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Bro. Otis Fisher
One one Okay, David, I want you to turn to Isaiah 14 and Read verses 26 and 27 as we open this 17th chapter the 17th chapter of Acts Now if you can't find
Isaiah, maybe somebody can help you 14 26 and 27
All right This is the purpose
Joy, is there any purpose other than this from God the
Lord? No Now you may have purposes, but they're not sovereign
Dennis By the way, I thank you for the flowers Dennis this purpose that the
Lord has purposed Is there anyone that can do away with it?
All right, David There Who is it that purpose this?
Who is the person? But from reading this who purposed it for the
Lord of hosts hath purposed That's right the
Christ Anything dealing with man directly is always the
Lord Remember that Now verse 1
We take up Paul's journey Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia Apollonia They came to Thessalonica, where was the synagogue of the
Jews? Now Greg, it seems to me like they passed through cities where there were was no synagogue
What does that tell you That's right
Now as we have noticed in the past Paul always goes to the synagogue
Why does he do that Dennis? All right
This City was rather important It had a synagogue roads crossed here the main road of the
Roman Empire was prominent throughout this area and Paul as his manner was went in unto them the synagogue and Three Sabbath days reason with them out of the scripture now
Fred they didn't have the New Testament scripture. What did he use?
The only thing he could Greg That was the Old Testament opening and alleging that Christ must deeds have suffered and Risen again from the dead and that this
Jesus whom I preached unto you is Christ Now is it
Bob on the back row Okay, I want you to tell me in your own words
Why is it that Christ had to suffer? All right.
All right Greg you tell me why did
Christ Jesus have to suffer? Well, was it for the payment of sin?
Was it because it pleased the father? Verge was it because he had sinned
Joy, was it because he had committed no sin? All right.
Let's talk about this sacrifice a little bit Dennis I'm sorry.
My voice isn't any better. Why was it necessary for?
Jesus Not only to suffer but to have lived the sinless life
All right Greg Why is it?
That since the entire universe Was redeemed not just man
Why is it that Christ had to suffer in? that light not just for the universe but for man
Why why must he suffer the sinless death? Fred all right
Now Greg have you recovered All right All right, and since Christ redeemed everything the universe the creation
Yet he suffered a sin not only for that but for us
Now why was it necessary for him to suffer the death
There's the answer he suffered because we are the ones that sin
The Creation didn't it was subjected to the curse not willingly.
It didn't want to We have a problem perhaps and thinking about the creation wanting to but that's what the
Bible says. It wasn't willingly But we is the ones that sin we
Had to have a substitute Now the substitute Redeemed the entire world all of creation
But it would not have been Effective if it had not taken our place
Now verse 4 and some of them believed the people and And consorted with Paul and Silas and of the devout
Greeks and great multitude and of the chief women not a few But the
Jews but the Jews believed and not moved with envy took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort and gathered at company and Set over set all the city on an uproar and assaulted the house of Jason Jason and Sought to bring them out to the people now these certain
Jews Great David. What were they like dealing with these certain
Jews? Yes Now joy, what's it mean lewd fellows lewd?
lewd The the baser sort, what's that mean verge baser?
Well Greg tell him All right so certain of the
Jews Doesn't mean they were ignorant They took to themselves.
They went around they gathered up Certain or a specific lewd
Baser Sort of people and gathered a company and set all of the city on an uproar and Assaulted the house of Jason David why the house of Jason where'd that come from?
That's right. They thought Paul and his companies were there The devil is at work
It seems that he always has men ready to do his work but he doesn't know all of the information does it or he would have known that Paul wasn't there and When they found them not
They drew Jason and certain brethren Under the rulers of the city crying these have turned the world upside down Are come hither also
Now David he was referring to who That's right.
Says Paul is moved in and he's turning the world upside down and here they come
Going to do the same thing here Whom Jason hath received and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar Saying that there is another
King Jesus now, isn't it amazing? That the
Jews Seemed like all of them would have been against Caesar but here we find a group that is saying and The this that he's teaching is contrary to the decrees of Caesar What do you see in that Greg?
That's right And it doesn't mean that they supported Caesar But they saw that this is the way since they're in power.
We're going to agree with them. We're going to say that It is
Because of the Caesar King that We bring this petition to you that Paul is saying that there is another
King They've got to find somebody so they they chose
Caesar that's that That's exactly right.
That's what they were doing. I said Caesar I meant another King Jesus and They troubled the people and the rulers of the city when they had heard these things
And when they had taken security that word is high canals of Jason and of the other
They let them go David. What security is this? Well, what is the word?
security icons well
And when they had taken security of Jason and the other they let them go
Yes They had to come out with something Okay They could not just forget it
Because having gone so far they had to They just simply had to extract something from somebody
Ten and the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night into Berea Who coming thither went into the synagogue of the
Jews now here he goes again at Berea He's traveled down there and he goes to the synagogue
Now it so happens that at Berea they were more noble than they had been at the other
Places Verge what does it mean more noble? Well, that's true
David These were more noble than those in Thessalonica That's absolutely true now
What's wrong with the Average church today joy
They're not noble are they? These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and Search the scripture daily
Whether those things were so Now that's all you have to do
Yes That's right
It's so good to be in a church a group of people that study the word
I Cannot express to you how that satisfies my heart
Because I've been in other churches where they did not So Don't stop continue
Now do you see how God Has programmed all of this
To keep Paul from being discouraged he went to Berea and they accepted him
I Still say that God has the A Centrifugal and centripetal force in balance
By we all know what centripetal means I know there's no it's a thing in the mind of Slinging a rock around on a stick
String and it wants to fly off that's centripetal But there's also the string that holds it together that's centripetal and We are going through this world
On highs and lows just as God has ordained it To keep us in the center of his will
Therefore many of them believed Now therefore refers to what David?
therefore many of them believed Therefore that's right
That's right, you will not learn unless you study
Also of honorable women of which were Greeks and of men not a few
I like Luke's way of saying things of men not a few but when the
Jews Of Thessalonica had knowledge that the Word of God was preached of Paul and in Berea They came through there also
And stirred up the people Merge, why were they able to stir up the people?
That's right. Greg. Yeah you being with Paul and you see this group coming and they go to whom
They didn't go to Paul. They went to who? to the other Jews Weaker brethren or perhaps found some that wouldn't study and they stirred them up and it
Began as a cancer of spreading And yes
Now is he doing that today or does he have has he forgotten? is
That's right. It's the pattern and it will always be All right
No, but we know it was a day's journey And perhaps more I didn't look it up That that's true.
Paul went ahead of them. They didn't did they were not aware of where he was going they just knew he left and he then
Turned up in Berea and here he found people that would study and accept his word
Then in a day or two they sent word back to the Thessalonians and Then in a day or two they came down.
So there was perhaps a week in here and then Immediately how quick is immediately
Dennis? right now the brethren Sent away
Paul to go as it were to the sea But Silas and Timothy are both there still now
David who is this Silas? All right so now he leaves
Silas and Timothy and they stayed there and Paul left and they that conducted
Paul brought him unto Athens and receiving A commandment unto
Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed they departed
Paul was asking them to send Silas and Timothy to him Now Paul has some time to kill
Can't you just see Paul was time to give Now while Paul waited for them at Athens Then It's Athens is known for what that's so right now at Athens very very important city
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens his spirit was stirred in him
David explained that phrase Now this occurred when he saw the city was wholly given to idolatry
Was Paul ever without something to do Bob No, should we ever be without something to do
If you are home alone, what should you be doing Studying and writing.
Well Paul has something to talk about Therefore Disputed he and the synagogue with the
Jews and with the devout persons and In the market daily with them that met with him then certain philosophers of the
Epicureans and of the Stoics Encountered him and some said what will this babbler say today?
Others Some he seemed to be a setter forth of strange gods
Because he preached unto them Jesus and The resurrection now, this was strange to them.
They had never heard and They took him and brought him unto
Unto Aricopolis Saying may we know more what this new doctrine?
where Thou speakest is now. It looks like they wanted to learn doesn't it?
David they wanted to learn Something new They were all enthused with this new thing the man brings
So Athens the most cultured the most advanced The city and nearly every regard
Was just looking for something new or thou bring a certain strange things to our ears
We've never heard this and it entices me We would know therefore what these things mean
Now and for thou bring a certain things to our ears notice they didn't say
Tell us about this Jesus Paul had used his name.
I'm sure but they didn't mention that they just wanted to know about the box And what you bring is brand new
For all the Athenians and strangers Which were there spent their time and nothing else but either to tell or hear something new
Do you know any people like that today? Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars Hill You men of Athens I Perceived that in all things you are too superstitious
What do you mean David? Yes You cannot imagine how many gods they had
Or as I passed by and beheld your devotions And Greg the word devotions means the altar or the
God and what you're worshiping but I I Perceived I saw one altar and it had this inscription on it to the unknown
God Now that was rather strange to the unknown
God Whom therefore you ignorantly worship him declaring declare
I unto you Now it seems as though Greg that they had a
God for everything and In case they had overlooked something they put up one to the unknown
God So they had all the bases covered the most profound philosophers of Greece Were unable to conceive any real distinction between God and the universe
Thick darkness therefore behoove to rest on all of their religions their conceptions
Let me ask you is it possible to worship God and At the same time to not worship
God David I'm gonna have to move you up here
Is it possible to worship God?
And at the same time to not worship God Yes, you can
There will be millions of people in church today for the wrong reason
See how Paul uses the unknown God to be a springboard for his preaching and teaching
We should be able to do that You should be able to take any subject and turn it to Christ practice it
It'll work 24
God that made the world and all things therein Seeing that he is
Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands
If you were a heathen You would you would naturally think that my
God lives in this house But Paul right at the beginning starts them off that He he's he's not in temples or houses or gymnasiums or Wherever he is in heaven
And he dwells where no man has dwelt Neither is worshiped with men's hands
You cannot do anything that worships God physically
He's not a physical God As though he needed anything
And all saying God is one of produced everything through Jesus Christ And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to develop on the face of the earth and hath determined the times before Appointed and the bounds of their habitations
My that's so full. He's made of one blood. What's that mean Greg? That's right
Bob he's made of one blood What does that mean to you? That's right, he can't we came from one to bow upon the face of the earth and David he has determined the times before all
Appointed explain that in detail And it came to pass.
I hope you all can comprehend that And he has determined the times before Everything's fixed everything set in its place
Everything has taken place just as God through Christ Ordained it anything that God ordained has come to pass
The bounds of their habitation joy, what's he talking about here?
All right All right One blood
Has all mankind coming from one we didn't crawl out of the sea
God is sovereign. That's right.
Absolutely That they should seek the Lord if happily happily
If happily they might feel after him and find him though. He is not far from each one of us now happily, they may feel after him as Though men were groping their way in the darkness and find him lively picture of the murky atmosphere of natural religion
Though he be not far from any one of us the difficulty of finding
God outside the realm Revealed religion lies not in his distance from us but in our distance from him our distance from him through the
Blinding effect of sin. We will never find God And there's been generations that search for him
And never found him But joy, how close is he to us?
He's in us For in him we live and move and have our being as certain also of your own poet
Which has said for we are also his offspring Yes Well in one sense it
In one sense, that's true. But in another it isn't He made everybody but He dwells only in his
Now it says in him Not in ourself We live and move and have our being this denounces and assess necessary intimate and most efficacious presence no words can better express the continual and unnecessary
Dependence of all created beings and all their operations on the first and almighty cause which the truest philosopher as well as Divinity teaches
Everything has its being in our Lord Now we step on a bug and never think about it
But that bug came in existence because of our Lord Yeah, I don't want you to quit killing roaches and all of this
What? That's true, well,
I want to stop here start with 29 next week Paul giving his lecture
To the Athenians Is there any word from anybody anything that's been overlooked