Acts 17:26-27

Right where you need to be

Kid at hospital

Paul with the Athens.. unknown god in their midst..

Acts 17:26-27 English Standard Version (ESV)

26 And (God) 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.

Two main ideas are the God created everyone

That God wants us to seek after him.

So what does it mean to be a neighbor?

We all have the same Father

Acts 17:26 a And (God) made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth

Word for nation is ethnos ..ethnic

Genesis 11:1-9 Tower of Babel.. Pride and wanting to stick together.

Since we all descend from the same person, there is no room for pride or a feeling of superiority over others.

We all are equal sinners

Romans 3:23  (ESV)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Mr Rogers, “"Little by little we human beings are confronted with situations that give us more and more clues that we are not perfect. "

With Jesus you are heirs together

Romans 8:16-17 (ESV)

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Believers are called to Unity

Galatians 3:27-28 English Standard Version (ESV)

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

What does this have to do with neighbors?

So what does it mean to be a neighbor?

God oversees our nations and neighborhoods

Acts 17:26b having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place

Southern Football

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Deuteronomy 32:8 (NIV)

8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel.

Psalm 22:28  (ESV)

28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

God has you where he needs you

Daniel 4:25c (ESV)

you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.

God determine a fixed time and place

Acts 17:26b having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place

Matthew 7 build our house upon the rock.

Romans 12:13  (ESV)

13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Hebrews 13:2  (ESV)

2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Philippians 3:20  (ESV)

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

God oversees everything in your life so that you might seek him in it all

So what does it mean to be a neighbor?

Seek God

Acts 17:27a

that they should seek God

If you don’t know God, it’s not God’s fault. God has already done everything necessary for you to have a relationship with him. He created the world and then left his fingerprints everywhere. He sent prophets and kings and poets with his message. Then he capped it off by sending his Son to the world. God has made it perfectly clear that his heart yearns for men and women to seek him.

Therefore Stand by Wilbur Smith

Professor Smith brings forth three evidences of that similarity that seem even more true a half-century later. He notes that the men of Athens worshipped the human intellect. They also loved newness and the endless discussion of new ideas. Finally, they valued tolerance and diversity as seen by their ever-expanding pantheon of gods.

The same is true today. We too worship the human mind, love new ideas, and exalt tolerance as our highest virtue. What does such a worldview produce?

When you worship intellect, you get educated arrogance. When you love newness, you get restless dissatisfaction. When you exalt tolerance, you get endless uncertainty—always seeking for the truth you can never seem to find.

Fred Rogers

"Our society is much more interested in information than wonder, in noise rather than silence...And I feel that we need a lot more wonder and a lot more silence in our lives"

So what does it mean to be a neighbor?

Feel and find

Acts 17:27b

, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.

Although an ordained minister, Rogers rarely if ever mentioned God or Jesus on his show. Instead, he let his actions preach the Gospel. He didn’t isolate his faith to one day or one building but made sure it was part of everything he did.

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 English Standard Version (ESV)

15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

So what does it mean to be a neighbor?

God sees to it that His people would accomplish His purpose

HYPERLINK "https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=183&v=907yEkALaAY" https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=183&v=907yEkALaAY

Start time: 9:34. Stop time: 10:50

Acts 17:22 -25

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.

In Randy Alcorn’s book Giving is the good life he states, “Part of our role in the divine appointment is helping people look for and find the grace of Jesus.

Matthew 25:40  (ESV)

40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

So what does it mean to be a neighbor?

Treating everyone as if they where Jesus.

"I went into television because I hated it so,” he once reflected. “And I thought there's some way of using this fabulous instrument to nurture those who would watch and listen.” Mr Rogers

Communion …

Great are you Lord