2+2=4 (Part 2) (092224)

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The question reads:

Must Section 4, Article II of the Constitution of this State, relating to voter qualifications, be amended so as to provide that only a citizen of the United States and of this State of the age of eighteen and upwards who is properly registered is entitled to vote as provided by law?

Early Voting

Scripture Reading: Acts 17:22-31.

Message: 2+2=4 - Continued

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey

So, Paul is invited to be the “guest lecturer” at the University of Athens and he takes the opportunity to present the Truth!

Paul’s Message

Before Paul is able to give the Athenians the truth, he has to show them that what they believe before he can give them the truth.

He has to show them why 2+2 doesn’t equal 5!

He starts off by declaring that God - the “unknown” god that they have been worshipping is both creator and lord.

If God is Creator then He is also Lord and all of these other gods were nothing; they were worthless.

That being the case, then, He is also Lord and He alone deserves and demands our worship.

God, Creator and Lord, does not - cannot - be contained by a physical structure.

The Athenians believed that they had to do something for these false gods that they worshipped.

The true God does not demand a sacrifice; He gave the sacrifice - Jesus Christ.

Paul is beginning to set the stage for giving them the Gospel as we come to verse 25:

Acts 17:25 KJV 1900

Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

…As though he needed any thing…

Again, even if we could do something to earn God’s favor, it still wouldn’t be enough!

Paul is seeking to get to the point that, instead, God has already done everything for them!

…Seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

This is where we left off last week and again, Paul circles back around to the truth of creation: God is the Creator!

Acts 17:26 KJV 1900

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

And hath made of one blood all nations of men…

Yes, this is a wonderful truth.

Our world is caught up in a “race war.”

There is no such thing as dividing people according to their so-called “race.”

We are all descendents of Adam and Eve.

We are all descendents of Noah.

However, I don’t believe that is the point that Paul is seeking to make.

The Romans had their “religion.”

The Greeks had their “religion.”

I believe that Paul was seeking to help these individuals understand that there are not many ways to God but that there is only one way to God - and that is through Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:28 KJV 1900

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 4:5–6 KJV 1900

One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

John 14:6 KJV 1900

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

…And hath determined…

Lectures on the Book of Acts Lecture Twenty-Eight: Paul at Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens (Acts 17:1–9)

All the various races and tribes had sprung from the first original pair that God created, and He who knows the end from the beginning had determined the times before appointed and had allotted to the different nations the lands in which they dwelt. In all these things He was giving evidence of His interest in mankind, desiring that they might seek after Him, if peradventure they might be moved to feel after Him and find Him, though He be not far from us.

To these specific individuals whom Paul was speaking too, God had been working to bring them to this point where they would have the opportunity to hear the Gospel message.

Acts 17:31 KJV 1900

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Illustration: When I have time to speak with an individual, I use F.O.R.M. which stands for Family, Occupation, Religion, and finally, Message.

Paul has finished F.O.R. and now he is finally getting to his message - the Gospel message; the message of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.

Acts 17:32 KJV 1900

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

“May I take a few moments to share something with you?”

“I really need to get back to cleaning my oven.” (or something like it!)

Acts 17:33–34 KJV 1900

So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Certainly not the response that he was used to.

However, Paul was not discouraged; he did not give up.

The door has remained closed not allowing him to return to Thessalonica so he goes forward to Corinth where we’ll see him have one of his most fruitful ministries.