Now, turn your Bible again to
the book of Acts chapter 17, and we see, by the good providence
of God, certainly by the deeds of wicked men, and by the providence
of Almighty God, Paul again was forced out of a certain city
named Berea, and forced into a city, and brought to a city,
named Athens, Athens in Greece. Notice verse 16. And while Paul
waited, Acts 17, 16, for them in Athens, waiting for his fellow
brethren, Timothy and Silas, to come out of Berea and to be
with him, his spirit, his heart, was stirred. He was stirred. Stirred up. in him when he saw
the whole city, or this city, totally given, totally given
to idolatry. Even though there was a synagogue,
it says in verse 17, a synagogue of the Jews. And he met with
these people of Judaism. And he met with the devout persons.
And in the market daily, Paul preached the gospel in the synagogue
and with them in the marketplace. Now Paul's observation of the
city, as he walked around this city waiting for his friends,
he went around and noted how idolatry was everywhere, idols,
statues, everywhere. Some have estimated over 30,000
pagan gods to various different gods. Paul went right back when
he saw what had been overwhelming in this city, he went right back
to preaching. Preaching with and in the synagogue
of the Jews, where God gave him opportunity to do so, and in
the public marketplace. He met with those who would ever,
who ever would listen to him, preach Christ and Him crucified,
He met with them. And while he was preaching in
the synagogue, how long he waited, we don't know, how long he preached
in the marketplace daily, word got out about this fella in town
that was preaching some new doctrine and some strange god. So the
religious philosophers of the day, verse 18, the Epicureans
and the Stoics, they encountered him. And they had a very low
opinion of him. They called him a fool, a babbler,
a babbler. The fool has said in his heart,
there is no God. And they considered Paul a foolish
man. Others said that he seemed to
be a setter forth of some strange God because he preached unto
them the Lord Jesus Christ crucified and risen. You see, his message
To all men that he encountered, whether they were religious,
most religious, the Judaizers there in the synagogue or on
the street, these religious philosophers, he had one message. One message
that didn't change. If you'll notice in chapter 17,
verse 3, opening and alleging that Christ must and needs have
suffered, that's his message. and risen again from the dead,
he must suffer, he must be raised again, and that this Jesus whom
I preach unto you, he indeed is the Christ, the Christ of
God." Now this is his one message. Turn back to Acts chapter 13.
His one message. That's why they said, he's setting
forth some strange thing we've never heard before. His message
was Christ and Him crucified. In Acts chapter 13, look at verse
38, Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through
this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness
of sin, yes, but through Christ. And by Him all that believe are
justified from all things which you could not be justified by
the law of Moses. He was determined to preach to
all people in all places at all times, Jesus Christ and Him crucified
as the only Savior of sinners. Well, back to the story. Notice
in chapter 17 verse 19 down through verse 21, out of curiosity, they
took him, and I don't think they took him forcefully, and they
brought him to this court, Mars Hill. They invited him. You see, they were interested
just out of curiosity. May we know of this new doctrine
whereof you speak. For thou bringest certain strange
things to our ears, we would know therefore what these things
mean. Verse 21, For the Athenians and
strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else but
to tell or to hear some new thing. They were researchers of philosophy,
the philosophy of man. Now they accused Paul of two
things. They accused Paul of preaching a strange God. And
certainly the Almighty God of Holy Scripture is a strange God,
not only in that day, but in our day as well. Sorry to say,
but that's the case. You see, our God is in the heavens,
as David said. You remember they asked Him,
where is your God? Our God is in the heavens and He has done
whatsoever He has pleased. Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that's what He does in heaven and earth, seas and all deep
places. Our God is God. That was a strange
message to those people in Athens and to most religious people
in our day. It's a strange message. They believe in a God, but their
God can't unless you let Him. He's trying to save you, but
you won't let Him. My friend, that's not God. God
is God accomplishing His purpose, calling His people, saving them
by His grace. That's the difference. So they
heard strange things in that day. And I tell you, if you went
to most places today and declared the absolute, total sovereignty
of God in creation, In salvation and in providence, most religious
folks would say, we've never heard that before. You see, it's
strange. But my friend, this is the message
of God's Word. And this is what we're determined
to preach. So they accused him of preaching some strange God,
and then they accused him, down here in verse 21, of some new
doctrine. Verse 19, some new thing. Now
is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ something new? The gospel of God is the ancient
gospel. The gospel of God concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ is as old as God. Well, how old is God? From everlasting to everlasting,
thou art God. The gospel of God is the ancient
gospel. It's no new thing. Redemption
through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal purpose
and decree of God. So we read in Scripture that
we see the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.
You see, it's the old message. It's not anything new. It's the
old message. The old message of salvation
through Christ. The ancient everlasting gospel. It's not new. It's true. It is the doctrine. of God's salvation through Christ
Jesus. Now, what's Paul going to say? They accuse him of setting forth
a strange God. They accuse him of setting forth
some new thing, some new doctrine. Paul said, I don't have anything
new. I have something old. Now, verse 22, down through verse
31, here's his message. What's he going to say? He's
surrounded by these wise philosophers of religion. Paul stood in the
midst of this court, Mars Hill, and said, first thing he says
is this, I perceive in all things you are most religious, but I
tell you what, you're most lost. You're lost. Paul declares that
these people are ignorant and unsaved. Now that's pretty bold,
isn't it? Now you turn to Luke chapter
16. He declares that they're ignorant and unsaved. You're
most religious. Oh, he said, you're full of religion,
but you don't know the truth. You don't know the living and
the true God. In Luke chapter 16, our Lord
said to these religious Jews, Luke 16, 15, You are they which
justify yourselves before men, but God knows your heart. For
that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination. to God. The religion of men is
an abomination of God. Secondly, Paul declares this,
he declares this, he said in verse 23, for I pass by and behold
your devotion or your altar, the God that you worship I found
on this one particular altar to the unknown God whom you therefore
Ignorantly worship Him I declare unto you. Paul declares ignorant
worship is false worship. Ignorant worship is idolatry. Now hold your place here and
find Roman chapter 10. Roman chapter 10, the same thing
he says to these religious Jews. Ignorant worship is idolatry. We don't worship God in ignorance.
We worship God in spirit and in truth. Romans chapter 10. True worship is based upon the
word of truth, based upon faith that is true. In Romans 10 verse
1, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel
is, they might be saved. These religious Jews, they need
salvation. For I bear them record, they
are zealous They have a zeal of God, but not according to
knowledge. They're ignorant. Look what he says in verse 3.
They're being ignorant of God's righteousness, His holy character. And they're going about to establish
their own righteousness. They have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God. That's the righteousness provided
in the Gospel. For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to everyone that believes God. He declared these people most
religious, but ignorant and unsaved. He said, idle worship is false
worship. Not truth, not based upon truth.
True worship and true faith is based upon the Word of Truth.
Turn to John chapter 4. John chapter 4. John chapter 4, beginning at
verse 20. John 4, 20. Our fathers, this
is the Lord with that Samaritan woman. Our fathers worshiped
in this mountain, and you say that in Jerusalem is a place
where men ought to worship. Jesus said to her, Woman, believe
me, the hour cometh when you shall neither in this mountain
nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father. You worship you know
not what, for we know what we worship. Salvation is of the
Jews. That is, salvation came through
the Jews. The Lord Jesus Christ was a Jew.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father
seeketh such to worship Him." God is spirit, and they that
worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in, what does that
say there? In truth. Now my friend, you
may have a big whoop-de-doo meeting and think that's spiritual worship,
but I tell you, if the truth of God is not declared, You've
just committed idolatry. That's right. You see, we don't
worship God ignorantly. We worship God in spirit and
in truth. Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ,
He said, I am the way, life, and I am truth. I am truth. All that goes under the name
of religion today, my friend, is not true worship. It's not
true worship. They pump up the flesh. They
have a pep rally. But if the gospel of Christ is
not set forth, and the gospel of God is not preached, you've
not had any true hard worship. You've had some religious exercising
in the flesh, but not true worship. And that's what he says here.
Now, back to the text. The next thing he declares unto
them is God who is God, verse 24. God that made the world and
all things therein. seeing that he is Lord, owner,
owner of all things. He is Lord of heaven, he created
the heavens and the earth, and he does not dwell in temples
made with hands. Paul declares the omnipotence
of God, the absolute sovereignty of God. that God is God. He is the Most High God. He is the Living God. Turn back
to Acts chapter 14. Acts chapter 14 verse 15. And this is Paul there preaching
after a man was healed and these people tried to worship him as
God. And he said in verse 15, these things. Why do you these
things? We are also men of like passion
with you and preach unto you that you should turn from these
vanities unto the living God which made the heaven and the
earth and the sea and all things that are therein. For God who
is God, He is the Most High God. He is Lord of heaven and in earth. Is that the God you worship who
is absolute Lord of all things? He's Lord of creation. He made
all things by the word of His power. He's Lord in providence. Everything that happens in heaven
and in earth, He's the first cause and last end of all things.
Of Him and through Him and to Him are all things to whom be
glory forever and ever. Amen. That's the God whom we
worship. That's the God that this book
teaches. And that's the God to whom we come unto. He's the absolute Lord in creation,
providence, and most certainly in salvation. He'll have mercy
on whom He will. It's not of Him that willeth,
not of Him that runneth, it's of God who shows mercy. He'll have mercy on whom He will.
He's Lord in heaven and earth. He's Lord in salvation. The Father
had given Him power over all flesh and He should give eternal
life to as many as the Father had given Him. Do you have a
problem with that? God is God. He'll save whom He
will. Something else he says here in
verse 24. He doesn't dwell in temples made
with hands. God is not only omnipotent, almighty, He's everywhere present. God does not dwell in idols. Now, turn back to chapter 7,
verse 48. Acts 7, verse 48. You remember Stephen preaching
to those Religious Jews before they ran on him like a pack of
wild dogs and chewed his flesh and stoned him to death Here's
what he declared to them in Acts chapter 7 Verse 47 it says Solomon
built him a house Solomon built that temple. How be it the most
high dwelleth not in temples made with hands Say if the Lord
that is he's not confined to this building. I Look what he
says in verse 49. God said, Heaven is my throne,
Earth is my footstool, where is the house you'll build me?
said the Lord. What place is the place of my
rest? God inhabits eternity. He's the everywhere present God.
If I ascend to Heaven, He's there. If I make my bed in the grave,
He's there. Where can you go from His presence?
You can't. God inhabits eternity. One old
theologian of the past, his name was Augustine, said this, Our
great God is God whose center is everywhere, whose circumference
is nowhere. Now you figure that out. He's
everywhere. He's not confined to a building.
He's the everywhere, everywhere present God. And that's what
he's declaring here. He doesn't dwell in an idol.
He doesn't dwell in a building. He's the eternal God who inhabits
all things. Now, verse 25, He declares that
God is all-sufficient. God is omnipotent. He is omnipresent. God is all-sufficient in all
things. Neither is worship with men's
hands, as though He needed anything, seeing He gives to all life and
breath and all things. Now let me ask you a question
personally. Does God need you? Is what God determined to do
in salvation dependent upon you? Does God need me? No. We need Him. You see, we're dependent
upon Him. He gives life and breath and
all things. We are totally dependent upon
Him. What can we add to Him? Can you
buy Anxious thought, add one cubit to your statue? Can you
add anything to God's gospel? Can you bring any righteousness
of your own and add it to Him? No. We are totally dependent
upon Him for all things. Absolutely dependent upon Him
for all things. Our very being, our breathing,
He gives life and breath to all things. You say, I don't need
God. You can't take your next breath without God. God is God. Our life is in His
hand. Our times are in His hand. All things, physical and all
things spiritual, we are dependent upon Him to provide all things. for us. That's what he's declaring
and that's what this book teaches. God who is all-sufficient. Look
at verse 26. God created all men from one
man. Man didn't evolve, man was created. And hath made of one blood, one
man, all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth. and
hath determined." Our God who is Lord of heaven and earth,
He has determined the times, appointed and the bounds of their
habitation. Now who's controlling all things
here? In your life. God determined your time before
appointed and the bounds of where you'll go, what you'll do. God
created One man, Adam. We know that sad story. What
happened to Adam? He became a fallen man, a sinner.
And we're all born in sin, dead in sin. And God has decreed our
time here. When we will live, where we will
live, with whom we will live, and when we will die. It's appointed
unto men once to die. After that, the judgment. Our
days are determined of God. The time of our first birth,
the time of our second birth, our times are in His hand. See
what he's saying there? God hath determined the times
before appointed all things. Turn to Galatians chapter 1. Our first birth is appointed
by God. The day you were born, the very
second You breathe that first breath appointed by God, dependent
upon God, our first birth, and most especially, our second birth. Galatians chapter 1. Galatians
chapter 1 verse 15. But when it pleased God, who
separated me from my mother's womb, call me by His grace. When did that happen? Time appointed
by God. to reveal His Son in me, that
I might preach Him among the heathen, immediately I conferred
not with flesh and blood." You see, God has determined time
before appointed in the bounds of our habitation. And my friend,
you're not going to change the purpose of God. He's not going
to do it. Look at verse 27, that, that,
God hath determined all things that they should seek the Lord. if perhaps they might feel after
Him and find Him." Seek Him, feel after Him, find Him, though
we be not far from every one of us. God has also determined
and decreed our salvation. Our salvation. Back to the book
of Galatians, again, chapter 4. God had determined these things,
salvation of the Lord, that we might seek Him, Do you ever find
someone truly seeking the Lord? I tell you what else you'll find.
You'll find the Savior seeking Him. That's right. Notice, if you will, Galatians
chapter 4. Galatians chapter 4, verse 4. But when the fullest
of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made
under the law to redeem them that were under the law that
we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are
sons, because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of
His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou
art no more a servant but a son, and a son in an heir of God through
Christ." God had determined, God had appointed, God had determined all things that we might seek
Him, feel for Him, find Him, and come to Christ. That, look
at verse 27 again, that, Acts 17, verse 27, and underscore
that word, that, that. Christ came and Christ died,
that He might be just and justifier, that He might be a merciful and
high, great, faithful high priest, that all things might be gathered
together in Christ. Now turn to the book of Ephesians,
Ephesians chapter 1, Ephesians chapter 1, that, Ephesians 1,
look at verse 7, In whom, Ephesians 1, 7, we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches
of his grace wherein he hath abounded toward us, in all wisdom
and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will
according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself,
that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven,
which are on the earth, even in him, in whom also we have
obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the
purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His
own will, that we should be to the praise of His glory who first
trusted in Christ. Now back to the text. Acts 17, look at verse 28. For
it is in Him that we live and move and have our being, as certain
also of your own prophets have said. For we are also the offspring
of God. Being God's creation, we owe
all that we are, all that we have, all that we know to Him. All things are owing to Him. In Him we live. In Him we have
life. In Him we move. In Him we have
our being. Verse 29, For as much stand as
we are the creation of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead
is likened to gold and silver, or stone, or graven by heart,
or man's device, man's imagination. Seeing that all men are created
by Almighty God, we should not make and worship idols. We are
living creatures, therefore we should worship the living God.
Look at verse 30. At the times of this ignorance,
times of this ignorance, God overlooked. There was a time
when the Philistines, the Hittites, the Malachites, all those pagan
nations, God passed them by. No priest, no word, no atonement,
God passed them by. But since the Lord Jesus Christ
has come, verse 30, but now, since the Lord Jesus
Christ has come and died for the sins of His people. But now
He commands all men everywhere to bow to Christ, to bow and
worship the Lord Jesus Christ. But now, but now, the command
of the Gospel is to preach the Gospel to all people. Turn, if
you will, to Luke 24. He commands all men everywhere
to believe Him, to bow to Christ. And this is our message, Luke
24. He told us to go into all the world and preach the gospel
to every creature. Luke 24, verse 45, said, He opened their
understanding that they might understand the Scripture that
is intended of them, thus it is written, And thus it behooved
Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, the third day,
that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in
His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." You are witnesses
of these things. We're commanded to go preach
the Gospel and we're commanded to preach Christ, and then the
command of the Gospel is, it's not an option, bow to Christ. Believe Christ and repent. Repent. Except you repent, you'll
perish. That's right. It's His command
that all men everywhere should believe and bow to the Son. Turn if you will to Psalm 2.
Psalm chapter 2. Psalm 2. You remember this scripture? God said, I have set my King
upon my holy hill Zion. Therefore he said, Psalm 2 verse
11, serve the Lord with fear, rejoice with trembling, kiss
the Son, that is love Him, bow to Christ, believe Him, repent,
Kiss the son lest he be angry and he perish from the way when
his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put
their trust in him." God commands you, my friend, you, you, all
of you, to believe God, repentance toward God and faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Bow to Him. You know, this was,
this is a message. Turn back to Acts chapter 2.
This was the first message that Peter preached there at Pentecost.
When he set forth the Lordship of Christ. In Acts chapter 2,
verse 36, God hath made this same Jesus whom you crucified,
both Lord and Christ. He is Lord, He is Christ. Verse
37, when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and
said unto Peter, and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren,
what shall we do?" The command was, here's the command, Peter
said, repent. Repent. That is, acknowledge
that Christ is the only Savior of sinners. And then confess
that publicly. Be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ. And do this because there's remission
of sin in Jesus Christ. And you shall receive the Holy
Spirit, verse 39, for the promise is unto you, to your children,
to all that are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call. He's going to call His people
with the gospel. He commands all men everywhere
to repent. That's our responsibility. At the command of God. Believe
the gospel. And it's saying the same thing
when it says repent. It's saying the same thing that
Paul said to the Philippian jailer, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved. And here's a good motive, verse
31 in Acts 17. Here's a good motive. Because God has appointed a day
in which He will judge this world in righteousness by that man
the God-man, the Mediator, whom He has ordained, whereof He hath
given assurance unto all, and that He raised Him from the dead."
God has appointed a day of judgment by His own righteous standard,
and that righteous standard is set in Christ. All judgment is
relative to the Lord Jesus Christ. What do you think of Him? Are
you in Him? Are you resting in Christ for
the remission of sin? All judgment is relative to Him.
Turn back to Acts chapter 10. Look at this. Acts 10 verse 42. This is the same thing that Peter
preached to the house of Cornelius. In Acts chapter 10 verse 42. Look at this. Acts 10 verse 42.
He commanded us to preach unto the people. There's that word
again. Commanded us to preach unto the
people. and testify that it was he which was ordained of God
to be judge of the living and the dead. He is the righteous
judge. To him give all the prophets
witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall
receive the remission of sin." The day of judgment is coming
and all judgment is relative to the Lord Jesus Christ. God
has given full proof of this judgment by the Lord Jesus Christ
and salvation in Him and that He raised Him, look what it says
in verse 31, He raised Him from the dead, delivered for our offenses
and raised again for our justification. My friend, what do you think
of Christ? Just shut right down to the cross.
What do you think of the Lord Jesus Christ? Is He God? Is He your God? Is He all your
salvation? He commands us to believe Him.
He is appointed a day in which He will judge this world in righteousness. The unbeliever in that day will
be righteously judged by his wicked deeds and eternally condemned. Would you dare stand before God
Almighty on the day of judgment and say, now wait a minute, I've
done this, I've done that, I've preached in your name, I've given
this, I've done that? Remember what he said? Depart from me, I don't know
you, you workers of iniquity. You really want to be judged
on the basis of what you have done? Not me. The wages of sin is death. The
unbeliever will be righteously judged by his wicked deeds and
eternally condemned. The believer in Christ will be
everlastingly saved and rewarded according to the blessed righteousness
given to him in Christ Jesus. Upon that ground I stand. All other ground is what? Sinking sand. Sinking sand. There is therefore now in the
Lord Jesus Christ no condemnation, no judgment. You think of the
blessedness of that. Do you hear him say, Come ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world. That's a blessed day. Well, there's
a conclusion to this message. Verse 32, When they heard of
the resurrection of the dead, the most religious Epicureans
mocked him, and some hesitated. The Stoics
said, we'll hear again of this matter. Turn over here to Acts
24, look at this. When Paul preached to old Felix,
the governor In Acts 24, verse 25, he reasoned of righteousness,
verse 25. Acts 24, judgment to come, temperance. Felix trembled and answered,
said, Go thy way for this time. When I have a convenient season,
I'll call for you again. You see, my friend, you don't
have tomorrow. Today is the day of salvation.
God commanded all men everywhere to repent Come to Christ and
believe Him now. Now. How do you do that? By faith. Come to Christ by faith. Some mocked, some said, later,
Paul departed. Look at verse 34. How be it? Certain believe. Some obeyed
the gospel at the command of God. Some believed. Some repented. God's elect in that crowd. He
had an elect in that crowd. They did hear the gospel. They
did believe. They did repent. And they did
come to Christ. I pray the Lord will enable us
to do so. To believe Him. Bow to Him. And kiss the Son. Kiss the Son. Love Him. Love Christ. As the old timers used to say,
close with Christ. Rest in Him.