 --> 00:28:58.039
 Tell the

00:28:58.039 --> 00:28:58.660
 atheist it

00:28:58.660 --> 00:28:59.160
 says,

00:28:59.480 --> 00:28:59.779
 right,

00:29:00.980 --> 00:29:01.620
 I am

00:29:01.620 --> 00:29:02.120
 cosmic

00:29:02.120 --> 00:29:03.120
 stardust

00:29:03.120 --> 00:29:04.180
 brought

00:29:04.180 --> 00:29:04.700
 together

00:29:04.700 --> 00:29:05.100
 across

00:29:05.100 --> 00:29:05.740
 billions of

00:29:05.740 --> 00:29:06.039
 years,

00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:06.820
 say to

00:29:06.820 --> 00:29:07.720
 that person,

00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:08.480
 you are

00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:09.320
 too precious

00:29:09.320 --> 00:29:09.920
 for me to

00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:10.980
 believe such

00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:11.360
 a thing.

00:29:11.820 --> 00:29:12.259
 I am

00:29:12.259 --> 00:29:12.799
 looking at

00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:13.220
 you, and

00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:13.860
 I am too

00:29:13.860 --> 00:29:14.720
 amazed by

00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:15.960
 you to

00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:16.600
 think that

00:29:16.600 --> 00:29:17.340
 you are an

00:29:17.340 --> 00:29:18.480
 accident in

00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:18.880
 the world.

00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:20.140
 Tell him

00:29:20.140 --> 00:29:21.220
 that he is

00:29:21.220 --> 00:29:22.960
 fearfully and

00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:23.740
 wonderfully made

00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:24.740
 by a creator

00:29:24.740 --> 00:29:25.920
 who loves

00:29:25.920 --> 00:29:26.220
 him.

00:29:27.460 --> 00:29:27.759
 Obviously,

00:29:27.820 --> 00:29:27.940
 I have

00:29:27.940 --> 00:29:28.740
 characterized all

00:29:28.740 --> 00:29:29.320
 atheists as

00:29:29.320 --> 00:29:30.100
 males, but

00:29:30.100 --> 00:29:31.420
 you get the

00:29:31.420 --> 00:29:31.600
 point.

00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:34.119
 And because

00:29:34.119 --> 00:29:34.339
 he is

00:29:34.339 --> 00:29:34.819
 fearfully and

00:29:34.819 --> 00:29:35.419
 wonderfully made,

00:29:36.139 --> 00:29:36.379
 that is why

00:29:36.379 --> 00:29:36.519
 you are

00:29:36.519 --> 00:29:37.219
 concerned about

00:29:37.219 --> 00:29:37.579
 his world

00:29:37.579 --> 00:29:37.939
 view.

00:29:38.659 --> 00:29:39.359
 You can't

00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:40.399
 possibly believe

00:29:40.399 --> 00:29:40.740
 that you are

00:29:40.740 --> 00:29:41.779
 an accident.

00:29:44.879 --> 00:29:45.399
 Thirdly,

00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:47.399
 and I hope

00:29:47.399 --> 00:29:48.139
 obviously, but

00:29:48.139 --> 00:29:49.399
 it is too

00:29:49.399 --> 00:29:50.199
 often not,

00:29:51.219 --> 00:29:51.719
 preach the

00:29:51.719 --> 00:29:52.259
 gospel of

00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:52.980
 Jesus Christ.

00:29:54.599 --> 00:29:55.240
 Note that in

00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:55.740
 our text so

00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:56.480
 far, Paul is

00:29:56.480 --> 00:29:57.019
 in Athens

00:29:57.019 --> 00:29:58.500
 waiting for

00:29:58.500 --> 00:29:59.379
 Silas and

00:29:59.379 --> 00:29:59.699
 Timothy.

00:29:59.700 --> 00:30:01.779
 This is why

00:30:01.779 --> 00:30:02.120
 he has gone

00:30:02.120 --> 00:30:02.559
 to Athens.

00:30:02.700 --> 00:30:03.420
 He has come

00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:03.880
 away from

00:30:03.880 --> 00:30:04.400
 Berea and

00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:04.900
 the persecution

00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:05.500
 that was there

00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:06.059
 in Macedonia.

00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:07.299
 He is out of

00:30:07.299 --> 00:30:07.860
 the region of

00:30:07.860 --> 00:30:08.740
 Macedonia now.

00:30:09.600 --> 00:30:10.160
 And what does

00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:10.720
 Paul do to

00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:11.519
 pass the time?

00:30:12.980 --> 00:30:13.539
 He shares

00:30:13.539 --> 00:30:14.480
 the good news

00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:15.559
 of our

00:30:15.559 --> 00:30:16.059
 resurrected

00:30:16.059 --> 00:30:17.140
 Savior with

00:30:17.140 --> 00:30:19.120
 anyone who

00:30:19.120 --> 00:30:19.559
 would listen.

00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:21.259
 And this

00:30:21.259 --> 00:30:21.640
 brings us to

00:30:21.640 --> 00:30:21.960
 our second

00:30:21.960 --> 00:30:22.319
 point.

00:30:23.259 --> 00:30:23.740
 Mankind's

00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:24.360
 need to know

00:30:24.360 --> 00:30:25.180
 who God

00:30:25.180 --> 00:30:25.960
 is.

00:30:26.440 --> 00:30:26.720
 And I am

00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:26.799
 going to

00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:27.319
 start speeding

00:30:27.319 --> 00:30:27.620
 up.

00:30:29.700 --> 00:30:30.860
 In response

00:30:30.860 --> 00:30:31.080
 to the

00:30:31.080 --> 00:30:31.360
 popular

00:30:31.360 --> 00:30:31.819
 philosophies

00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:32.000
 of the

00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.259
 day,

00:30:33.180 --> 00:30:33.779
 Paul tells

00:30:33.779 --> 00:30:34.460
 the Areopagus

00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:36.279
 who God

00:30:36.279 --> 00:30:37.480
 is.

00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:39.019
 For our

00:30:39.019 --> 00:30:39.580
 benefit, let's

00:30:39.580 --> 00:30:40.039
 consider what

00:30:40.039 --> 00:30:40.960
 Paul said in

00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:41.759
 four titles.

00:30:41.900 --> 00:30:42.279
 God is the

00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:42.720
 creator,

00:30:43.900 --> 00:30:45.220
 the king,

00:30:46.680 --> 00:30:48.100
 the sustainer,

00:30:48.779 --> 00:30:50.120
 and the

00:30:50.120 --> 00:30:50.720
 revealer.

00:30:51.860 --> 00:30:52.720
 And let's

00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:53.039
 work through

00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:53.580
 these quickly

00:30:53.580 --> 00:30:54.259
 together.

00:30:54.620 --> 00:30:55.120
 Number one,

00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:56.440
 God is the

00:30:56.440 --> 00:30:56.860
 creator.

00:30:56.860 --> 00:30:57.240
 He says in

00:30:57.240 --> 00:30:57.680
 the first part

00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.500
 verse 24,

00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:00.320
 the God

00:31:00.320 --> 00:31:01.600
 who made

00:31:01.600 --> 00:31:02.299
 the world

00:31:02.299 --> 00:31:03.920
 and everything

00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:04.440
 in it.

00:31:04.680 --> 00:31:05.720
 He's destroying

00:31:05.720 --> 00:31:06.680
 pantheism at

00:31:06.680 --> 00:31:07.240
 this point.

00:31:08.100 --> 00:31:08.840
 The God,

00:31:09.080 --> 00:31:09.440
 singular,

00:31:09.880 --> 00:31:10.000
 right?

00:31:10.080 --> 00:31:10.519
 The articles

00:31:10.519 --> 00:31:10.900
 in the

00:31:10.900 --> 00:31:11.220
 Greek,

00:31:11.840 --> 00:31:12.299
 the God

00:31:12.299 --> 00:31:12.600
 who made

00:31:12.600 --> 00:31:13.480
 everything

00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:14.799
 in the

00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:15.279
 world.

00:31:16.320 --> 00:31:16.560
 Genesis

00:31:16.560 --> 00:31:17.259
 1-1,

00:31:17.340 --> 00:31:17.480
 in the

00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:17.860
 beginning,

00:31:18.080 --> 00:31:18.640
 God created

00:31:18.640 --> 00:31:19.200
 the heavens

00:31:19.200 --> 00:31:20.600
 and the

00:31:20.600 --> 00:31:21.039
 earth.

00:31:22.039 --> 00:31:22.600
 Goes

00:31:22.600 --> 00:31:23.420
 further in

00:31:23.420 --> 00:31:23.580
 our

00:31:23.580 --> 00:31:24.299
 understanding

00:31:24.299 --> 00:31:24.880
 now as

00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:25.860
 New Testament

00:31:25.860 --> 00:31:26.480
 followers

00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:27.579
 of God.

00:31:27.660 --> 00:31:27.799
 And we

00:31:27.799 --> 00:31:28.039
 have the

00:31:28.039 --> 00:31:28.440
 revelation

00:31:28.440 --> 00:31:29.279
 of Jesus

00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:29.960
 Christ.

00:31:30.460 --> 00:31:30.940
 John writes

00:31:30.940 --> 00:31:31.420
 in Revelation

00:31:31.420 --> 00:31:32.059
 4-11,

00:31:32.200 --> 00:31:32.440
 Worthy

00:31:32.440 --> 00:31:32.839
 are you,

00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:33.700
 our Lord

00:31:33.700 --> 00:31:34.220
 and God,

00:31:34.579 --> 00:31:34.960
 to receive

00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:35.620
 glory and

00:31:35.620 --> 00:31:36.079
 honor and

00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:36.420
 power,

00:31:36.519 --> 00:31:36.740
 for you

00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:37.460
 created all

00:31:37.460 --> 00:31:37.960
 things,

00:31:38.360 --> 00:31:38.759
 and by

00:31:38.759 --> 00:31:39.099
 your will

00:31:39.099 --> 00:31:39.839
 they existed

00:31:39.839 --> 00:31:40.720
 and were

00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:41.339
 created.

00:31:42.180 --> 00:31:42.720
 Paul writes

00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:43.460
 in Colossians

00:31:43.460 --> 00:31:44.319
 1-16,

00:31:45.120 --> 00:31:45.640
 For by

00:31:45.640 --> 00:31:46.220
 him,

00:31:46.339 --> 00:31:47.019
 being Jesus,

00:31:47.160 --> 00:31:47.740
 all things

00:31:47.740 --> 00:31:48.420
 were created

00:31:48.420 --> 00:31:48.880
 in heaven

00:31:48.880 --> 00:31:49.079
 and on

00:31:49.079 --> 00:31:49.299
 earth,

00:31:49.880 --> 00:31:50.559
 visible and

00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:50.980
 invisible,

00:31:51.140 --> 00:31:51.819
 whether thrones

00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:52.460
 or dominions

00:31:52.460 --> 00:31:53.099
 or rulers

00:31:53.099 --> 00:31:54.319
 or authorities,

00:31:54.319 --> 00:31:55.159
 all things

00:31:55.159 --> 00:31:55.799
 were created

00:31:55.799 --> 00:31:56.659
 through him

00:31:56.659 --> 00:31:58.480
 and for

00:31:58.480 --> 00:31:58.759
 him.

00:31:58.879 --> 00:32:00.019
 This is

00:32:00.019 --> 00:32:01.159
 our God,

00:32:01.559 --> 00:32:03.259
 creator of

00:32:03.259 --> 00:32:03.599
 heaven and

00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:03.879
 earth.

00:32:05.019 --> 00:32:05.439
 Secondly,

00:32:05.539 --> 00:32:05.960
 God is the

00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:06.379
 king.

00:32:07.159 --> 00:32:07.759
 The last

00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:08.119
 part of

00:32:08.119 --> 00:32:09.039
 verse 24,

00:32:09.179 --> 00:32:09.939
 being Lord

00:32:09.939 --> 00:32:10.559
 of heaven

00:32:10.559 --> 00:32:11.119
 and earth.

00:32:11.779 --> 00:32:12.179
 He does not

00:32:12.179 --> 00:32:12.740
 live in

00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:14.579
 temples made

00:32:14.579 --> 00:32:16.039
 by man.

00:32:16.139 --> 00:32:16.819
 And also,

00:32:17.179 --> 00:32:18.339
 verse 26,

00:32:19.439 --> 00:32:19.700
 And he

00:32:19.700 --> 00:32:20.079
 made from

00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:20.679
 one man

00:32:20.679 --> 00:32:21.439
 every nation

00:32:21.439 --> 00:32:22.019
 of mankind

00:32:22.019 --> 00:32:22.799
 to live on

00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:23.339
 all the face

00:32:23.339 --> 00:32:23.919
 of the earth,

00:32:24.299 --> 00:32:25.619
 having determined

00:32:25.619 --> 00:32:27.099
 allotted

00:32:27.099 --> 00:32:28.759
 periods and

00:32:28.759 --> 00:32:29.659
 the boundaries

00:32:29.659 --> 00:32:30.720
 of their

00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:31.599
 dwelling

00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:33.119
 place.

00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:35.199
 Psalm 103,

00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:36.480
 verse 19,

00:32:37.419 --> 00:32:37.859
 The Lord

00:32:37.859 --> 00:32:38.699
 has established

00:32:38.699 --> 00:32:39.419
 his throne

00:32:39.419 --> 00:32:40.059
 in the heavens

00:32:40.059 --> 00:32:41.059
 and his

00:32:41.059 --> 00:32:42.399
 kingdom rules

00:32:42.399 --> 00:32:43.879
 over all.

00:32:45.019 --> 00:32:45.720
 Paul again

00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:46.179
 gives this

00:32:46.179 --> 00:32:46.980
 application to

00:32:46.980 --> 00:32:47.839
 Jesus Christ,

00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:48.859
 1 Timothy 6,

00:32:48.859 --> 00:32:49.599
 15.

00:32:50.619 --> 00:32:51.539
 Jesus Christ,

00:32:51.679 --> 00:32:52.039
 who is the

00:32:52.039 --> 00:32:52.939
 blessed and

00:32:52.940 --> 00:32:53.940
 only sovereign,

00:32:54.500 --> 00:32:55.039
 the king of

00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:56.820
 kings and

00:32:56.820 --> 00:32:57.220
 lord of

00:32:57.220 --> 00:32:57.720
 lords.

00:32:58.500 --> 00:32:59.500
 Rules over

00:32:59.500 --> 00:33:00.940
 all things.

00:33:02.140 --> 00:33:02.580
 Third,

00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:03.420
 God is the

00:33:03.420 --> 00:33:04.279
 sustainer.

00:33:05.860 --> 00:33:07.039
 He created

00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:07.299
 it,

00:33:07.660 --> 00:33:08.519
 he rules

00:33:08.519 --> 00:33:09.120
 over it,

00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:09.980
 and he

00:33:09.980 --> 00:33:11.779
 sustains it.

00:33:11.820 --> 00:33:12.779
 Verse 25,

00:33:13.600 --> 00:33:14.120
 Nor is he

00:33:14.120 --> 00:33:14.759
 served by

00:33:14.759 --> 00:33:15.740
 human hands

00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:16.240
 as though he

00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:17.320
 needed anything,

00:33:17.900 --> 00:33:18.440
 since he

00:33:18.440 --> 00:33:19.160
 himself gives

00:33:19.160 --> 00:33:20.140
 to all mankind

00:33:20.140 --> 00:33:21.460
 life and

00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:22.420
 breath and

00:33:22.420 --> 00:33:23.140
 everything.

00:33:23.420 --> 00:33:23.880
 The idols

00:33:23.880 --> 00:33:24.360
 of the day

00:33:24.360 --> 00:33:25.620
 were objects

00:33:25.620 --> 00:33:26.320
 and they

00:33:26.320 --> 00:33:26.860
 needed things

00:33:26.860 --> 00:33:27.420
 brought to

00:33:27.420 --> 00:33:27.840
 them for

00:33:27.840 --> 00:33:28.900
 their sustenance.

00:33:29.040 --> 00:33:29.400
 The worship

00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:29.900
 of the day

00:33:29.900 --> 00:33:30.460
 was about

00:33:30.460 --> 00:33:31.840
 appeasing and

00:33:31.840 --> 00:33:33.120
 bringing to

00:33:33.120 --> 00:33:33.759
 the idol.

00:33:34.020 --> 00:33:34.720
 But God,

00:33:35.280 --> 00:33:36.020
 the one true

00:33:36.020 --> 00:33:36.480
 God,

00:33:36.820 --> 00:33:37.259
 is the

00:33:37.259 --> 00:33:38.700
 sustainer of

00:33:38.700 --> 00:33:39.540
 all things.

00:33:40.660 --> 00:33:41.520
 Psalm 104,

00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:43.340
 verse 14 and

00:33:43.340 --> 00:33:43.880
 15,

00:33:44.920 --> 00:33:45.900
 You cause the

00:33:45.900 --> 00:33:46.740
 grass to grow

00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:47.540
 for the livestock

00:33:47.539 --> 00:33:48.259
 and plants

00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:48.980
 for man to

00:33:48.980 --> 00:33:49.379
 cultivate,

00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:50.519
 that he may

00:33:50.519 --> 00:33:51.319
 bring forth

00:33:51.319 --> 00:33:51.879
 food from

00:33:51.879 --> 00:33:52.319
 the earth,

00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:53.740
 and wine to

00:33:53.740 --> 00:33:54.279
 gladden the

00:33:54.279 --> 00:33:54.920
 heart of man,

00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:55.980
 oil to make

00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:57.000
 his face shine,

00:33:57.559 --> 00:33:58.799
 and bread to

00:33:58.799 --> 00:34:00.200
 strengthen man's

00:34:00.200 --> 00:34:00.619
 heart.

00:34:01.740 --> 00:34:02.500
 The writer of

00:34:02.500 --> 00:34:04.319
 Hebrews gives

00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:05.079
 this application

00:34:05.079 --> 00:34:06.079
 to Christ.

00:34:06.379 --> 00:34:07.079
 Chapter 1,

00:34:07.639 --> 00:34:08.659
 the first part

00:34:08.659 --> 00:34:09.500
 of verse 3,

00:34:10.219 --> 00:34:10.579
 He's the

00:34:10.579 --> 00:34:11.460
 radiance of

00:34:11.460 --> 00:34:12.139
 the glory of

00:34:12.139 --> 00:34:13.300
 God and the

00:34:13.300 --> 00:34:14.119
 exact imprint

00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:14.920
 of His nature,

00:34:14.920 --> 00:34:15.820
 and He

00:34:15.820 --> 00:34:17.099
 upholds the

00:34:17.099 --> 00:34:18.340
 universe by

00:34:18.340 --> 00:34:19.460
 the word of

00:34:19.460 --> 00:34:20.139
 His power.

00:34:21.740 --> 00:34:23.400
 God, in

00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:24.159
 Christ, made

00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:24.860
 all things,

00:34:25.220 --> 00:34:25.820
 rules over

00:34:25.820 --> 00:34:26.480
 all things,

00:34:27.280 --> 00:34:28.680
 sustains all

00:34:28.680 --> 00:34:30.360
 things, and

00:34:30.360 --> 00:34:31.099
 He is also,

00:34:31.340 --> 00:34:32.300
 fourthly, the

00:34:32.300 --> 00:34:33.059
 revealer,

00:34:33.360 --> 00:34:35.619
 reveals all

00:34:35.619 --> 00:34:36.200
 things.

00:34:37.740 --> 00:34:38.559
 Verse 27,

00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:40.139
 28, and

00:34:40.139 --> 00:34:41.619
 29, that

00:34:41.619 --> 00:34:43.139
 they, all

00:34:43.139 --> 00:34:43.700
 these things He's

00:34:43.699 --> 00:34:44.500
 done to reveal

00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:46.500
 Himself, that

00:34:46.500 --> 00:34:47.039
 they should

00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:49.559
 seek God, and

00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:50.199
 perhaps feel

00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:50.960
 their way toward

00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:52.039
 Him and find

00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:53.319
 Him, that He is

00:34:53.319 --> 00:34:54.719
 actually not far

00:34:54.719 --> 00:34:56.099
 from each one

00:34:56.099 --> 00:34:56.579
 of us.

00:34:56.699 --> 00:34:57.379
 And at this

00:34:57.379 --> 00:34:58.399
 point, Paul

00:34:58.399 --> 00:34:59.319
 quotes from some

00:34:59.319 --> 00:35:00.199
 of their very own

00:35:00.199 --> 00:35:01.039
 poets and

00:35:01.039 --> 00:35:01.639
 literature.

00:35:01.980 --> 00:35:02.579
 These would not

00:35:02.579 --> 00:35:02.839
 have been a

00:35:02.839 --> 00:35:03.319
 people that were

00:35:03.319 --> 00:35:04.480
 familiar with the

00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:04.980
 Old Testament

00:35:04.980 --> 00:35:06.139
 scriptures, and

00:35:06.139 --> 00:35:07.299
 so he uses two

00:35:07.299 --> 00:35:07.980
 separate ones.

00:35:08.179 --> 00:35:08.659
 In Him, we

00:35:08.659 --> 00:35:09.419
 live and move

00:35:09.419 --> 00:35:10.559
 and have our

00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:11.460
 being, and

00:35:11.460 --> 00:35:12.679
 for we are

00:35:12.679 --> 00:35:14.000
 indeed His

00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:14.980
 offspring.

00:35:15.179 --> 00:35:15.480
 And he makes

00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:16.539
 the point from

00:35:16.539 --> 00:35:17.719
 this poet, being

00:35:17.719 --> 00:35:18.739
 then God's

00:35:18.739 --> 00:35:20.059
 offspring, we

00:35:20.059 --> 00:35:20.719
 shouldn't think

00:35:20.719 --> 00:35:22.139
 that this divine

00:35:22.139 --> 00:35:22.839
 being is like

00:35:22.839 --> 00:35:23.519
 gold or silver

00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:24.299
 or stone, an

00:35:24.299 --> 00:35:25.359
 image formed

00:35:25.359 --> 00:35:26.859
 by man.

00:35:26.919 --> 00:35:27.299
 So he looks

00:35:27.299 --> 00:35:28.079
 back up to

00:35:28.079 --> 00:35:29.460
 God being the

00:35:29.460 --> 00:35:31.219
 creator of

00:35:31.219 --> 00:35:32.259
 the world.

00:35:33.019 --> 00:35:33.679
 By the

00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:34.839
 natural revelation

00:35:34.839 --> 00:35:36.219
 of God in

00:35:36.219 --> 00:35:37.399
 nature, previously

00:35:37.399 --> 00:35:37.899
 mentioned in

00:35:37.899 --> 00:35:38.539
 Romans 1,

00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:39.539
 verses 18-20,

00:35:39.539 --> 00:35:40.440
 and by the

00:35:40.440 --> 00:35:41.300
 conscience of

00:35:41.300 --> 00:35:42.219
 man, God

00:35:42.219 --> 00:35:43.880
 can be known.

00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:45.480
 God can be

00:35:45.480 --> 00:35:47.079
 known by His

00:35:47.079 --> 00:35:47.860
 revelation in

00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:48.579
 nature and in

00:35:48.579 --> 00:35:49.500
 the consciences

00:35:49.500 --> 00:35:51.900
 of men, not

00:35:51.900 --> 00:35:53.900
 salvifically, but

00:35:53.900 --> 00:35:54.679
 sought after.

00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:56.119
 All the

00:35:56.119 --> 00:35:56.860
 religions of the

00:35:56.860 --> 00:35:58.099
 world are trying

00:35:58.099 --> 00:35:58.880
 to find their

00:35:58.880 --> 00:36:00.400
 way to God.

00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:01.019
 They have

00:36:01.019 --> 00:36:02.800
 enough, enough

00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:03.820
 information to

00:36:03.820 --> 00:36:06.099
 seek after God.

00:36:06.579 --> 00:36:07.079
 They need the

00:36:07.079 --> 00:36:08.519
 gospel to be

00:36:08.519 --> 00:36:09.059
 saved.

00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:09.579
 But as

00:36:09.579 --> 00:36:10.280
 such, men

00:36:10.280 --> 00:36:11.059
 are without

00:36:11.059 --> 00:36:12.400
 excuse.

00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:13.280
 Romans 2,

00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:14.400
 verses 14-15.

00:36:15.940 --> 00:36:16.380
 For when

00:36:16.380 --> 00:36:18.039
 Gentiles, just

00:36:18.039 --> 00:36:18.679
 those outside

00:36:18.679 --> 00:36:19.519
 of Judaism,

00:36:20.380 --> 00:36:21.059
 who do not

00:36:21.059 --> 00:36:21.500
 have the

00:36:21.500 --> 00:36:21.980
 law, by

00:36:21.980 --> 00:36:22.920
 nature do

00:36:22.920 --> 00:36:23.380
 what the

00:36:23.380 --> 00:36:25.340
 law requires.

00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:27.099
 Sharing your

00:36:27.099 --> 00:36:27.500
 faith with

00:36:27.500 --> 00:36:28.559
 somebody who

00:36:28.559 --> 00:36:28.900
 wants to

00:36:28.900 --> 00:36:30.039
 have entirely

00:36:30.039 --> 00:36:34.000
 relativistic

00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:35.079
 moralism,

00:36:35.719 --> 00:36:37.039
 ask them

00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:37.619
 objective

00:36:37.619 --> 00:36:38.460
 questions.

00:36:38.519 --> 00:36:41.699
 If morality

00:36:41.699 --> 00:36:42.900
 is relative,

00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:44.480
 can I kill

00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:45.300
 you now?

00:36:45.460 --> 00:36:46.000
 And is that

00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:46.840
 okay with

00:36:46.840 --> 00:36:47.199
 you?

00:36:47.679 --> 00:36:48.039
 And the

00:36:48.039 --> 00:36:48.420
 right mind

00:36:48.420 --> 00:36:49.079
 says no.

00:36:49.739 --> 00:36:50.360
 Where does

00:36:50.360 --> 00:36:50.960
 that come

00:36:50.960 --> 00:36:51.400
 from?

00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:51.960
 Where does

00:36:51.960 --> 00:36:52.320
 it come

00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:52.619
 from?

00:36:52.820 --> 00:36:53.179
 That there

00:36:53.179 --> 00:36:54.259
 are parameters

00:36:54.259 --> 00:36:55.380
 that we

00:36:55.380 --> 00:36:56.159
 place upon

00:36:56.159 --> 00:36:56.900
 ourselves.

00:36:57.460 --> 00:36:58.259
 Paul explains

00:36:58.259 --> 00:36:59.019
 it to us

00:36:59.019 --> 00:36:59.460
 here.

00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:00.360
 It's in our

00:37:00.360 --> 00:37:00.880
 nature.

00:37:01.599 --> 00:37:01.719
 Right?

00:37:02.440 --> 00:37:03.219
 We do what the

00:37:03.219 --> 00:37:03.800
 law requires.

00:37:03.900 --> 00:37:04.280
 They're a law

00:37:04.280 --> 00:37:04.920
 to themselves.

00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:05.840
 even though

00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:06.200
 they don't

00:37:06.200 --> 00:37:06.820
 have the

00:37:06.820 --> 00:37:07.099
 law,

00:37:07.099 --> 00:37:08.400
 they show

00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:09.840
 that the

00:37:09.840 --> 00:37:10.720
 work of the

00:37:10.720 --> 00:37:11.300
 law is

00:37:11.300 --> 00:37:12.280
 written on

00:37:12.280 --> 00:37:13.139
 their hearts

00:37:13.139 --> 00:37:14.079
 while their

00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:14.960
 conscience also

00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:15.880
 bears witness

00:37:15.880 --> 00:37:16.300
 and their

00:37:16.300 --> 00:37:16.860
 conflicting

00:37:16.860 --> 00:37:17.559
 thoughts

00:37:17.559 --> 00:37:19.800
 accuse or

00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:20.400
 even

00:37:20.400 --> 00:37:22.139
 excuse them.

00:37:22.139 --> 00:37:24.219
 mankind

00:37:24.219 --> 00:37:26.139
 cannot stop

00:37:26.139 --> 00:37:27.460
 merely at

00:37:27.460 --> 00:37:28.839
 knowing who

00:37:28.839 --> 00:37:29.559
 God is.

00:37:29.659 --> 00:37:29.900
 Certainly

00:37:29.900 --> 00:37:30.920
 mankind needs

00:37:30.920 --> 00:37:31.480
 to know

00:37:31.480 --> 00:37:32.599
 who God

00:37:32.599 --> 00:37:32.980
 is.

00:37:33.639 --> 00:37:34.179
 We must

00:37:34.179 --> 00:37:35.019
 also know

00:37:35.019 --> 00:37:35.699
 what God

00:37:35.699 --> 00:37:36.940
 has said.

00:37:37.739 --> 00:37:38.539
 If God

00:37:38.539 --> 00:37:38.879
 is to be

00:37:38.879 --> 00:37:39.579
 sought after,

00:37:40.159 --> 00:37:41.279
 how is it

00:37:41.279 --> 00:37:41.799
 that he

00:37:41.799 --> 00:37:43.179
 is found?

00:37:43.179 --> 00:37:44.179
 So our

00:37:44.179 --> 00:37:44.859
 third point,

00:37:46.599 --> 00:37:47.239
 mankind needs

00:37:47.239 --> 00:37:47.759
 to know

00:37:47.759 --> 00:37:48.539
 what God

00:37:48.539 --> 00:37:50.599
 has said.

00:37:51.460 --> 00:37:52.219
 Because there

00:37:52.219 --> 00:37:52.799
 is a God

00:37:52.799 --> 00:37:54.359
 who is the

00:37:54.359 --> 00:37:54.799
 creator,

00:37:55.000 --> 00:37:55.440
 the king,

00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:56.359
 the sustainer,

00:37:56.480 --> 00:37:57.059
 and the

00:37:57.059 --> 00:37:57.699
 revealer,

00:37:58.579 --> 00:37:59.239
 and because

00:37:59.239 --> 00:37:59.759
 he has

00:37:59.759 --> 00:38:00.399
 spoken,

00:38:01.319 --> 00:38:02.079
 we need to

00:38:02.079 --> 00:38:03.599
 heed his

00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:04.279
 words.

00:38:05.539 --> 00:38:05.960
 Paul says

00:38:05.960 --> 00:38:06.319
 in the beginning

00:38:06.319 --> 00:38:07.099
 of verse 30,

00:38:07.719 --> 00:38:08.440
 the times

00:38:08.440 --> 00:38:09.359
 of ignorance

00:38:09.359 --> 00:38:09.980
 God

00:38:09.980 --> 00:38:11.019
 overlooked.

00:38:11.159 --> 00:38:11.559
 That is to

00:38:11.559 --> 00:38:12.399
 say that in

00:38:12.399 --> 00:38:13.159
 times past,

00:38:13.179 --> 00:38:14.500
 God did

00:38:14.500 --> 00:38:15.059
 not always

00:38:15.059 --> 00:38:16.279
 bring particular

00:38:16.279 --> 00:38:17.299
 judgment against

00:38:17.299 --> 00:38:17.899
 nations that

00:38:17.899 --> 00:38:18.480
 did not know

00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:18.739
 him.

00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:19.500
 He didn't

00:38:19.500 --> 00:38:20.219
 always bring

00:38:20.219 --> 00:38:20.980
 the specific

00:38:20.980 --> 00:38:21.899
 judgment.

00:38:22.039 --> 00:38:22.460
 He did at

00:38:22.460 --> 00:38:23.019
 times with

00:38:23.019 --> 00:38:23.599
 some nations,

00:38:23.719 --> 00:38:24.059
 but not

00:38:24.059 --> 00:38:24.500
 always.

00:38:24.719 --> 00:38:25.779
 He overlooked

00:38:25.779 --> 00:38:26.980
 times of

00:38:26.980 --> 00:38:27.500
 ignorance,

00:38:28.219 --> 00:38:28.839
 although generally

00:38:28.839 --> 00:38:29.659
 there is always

00:38:29.659 --> 00:38:31.219
 consequence for

00:38:31.219 --> 00:38:31.619
 sin.

00:38:32.179 --> 00:38:32.619
 That is what

00:38:32.619 --> 00:38:32.980
 Paul is

00:38:32.980 --> 00:38:33.759
 suggesting here.

00:38:34.139 --> 00:38:34.619
 Athenians,

00:38:35.859 --> 00:38:36.319
 God has not

00:38:36.319 --> 00:38:36.919
 brought a

00:38:36.919 --> 00:38:38.059
 special judgment

00:38:38.059 --> 00:38:38.980
 down on you

00:38:38.980 --> 00:38:40.019
 yet.

00:38:41.099 --> 00:38:41.579
 In times

00:38:41.579 --> 00:38:41.980
 past,

00:38:42.019 --> 00:38:42.500
 he's overlooked

00:38:42.500 --> 00:38:43.159
 your ignorance

00:38:43.159 --> 00:38:43.639
 ignorance.

00:38:44.759 --> 00:38:45.339
 But now,

00:38:45.480 --> 00:38:46.019
 verse 30,

00:38:46.319 --> 00:38:47.119
 but now,

00:38:48.119 --> 00:38:49.059
 he commands

00:38:49.059 --> 00:38:50.159
 all people

00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:51.259
 everywhere

00:38:51.259 --> 00:38:52.879
 to repent.

00:38:53.879 --> 00:38:55.059
 All people

00:38:55.059 --> 00:38:55.879
 everywhere

00:38:55.879 --> 00:38:57.699
 to repent.

00:38:57.940 --> 00:38:58.299
 Why?

00:38:58.619 --> 00:38:59.119
 Verse 31,

00:38:59.799 --> 00:39:00.299
 because he has

00:39:00.299 --> 00:39:01.179
 fixed a day

00:39:01.179 --> 00:39:02.119
 on which he

00:39:02.119 --> 00:39:02.759
 will judge the

00:39:02.759 --> 00:39:03.259
 world in

00:39:03.259 --> 00:39:03.739
 righteousness

00:39:03.739 --> 00:39:05.460
 by a man

00:39:05.460 --> 00:39:06.199
 who he

00:39:06.199 --> 00:39:07.279
 has appointed.

00:39:07.280 --> 00:39:08.740
 God

00:39:08.740 --> 00:39:09.060
 Paul is saying

00:39:09.060 --> 00:39:09.420
 that a day

00:39:09.420 --> 00:39:09.780
 is coming

00:39:09.780 --> 00:39:10.360
 soon that

00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:10.600
 the world

00:39:10.600 --> 00:39:10.860
 will be

00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:11.380
 judged

00:39:11.380 --> 00:39:13.180
 in comparison

00:39:13.180 --> 00:39:14.040
 to a man

00:39:14.040 --> 00:39:14.519
 who kept

00:39:14.519 --> 00:39:15.060
 the law

00:39:15.060 --> 00:39:16.000
 without

00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:17.100
 deviation,

00:39:17.800 --> 00:39:18.400
 the man

00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:19.080
 Jesus Christ.

00:39:19.780 --> 00:39:20.500
 The Christ's

00:39:20.500 --> 00:39:21.060
 perfection

00:39:21.060 --> 00:39:23.140
 and mankind's

00:39:23.140 --> 00:39:23.920
 imperfection will

00:39:23.920 --> 00:39:24.540
 be held up

00:39:24.540 --> 00:39:25.220
 to one

00:39:25.220 --> 00:39:26.080
 another.

00:39:26.180 --> 00:39:26.600
 We will be

00:39:26.600 --> 00:39:27.580
 judged by

00:39:27.580 --> 00:39:28.200
 the man

00:39:28.200 --> 00:39:28.760
 that God

00:39:28.760 --> 00:39:29.700
 has appointed.

00:39:30.180 --> 00:39:30.600
 For the

00:39:30.600 --> 00:39:31.260
 Athenians and

00:39:31.260 --> 00:39:31.760
 for us,

00:39:32.260 --> 00:39:33.360
 to stand in the

00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:33.860
 day of judgment,

00:39:33.940 --> 00:39:34.580
 that is to be not

00:39:34.580 --> 00:39:35.200
 wiped out,

00:39:35.199 --> 00:39:35.859
 to stand in

00:39:35.859 --> 00:39:36.119
 the day of

00:39:36.119 --> 00:39:36.379
 judgment,

00:39:36.839 --> 00:39:38.000
 we must be

00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:39.079
 found in

00:39:39.079 --> 00:39:39.739
 Christ.

00:39:39.919 --> 00:39:40.639
 We must have

00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:41.339
 his righteousness

00:39:41.339 --> 00:39:41.859
 so that when

00:39:41.859 --> 00:39:42.239
 we're held up

00:39:42.239 --> 00:39:42.639
 to him,

00:39:43.219 --> 00:39:44.079
 we line up.

00:39:44.719 --> 00:39:45.460
 We're seen

00:39:45.460 --> 00:39:46.079
 as righteous,

00:39:46.879 --> 00:39:47.919
 possessing it

00:39:47.919 --> 00:39:48.579
 by faith

00:39:48.579 --> 00:39:49.859
 in his person

00:39:49.859 --> 00:39:50.519
 and his work.

00:39:50.599 --> 00:39:51.159
 We must believe

00:39:51.159 --> 00:39:51.919
 in who Christ

00:39:51.919 --> 00:39:53.039
 is and what

00:39:53.039 --> 00:39:53.799
 he has done

00:39:53.799 --> 00:39:54.500
 on our behalf

00:39:54.500 --> 00:39:55.119
 to be found

00:39:55.119 --> 00:39:57.099
 in him.

00:39:58.259 --> 00:39:58.960
 Not only will

00:39:58.960 --> 00:39:59.500
 we be judged

00:39:59.500 --> 00:40:00.379
 in comparison

00:40:00.379 --> 00:40:01.019
 to Jesus,

00:40:01.719 --> 00:40:02.639
 but God

00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:03.279
 has granted

00:40:03.279 --> 00:40:03.859
 judgment

00:40:03.859 --> 00:40:04.779
 to him.

00:40:05.199 --> 00:40:06.139
 will also

00:40:06.139 --> 00:40:06.579
 be judged

00:40:06.579 --> 00:40:07.219
 by

00:40:07.219 --> 00:40:08.719
 Jesus.

00:40:09.419 --> 00:40:10.099
 John chapter

00:40:10.099 --> 00:40:10.559
 5,

00:40:11.619 --> 00:40:12.699
 verses 22

00:40:12.699 --> 00:40:13.619
 through 27.

00:40:14.619 --> 00:40:14.980
 For the

00:40:14.980 --> 00:40:15.859
 Father judges

00:40:15.859 --> 00:40:16.799
 no one,

00:40:17.139 --> 00:40:17.759
 but has given

00:40:17.759 --> 00:40:18.679
 all judgment

00:40:18.679 --> 00:40:19.559
 to the Son,

00:40:20.159 --> 00:40:20.739
 that all may

00:40:20.739 --> 00:40:21.480
 honor the Son

00:40:21.480 --> 00:40:22.019
 just as they

00:40:22.019 --> 00:40:22.819
 honor the Father.

00:40:23.480 --> 00:40:24.039
 Whoever does

00:40:24.039 --> 00:40:24.739
 not honor the

00:40:24.739 --> 00:40:25.339
 Son does not

00:40:25.339 --> 00:40:26.039
 honor the Father

00:40:26.039 --> 00:40:26.819
 who sent him.

00:40:27.559 --> 00:40:27.819
 Truly,

00:40:27.899 --> 00:40:28.039
 truly,

00:40:28.139 --> 00:40:28.779
 I say to you,

00:40:29.339 --> 00:40:29.839
 whoever hears

00:40:29.839 --> 00:40:30.719
 my words and

00:40:30.719 --> 00:40:31.719
 believes him

00:40:31.719 --> 00:40:32.399
 who sent me

00:40:32.399 --> 00:40:33.319
 has eternal

00:40:33.319 --> 00:40:33.779
 life.

00:40:33.780 --> 00:40:35.080
 he does not

00:40:35.080 --> 00:40:35.860
 come into

00:40:35.860 --> 00:40:36.240
 judgment,

00:40:36.360 --> 00:40:37.160
 but has passed

00:40:37.160 --> 00:40:38.019
 from death

00:40:38.019 --> 00:40:39.300
 to life.

00:40:40.019 --> 00:40:40.260
 Truly,

00:40:40.320 --> 00:40:40.440
 truly,

00:40:40.519 --> 00:40:41.040
 I say to you,

00:40:41.100 --> 00:40:41.980
 an hour is coming

00:40:41.980 --> 00:40:42.840
 and is now here

00:40:42.840 --> 00:40:43.400
 when the dead

00:40:43.400 --> 00:40:44.360
 will hear the voice

00:40:44.360 --> 00:40:45.700
 of the Son of God

00:40:45.700 --> 00:40:47.160
 and those who hear

00:40:47.160 --> 00:40:48.420
 will live.

00:40:49.240 --> 00:40:49.800
 For as the Father

00:40:49.800 --> 00:40:51.019
 has life in himself,

00:40:51.160 --> 00:40:52.040
 so he has granted

00:40:52.040 --> 00:40:53.019
 the Son also

00:40:53.019 --> 00:40:53.660
 to have life

00:40:53.660 --> 00:40:54.380
 in himself,

00:40:54.880 --> 00:40:55.560
 and he has given

00:40:55.560 --> 00:40:56.320
 him authority

00:40:56.320 --> 00:40:57.680
 to execute

00:40:57.680 --> 00:40:58.580
 judgment

00:40:58.579 --> 00:40:58.719
 judgment

00:40:58.719 --> 00:41:00.139
 because he is

00:41:00.139 --> 00:41:00.699
 the Son

00:41:00.699 --> 00:41:02.420
 of Man.

00:41:03.440 --> 00:41:03.960
 And I mentioned

00:41:03.960 --> 00:41:04.440
 just kind of

00:41:04.440 --> 00:41:05.139
 as an aside

00:41:05.139 --> 00:41:06.779
 when I was reading

00:41:06.779 --> 00:41:07.500
 a story to the

00:41:07.500 --> 00:41:08.299
 children this morning

00:41:08.299 --> 00:41:09.400
 in that book,

00:41:09.679 --> 00:41:10.819
 Jesus is on a

00:41:10.819 --> 00:41:11.219
 horse

00:41:11.219 --> 00:41:12.400
 and he says,

00:41:12.559 --> 00:41:12.920
 come on,

00:41:12.980 --> 00:41:13.440
 friends,

00:41:14.119 --> 00:41:14.819
 come in.

00:41:17.019 --> 00:41:18.199
 Before that scene

00:41:18.199 --> 00:41:19.039
 takes place,

00:41:19.860 --> 00:41:22.860
 he's on a horse

00:41:22.860 --> 00:41:23.679
 and on his thighs

00:41:23.679 --> 00:41:24.500
 are emblazoned

00:41:24.500 --> 00:41:25.299
 King of King

00:41:25.299 --> 00:41:26.119
 and Lord of Lords

00:41:26.119 --> 00:41:26.779
 and he has a tongue

00:41:26.779 --> 00:41:27.360
 like a sword

00:41:27.360 --> 00:41:28.220
 and he comes back

00:41:28.220 --> 00:41:28.920
 and he's splattered

00:41:28.920 --> 00:41:29.280
 in blood

00:41:29.280 --> 00:41:30.059
 because he judges

00:41:30.059 --> 00:41:30.480
 the Lord.

00:41:32.700 --> 00:41:33.460
 That's a judgment

00:41:33.460 --> 00:41:34.400
 I want to escape.

00:41:38.519 --> 00:41:39.400
 And the rest of

00:41:39.400 --> 00:41:41.380
 verse 31,

00:41:41.720 --> 00:41:42.480
 and of this

00:41:42.480 --> 00:41:43.599
 he has given

00:41:43.599 --> 00:41:44.140
 assurance,

00:41:44.380 --> 00:41:45.180
 God has given

00:41:45.180 --> 00:41:46.480
 assurance to all

00:41:46.480 --> 00:41:47.320
 by raising

00:41:47.320 --> 00:41:48.260
 Jesus

00:41:48.260 --> 00:41:49.840
 from the dead.

00:41:50.780 --> 00:41:51.500
 The good news

00:41:51.500 --> 00:41:51.960
 of the gospel

00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:53.519
 rises or falls

00:41:53.519 --> 00:41:54.680
 on the fact

00:41:54.680 --> 00:41:55.180
 of Jesus'

00:41:55.400 --> 00:41:55.900
 resurrection.

00:41:55.900 --> 00:41:58.440
 many churches

00:41:58.440 --> 00:41:58.960
 this morning,

00:41:59.320 --> 00:41:59.960
 to their benefit,

00:42:00.119 --> 00:42:00.740
 it's a good thing,

00:42:00.860 --> 00:42:01.800
 are apologetically

00:42:01.800 --> 00:42:03.000
 proving that the

00:42:03.000 --> 00:42:03.920
 resurrection actually

00:42:03.920 --> 00:42:04.300
 happened.

00:42:04.400 --> 00:42:05.039
 That's a good thing.

00:42:05.059 --> 00:42:05.780
 It's a good exercise

00:42:05.780 --> 00:42:06.480
 for your faith.

00:42:06.700 --> 00:42:07.320
 I'm not doing that

00:42:07.320 --> 00:42:07.740
 this morning,

00:42:07.900 --> 00:42:09.440
 but for your benefit,

00:42:09.440 --> 00:42:10.160
 if you're not too

00:42:10.160 --> 00:42:11.019
 sure about the

00:42:11.019 --> 00:42:12.680
 surety of

00:42:12.680 --> 00:42:13.820
 the resurrection,

00:42:14.019 --> 00:42:14.619
 spend some time.

00:42:14.660 --> 00:42:15.099
 There's lots of

00:42:15.099 --> 00:42:15.360
 resources.

00:42:15.480 --> 00:42:15.800
 Come to me.

00:42:15.840 --> 00:42:16.960
 I'll talk with you

00:42:16.960 --> 00:42:17.760
 about it for a

00:42:17.760 --> 00:42:18.440
 really long time.

00:42:18.440 --> 00:42:21.639
 Because if Jesus

00:42:21.639 --> 00:42:22.820
 was not raised,

00:42:23.820 --> 00:42:24.579
 then he was a

00:42:24.579 --> 00:42:25.179
 moral teacher

00:42:25.179 --> 00:42:26.019
 and a lunatic.

00:42:26.599 --> 00:42:28.019
 He said crazy

00:42:28.019 --> 00:42:29.079
 things if he

00:42:29.079 --> 00:42:29.380
 wasn't raised

00:42:29.380 --> 00:42:29.760
 from the dead.

00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:30.280
 If he wasn't

00:42:30.280 --> 00:42:30.840
 after the Son

00:42:30.840 --> 00:42:31.260
 of God,

00:42:31.380 --> 00:42:31.820
 he claimed to

00:42:31.820 --> 00:42:32.119
 be the Son

00:42:32.119 --> 00:42:32.500
 of God.

00:42:32.659 --> 00:42:33.039
 He claimed to

00:42:33.039 --> 00:42:33.900
 be from God.

00:42:33.980 --> 00:42:34.519
 He claimed to

00:42:34.519 --> 00:42:35.659
 forgive sin.

00:42:36.780 --> 00:42:37.720
 He was insane.

00:42:40.220 --> 00:42:41.260
 But if he was,

00:42:41.980 --> 00:42:42.679
 and he was,

00:42:44.440 --> 00:42:45.300
 praise God

00:42:45.300 --> 00:42:46.300
 the Son

00:42:46.300 --> 00:42:46.820
 that he was,

00:42:48.220 --> 00:42:49.000
 then he is all

00:42:49.000 --> 00:42:49.720
 that he claimed

00:42:49.720 --> 00:42:50.840
 to be.

00:42:51.920 --> 00:42:52.740
 Jesus Christ,

00:42:53.140 --> 00:42:54.080
 the Son of God,

00:42:54.480 --> 00:42:55.300
 who takes away

00:42:55.300 --> 00:42:55.980
 the sins of the

00:42:55.980 --> 00:42:56.600
 world by his

00:42:56.600 --> 00:42:57.400
 perfect life

00:42:57.400 --> 00:42:58.380
 and his perfect

00:42:58.380 --> 00:42:58.860
 death,

00:42:59.280 --> 00:42:59.820
 who is seated

00:42:59.820 --> 00:43:00.480
 now at the

00:43:00.480 --> 00:43:00.980
 right hand of

00:43:00.980 --> 00:43:01.440
 the Father

00:43:01.440 --> 00:43:02.380
 interceding

00:43:02.380 --> 00:43:03.920
 for us.

00:43:05.539 --> 00:43:06.700
 Acts 4.12,

00:43:07.660 --> 00:43:08.200
 Peter said,

00:43:08.280 --> 00:43:08.480
 and there is

00:43:08.480 --> 00:43:09.100
 salvation in

00:43:09.100 --> 00:43:09.720
 no one else,

00:43:10.500 --> 00:43:11.420
 for there is

00:43:11.420 --> 00:43:12.280
 no other name

00:43:12.280 --> 00:43:12.800
 under heaven

00:43:12.800 --> 00:43:13.380
 given among

00:43:13.380 --> 00:43:14.180
 men by which

00:43:14.179 --> 00:43:16.299
 we must be

00:43:16.299 --> 00:43:16.759
 saved.

00:43:18.519 --> 00:43:19.519
 Do you believe

00:43:19.519 --> 00:43:19.960
 this?

00:43:21.679 --> 00:43:22.759
 There are not

00:43:22.759 --> 00:43:23.619
 many ways

00:43:23.619 --> 00:43:24.319
 to heaven.

00:43:25.879 --> 00:43:26.359
 And there are

00:43:26.359 --> 00:43:26.960
 people who are

00:43:26.960 --> 00:43:27.619
 out there

00:43:27.619 --> 00:43:28.859
 dying,

00:43:29.159 --> 00:43:29.599
 thinking,

00:43:30.379 --> 00:43:31.279
 just thinking

00:43:31.279 --> 00:43:31.779
 they can earn

00:43:31.779 --> 00:43:32.299
 their way,

00:43:33.019 --> 00:43:33.980
 inventing some

00:43:33.980 --> 00:43:34.739
 God of their

00:43:34.739 --> 00:43:35.319
 own making,

00:43:35.480 --> 00:43:36.519
 some philosophy

00:43:36.519 --> 00:43:38.079
 that they hope

00:43:38.079 --> 00:43:39.679
 will find them

00:43:39.679 --> 00:43:40.339
 one day

00:43:40.339 --> 00:43:41.480
 in heaven

00:43:41.480 --> 00:43:42.359
 with God.

00:43:42.360 --> 00:43:45.360
 those philosophies,

00:43:45.480 --> 00:43:46.200
 those aired

00:43:46.200 --> 00:43:47.039
 philosophies are

00:43:47.039 --> 00:43:47.660
 damning to

00:43:47.660 --> 00:43:47.920
 them.

00:43:48.480 --> 00:43:49.099
 Who must,

00:43:49.200 --> 00:43:49.860
 must,

00:43:49.920 --> 00:43:50.180
 must,

00:43:50.280 --> 00:43:51.380
 must preach

00:43:51.380 --> 00:43:51.880
 the gospel

00:43:51.880 --> 00:43:53.180
 of Jesus

00:43:53.180 --> 00:43:53.640
 Christ?

00:43:55.380 --> 00:43:55.920
 Typically on

00:43:55.920 --> 00:43:56.340
 your bulletin,

00:43:56.400 --> 00:43:57.160
 I like to give

00:43:57.160 --> 00:43:58.700
 you a quotation

00:43:58.700 --> 00:44:00.460
 from an old

00:44:00.460 --> 00:44:00.980
 dead guy.

00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:03.440
 John Piper is

00:44:03.440 --> 00:44:03.800
 not,

00:44:04.360 --> 00:44:06.019
 at least not

00:44:06.019 --> 00:44:06.280
 dead.

00:44:06.280 --> 00:44:11.820
 He is old,

00:44:11.920 --> 00:44:12.780
 don't murmur,

00:44:12.920 --> 00:44:13.440
 it's fine.

00:44:14.440 --> 00:44:15.200
 He wouldn't be

00:44:15.200 --> 00:44:15.880
 offended by that.

00:44:16.880 --> 00:44:17.300
 I just thought

00:44:17.300 --> 00:44:18.019
 that this quotation

00:44:18.019 --> 00:44:18.740
 fits so well

00:44:18.740 --> 00:44:18.980
 here.

00:44:19.480 --> 00:44:20.220
 The best news

00:44:20.220 --> 00:44:20.720
 of the Christian

00:44:20.720 --> 00:44:22.140
 gospel is that

00:44:22.140 --> 00:44:22.940
 the supremely

00:44:22.940 --> 00:44:24.060
 glorious creator

00:44:24.060 --> 00:44:25.040
 of the universe

00:44:25.040 --> 00:44:26.460
 has acted in

00:44:26.460 --> 00:44:27.480
 Jesus Christ's

00:44:27.480 --> 00:44:28.400
 death and

00:44:28.400 --> 00:44:28.960
 resurrection

00:44:28.960 --> 00:44:30.280
 to remove

00:44:30.280 --> 00:44:31.440
 every obstacle

00:44:31.440 --> 00:44:32.180
 between us

00:44:32.180 --> 00:44:32.860
 and himself

00:44:32.860 --> 00:44:33.700
 so that we

00:44:33.700 --> 00:44:34.260
 may find

00:44:34.260 --> 00:44:35.519
 everlasting joy

00:44:35.519 --> 00:44:36.360
 in seeing

00:44:36.360 --> 00:44:37.880
 and savoring

00:44:37.880 --> 00:44:39.300
 his infinite

00:44:39.300 --> 00:44:40.259
 beauty.

00:44:40.820 --> 00:44:41.500
 We may have

00:44:41.500 --> 00:44:42.099
 that which

00:44:42.099 --> 00:44:43.259
 truly satisfies

00:44:43.259 --> 00:44:44.619
 the joy

00:44:44.619 --> 00:44:45.559
 that can be

00:44:45.559 --> 00:44:45.920
 ours.

00:44:46.059 --> 00:44:46.659
 What is the

00:44:46.659 --> 00:44:47.960
 chief end

00:44:47.960 --> 00:44:49.079
 of man?

00:44:49.659 --> 00:44:50.380
 To glorify

00:44:50.380 --> 00:44:50.980
 God and

00:44:50.980 --> 00:44:51.800
 enjoy him

00:44:51.800 --> 00:44:53.619
 forever.

00:44:55.139 --> 00:44:55.780
 So we've seen

00:44:55.780 --> 00:44:56.280
 the last couple

00:44:56.280 --> 00:44:56.679
 of verses,

00:44:57.019 --> 00:44:57.280
 32,

00:44:57.519 --> 00:44:57.880
 33,

00:44:58.119 --> 00:44:59.440
 and 34,

00:44:59.820 --> 00:45:00.699
 the mixed

00:45:00.699 --> 00:45:01.300
 responses,

00:45:01.420 --> 00:45:01.860
 which is pretty

00:45:01.860 --> 00:45:02.840
 typical in the

00:45:02.840 --> 00:45:03.679
 ministry of Paul

00:45:03.679 --> 00:45:04.320
 and it will be

00:45:04.320 --> 00:45:05.440
 in our

00:45:05.440 --> 00:45:06.580
 ministry as

00:45:06.580 --> 00:45:06.920
 well.

00:45:07.519 --> 00:45:07.960
 Some think

00:45:07.960 --> 00:45:08.519
 he's crazy,

00:45:08.640 --> 00:45:09.580
 they mock

00:45:09.580 --> 00:45:09.840
 him.

00:45:10.500 --> 00:45:10.880
 Some are

00:45:10.880 --> 00:45:11.800
 interested in

00:45:11.800 --> 00:45:12.200
 what he had

00:45:12.200 --> 00:45:12.640
 to say and

00:45:12.640 --> 00:45:13.120
 they want to

00:45:13.120 --> 00:45:13.820
 hear again

00:45:13.820 --> 00:45:15.800
 what he may

00:45:15.800 --> 00:45:16.260
 be teaching

00:45:16.260 --> 00:45:17.019
 and some

00:45:17.019 --> 00:45:18.440
 believe and

00:45:18.440 --> 00:45:19.519
 follow.

00:45:20.840 --> 00:45:21.380
 So this

00:45:21.380 --> 00:45:21.580
 morning,

00:45:21.660 --> 00:45:21.860
 just let me

00:45:21.860 --> 00:45:22.200
 ask,

00:45:22.380 --> 00:45:23.240
 are you one

00:45:23.240 --> 00:45:23.860
 who mocks?

00:45:24.260 --> 00:45:24.800
 Is it possible

00:45:24.800 --> 00:45:25.340
 that you found

00:45:25.340 --> 00:45:26.340
 yourself in

00:45:26.340 --> 00:45:27.120
 the meeting

00:45:27.120 --> 00:45:27.980
 of Christians

00:45:27.980 --> 00:45:30.420
 and you're a

00:45:30.420 --> 00:45:30.940
 mocker of the

00:45:30.940 --> 00:45:31.860
 resurrection of

00:45:31.860 --> 00:45:32.420
 Jesus Christ?

00:45:32.420 --> 00:45:32.980
 I saw a

00:45:32.980 --> 00:45:34.000
 stat this

00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:34.480
 week and I

00:45:34.480 --> 00:45:35.000
 didn't do a

00:45:35.000 --> 00:45:35.440
 lot of research

00:45:35.440 --> 00:45:35.820
 on where it

00:45:35.820 --> 00:45:36.440
 came from that

00:45:36.440 --> 00:45:37.960
 said that 25%

00:45:37.960 --> 00:45:39.260
 of professing

00:45:39.260 --> 00:45:40.180
 Christians don't

00:45:40.180 --> 00:45:40.680
 believe the

00:45:40.680 --> 00:45:41.599
 resurrection actually

00:45:41.599 --> 00:45:42.079
 happened.

00:45:43.159 --> 00:45:43.500
 They're not

00:45:43.500 --> 00:45:44.420
 Christians then.

00:45:45.380 --> 00:45:46.139
 They can claim to

00:45:46.139 --> 00:45:46.539
 be but they're

00:45:46.539 --> 00:45:47.360
 certainly not.

00:45:49.039 --> 00:45:49.760
 Do you think

00:45:49.760 --> 00:45:50.420
 you're in Christ

00:45:50.420 --> 00:45:50.920
 and you don't

00:45:50.920 --> 00:45:51.400
 believe he's

00:45:51.400 --> 00:45:51.880
 alive?

00:45:54.619 --> 00:45:55.680
 I pity you.

00:45:56.920 --> 00:45:57.519
 Repent and

00:45:57.519 --> 00:45:57.860
 believe.

00:45:59.380 --> 00:45:59.980
 Are you one

00:45:59.980 --> 00:46:00.380
 who would hear

00:46:00.380 --> 00:46:00.820
 more?

00:46:01.760 --> 00:46:02.260
 We want to

00:46:02.260 --> 00:46:02.780
 share more.

00:46:03.340 --> 00:46:03.679
 Boy, do we

00:46:03.679 --> 00:46:04.240
 love talking

00:46:04.240 --> 00:46:04.619
 about the

00:46:04.619 --> 00:46:05.420
 gospel around

00:46:05.420 --> 00:46:05.699
 here.

00:46:06.380 --> 00:46:07.019
 Just ask.

00:46:07.179 --> 00:46:07.860
 Ask anybody.

00:46:08.340 --> 00:46:09.000
 Certainly I'm

00:46:09.000 --> 00:46:09.320
 available.

00:46:09.480 --> 00:46:10.400
 I'd love to

00:46:10.400 --> 00:46:10.940
 speak more about

00:46:10.940 --> 00:46:11.500
 the gospel of

00:46:11.500 --> 00:46:11.880
 Christ with

00:46:11.880 --> 00:46:12.059
 you.

00:46:13.219 --> 00:46:13.719
 Are you one

00:46:13.719 --> 00:46:14.500
 who believes?

00:46:16.780 --> 00:46:17.800
 Just believing

00:46:17.800 --> 00:46:18.619
 in the resurrection

00:46:18.619 --> 00:46:19.579
 is the beginning

00:46:19.579 --> 00:46:21.240
 of a life lived

00:46:21.240 --> 00:46:22.920
 in service to

00:46:22.920 --> 00:46:23.300
 God.

00:46:23.800 --> 00:46:24.159
 You note,

00:46:24.360 --> 00:46:24.760
 Clay read

00:46:24.760 --> 00:46:25.300
 earlier,

00:46:26.260 --> 00:46:27.500
 Jesus appears

00:46:27.500 --> 00:46:28.099
 amongst the

00:46:28.099 --> 00:46:28.579
 disciples.

00:46:29.340 --> 00:46:29.740
 What does he

00:46:29.739 --> 00:46:29.919
 say?

00:46:30.019 --> 00:46:30.419
 Just as the

00:46:30.419 --> 00:46:31.019
 father sent

00:46:31.019 --> 00:46:32.000
 me, so am

00:46:32.000 --> 00:46:33.000
 I sending

00:46:33.000 --> 00:46:34.219
 you.

00:46:34.539 --> 00:46:35.319
 We're part

00:46:35.319 --> 00:46:36.500
 of all of

00:46:36.500 --> 00:46:36.939
 the gospel

00:46:36.939 --> 00:46:37.599
 implication.

00:46:38.199 --> 00:46:38.699
 We're now

00:46:38.699 --> 00:46:39.039
 with the

00:46:39.039 --> 00:46:39.439
 spirit of

00:46:39.439 --> 00:46:40.619
 Christ in

00:46:40.619 --> 00:46:41.099
 us,

00:46:41.399 --> 00:46:42.919
 displaying his

00:46:42.919 --> 00:46:44.219
 mercy to

00:46:44.219 --> 00:46:44.579
 the world

00:46:44.579 --> 00:46:45.199
 around us.

00:46:45.279 --> 00:46:45.659
 So be

00:46:45.659 --> 00:46:47.039
 active with

00:46:47.039 --> 00:46:47.500
 your family

00:46:47.500 --> 00:46:48.179
 and friends

00:46:48.179 --> 00:46:49.059
 and coworkers

00:46:49.059 --> 00:46:50.399
 and roommates

00:46:50.399 --> 00:46:52.739
 displaying the

00:46:52.739 --> 00:46:53.359
 glory of the

00:46:53.359 --> 00:46:53.659
 gospel.

00:46:54.379 --> 00:46:55.059
 Let's pray

00:46:55.059 --> 00:46:55.319
 together.