The Throne of Heaven Part 2

We know that they don’t know God, because if they did, they would fear him, and keep his commandments, pray to him, and love one another, and seek to please him every day!

We are surrounded by people who are indifferent about God. They simply don’t care.

We need to preach the truth to them. We must sound the Alarm. We must warn them.

Paul did this when he went to Athens:

Acts 17:22-33 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

Mar’s Hill - AKA - Areopagus

Mars - the Roman equivalent to the Greek god Ares (God of War)

Why were they “Superstitious”

They had statues to all the known gods they could muster, and they even made a statue to the “unknown” god, JUST IN CASE...

People are the same today!

FACEBOOK: Will Smith getting a blessing from Medicine Man?

People pray to God, but just in case they have their Tradition...

That’s not faith, that is SUPERSTITION!

Look around you there is no FAITH, there’s fear! Superstition preys on peoples fears.

Acts 17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

Paul Proclaims Gospel to the Lost (Educated Lost)

He starts off with Creation

Paul’s Argument: Because God is the Creator, and not a mere man, or an Idol, he should be listened too:

24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

Paul Relates Everyone back to Adam and Eve

26 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;

There is no racial superiority, God made us all from ONE BLOOD. We are all cut from the same cloth.

God’s Sovereignty and Providence: Got put us where he wanted us. “determined…the bounds of their habitation.”

Paul says that Men Should Seek God, not Worship dead Idols

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

Paul says because God is Real, and we have Disobeyed him, we must REPENT.

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Paul says the Judgement Day is Coming!

31 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.

Paul says Because of the Resurrection, we know there will also be a Judgement Day.

Acts 17:31 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.

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed from among them.

This morning we looked at two aspects of the throne

A place of Sovereignty…He is still on the throne…He is still in control.

A place of Beauty…Because of the precious stones, and the brilliant light from God as he is sitting on the throne.

Illustration: Have you ever gone on a walk around Twilight (Dusk, Sunset), What makes the sky look so beautiful?…the light from the Sun

Heaven will be even better! There won’t be any need for the Sun

Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Revelation 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Review: Place of Sovereignty, Place of Beauty

A Place of Judgement

God is on the Throne

Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

God has a Judgement Day

Jesus is the Judge

People that NEVER feared God a day in their life, people that mocked God, raised their fist in rebellion to God, that cursed God, will fear him on the day of Judgment.

Philippians 2:10-12 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

John 5:22-24 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Some people say, don’t judge me, God will judge me. IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED, YOU DON’T WANT GOD TO JUDGE YOU.

2 Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Acts 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

The DEAD, are those without Jesus

1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

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