The Undeniable Existence Of God In The Natural Order

INTRODUCTION

Turn to Psalm 19 as we begin our time together.

We are going to spend the next 3 weeks in this wonderful Psalm of David and its relevancy in our culture today.

Since 2007, the fastest growing religious group in America has been the “Nones,” or the religiously unaffiliated.

Increased from 16% of U.S. adults in 2007 to roughly 29% in 2024. 

Grown by about 13 percentage points, an increase of roughly 81% relative to their 2007 share. 

Recently shown signs of leveling off after decades of rapid growth. 

Unlike Islam, whose rapid international growth has been marked by higher birth rates and a younger population; the religiously unaffiliated have grown primarily by people leaving their childhood religion (particularly Christianity).

Why are so many people leaving the Christian faith?

Declining Religious Upbringing and Practice

Less regular church attendance.

Less family prayer and Bible reading.

Weaker intergenerational transmission of faith.

Secularization of Society

Religion is no longer viewed as central to public life. People are finding their meaning through:

Education

Career

Entertainment

Social Causes

Intellectual Objections

Why does a good God allow suffering?

Is science incompatible with Christianity?

Can miracles really happen?

Can Scripture be trusted?

Why is Christianity the only way?

Moral and Ethical Disagreements

Sexual ethics

Marriage

Gender identity

Human sexuality

Exclusivity of Christ

Negative Experiences In Church

Church conflict

Hypocrisy

Spiritual abuse

Leadership failures

Sexual abuse scandals

Judgmental attitudes

Cultural Emphasis Of Individualism

"My truth"

Personal autonomy

Self-expression

Distrust of authority

The bottom line reasoning is that the church, as a whole, has focused so much on entertainment and being culturally relevant, that it has failed at the only job it was given by the Lord: make disciples of all nations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have an important call on our lives to preach the truth of the Word of God and to call people to repentance.

While I was reading through Psalm 19 recently, I was astonished at David’s herald of The Undeniable Existence Of God, even in some of the areas where people of the world take exception.

Read Psalm 19

Today, we are going to look at The Undeniable Existence Of God In The Natural Order (Psalm 19:1-6).

The Heavens Declare!

We are not told when David penned this psalm, but it is reasonably suggested by some that it was perhaps during his days as a shepherd.

Imagine: young David is out in the field, keeping watch over his flock by night, and he is drawn to observe the stars.

No light pollution as we have to deal with today

He notices a few stars at first

Then, as he keeps gazing, more and more come into view

Vast! An unbelievable sight to behold! All those stars in the heavens.

He moves his head from one direction to another. Stars everywhere!

This is the handiwork of God!

Read Genesis 1:14-19

Notice in verse 16, the stars are almost an after thought to Moses.

Consider our experience with stars:

Our solar system: there is 1 (the Sun)

Our galaxy: there are estimated between 100 and 400 billion

The universe: possibly 200 billion trillion, or 1 septillion (a one followed by 24 zeroes)

These are numbers that are beyond our comprehension, which point to the amazing power of our Creator.

Psalm 147:4 ESV

He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.

Consider what David reveals in verses 2-3

Read Psalm 19:2-4a

This Handiwork Of God Is Understood By All

This is such an important factor in what is referred to in theological circles as general revelation.

Revelation - God’s revealing Himself to His creation (namely, mankind)

General Revelation - God’s generally revealing Himself to all of mankind

General Revelation summed up in 3 statements:

Intended for all people

Can be understood by all people

Sent out to all people

The most obvious example of General Revelation as identified by David is the Sun.

Read Psalm 19:4b-6

The Sun

It’s huge!  

Almost 1.3 million Earths can fit inside

It’s hot!

Surface temperature: 10,000 ºF

Internal temperature: 27,000,000 ºF

It’s what we use to determine our day and our year

It provides light energy to provide food

It provides light for us to see

It provides the perfect amount of heat for us to survive

There is no living organism on this planet that does not experience the heat of the Sun.

General Revelation Is The Justifiable Reason For Judgment

Read Romans 1:18-22

An intellectual objection that is frequently raised is, “How God can justly punish those who have never heard the Word of God?”

Based on Romans 1, and from what we have seen in Psalm 19, God has clearly manifested Himself to all people.

Gods invisible attributes are plainly revealed in His creation. Acts 14:15–17 Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.

Gods character can be plainly seen through what He has made.  Acts 17:24–28 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he 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, 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, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

God’s power is on display Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

This all points to God’s divine nature! All men have, not merely a possible knowledge of God through external revelation, but an actual personal internal knowledge of God. Romans 2:14–15 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.

Natural revelation renders all men without excuse at the judgment seat of God.  

You cant plead ignorance. Deep down you know God and you see evidences of His existence all around you. 

You have deliberately suppressed this knowledge of God. People do not know God because they do not want to know Him.  

CONCLUSION

Since the days that David penned the words of Psalm 19, the heavens still declare the glory of God today.

Every sunrise

Every star-filled evening

Every changing season

Every breath we take testifies that there is a Creator.

God has not left Himself without a witness. His power, wisdom, and divine nature are displayed throughout creation, and His law has been written on the human heart.

The evidence is not lacking; the issue is not that people cannot know God, but that sinful hearts suppress the truth because they do not want to submit to Him.

That is why Psalm 19 leaves us with both comfort and conviction.

Comfort, because the universe is not an accident but the handiwork of a sovereign and good Creator.

Conviction, because the God who made all things is also the Judge before whom every one of us must stand.

The beauty of creation can point us to God's existence, but it cannot save us from our sin. General revelation is enough to leave us without excuse, but it is not enough to reconcile us to God. We need something more—we need the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The God whose glory fills the heavens demonstrated His love by sending His only Son into the world.

Jesus Christ lived the perfect life we have failed to live

Died on the cross to bear the judgment our sins deserve

Rose victoriously from the grave so that sinners might be forgiven and made right with God.

The same God who speaks through creation now calls you through His Word to repent and believe in His Son.

And for those who already belong to Christ, let the testimony of creation strengthen your confidence and embolden you to proclaim to the world that the God whose glory fills the heavens has also made a way of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.