God’s Witness of His Existence
Psalm 19:1-14
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. 6 Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. 13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION
.. Recently at an ABM meeting – one of the singers of the Gospel Echos mentioned how he was used by his friend (to come to the friends church’s youth meeting) in his official capacity as a sheriff to confiscate all the Bibles. The point was for the young people to experience what it was like for someone to control their religious freedom.
. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us – “… set apart Christ as Lord in our hearts, always ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you …”
. If this were to happened to us – I have to ask myself and you – CAN WE DO THAT?
. Are we able to defend the faith once delivered to the saints – cf. Jude 3.
A. Polls:
.. Newsweek – March 31, 2007
. 91% – American adults believe in God
. 87% identify with a specific religion
. 82% - Christians
. 5% - Non-Christian faith (such as Judaism | Islam)
. 9% – American adults do not believe in God
. 6% do not believe in God, but cannot prove he does not exist
. 3% have no doubt that God does not exist
[About: Agnosticism/Atheism. Source: Austin Cline, “Belief in God, Rejection of Science Remain Strong in America,” April 2, 2007 – www.atheism.about.com/b/a/258952.htm, downloaded 17 May 2007]
.. The Harris Poll # 59 – October 15, 2003
. Frequency of American Adults Attending Religious Services:
. 19% – attend a religious service at least a few times a year
. 4% – attend a religious service only once a year
. 11% – attend a religious service at least once a month
. 26% – attend a religious service at least once a week
. 40% – never attend a religious service
. (28% associate with some religion | 12% do not)
[Harris Interactive, Inc. – www.harrisinteractive.com, downloaded 17 May 2007]
.. USAToday
. Americans’ Image of God
. 31% – believe in an “Authoritarian God” who is angry at humanity’s sins and engaged in every creature’s life and world affairs.
. 23% – believe in a “Benevolent God” who is forgiving and accepting of anyone who repents.
. 16% – believe in a “Critical God” who has his judgmental eye on the world, but he’s not going to intervene, either to punish or comfort.
. 24% – believe in a “Distant God” who is more of a cosmic force that launched the world, then left it spinning on its own.
[Leadership, Spring 2007. Source Cathy Lynn Grossman, “Americans’ Image of God Varies,” USAToday.com (9/11/06)]
B. Assumptions:
1. All of us here today fall into one of three classes – Do you believe that God exists?
. Theist – You believe in God.
. Atheist – You do not believe in God.
. Agnostic – You do not believe in God, but cannot prove he does not exist.
2. Existence of God is the basis of our lives –
. John Gill
[T]he being of God … is the foundation of all religion; for if there is no God, religion is a vain thing; and it matters not neither what, we believe, nor what we do; since there is no superior Being to whom we are accountable for either faith or practice.
[A Body of Doctrinal and Practical Divinity: or A System of Practical Truths Deduced from The Sacred Scriptures, Greenwood, IL: Primitive Baptist Library, 1980 (1815 ed. republished), p. 1]
C. Evidence of God’s Existence
1. Mankind – (John Gill; T.P. Simmons; J.L. Dagg; Thomas Watson; N. Geisler; W. Grudem)
. General consent of mankind – men naturally seek a higher being to worship
. Moral law found in society – indicates an absolute right and wrong (who determines)
. Sense of justice – wickedness | evil will not go unpunished
. Workings | function of the universe – points to an intelligent design
. Conscience – survival of the fittest does not regret its actions
2. Science – (Lee Strobel: Case for a Creator)
. First cause – scientific evidence concludes that everything must come from something | material, nothing cannot produce anything other than nothing – dead cannot produce life
. Physics | Astronomy – the uniqueness as to where our planet is at in the universe - (there are more than 30 physical and cosmological parameters that require precise calibration in order to produce a universe that can sustain life)
. Biochemistry – the microscopic world is made up of complex organs – unlikely to be built piece by piece as required by basis evolution – all their workings point to design
. Blood clotting – Michael J. Behe, PHD Biochemistry – currently on staff at Lehigh University w/several credentials dealing with Molecular Biology and Cellular Biosciences, stated: “If your blood [does not clot] in the right place and in the right amount and at the right time, you would [bleed] to death. As it turns out, the system of blood clotting involves a highly choreographed cascade of ten steps that use about twenty different molecular components. Without the whole system in place, it doesn’t work. … The real trick with blood clotting isn’t so much the clot itself – it’s just a blob that blocks the flow of blood – but it’s the regulation of the system … if you make a clot in the wrong place – say, the brain or lung – you’ll die. If you make a clot twenty minutes after all the blood has drained from your body, you’ll die. If the blood clot isn’t confined to the cut, your entire blood system might solidify, and you’ll die. If you make a clot that doesn’t cover the entire length of the cut, you’ll die. To create a perfectly balanced blood-clotting system, clusters of protein components have to be inserted all at once. That rules out a gradualistic Darwinian approach and fits the hypothesis of an intelligent designer.” (209-210)
. Genetics (DNA) – a complex and sequential arrangement of four-letter chemical alphabet in each of our cells that points out the specific instructions on how it is to respond to and react with other cells – this indicates an intelligence to purposefully determine each cell’s functions – not a happenstance by chance
TEXT
I. God Reveals His Existence by Revelation through Creation – (Vv. 1-6)
.. The heavens declare the glory of God
.. The firmament (expanse of heaven) shows His handiwork
. Day time – displays the beauty and wonder of His earthly creation
. Night time – displays the knowledge and wisdom of His universe
. Neither utters a word – yet they speak volumes concerning the Creator
. Example – the Sun
a. hangs in the sky
b. shines forth like bridegroom,
c. shines forth like a strong man
d. rises from one end to set in the other
e. heats covers everything
Hebrews 11:3
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God [In the beginning God created – Gen. 1:1], so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
NOTE: God reveals His existence through all of His creation – man, earth, and the universe.
II. God Reveals His Existence by Revelation through His Word – (Vv. 7-11)
.. Even though God is revealed through His creation of man, earth, and the universe – this knowledge alone does not reveal Him to mankind in a personal manner.
Proverbs 14:12
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
.. It has been said that the Bible is such a book that man could not have written if he would and would not have written if he could. [T.P. Simmons, 8-9] – Man’s message would not be that he is a lost, helpless sinner dependent totally and completely upon God for redemption. No – instead he would devise a way that would bring him back into favor with his Creator by some effort of his (man’s) own part – some valiant deed or act that would show man’s sincerity – cf. Genesis 4:3-7 to Hebrews 11:4.
.. Uniqueness of the Bible:
. Bible – means: a book or a collection of books.
. Christian Bible = 66 books – 39 OT | 27 NT
. Written over a span of 1500 years by over 40 different authors in three different languages and yet it presents a unified message of God’s plan and purpose for humanity.
.Theme
. OT – Someone is coming
. Gospel – He is here
. Epistles – Someone is coming again
.. Inspired:
2 Timothy 16a
All scripture is given by inspiration of God …
.. Purposeful:
Isaiah 55:8-11
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but is shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
v. 7-11
. The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul – Romans 10:17
. The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple – 2 Timothy 3:15
. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart – 1 Corinthians 13:6
. The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes – 2 John v. 4
. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever – Ephesians 5:26
. The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether – John 17:17
. More to be desired are they than gold
. Yea, than much fine gold
. Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb
. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward – Romans 6:17
III. God Reveals His Revelation through His Son – (Vv. 12-14)
Hebrews 11:1a
God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son …
. Jesus discerns our errors – Jesus acquits us of hidden fault.
. Jesus keeps His servants from presumptuous sins; He does not let them rule over me;
. Jesus makes me blameless and in Jesus I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
. Jesus receives praise of the words of my mouth and the meditation of Jesus in my heart is acceptable in Your sight,
. Jesus - O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
CONCLUSION
.. How do you see God?
.. How do you see His Word?
.. How do you see His Son
. The answer to these questions will define your Christian life.
Does God exist?
.. Yes, all evidence points to this reality.
. Mankind
. Science
. Creation
. Bible
. Jesus Christ
.. Believe in Him today!
INVITATION
.. If you have come today to realize that the existence of God is true – then I urge you to go to Calvary’s cross. For there you will find the most vital evidence that God does exist. Of course this evidence is found in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 14:9b
[Jesus said] He who has seen Me has seen the Father.
.. To all those who know Christ as their savior – I encourage you to live your life as a testimony before others that they too may see your Father of the Lord Jesus Christ the hope of your salvation.
Open to All –
. Come to Christ
. Come if you need to pray
. Come be a part of us
. Come share with us what the Lord would have you to do
Bruce Allen
Underwood Baptist Church
bea0210@hotmail.com
May 20, 2007
