Text: Acts 17:29-34, Title: Seed Picker 4 (AKA: Hellfire and Brimstone), Date/Place: NRBC, 11/2/08, AM
Opening illustration: The whole thing gets to be a terrible riddle for most of us. My working idea of God is that there’s something very significant, beyond my capacity to measure, that existed before me and will exist after me and all the things like me. It was there at the beginning, and it will be there at the end of this reality. Perhaps it will create new realities. And I’ll call it God, but it is a kind of “first force,” and it does exist. Does it determine all of our actions? No. The God I believe in allows us free will to make the contest of humanity an interesting one. If it weren’t for free will, we wouldn’t be able to tell when we were doing it right and when we were doing it wrong. So this force, this God, built that into our current stage of existence. There’s a right and wrong in everything. But for it to be right and wrong, we have to have a will, and we have to be able to choose between the two –From ElightenNext Magazine, The God we believe in is the God of all peoples. Muslims worship Him, as do Jews and Mormons, as do Orthodox Christians, Catholics, and Protestants –From the Obama/Biden page, Walter and NE Castings,
A. Background to passage: this is the conclusion to Paul’s message to the Areopagus on Mars Hill. He is addressing philosophers and academics about Christ and the resurrection. And after a short introduction, and a witty dive off of the altar to the “Unknown God,” Paul tells them about this God and what all He has done. Then he comes to the application part of the message today beginning with “therefore.” Paul cuts to the chase for the listeners to come to a clear understanding of these things. He begins his main assault with a piercing remark about God not being shaped from man’s devising.
B. Main thought: In this text we will see that God is not a composite of our thoughts about Him, nor one shaped from our preferences, but one who commands authority, repentance, and will bring forth judgment upon those who refuse to believe.
A. Universal Repentance (v. 30)
1. Paul jabs again by saying that God has ignored or overlooked times of “ignorance.” This would have really rubbed these academics the wrong way, but the bible does speak of such. God overlooked, or didn’t judge as harshly or severely as He should have, in times past. But now commands every man to repent and believe the gospel. Define repentance: to experience a change of mind toward sin and God accompanied by sorrow, which results in a change of behavior. This again would have offended them.
2. Rom 2:4, 10:2, Matt 4:17, 2 Pet 3:9, 2 Cor 7:10-11,
3. Illustration: I’ve been wrong, so wrong. Won’t you give a poor penitent girl another chance?" Charlie Brown was moved by her display of grief and responded to her, "Of course, I’ll give you another chance." He stepped back as she held the ball, and he ran. At the last moment, Lucy picked up the ball and Charlie Brown fell flat on his back. Lucy’s last words were, "Recognizing your faults and actually changing your ways are two different things, Charlie Brown!" "True repentance is when by the convicting power of God’s Holy Spirit, the sinner finally has a sense of revulsion and Godly sorrow for the condition of sin in his or her heart, and comes, empty-handed and un-defensive, without pretension or ceremony, in the most personal and submissive posture he’s ever taken, and from a sincere heart says “I’m sorry”, to the only One who can truly claim offense at sin; Holiness Himself, the God of the ages...who alone can forgive and redeem and regenerate and reconcile." The headline reads: Korn guitarist leaving to follow Jesus. "Popular heavy metal band, Korn, has parted ways with guitarist and founding member, Brian, "Head" Welch who has chosen Jesus Christ as his savior and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end, radio station in Knoxville that changed overnight to a Christian station, bar owner in Ecuador who closed his bar overnight,
4. The gospel generally rubs unbelievers wrong. You bound to say a few things that will ruffle some feathers when you witness. But God has called all men to repentance, and you are the mouthpiece. Every person in this room God now commands to repent! In fact, every person in this city, county, state, country, world, God has commanded to repent, and acknowledge God’s holiness and their helplessness. Everyone is in need of God’s forgiveness and provision in Jesus Christ. Explain the difference between feeling guilty and true repentance. Explain false repentance. Have you ever truly repented? The flip side of that coin is belief; they go hand in hand in the Christian walk. Have you surrendered your life to Christ and pinned your only hope of heaven upon his finished work on the cross? Because if you haven’t…
B. Universal Judgment (v. 31)
1. One translation says “fixed” which gets at the words meaning, as does “appointed.” God has set a day where He will judge the world in righteousness. Paul just told an academic group that God would call them all to account. Note that God is again bringing all human history to its designed conclusion on a specific day. And the man upon whom this responsibility falls is Jesus Christ. And His judgment will be true and faithful as well as final and complete (with the exception of continuing conscious torment in hell).
2. John 5:22, 27, Rev 6:16, 19:11, 20:11-15, 21:8, Acts 10:42, Mar 9:44, 46, 48,
3. Illustration: "All roads lead to the judgment seat of Christ." An umpire named Babe Pinelli once called Babe Ruth out on strikes. When the crowd booed with sharp disapproval at the call, the legendary Ruth turned to the umpire with disdain and said, "There’s 40,000 people here who know that the last pitch was ball, tomato head." Suspecting that the umpire would erupt with anger, the coaches and players braced themselves for Ruth’s ejection. However, the cool headed Pinelli replied, "Maybe so, Babe, but mine is the only opinion that counts." Percentage who agree with the statement "There will be a day when God judges whether you go to heaven or hell": 79, story about Bill Hybels and the woman who read the book…“Oh, if you have the hearts of Christians or of men in you, let them yearn towards your poor ignorant, ungodly neighbours. Alas, there is but a step betwixt them and death and hell; many hundred diseases are waiting ready to seize on them, and if they die unregenerate, they are lost forever. Have you hearts of rock, that cannot pity men in such a case as this? If you believe not the Word of God, and the danger of sinners, why are you Christians yourselves? If you do believe it, why do you not bestir yourself to the helping of others? Do you not care who is damned, so you be saved? If so, you have sufficient cause to pity yourselves, for it is a frame of spirit utterly inconsistent with grace. . . .Dost thou live close by them, or meet them in the streets, or labour with them, or travel with them, or sit and talk with them, and say nothing to them of their souls, or the life to come? If their houses were on fire, thou wouldst run and help them; and wilt thou not help them when their souls are almost at the fire of hell?”—Richard Baxter,
4. God will hold you accountable for your failure to repent and believe. Ignorance is not an excuse! Every wrong committed will be recompensed for. Every God ignoring comment, use of His name in vain, every angry outburst, every lie, every crooked politician, every tax evasion, and every unbeliever will receive what they have deserved forever. And no one will be able to accuse Jesus of not having all the facts, or not being fair and equitable, or of any other deficiency that might blemish His judgment. It will right and deserving. And yes, a loving God will confine people to hell after they have trampled His glory, spat in his face, and abused His mercy and creation. And yes, hell is eternal conscious torment, where the fire is not quenched and the worm dies not. There is fire, darkness, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. And believer will be held accountable for deeds done, not in hell, but in a judgment of sorts of works. But even if you are going to miss eternal conscious torment (and nobody thinks they’re going), it should drive you to help others miss.
C. Universal Evidence (v. 31)
1. Many miracles are recorded in the bible, but the resurrection is the centerpiece on the table. Paul says that we can be assured that God is really gonna do what He says based on the resurrection. It confirms everything Jesus said, everything the OT said, and gives us hope that we can believe without reservation. And this proof is available to the whole world. But most importantly, it is/was proof to the Athenians. Put yourself in their place, and think what they must have thought—no TV, internet, newspaper, science books, peer review journals, etc.
2. 1 Cor 15:5-8, 13-17,
3. Illustration: “He has made this credible and given conviction and assurance and evidence to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” –Amplified Version, tell of the prisoner named Jason that God was dealing with about being saved, and his excuses, and what he didn’t understand,
4. The evidence the resurrection for Christ, the bible, being born again is enough! (But even if it weren’t you have creation and the witness of the heart.” This is the bedrock truth of our faith. You can have full assurance of the truth of the gospel because the evidence of the resurrection is sufficient. Many scholars have attempted to disprove it, but it usually results in their conversion. Study it out, meditate on the fact of the resurrection. Put your faith in Christ!
D. Results (v. 32-34)
1. Some have said that Paul didn’t have success in Athens, but this is not the case. He had the same results in Athens that he did in every other city, with the exception that he didn’t get imprisoned, beaten, or run out of town. The results were these: some mocked, some procrastinated, and some believed and united themselves with the Messiah and His disciples. Some of the science based crowd turned him off at the mention of a resurrection, and made fun as they left. Some were not quite ready to deal with repentance, surrender, and the Lordship of Jesus upon their life, so they made a good excuse. Let’s talk about his again. And some believed, and joined themselves to this group, even one of the Areopagites.
2. 2 Cor 6:2,
3. This is the typical response to evangelism. And so the question this morning is what category do you fall into. What will you do with Jesus this morning?
A. Closing illustration: I’m standing there in front of gates like none I’ve ever found They shine like golden ribbons as they glide across the ground I see the stairs that never end how brilliantly they glow I start to climb and realize there’s nothing down below Then suddenly the two appear yes they must be my guide They didn’t speak or show their face while they were by my side We reached the top and I was placed in line with everyone The two so quickly disappeared I guess their job was done Such purity was all around so it just had to be The day that would determine where I’d spend eternity The line moved very slowly but since I’d been good and kind I knew where I was going so I really didn’t mind I watched so many walk away with wings as white as snow The others were escorted out to where? I didn’t know My turn had come to face the Lord but much to my surprise I didn’t feel so confident when I looked in his eyes I felt His power all around and nothing was the same He opened up this golden book and asked me for my name He said, "Where your name should appear there’s just a vacancy" I said, But God I’ve been so good please look again for me" God closed the book and tiny angels wiped his tears away He said, "I hope you’ll understand what I’m about to say Do you recall that poor old man who asked you for a dime? You hurried passed and said to him that you did not have time There also was a little child who wanted you to play Again you didn’t have the time and pushed the child away In line while at the grocery store she tried to hurry so You grumbled as you passed her by because she moved too slow You see, I came so many times but you turned me away So now I don’t know who you are I’m sad for you today If I’m not living in your heart you can’t be free from sin So being good is not enough you must be Born Again" The two appeared just like before they stood close by my side This time I saw their faces and became so terrified Through tears I was escorted to my final destiny I had no one to blame at all except for one, just me Then suddenly a ringing sound completely filled my head I opened up my eyes and found that I was still in bed Through sweat and tears I realized how real our dreams could be And then I wondered just how long that God would wait for me That night I gave my heart away I’m Born Again through prayer God proved to me with so much love that "Good Won’t Get You There"
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
Additional Notes
• Is Christ Exalted, Magnified, Honored, and Glorified?
