Fear of Truth
Notes
Transcript
Fear of Truth
Fear of Truth
INTRO
In todays world, our culture we tend to find that truth doesn’t matter.
In the day of age where I look up every answer to everything you say, and fact check you on the spot—
Has anyone ever does this during church on a Sunday morning?
Or even here when I have spoken, it’s okay I won’t be upset.
Some of you.
Because not only can we look up every answer to mankind, we can also find people who will side with us.
I kid you not that there are people out there convinced that 2+2=5.
I read all the ways they think they can do it but guess what they are not correct, they make errors, and the math just does not work out.
But yet people are convinced that 2+2=5 not 4.
This is just an example that there are people in this world that believe that truth is subjective, meaning that it is in the eye of the beholder.
Now in a day in age where we may have a hard time seeing what truth is or even how do we decide what truth is?
Truth is not something that is this foreign idea to God.
Many times truth was written about in this book called the Bible.
Where we are going to be looking at tonight is .
The apostle Paul went on these three different journeys to spread the Gospel of Christ.
Sometimes he was recieved well and other times he was not.
Sometimes he would be invited to stay in home and other times he was dodging stones on his way our of town.
Now one of these times had come where they had to leave pretty quickly and they sent Paul off while his buddies stayed behind.
Paul was separated from his group as we open up at the beginning of verse 16.
This passage you may have heard about it is referred to as Paul on Mars Hill.
Or Paul in Athens.
Lets read a bit:
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
Acts 17:
Pause here:
Paul was not just provoked he was ticked off when he saw this city full of idols.
This city of Athens was full of false gods.
Because Paul was upset, he decided to go into the Jewish synagogue or temples to reason with the people there.
This was a common thing Paul did, he would show up in new towns and go to the synagogues and preach/ teach the people in these places.
And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
Acts 17:
But Paul who was moved by the spirit and was not pleased with what he was seeing he moved into the marketplace.
Paul would only go to the synagogue on the sabbath so one day a week, but it says that he went to the marketplace everyday.
Paul was speaking truth about Jesus.
The people who were under other philosophers and they were unaware of Jesus.
The Epicureans
Epicureans were thorough going materialists, believing that everything came from atoms or particles of matter. There was no life beyond this; all that was human returned to matter at death.
John B. Polhill, Acts, vol. 26, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 366.
The
The
The New American Commentary: Acts (1) The Athenians’ Curiosity (17:16–21)
The Stoics had a more lively view of the gods than the Epicureans, believing very much in the divine providence. They were pantheists, believing that the ultimate divine principle was to be found in all of nature, including human beings.
The Stoics had a more lively view of the gods than the Epicureans, believing very much in the divine providence. They were pantheists, believing that the ultimate divine principle was to be found in all of nature, including human beings.
They think Paul is a showoff and he is just babbling.
They think Paul is a showoff and he is just babbling.
But he is not Paul is speaking truth to the people here in Athens
We see the others in this group in the marketplace going, is he talking about other deities— other idols like we have here— His name is Jesus and he is talking about his resurrection.
Lets keep reading
And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
Acts 17:19-
Here is what an Areopagus looks like: Show Picture:
Now the term Areopagus— In classical times, it functioned as the court for trying deliberate homicide, wounding and religious matters.
The people of Athens brought Paul to the Areopagus to be heard.
Here is what is happening, these people thought Paul was teaching them about a new god.
Because both groups did not believe in bodily existence after death.
The Epicureans did not believe in any existence after death.
The Stoics believed that only the soul, the divine spark survived death.
So the idea of a bodily resurrection which is the greek word Anastasis— He must be speaking of the new goddess named resurrection (Anastasia)
Now Paul was not on trial here, but he did give an address to the people.
And the people listened and for they were searching for something new, they liked to hear new things.
Something new is engaging
Something new is engaging
Something New
-New Car
-New Phone Peel
These people came up and wanted to hear something new and exciting.
This was true thousands of years ago, and I believe that this is true today.
Paul was talking about Jesus and it was new and exciting to them.
We no longer live in a world where everyone and their mom goes to church.
This was true of a different generation.
That generation is long gone.
People use to grow up hearing the Bible stories and knowing about Jesus.
But more and more the Gospel of Christ is becoming less known.
This is a great thing for us as believers.
Not so that we hide the treasure but that we can present it back as new to people who have not heard of Christ.
Something new get people excited.
Are you excited about the Jesus?
I think that if we are excited about something we will tell others about it!
If you did something crazy this weekend, don’t you go and tell your friend first thing Monday or even maybe you send them a text the second after it happened.
LIKE OH MY GOODNESS BLAKE ASKED ME TO HOMECOMING, AND I WAS TOTALLY NOT GONNA GO BUT NOW I AM TOTS GOING!
HEY I BENCH 165 yesterday… LET THE BIG DOGS EAT!
We do get excited about stuff, i fear that we limit our excitement about Christ though.
And a lot as to stem from we are fearful of speaking the truth to others.
We of course want to speak the truth in love, which that is not what this message is about, but i will just say as a sidebar… that we must speak the truth but do it gracefully and full of love.
Are you speaking about the truth of Christ, no matter that those around you may have different beliefs?
So let me ask… again, are you excited about Jesus?
Are you speaking about the truth of Christ, no matter that those around you may have different beliefs?
Because I think that we are in a better more prime opportunity to tell others about Christ, because more households are growing up without the common knowledge of Jesus.
The people of Athens who has false idols all over, i think we could make the case that because they had so many idols that they did believe that one god or idol was better or more truthful then the others.
YET THEY WANTED TO HEAR PAUL SPEAK
There was something different about the person or thing Paul was talking about and they led him to the town court yard and the people grabbed their friends and were like you have to hear this guy!
I wonder if we started to get excited about Jesus and if we started to just talk about the wonders of Christ— how many people would be saying, come and listen to this Jesus, he fills the voids we try to fill with other stuff, he saved us from hell that we deserve, he love us and he is crazy about you.
What if that was what we talked about when we went to school?
I know that this terribly hard:
I recall having baseball practice and I remember having to go out and change in my car because lets face it, that is where all my crap was, so I would change in the parking lot.
Not my best moment of thinking looking back but whatever,
On this day, this kid named Matt Lucas walked by me as I was singing probably journey “don’t stop believing”
I was smiling it was one of those days where there was not a cloud in the sky, and I was just happy to be alive.
I had youth group that night, and I loved going to practice but I enjoyed going to learn more about Jesus.
And this kid stops me and says why are you so happy, all the time.
Here is what I should have said… let me tell you about my friend Jesus, the one who fills me up, and gives me joy that this world can never take away.
What I said was… I like to be happy, its better than be grumpy.
People in your schools are desperate for truth and you hold in your heart, your soul the greatest truth you could ever give someone.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John
That Jesus is the way!
People are looking for truth because
Speaking truth is still relevant
Speaking truth is still relevant
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 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. 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.’
Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Acts 17:22-31
Paul went right into the truth of God.
And Paul met the people where they were.
Paul brings up that they have an alter to an unknown god.
Paul goes on to say, look what you worship in ignorance an unknown god, just in case you forgot any.
This is the one true God that will have an impact on your life and your eternity.
Paul then breaks down creation and gives the truth to the people.
Paul explains that God is not in some temple but is everywhere, we can’t make God into an image because it would be impossible to capture who God is in a picture.
He talks about how God created it all, and that God is the one responsible for the life and breath.
and He did it all so that we might seek truth and WORSHIP GOD.
Paul then challenges a city to repent, because truth is coming and we better be ready for when Christ comes.
While people we disagree with you about truth, there is one who does not.
Jesus is the way the truth and the life.
Will people get mad about truth that you are saying, yes.
Will they reject it yes.
But could they accept it, yes.
Will some accept Jesus, YES!
But how can they know the truth if no one tells them the truth.
I read a quote that reads like this:
“The only people who are mad at you for speaking the truth are those who are living a lie.”
Sad but true.
Truth is still relevant and as long as I proclaim Jesus that will never die.
Last point tonight as we finish up
People are looking for truth in a truth-less world.
People are looking for truth in a truth-less world.
Let’s see what some of the responses to Paul’s message was.
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
All the stuff that Paul was saying about God being the creator did not spooke the people.
It was when Paul spoke on the resurrection.
Remember both groups did not really believe in a bodily resurrection.
Paul got a mix bag of results.
He got the ones who sneered and left
The one who want to hear more.
And those who accept what they hear, believe the truth and they begin to follow Jesus.
When you tell the story of Jesus to others you will get this same mix bag, and that is perfectly normal.
If Paul had a mix bag of responses and he was amazing at presenting the Gospel— you can only imagine that you also will have a mixed bag of people.
But i do beleive that this goes to show that people were ready to hear the truth.
And I am telling you that we all have friends, and family who are ready to hear the truth of the Gospel, all you have to do is tell them.
Those who do not know Jesus at the end of this life, will not be in heaven.
This is not to scare you but to show you the lost world we are dealing with.
Let us play out a scenario:
A tornado is coming towards town and someone you know is outside and that tornado is going to wipe them clean out, would you do everything in your power to bring that person inside and help them to safety?
WE WOULD DO EVERYTHING TO GET THEM INSIDE!
WE WOULD DRAG THEM, KICKING AND SCREAMING.
YOU KNOW WE WOULD TELL THEM, HERE IT COMES!
And that is for a tornado that may or may not hurt them,
listen carefully here, we all have friends and family who are on the path to hell and we are saying nothing to them.
We are fearful to speak truth, but folks God did not give us a spirit of fear.
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
People will keep seeking truth until Jesus comes back, our work is not finished until we pass away or when Christ comes back.
People may claim that all truth is up to you, but that concept of reality does not hold up.
Truth is truth
Listen to this quote:
Truth. Always. Wins.... Unfortunately liars must get their turns first.
Our world is desperate for truth, are you willing to speak it or are you going to keep allowing friends and loved ones to keep worshiping the unknown god, when you know the truth of the almighty God?
PRAY
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Do not be fearful but speak the truth in grace and love.