When God Winked

WHEN GOD WINKED

Acts 17:30

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: BIBLE QUESTIONS

1. Q: Who was the greatest male financier in the Bible? A: Noah - he was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.

2. Q: Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible? A: Pharaoh’s daughter - she went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.

3. Q: What kind of man was Boaz before he got married? A: Ruth-less.

4. Q: What kind of motor vehicle is mentioned in the Bible? A: David's Triumph was heard throughout the land.

5. Q: Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible? A: Samson - he brought the house down.

B. WHAT DOES IT MEANS TO WINK?

1. Wink (defined): “close and open one eye quickly, typically to indicate that something is a joke or a secret or as a signal of affection or greeting.”

2. A wink can also be a way to express sympathy, solidarity and encouragement, especially when the winker is trying to put the receiver at ease in a situation where they might feel nervous or uncomfortable. In such cases the meaning of a wink is not unlike that of a "thumbs up".

3. Not all humans are able to wink. When Frederick Spencer Chapman was training Chinese guerillas in Malaya to shoot rifles, he found that a large proportion of them were unable to close only one eye at a time.

C. WINKING IS SOMETIMES IMPORTANT

1. During a Quarter Final match of the 2006 World Cup between England and Portugal, Wayne Rooney was sent off, largely due to an impassioned argument from Cristiano Ronaldo. After Rooney's sending off, Ronaldo was caught on camera winking to the Portuguese bench. This received widespread criticism from the English press, who largely saw it as a sign of conspiracy from the Portuguese player.

2. During the 2008 United States vice-presidential debate, Republican candidate Sarah Palin winked at the audience several times. Her behavior was considered to be highly unusual in the context of a formal political debate and received considerable media attention. While some conservative pundits defended Palin, other individuals were critical of and even offended by her conduct.

D. THESIS

1. We’re going to look tonight at an instance of GOD WINKING tonight. We’re going to hear some wrong ideas of what that means, what it really meant, and why it’s important for us today.

2. The title of this message is, “When God Winked.”

I. WHAT DOES ‘GOD WINKING’ MEAN?

A. WHAT THE BIBLE ACTUALLY SAYS ABOUT GOD’S WINKING:

29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent.”

Acts 17:29-30

B. MODERN COMMENTS ABOUT GOD WINKING

1. CHRISTIAN DEVOTIONALSBLOGSPOT.COM; Friday, December 29, 2006, “When God Winks at You...” I'm reading a book called "When God Winks at You" by Squire Rushnell. It's a small book about how God communicates with us in our everyday lives. In both incredible and small ways.”

2. TOUCH OF JOY MINISTRIES, “God Winks Through Coincidences,” Jan. 2. 2012.

a. “Think about this. As a kid you are sitting at the dining room table and you look up and someone you love, perhaps Grandpa, gives you a little wink. What did it mean? Something like, “Hey kid, I’m thinking about you at this moment” or “I’m proud of you” or

b. “Everything is going to be all right.” That’s what a God Wink is like.”

3. These people haven’t even checked to see if there’s anything in the Bible about God winking; they’ve just made an analogy of God being like a grandfather and making up what a wink might mean.

4. Let’s look at what Paul really meant when he discussed this topic.

II. TWO EPOCHS OF HISTORY

A. COMPARISON OF JEWS & GENTILES

1. First, Paul said that the “all-knowledgeable” Athenians were ignorant! That must have let the air out of their balloon! They considered themselves some of the most educated people in the world. God considers the wise to be fools if they don’t look at the eternal perspective.

2. For long ages God had let the Gentiles go on in their ignorance.

a. He gave Israel prophets; but not the Gentiles.

b. He gave Israel Laws, but not the Gentiles.

3. The idolatries and sins of the Gentiles were hated and detestable in God’s sight, but He chose to “overlook” – not let the rays of His eyes rest on – their evil works, because of their gross ignorance.

4. He let them alone, because they didn’t improve the light they had, but were willingly ignorant. So He sent them no greater lights.