Title: God!
Contents
Is God? (Acts 17:22-31)
Today's text tells us that Paul, the servant of God, left Berea and went to Athens to escape the reproach of the Jews who had visited Thessalonica. The Athenians were very religious and worshiped various gods, and they enjoyed new ideas, so other people gathered here every day to preach their claims. At this time, while waiting for Silas and Timothy, the men of God, to come from Athens, Paul is preaching strongly about God, the Creator and Lord of all, to the Athenians. At this time, we try to share the grace with the word of God.
1. The God of Creation (24)
(God, who made the universe and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth)
The Apostle Paul was the first to preach the gospel to the Greeks gathered in the Areopagus square in Athens, and taught about the one and only God of the Creator. Because the monotheistic belief that there is only one God in heaven and earth is the foundation, foundation, and core of all beliefs. However, the actual Greeks were so religious in everything they worshiped countless gods, and even offered sacrifices to gods they did not know. There were over 30,000 gods in Athens alone. However, they did not know or realize God the Creator, who is the true God of truth. That is why the Apostle Paul taught the Greeks of Athens about God the Creator. Indeed, it can be said that the Athenians today are representative representations of modern people who worship wealth, material things, idols, superstitions, and misunderstand reason as the supreme god, without even knowing what the novelty is.
Dear saints! Faith in God begins with this very Creator God. Human beings can fear, serve, and follow God when they acknowledge the God who created them. Paul clearly testifies that God is one God and that He is the Creator of the universe and all things, so that the Athenians do not include God as one of their gods.
2. God who supplies the needs (28)
(By him we live and move and exist.)
The fact that God is the Creator has important implications for all human beings, especially the saints. This means that we can only live with the help and guidance of God. It is through him that we live, move, and exist. Humans sometimes live in illusions. In other words, humans live in the world by their own power. But neither Christian nor non-Christian can exist for a moment without God's help and provision. God has a decisive influence on man. In fact, all the benefits that nature and all things in the universe bring are what God provides to humans. Even the greatest people in the world cannot exist on this earth for even five minutes and five seconds without God providing them or helping them, and in the end they all have no choice but to return to vain death.
Dear saints! Even if non-Christians do not realize this, the saints not only realize deeply that the children of God cannot live for a moment without God's help and provision, but also believe in, depend on, and thank God for. have to live That is why Paul instructs us to give thanks in everything.
3. God of Salvation and Judgment (31)
(This is because he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by a man whom he has appointed.)
Paul, who taught that God is the only God and the God of the Creator, now delivers the message of repentance, salvation, and judgment to the Athenians. Indeed, the idolatry of the Athenians until the time before Paul was not overthrown by God. This is because up to this time, it was the age before the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Athenians had not heard the gospel of salvation. But now that the gospel has been widely proclaimed throughout Athens, those who reject the gospel will never be able to stand in the ranks of salvation. That is why Paul invited the people of Athens with eternal life to come to the way of salvation with earnest heart.
Dear saints! Now the gospel of salvation has been widely proclaimed throughout the world. Therefore, no one under the world could ever deny the Gospel. Therefore, there are only two options for all human beings under the world. One is to accept Jesus Christ as the Lord of salvation and to enter the class of salvation, and the other is to deny and reject it and go on to eternal judgment. For this amazing work of salvation and judgment, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth. This is so that anyone can receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior and receive salvation.
However, if you ultimately reject the gospel of God and dwell in sin, you will be judged by God's justice. In other words, God's judgment will come suddenly, just like the water judgment in Noah's day.