Appointment For Judgement
Do You Really Know Jesus? • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
The theme of the book of Acts is the establishment, growth and function of the early church.
Something that was central to all the above was the preaching of Jesus!
Peter preached Jesus was “made both Lord and Christ” Acts 2:36 ““Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.””
Peter said there is no other name that can save Acts 4:12 ““And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.””
Stephen told the Jews they were resisting the Spirit when they reject the message of Jesus Acts 6:14; 7:51 ““You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.”
Paul upon his conversion, preached that Jesus was the Christ Acts 9:22 “But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.”
THEY ALL PREACHED JESUS!!!
Certain things come up when Jesus is preached.
Certain things come up when Jesus is preached.
Repentance comes up Acts 2:38.
His Lordship comes up Acts 2:36.
His kingdom comes up Acts 8:12.
Baptism comes up Acts 8:36.
When Paul met these Athenians, Jesus came up and the issue of Judgement came up!
When Paul met these Athenians, Jesus came up and the issue of Judgement came up!
Our Text
Our Text
“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,
because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
[Go through vs. 16-31]*
The People Paul spoke to
The People Paul spoke to
Epicureans - The pursuit of happiness and peace through simple living
Believed in gods but relegated them to no involvement in human affairs
All experiences cease after death (since atoms are the reason everything exists)
Relying of sensory exeprience for knowledge
Stoics
Ultimate goal of life is achieved through being a virtous person
Perception is the base of true knowledge
Stoicism believed in the force called the Logos that permeated nature but was unknowable
Their belief also had no room for the concept of a resurrection
To this, they viewed Paul as babbler, one who can’t make a rational arguement, ignorant and foolish. But Paul was preaching JESUS!
OUR MESSSAGE MIGHT SOUND FOOLISH, BUT IT CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE I heard God say 1 Cor 1:21 “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
Notice they heard Paul preaching Jesus, but they said. . . “he’s proclaiming strange deities”
THEY heard stuff before, but this Jesus was strange, different, unique
They may have thought about ‘adding’ Jesus to be one of the gods. . .But Jesus must remain the star attraction!
They brought him to the Areopagus
Northwest of the city of Athens, Greece, is a small hill covered in stone seats. This area was once used as a forum for the rulers of Athens to hold trials, debate, and discuss important matters.
Under Roman rule it became known as Mars’ Hill
It is possible that it can refer to both the place and the council that met there (but that’s neither here or there at the moment)
The AREOPAGUS wants to assess, judge whether the god Paul preaches is worthy to enter the pantheon (vs. 19-20)
The Points Paul made about the “UNKNOWN GOD”
The Points Paul made about the “UNKNOWN GOD”
Paul proclaims the “unknown God” becasue He wants to be known - Jn 1:18 “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”
God is the creator i.e. the source of all things
He is Lord of heaven and earth
He doesn’t dwell in man-made temples
He is totally self-sufficient (Ps 50:10-12 ““For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. “I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine. “If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains.”)
He is who made all man
God is within reach of humanity
Our existence depends on Him
We are His children
He wants us to find Him -seek God
The philosophers attributed the separation from God to either non-involvement or “out of sight out of mind”
All men are amenable to God
God is the destiny of all men (All men have to face the judgement of God)
Our Appointment with Judgement
Our Appointment with Judgement
Some today in this world believe when we die that’s it. We’ll be like Rover.
I used to say that the only thing I have to do, is “stay black and dead”
Judgement stems from God’s character - meaning certain things happen because of who God is.
Defined: To consider something, develop a view about it, and make a decision about it. [example of riding by the two (2) big dogs]
God’s character: Holy (utterly distinct of everything else), Sovereign (God is ruler of all and is ruled by none), Just (fair)
Our Text (vs. 30)
Our Text (vs. 30)
“therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance”
The significance of therefore is the reason for the background work
Overlooked doesn’t mean: God likes, approves, deisres or favours.
Overlooked: disregard, let pass intentionally, look down on
It means God is Long-suffering. Long-suffering likes to wait. It says I want to act on this but I’ll wait!
Noah, God waited (1 Pet 3:20). Israel’s grumbling, God waited (Num 14:11). When they rejected God as king, God waited. (1 Sam 8:7. the king you want won’t be good as the King you have)
Overlooked the “times of ignorance” - These times sound like our times.
Acts 14:16 ““In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways;”
Rom 3:25 “whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;”
Times of sin
Times of Idolatry
Times where men think they are the center of the universe
Times where men think death is cessation of everything
Times where men think there’s no time for God
It’s not that God is not seeing where you are but. . .He’s waiting.
It’s not that God is not seeing where you are but. . .He’s waiting.
“Repent”
“Repent”
Repentance towards God is facilitaed by ‘knowledge of God” that’s why Paul preached on the “unknown God”.
2 Pet 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
Luke 24:47 “and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
Acts 2:38 “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Our Text (vs. 31)
Our Text (vs. 31)
God has established and marked out a day. There is an appointment, with JUDGEMENT!
JUDGMENT - To consider something, develop a view about it, and make a decision about it. This is starnge nws to both schools, but it’s the truth.
Fixed
Universal
Final
And He has chosen a man - And this man understands what it is to be man
Rom 2:15 God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”
2 Tim 4:8 “in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Jn 5:22 ““For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,” [The word given means to assign a task to someone]
THE GUARANTEE is the resurrection of Jesus. It’s both promise of judgement and slavation - THIS IS WHY WE MUST DEFEND IT.
He stands as our
He stands as our
Advocate, Redeemer, Lamb of God, Crucified, Propitiation, Mediator, Intercessor, King of kings, Lord of lords, Saviour
But one day He will stand
But one day He will stand
AS JUDGE!!!
What will you hear:
“well done thy Good and faithful servant”
“enter in the joy of the Lord”
“you were faithful over little, I’ll make you faithful over much”
“come you blessed of my Father”
I know that Jesus said “I’ll be back” Jn 14:1-3 ““Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”
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