I Believe in God

Because there are so many people out there—and maybe some in this room—who have no problem saying, “I believe in God.” They have have no problem claiming that you have faith with your mouth. But their life is a completely different story.

Lot of people are comfortable saying “I believe in God”, but their life is a completely different story.

Maybe some of you in here.

We want to spend the next 5 weeks overcoming misconceptions about what it means to be a Christ follower.

There are common claims in our modern culture that dilute the meaning of being a Christian.

I believe in a god.

God doesn’t care how I live.

God doesn’t care about my dating life.

I’ve got God…who needs the church.

Let’s not get extreme about faith.

Some of you here believe these statements, but many of your friends believe them and you will hear them often in your schools.

So we want to talk about them.

And my prayer is that they lead you to a new understanding and new excitement about following Jesus.

God amongst other gods

Acts 17:22–29 ESV

22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ 29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.

acts 17:

The Unknown God

Myth about the philosopher Epimenides (epe-min-e-dees) during a plague in Athens.

The Greeks believed the plague came because the gods were upset with them.

Epimenides released a herb of sheep, anywhere a sheep laid down, the god of the place was said to be mad.

The problem was there were sheep laying down in places they didn’t believe a god lived.

So Epimenides decided they should make sacrifices to the Unknown gods.

This is possibly where the alter to the unknown God in Athens came from in Paul’s time.

Ultimately, the people of Athens were pluralists (they believed in many gods) and Paul was seeking to share with them about the One, TRUE God.

He was speaking to a group of people that very much believed in gods and the spiritual realm, but believed the gods were distant, grumpy types that needed to be appeased at times.

They didn’t believe the gods cared about them or were even all that relatable.

He shared with them about Jesus, who was not only active in humanity, but revealed Himself in human form.

He is the creator and is not served by man, but rather is all powerful and sovereign over all.

He is a God who can be known and can be experienced.

Unlike the gods they served.

Paul points out how altogether unique our God is than ANY other god.

And that is a big deal in the culture he was speaking to, but it is also a big deal in our culture.

All Roads Lead to the Same Place right?

There is an old story about 6 blind men coming upon an elephant. Each one feels around and describes what they believe an elephant is like.

Like a wall as he felt the elephants side.

Like a pillar as he felt the elephants leg.

Like a snake as he felt the elephants trunk.

Like a rope as he felt the elephants tail.

Like a sail as he felt the elephants ear.

Like a spear as he felt the elephants tusk.

None were able to grab hold of the whole elephant so each of them was right in their own way, though none were really right.

We want to believe that all of them were right, but the reality is they can’t all be right.

You need one who can see to reveal what the elephant truly is like.

Is Truth relative to the individual?

Have a volunteer come and could the items in a basket.

Give a totally different number and guarantee your number is the right one.

Ask: What are the odds we are both right?

there are three possible options 1) i’m right 2) they’re right 3) we are both wrong.

there isn’t a 4th option.

Truth is not relative, in terms of God there is an objective truth that we must all be searching for and that must change the way we live.

God has revealed Himself in His Word and in Jesus

Hebrews 1:1–3 ESV

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

God does is not some distant being in the depths of the universe that isn’t interested in you or your life.

He is a living, all-powerful, creator who came to earth in the form of a man, lived a life of truth and obedience.

Jesus is truth, he spoke it, he lived it, he embodied truth.

His death and resurrection is our avenue to true life.

It is not just an option, it is THE OPTION

Growing up I believed in God, but I didn’t know how much He cared, because I didn’t seek Him out.

I believed as long as I was a decent kid then He would be cool with me.

In college I was introduced to God’s love and grace, which are both good news when you are aware of God’s holiness and wrath.

I realized how God was so much more than I had thought and was so much greater than I was willing to accept before.

God wants you to know Him. He’s not unknown, and He’s not far away. He’s right here, and if you will make that choice, He will reveal Himself to you tonight.

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