Introduction
- Paul at Athens.
- The proud spirit in Athens.
- Paul's sermon here in the open air.
OBSERVE: We need to get the gospel to sinners.
GOD WINKING AT MAN'S IGNORANCE
- How this ignorance is shown:
- the altar seen by Paul: v.23
- the ignorance of God's nature: v.24f
- the corruptions in God's worship: v.29
OBSERVE: Sin makes men ignorant.
- How God winked at this ignorance:
- NOT by treating it lightly
- NOT by pardoning those who did it
- BUT by passing them by
- In OT we Gentiles had no favour but were REPROBATED (Explain). A fearful judgement.
GOD COMMANDING MAN TO REPENT
- In NT God no longer reprobates the world:
- He sends them the Bible
- He gives them preachers
- He sets His church among them
- "But now" - "commands" - "all men everywhere".
OBSERVE: "catholic" - what it means.
- REPENT
- turn from all sin
- turn to all obedience
- especially to believe in Christ
- and to worship God aright
APPLICATION: Have you truly repented?
GOD HAS APPOINTED A JUDGEMENT DAY
- God has appointed a Judgement Day:
- to deal with sin + sinners at last
- the fact is known; the date is secret
- The Judge is Christ
- Christ, a most perfect Judge. Why?
- This is bad news for unbelievers.
- The basis of this Judgement
- "in righteousness". What this means.
- The place of the Bible + Moral Law.
- How sinners may be reckoned "not guilty".
- The outcome of this Judgement
- eternal sentence + not just temporal.
APPLICATION: The importance of reckoning on this fact.
GOD HAS ASSURED US OF THIS JUDGEMENT
- The Q. arises: How do we know all this?
The A. is: Christ is risen.
- Christ's resurrection is our evidence:
- that believers are forgiven
- that believers shall rise in glory
- that there is a judgement to come
- Scoffing at these things is folly: v.32
- The resurrection of Christ is a fact which we must affirm even if some scoff at it.
ILLUSTRATION: Children playing on a railway line.
CONCLUSION
We must "all everywhere" repent.
Illustration: A child playing near a Dutch windmill.