The Gospel Command

Sovereign Grace Family Church

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May 7, 2015

00:00: Does everyone have your worksheets? Okay, well we are continuing our study of Bible memorization for evangelism.
00:11: And tonight we're going to open our Bibles and turn to Acts chapter 17.
00:17: One of my favorite passages of Scripture is Paul addressing the men at the Areopagus, known as Mars Hill in the King James Bible.
00:34: And this particular passage that we're going to study tonight is one that I believe is very important for us to remember in evangelism.
00:44: Now, you remember that's the whole purpose in this study.
00:49: Is we're memorizing Scripture so as to be able to use Scripture in evangelism.
00:54: The first passage we memorized was the Gospel in 15 words.
01:00: God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
01:06: 2 Corinthians 5.21 That was the first one.
01:09: I hope you've all committed it to memory.
01:12: I've spent a lot of time putting that verse everywhere.
01:16: I don't know if anybody noticed, but when you walk into the church now, we have a banner in the corner.
01:21: And what is on that banner? 2 Corinthians 5.21 It is the Gospel in 15 words.
01:26: God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
01:32: The next verse that we learned, which was last week, was what? Who remembers? Hebrews 9.27 What is it? As it is appointed for man to die once and after this is judgment.
01:58: That was the verse that we learned.
01:59: And I'm hoping that you will memorize that was the verse that we learned last week.
02:05: And we said that the reason why that verse is so important, and I did make a tract for that as well.
02:10: It's the appointment card that we talked about.
02:14: I took your idea, that thought, we made a design out of it.
02:18: And we will have some of those to hand out in our new fishing hole ministry.
02:22: The Gospel tract that looks like an appointment card.
02:25: And where it normally says date and time, it says the Lord knows.
02:28: Because the Lord does know the appointed hour for our death.
02:33: And so, it's appointed for man once and after this is judgment.
02:38: That's an important thing to share with people in evangelism.
02:41: And that's a scriptural truth.
02:42: And it's also a truth that we all know innately.
02:45: That one day we will die.
02:47: And the one thing we might not realize innately is that after death comes judgment.
02:53: So that is an important and solemn reminder that we have.
02:56: Well, tonight we're going to look at what I am calling the Gospel Command.
03:04: The Gospel Command.
03:06: And the reason why I've entitled this the Gospel Command, is because often times we present the Gospel as if it were an invitation.
03:19: Now, the phrase invitation is very common in Christian lingo.
03:27: In fact, what is the last part of the service typically called in most of your evangelical churches? It's called the what? Invitation.
03:37: And what is usually done during the invitation? You invite people to come to Jesus.
03:45: That's so common.
03:47: It's so ingrained in the minds of people that that's just the normal thing.
03:54: That if you ever hear of a church not having an invitation, often times it's kind of weird.
04:00: And I've often said, you know, we don't have the typical evangelical, maybe what you might say southern Baptist style of an invitation.
04:09: Where we lower the lights.
04:12: And we raise up the music.
04:14: And we play just as I am.
04:16: Very slow and methodically.
04:18: And we wait for at least one to come forward.
04:21: And somebody better come or we're not going to lunch.
04:24: Because we're going to keep it going.
04:26: Yes ma'am.
04:38: Well, you know how that all came about? We create ways of trying to make it as easy as possible.
04:48: Which is the exact opposite that Jesus did.
04:51: Jesus made it very hard to follow him.
04:53: A man comes up and he says, Jesus, I want to follow you, but I have to go home and bury my father first.
04:58: Jesus says, let the dead bury their own dead.
05:00: You come and follow me.
05:01: Don't even go to your dad's funeral.
05:03: Don't even go home.
05:04: Just come.
05:06: Now how many of us, that doesn't sit real well.
05:10: When you understand the entire context of it, it makes a little bit more sense.
05:15: But the reality is, and I don't want to get into it, but the reality is, Jesus didn't take half-hearted followers.
05:22: And the whole idea that we've tried to make it easier and easier and easier, is really just, it's unbiblical.
05:28: Because what it started as, is come forward.
05:31: Then they realized nobody's coming forward.
05:33: Well, you can sit there and raise your hand.
05:36: Then they realized nobody was raising their hand.
05:38: So they said, close your eyes and maybe somebody will raise their hand.
05:41: And then they closed their eyes and nobody raised their hand.
05:44: So now what do they do? I see that hand.
05:46: And I've kept my eyes open.
05:48: There ain't no hands.
05:52: Hope agrees.
05:53: There's no hands.
05:58: That, it's, it's, we want to simplify everything to the point of ridiculousness.
06:04: And that's where that, the whole, she's not pleased.
06:11: Yes, sir.
06:25: It's for invalids.
06:26: It was a senior lady who had some very bad illness going on in her life.
06:35: Yeah, it was specific.
06:38: The context of Just As I Am is for invalids.
06:41: For the invalid.
06:42: Just as I am without one plea for that I word with you.
06:45: You know, the idea, yes.
06:47: It's an interesting history of that song.
06:49: Most people don't even know.
06:50: But I haven't heard them play that.
06:52: Oh, everyone.
06:53: Everybody who's ever been to a Billy Graham crusade knows Just As I Am.
06:58: Over and over and over.
06:59: So this is where we take a little different approach.
07:03: At least I believe we should take a different approach in our evangelism.
07:06: Because oftentimes we look at evangelism as an invitation.
07:13: When actually the gospel comes as an imperative.
07:23: It comes as an imperative.
07:25: An imperative is a command.
07:28: Even at the very end of the Bible where it says the spirit and the bride say come.
07:32: You know, we often think come is an invitation.
07:35: And in a sense it is.
07:36: It's an invitation to come.
07:39: But it's within the come is the imperative.
07:42: You must come or you will be lost.
07:46: It's not as if I'm having a tea party and I'm hoping you show up to my tea party.
07:52: It's not as if I'm having a birthday celebration.
07:54: And boy, I sure hope Jack comes.
07:56: It's you must come or you will perish.
08:00: So it leads away from the idea of the simple invitation of Jesus.
08:05: They're standing at the noblest door just begging for someone to let him in.
08:08: It's the command that we come.
08:13: And thus we look at this text.
08:16: And the text is Acts 1730.
08:19: This is the Apostle Paul preaching to the culturally elite of his day.
08:25: And he provides to them this simple message.
08:30: He says the times of ignorance God overlooked.
08:35: But now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
08:45: This passage is so full.
08:48: It is so meaty.
08:50: Because there's so much here.
08:52: And I really just, we're going to dive into it.
08:57: But I just want you to just think about just what it's saying.
08:59: The times of ignorance God has overlooked.
09:04: And we're going to talk about what that means in a moment.
09:05: But just think, that's over.
09:08: The ignorance is past.
09:10: Because now you know.
09:12: This is again, Paul's in the context of talking to these men.
09:15: Who before this were ignorant of this truth.
09:19: But now they will know it.
09:21: And this is the same context we will be in.
09:23: When we talk to people who are in a situation.
09:26: Who have at that point been ignorant of the gospel.
09:29: And say you have been ignorant up until now.
09:31: But now you know this.
09:33: God commands you to repent.
09:37: You say well that doesn't seem like it's going to sit well with people.
09:40: It ain't.
09:42: But it is the imperative of the gospel.
09:46: And we're going to talk about the meaning of this text.
09:49: And the time of ignorance.
09:51: Which is actually referencing the time prior to Christ's coming.
09:57: But it references even to today.
09:59: The people who are ignorant in a sense.
10:02: The time up until the time they hear the gospel.
10:05: Doesn't mean that if they were to die in ignorance.
10:08: That they wouldn't go to hell.
10:09: Because they would.
10:10: But the idea that that time is over when you hear the gospel.
10:13: The time of ignorance is over.
10:16: You know.
10:17: And he goes on.
10:18: We'll look at NASB.
10:20: I'll give it to you in a couple of different translations.
10:23: NASB says.
10:24: Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance.
10:26: God is now declaring to men.
10:28: That all everywhere should repent.
10:31: I think that's a little choppy.
10:33: But if you want to memorize it in that.
10:34: That's fine.
10:35: No problem.
10:37: King James.
10:38: In the times of ignorance God winked at.
10:40: I think that's a kind of antiquated way of saying overlooked.
10:45: He winked at it.
10:48: But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.
10:53: The Greek.
10:56: Tos men un chronos.
10:59: Well chronos.
11:03: Chronology.
11:04: Time.
11:05: That's the word time there.
11:07: Teis agnois.
11:10: Agnois.
11:11: What is agnois? Without knowledge.
11:14: Ignorance.
11:15: We think of the word agnostic.
11:17: That's where we get that word.
11:21: Huper idon.
11:23: Is overlooked.
11:24: Ha theos ta nun.
11:29: This next one is a longer word.
11:31: Para galei.
11:34: Which that is the command.
11:35: That is the imperative.
11:36: Tois anthropois.
11:38: All men.
11:40: Pontos actually is the word all.
11:42: So it's people all everywhere.
11:44: Pontos.
11:45: Pontikou.
11:47: Pontikou is everywhere.
11:49: Pontos is all.
11:51: And pontikou is everywhere.
11:54: And then metanoein.
11:56: Metanoein is repentance.
11:59: Metanoia means to change the mind.
12:02: Meta being to change.
12:04: Gnosis or knowledge.
12:06: Gnoia there is mind.
12:08: So that's the Greek breakdown.
12:09: And why do I give you the Greek breakdown? I'm not doing that just to sit here and spout out Greek just to sound fancy.
12:17: I'm telling you, that's the breakdown of it.
12:20: So whatever translation you learn, just make sure it's in keeping with what the original says.
12:26: If you choose the NIV.
12:28: If you choose the King James version.
12:30: If you use the NLT.
12:32: Any of these.
12:32: As long as they are faithful to what this is saying.
12:35: That's the key.
12:36: The key is, when you're talking to someone about the gospel.
12:40: That you understand at some point in the presentation of the gospel.
12:43: You are going to give them this command.
12:47: And I've had this conversation with people.
12:50: And we'll be in the midst of the conversation.
12:52: And I'll say, do you realize that God has not requested this of you? That God has commanded this of you.
12:59: God is the ultimate commander of the universe.
13:03: He is the one who created you.
13:05: And thus has the prerogative to give you a command.
13:09: Your creator.
13:10: Your sustainer.
13:11: The very one who causes your heart to beat within your chest.
13:16: The very one who could at any moment erase all memory of you.
13:21: He could not only kill you.
13:24: You might say, well, God wouldn't kill.
13:26: Well, there's some parts of scripture.
13:28: Think about, you know, there are times in scripture where God certainly did take the life of certain individuals.
13:35: Ananias and Sapphira were just talking about that.
13:37: Dead.
13:37: They would be our teeth.
13:38: Dead right there.
13:40: You know, at that moment.
13:41: So God certainly has the prerogative to give life.
13:46: To take life.
13:47: And I've often thought.
13:48: And I remember where I was when I came to this.
13:50: There was a time in my ministry where it just overwhelmed me with the fact that I realized that my very being is wrapped up in the being of God.
13:58: And if God didn't exist, I wouldn't exist.
14:00: And if God at any moment chose for me to simply not exist anymore, he could do that.
14:05: And it would simply be to him to simply remove me from existence.
14:09: And I would cease to be.
14:12: And that just overwhelmed me with the idea that God is that powerful.
14:16: I'm not saying he would.
14:17: But the very fact that he could overwhelm me with the sense of his power.
14:21: And so.
14:23: That idea of who God is and the power of God.
14:28: We present people with a command from the commander of the universe.
14:34: Not a suggestion.
14:37: And not a bit of friendly advice.
14:42: The one who created has given a command.
14:46: And the command is simple.
14:48: What is the command? Raise your hand and accept Jesus.
14:52: Ask Jesus into your heart.
14:55: Pray a sinner's prayer.
14:57: No.
14:58: No.
14:59: No.
15:00: What is the command? The command is in the text.
15:03: That all men should what? Should repent.
15:12: He came preaching repentance.
15:15: Yes.
15:16: And Jesus came preaching repentance.
15:18: Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
15:20: Mark chapter 1.
15:22: You know, we see this.
15:24: The preaching of repentance was from the mouth of John.
15:28: It was from the mouth of Jesus Christ.
15:30: It was from the mouth of all of the apostles.
15:32: What was it when the men asked Peter on the day of Pentecost.
15:35: What shall we do to be saved? Repent and be baptized.
15:41: Remember Peter gave them the great answer.
15:43: To repent is to turn from your sin.
15:47: And baptism was a demonstration of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
15:52: Receiving the baptism in his name.
15:54: So there is that two-fold response to the gospel.
15:58: Is to repent.
15:59: To turn from your sins.
16:00: And to trust in Jesus Christ.
16:05: And so that's the command that we provide for people.
16:08: And we can bring them back to this text.
16:10: Showing them that the God of the universe has provided for them a command.
16:15: And that that command is universal.
16:20: Again.
16:21: Pontos.
16:22: Ponticu.
16:24: All.
16:25: In all places.
16:28: All.
16:29: Everywhere.
16:31: There is not one who is exempt from the command to repent.
16:40: No one is exempt.
16:42: No one can say I don't need to repent.
16:47: I have no need to turn from my sins.
16:51: God doesn't have a problem with my.
16:53: He might have a problem with your sins.
16:55: And yeah yours are pretty bad.
16:56: And yours.
16:56: You know.
16:57: But I don't have that need.
17:01: Cody wasn't even looking when I pointed at it.
17:11: No.
17:14: We.
17:15: When I am reading from the Greek.
17:18: And I am doing it poorly.
17:20: I am using what's called the Erasmian pronunciation.
17:25: The Erasmian pronunciation is more of a scholar.
17:32: It's more of a way that scholars understand the letters to work.
17:36: But it doesn't sound what the Greek would have sounded like.
17:39: It's a dead language.
17:40: So we don't know what it would have sounded like.
17:43: So we are taking our best guess based on how vowels and consonants work together.
17:49: And when you understand the alphabet.
17:51: You know.
17:51: Alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, eta, theta, yoda, capital M, nu, nu, c, omicron, p, rho, sigma, tau, epsilon, phi, keep c, omega.
17:57: That's the Greek alphabet.
17:59: And when you know those letters and you know the diphthongs and the vowels.
18:03: You know what a diphthong is when you take two vowels and put them together and make like omicron, yoda.
18:08: Makes the oy.
18:09: Just like O and I make oy for oil in English.
18:13: Those diphthongs exist in Greek.
18:16: So you kind of formulate those diphthongs.
18:17: And you read it as best you can.
18:21: Understanding that we are doing it in a way that is.
18:25: We're reading a dead language.
18:27: There's no real perfect way of doing it.
18:30: And there are guys who do it different ways.
18:31: If you go to like for instance a.
18:35: If you hear the word yoda.
18:38: That's the letter I in Greek.
18:42: We would call it.
18:43: You've heard people call it iota.
18:45: Right? Or iota.
18:47: And I say iota.
18:48: I say it iota.
18:49: But it sounds like I'm saying the Star Wars character Yoda.
18:53: Right? Because I'm saying iota.
18:54: Iota fast sounds like Yoda.
18:57: So it's kind of funny.
18:59: And so.
19:00: But if you go to a school.
19:03: You'll see like the.
19:05: What's that one letter that everybody.
19:06: Oh, everybody gets this one different.
19:08: What is that letter? Pi.
19:12: But in Erasmian pronunciation it's p.
19:14: It's just like our letter p.
19:16: So you'll hear people say pi.
19:18: But it's p.
19:20: And so.
19:20: So that's just.
19:21: You know.
19:22: So that's why it's like I say.
19:23: You might.
19:23: On a college campus.
19:24: Might be a little different than the Erasmian pronunciation.
19:27: And that's.
19:28: So yeah.
19:28: I'm doing the very best I can.
19:30: Just simply trying to read it off the page.
19:31: But telling you the meaning of the word is what matters.
19:33: Just like that word.
19:35: Agnois.
19:36: That word.
19:37: To not know something.
19:39: Comes from the root.
19:40: Gnosis.
19:41: Of knowledge.
19:42: Putting the a.
19:43: The alpha.
19:44: At the beginning.
19:44: Makes it the opposite.
19:46: Just like.
19:47: Theist.
19:47: If you put a.
19:48: Or an a.
19:49: At the beginning.
19:50: Of theist.
19:50: It becomes atheist.
19:52: Or to be opposed to theism.
19:54: So too does gnosis.
19:55: If you put an a.
19:56: At the beginning.
19:56: It becomes ag.
19:58: Gnostic.
19:58: A person who doesn't know.
20:00: And that's.
20:01: Where.
20:02: This word.
20:03: Ignorance.
20:03: Comes from.
20:04: To lack.
20:05: Knowledge.
20:06: And.
20:07: That's where that word.
20:08: Comes from.
20:09: All right.
20:10: Let's look at the context.
20:12: Of.
20:13: This.
20:14: Verse.
20:15: Because.
20:15: The times of ignorance.
20:16: God overlooked.
20:16: But now.
20:17: He commands all people everywhere.
20:18: To repent.
20:19: Falls.
20:19: Into a context.
20:21: A story.
20:22: Of the apostle Paul.
20:24: Bringing the gospel.
20:25: To the culturally elite.
20:27: And it begins.
20:27: In verse 22.
20:28: So if you want to just.
20:29: I've got it in your.
20:30: In your.
20:31: Worksheet.
20:32: But if you want to follow along in your bible.
20:33: You can as well.
20:35: It says.
20:36: So Paul.
20:37: Standing in the midst.
20:37: Of the Areopagus.
20:39: Said.
20:40: Men of Athens.
20:42: I perceive.
20:42: That in every way.
20:44: You are very religious.
20:45: I remember.
20:46: A few years ago.
20:47: Actually it wasn't years.
20:48: It was last year.
20:49: I was walking.
20:50: In a Hardee's.
20:51: And there was a lady.
20:52: Who was giving away.
20:53: Jehovah Witness tracks.
20:55: She had a little table set up.
20:57: And I just walked up to her.
20:58: And I said.
20:58: I can see that you're very religious.
21:00: And she just kind of looked at me.
21:01: She didn't know I was quoting this passage.
21:03: Maybe she did.
21:04: I don't know.
21:04: But she's kind of.
21:05: I can see in every way.
21:06: You're very religious.
21:08: That's what Paul's.
21:08: Because you see.
21:09: They have all these temples.
21:11: They have temples.
21:12: Everywhere.
21:13: In Athens.
21:15: And.
21:16: They have these.
21:17: Unknown God.
21:19: Statues.
21:20: All through Athens.
21:22: And that's what he's referencing here.
21:24: He says.
21:24: In verse 23.
21:24: For as I passed along.
21:26: And observed.
21:27: The objects of your worship.
21:28: I found.
21:28: Also an altar.
21:29: With this inscription.
21:31: To the unknown.
21:32: The unknown God.
21:34: What therefore.
21:35: You worship.
21:36: As unknown.
21:37: This I proclaim.
21:38: To you.
21:38: The God.
21:39: Who made the world.
21:40: And everything in it.
21:41: Being Lord of heaven.
21:42: And earth.
21:43: Does not live in temples.
21:44: Made by man.
21:45: Nor is he served.
21:46: By human hands.
21:46: As though he needed anything.
21:48: Since he himself.
21:49: Gives to all mankind.
21:50: Life and breath.
21:51: And everything.
21:52: And he made from one man.
21:54: Every nation of mankind.
21:56: To live on the face of the earth.
21:58: Having determined.
21:59: Allotted periods.
22:00: And the boundaries.
22:01: Of their dwelling places.
22:02: That they should seek God.
22:04: And perhaps feel their way.
22:05: Toward him.
22:06: And find him.
22:07: Yet he is actually.
22:08: Not far from each one of us.
22:10: For in him we live.
22:12: And move.
22:12: And have our being.
22:13: As even some of your own poets.
22:15: Have said.
22:15: For we.
22:16: Are.
22:17: Indeed.
22:18: His.
22:19: Offspring.
22:20: Let's just stop right there.
22:21: Very briefly.
22:22: And make.
22:22: A quick note.
22:23: The apostle Paul has said.
22:24: A lot.
22:26: In just a few verses.
22:27: He's referenced the fact.
22:28: That God.
22:29: Made the world.
22:30: He made everything.
22:32: In it.
22:32: This is one of the biggest.
22:34: Issues.
22:34: That is facing the world.
22:36: Right now.
22:37: Is when.
22:37: The Christian.
22:38: Goes out.
22:39: To share his faith.
22:41: Often.
22:41: One of the first things.
22:42: That comes up.
22:43: Is the issue.
22:44: Of creation.
22:46: Versus.
22:47: Anything else.
22:48: And you might say.
22:49: It's creation.
22:49: Versus evolution.
22:50: But that's really.
22:51: Grown.
22:52: To other things.
22:53: Because now.
22:54: It's not just creation.
22:55: Versus evolution.
22:56: It's creation.
22:57: Versus all kinds.
22:58: Of other scientific.
22:59: Theological.
23:00: Or paradigms.
23:01: That are out there.
23:02: People who believe.
23:03: In all kinds.
23:04: Of different types.
23:05: Of creation.
23:05: Or different types.
23:07: Of spontaneous.
23:08: Generation.
23:10: Evolution.
23:11: Still.
23:11: Remains.
23:12: Popular.
23:13: Among.
23:13: The scientific.
23:15: Community.
23:16: And it's considered.
23:17: To be fact.
23:18: You know.
23:18: You often hear people say.
23:19: Well.
23:19: Evolution.
23:20: Is just a theory.
23:21: But you have to understand.
23:21: How the word theory.
23:23: Works in science.
23:23: For a scientist.
23:24: A theory.
23:25: Is more acceptable.
23:27: Because they don't.
23:28: They don't consider.
23:29: Anything concrete.
23:30: Anything is fact.
23:31: It's just simply.
23:32: A theory.
23:32: So gravity itself.
23:33: Is a theory.
23:34: If you think of it that way.
23:36: And thus to them.
23:37: It's as.
23:37: It's as.
23:38: It's as sound.
23:39: As gravity.
23:40: It's as sure.
23:41: As gravity.
23:43: And so.
23:45: To the scientist.
23:46: It often times.
23:47: People say.
23:47: Well.
23:47: It's just a theory.
23:48: Think of how.
23:49: A scientist thinks.
23:50: What a theory is.
23:51: To a scientist.
23:51: A theory.
23:52: Is dogma.
23:53: It's truth.
23:55: Until some other truth.
23:56: Comes along.
23:56: And trumps it.
23:57: This is the truth.
23:58: Of the day.
24:00: And so.
24:00: For the scientist.
24:01: Simply calling it.
24:02: A theory.
24:02: Doesn't really.
24:03: It doesn't go.
24:05: Very far.
24:05: For them.
24:06: But you notice.
24:07: That it's funny.
24:07: This is two thousand.
24:09: Years ago.
24:09: The apostle Paul.
24:10: Is standing here.
24:11: Talking to these people.
24:11: Two thousand.
24:12: Years ago.
24:13: What is he addressing.
24:14: At the beginning.
24:14: The same thing.
24:15: We're addressing.
24:16: Two thousand.
24:16: Years later.
24:17: God.
24:18: Created the world.
24:18: And everything in it.
24:20: You see.
24:21: They didn't believe it.
24:21: Then.
24:22: Then.
24:23: And we.
24:24: And people.
24:24: Don't believe it now.
24:26: Because.
24:27: What is it.
24:27: That you have to accept.
24:29: When you accept.
24:29: That God.
24:30: Created the world.
24:30: And everything in it.
24:32: He.
24:33: Is.
24:33: In.
24:34: Charge.
24:36: If he made it.
24:37: He can.
24:38: Command it.
24:39: If he can.
24:40: Command it.
24:40: You are obliged.
24:42: To be obedient.
24:43: To him.
24:44: And if you're obliged.
24:45: To be obedient.
24:45: To him.
24:46: And you are not.
24:47: Then you.
24:48: Live.
24:48: As.
24:49: A perpetual.
24:50: Rebel.
24:51: To your creator.
24:52: So.
24:52: What is the easiest thing.
24:53: For people to do.
24:55: Deny.
24:55: That the creator.
24:56: Exists.
24:58: Yes.
25:05: Absolutely.
25:06: Romans.
25:07: One says.
25:07: That's how we know.
25:08: God exists.
25:09: He has made it.
25:10: Plain to us.
25:11: And that.
25:12: Which has been made.
25:13: And the old.
25:14: And that.
25:14: And so.
25:15: Well.
25:16: That.
25:17: Every man.
25:18: When they face.
25:18: God.
25:18: At judgment.
25:19: Will be.
25:19: Without excuse.
25:20: The apostle.
25:21: Paul said.
25:21: Without an excuse.
25:22: Will they be.
25:23: When they face.
25:24: God.
25:24: At judgment.
25:24: Because God.
25:25: Has made himself.
25:26: So clear.
25:26: To everyone.
25:27: Through the very simple.
25:29: Revelation.
25:30: Of himself.
25:30: In the creation.
25:32: So.
25:33: Paul is just agreeing.
25:34: With what everybody knows.
25:35: Sy.
25:36: Ten Brugengate.
25:37: He's got a cool name.
25:39: But his name.
25:40: Sy.
25:40: Ten Brugengate.
25:41: Is a Canadian.
25:43: Which we.
25:43: We forgive him for that.
25:44: He's a Canadian.
25:46: Apologist.
25:47: And he's a.
25:49: Fantastic.
25:49: Apologist.
25:50: He presents.
25:52: I met him.
25:53: Recently.
25:53: Jennifer and I.
25:54: Both met him.
25:55: He presents.
25:56: A very unique.
25:57: Way of defending.
25:57: The faith.
25:58: And it's.
25:59: But it's not unique.
26:00: Really to him.
26:01: It's just unique.
26:02: It's that it's not.
26:03: It's not.
26:04: It's becoming more popular.
26:05: Presuppositional apologetics.
26:06: Is what I think.
26:07: Is appropriate.
26:08: But it's.
26:09: It's becoming.
26:09: It's becoming.
26:10: More and more popular.
26:11: Especially in reform circles.
26:12: But when.
26:13: Sy.
26:13: Is presenting.
26:14: The gospel.
26:15: He says.
26:15: Really.
26:16: The only thing.
26:17: That.
26:17: You know.
26:18: People.
26:18: People ask him.
26:19: And say.
26:19: Why do you believe.
26:20: God exists.
26:21: And he says.
26:22: The same reason.
26:23: You do.
26:25: Or no.
26:25: So people say.
26:26: How do you.
26:26: Why.
26:27: How do you know.
26:27: God exists.
26:27: He said.
26:28: The same way.
26:28: You do.
26:30: You know.
26:30: God is.
26:31: I don't.
26:31: Have to prove.
26:31: This to you.
26:32: The Bible says.
26:32: You know.
26:33: God exists.
26:33: You are constantly.
26:35: Rebelling against him.
26:36: You're constantly.
26:36: Telling yourself.
26:37: No.
26:37: To something.
26:38: You know.
26:38: Innately.
26:38: Is true.
26:41: The heavens declare.
26:42: The glory of God.
26:42: The firmament above.
26:43: His handiwork.
26:44: Absolutely right.
26:45: We know.
26:46: God exists.
26:47: And when somebody asks him.
26:48: How do you know.
26:48: God exists.
26:48: The same way.
26:49: You do.
26:50: Well.
26:50: I don't believe.
26:51: He exists.
26:51: Yes.
26:51: You do.
26:52: You're denying.
26:52: What you know.
26:53: To be true.
26:54: You might say.
26:54: That's a hard way.
26:55: Of doing it.
26:55: And I.
26:56: Yeah.
26:56: It doesn't make him.
26:57: A lot of friends.
26:57: He's.
26:58: Not writing the book.
26:58: How to influence people.
26:59: And make good friends.
27:00: Or whatever.
27:01: That title.
27:01: That book is.
27:01: How to make friends.
27:03: But.
27:06: How.
27:06: Well.
27:07: Yeah.
27:07: We've talked.
27:07: About this before.
27:08: And that.
27:08: And.
27:09: And.
27:09: And so.
27:11: And.
27:12: That's.
27:12: The thing.
27:12: People.
27:13: Aren't.
27:13: Making.
27:15: People.
27:15: Aren't.
27:15: Aren't.
27:16: Holding.
27:16: Signs.
27:16: Up.
27:17: Opposing.
27:17: Things.
27:18: Like.
27:19: Santa Claus.
27:20: And.
27:20: Other things.
27:20: Like.
27:20: That.
27:20: But.
27:20: People.
27:21: Will go.
27:21: To great lengths.
27:22: To oppose.
27:22: God.
27:23: Why.
27:23: Because.
27:24: Because.
27:24: There's.
27:24: An active.
27:25: Rebellion.
27:25: There.
27:26: They.
27:26: Actively.
27:27: Rebel.
27:27: Against.
27:27: God.
27:28: Because.
27:28: They know.
27:29: He's.
27:29: There.
27:31: And.
27:31: That's.
27:31: Hard.
27:32: Atheists.
27:32: Don't.
27:32: Want.
27:32: To hear.
27:32: That.
27:33: But.
27:33: That's.
27:33: What.
27:33: The Bible.
27:34: Tells.
27:34: Us.
27:34: The Bible.
27:34: Tells.
27:34: Us.
27:35: In.
27:35: Romans.
27:35: One.
27:35: They.
27:35: Know.
27:35: He.
27:36: Exists.
27:36: And.
27:36: When.
27:37: They.
27:37: Face.
27:37: Him.
27:37: At.
27:37: Judgment.
27:38: They'll.
27:38: Be.
27:38: Without.
27:38: Excuses.
27:38: I've.
27:39: Heard.
27:39: Atheists.
27:39: Try.
27:39: To give.
27:40: Excuses.
27:42: I've.
27:42: One.
27:42: Die.
27:43: And.
27:43: Is.
27:43: A.
27:43: God.
27:44: I'll.
27:44: Look.
27:44: Him.
27:44: Right.
27:44: In.
27:44: The.
27:44: Eye.
27:45: And.
27:45: I'll.
27:45: Say.
27:45: I.
27:46: You.
27:46: Didn't.
27:46: Give.
27:46: Me.
27:46: Enough.
27:47: Evidence.
27:47: That.
27:47: You.
27:48: Existed.
28:01: And.
28:01: You.
28:01: Will.
28:02: Say.
28:02: Nothing.
28:02: But.
28:03: That.
28:05: Absolutely.
28:07: So.
28:08: I.
28:08: Just.
28:08: Like.
28:09: The.
28:09: Fact.
28:09: That.
28:09: The.
28:09: Apostle.
28:10: Paul.
28:10: Starts.
28:10: Here.
28:10: With.
28:11: Creation.
28:12: And.
28:12: He.
28:12: Addresses.
28:12: This.
28:13: Though.
28:13: God.
28:13: Who.
28:14: Created.
28:14: Everything.
28:15: And.
28:16: You.
28:16: Because.
28:16: You're.
28:16: Part.
28:17: Of.
28:17: Everything.
28:18: And.
28:18: He.
28:18: Goes.
28:19: On.
28:19: He.
28:20: Says.
28:20: You.
28:21: Don't.
28:21: Know.
28:21: Him.
28:22: But.
28:22: You've.
28:22: Got.
28:22: This.
28:23: Inscription.
28:23: To.
28:23: The.
28:24: Unknown.
28:24: God.
28:24: This.
28:24: This.
28:25: God.
28:26: You.
28:26: Don't.
28:26: Know.
28:26: I'm.
28:26: Going.
28:26: To.
28:27: Explain.
28:27: To.
28:27: You.
28:27: He's.
28:27: The.
28:27: One.
28:27: Who.
28:28: Created.
28:28: The.
28:28: Word.
28:28: He.
28:28: Created.
28:28: Everything.
28:29: In.
28:29: It.
28:29: He.
28:30: Doesn't.
28:30: Live.
28:30: In.
28:33: Temples.
28:47: You've.
28:47: You've.
29:10: You've.
29:16: You've.
29:19: You've.
29:46: You've.
29:47: You've.
29:47: You've.
29:50: You've.
29:52: You've.
29:53: You've.
30:00: You've.
30:18: You've.
30:18: You've.
30:19: You've.
30:19: Not.
30:19: Like.
30:19: That.
30:21: And the.
30:21: Times.
30:21: Of.
30:22: Ignorance.
30:22: God.
30:22: Is.
30:22: Look.
30:23: But now.
30:24: He.
30:24: Commends all.
30:25: Men.
30:25: Everywhere.
30:25: To.
30:26: Repent.
30:26: Verse.
30:27: Thirty one.
30:27: And by the way.
30:28: This might.
30:28: Be something.
30:29: Else You want.
30:29: To memorize.
30:30: I've.
30:30: Been trying to.
30:30: Only give.
30:30: You.