Three Challenges to the Cross | Part 2

New Age beliefs really do listen to Adrian Rogers around us today.

Hey folks are everywhere in the morning don't work, drawing a breath, and drawing a salary roustabout is no meaning to life purpose to life. They are just simply trying as the writer of Ecclesiastes said there's nothing new under the sun and this apostle Paul went to Athens so long ago and we met superstitious idolatry. They met in Scotland and sophisticated philosophy will be a deliberate finding in a dynamic lesson today that will help us face the challenge. All month long we've been in a powerful series called that old time religion looks at the early church in the book of acts in the first century we look back so that we can live fully today in the 21st-century. This message pastor, teacher and author Adrian Rogers explains how the apostle Paul responded to the opposition he faced in Athens, Greece. If you have your Bible will be in acts chapter 17 turn there now as we begin with the dramatic conclusion of three challenges to the cross went all down the street so that they met three challenges to the cross and by the way, that's the title of the message three challenges to the cross, he met three challenges that you're going to meet. As you walk down the streets of this city or anybody in any city will meet to find out your friend that this book of acts is not mere ancient history is as up-to-date as tomorrow's newspaper and the same three things that Paul met you're going to meet and you go to rub shoulders with and you need to learn how all met these things so that you can meet about.

First of all, verse 16 tells us that Paul met superstitious idolatry. Look at it again.

Now while Paul waited for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city hallway that is completely given to idolatry. What you say more about idolatry here. Nobody is worshiping idols here friend that is where you are all our cities and sometimes our church are filled with idolatry and I is anything you love more than God.

An idol is anything you serve more than God. An idol is anything you fear more than God. An idol is anything you trust more limited. What an idol is an idol is a magnified center a magnified center know what happens. Is this that man takes his own worst desires his own base proclivities and he takes those things and he so magnifies them that he makes a God out of his last. His greed, his fears is hates his desires, he somehow just takes those things and magnifies them and then began to worship. Paul said over there.

In Romans chapter 1 verse 22 professing themselves to be wise, they became full and changed the glory of the incorruptible God like to that of corruptible man. So what a an idol is really is just a magnified center magnifies himself men because he deemphasized himself he worships himself really what he's worshiping his island and nothing is too good for man's God BC nothing is too good for man's God, so if if man can make a God out of sex and many worships acts well he's gotta put himself into sport anything when you think about it. The man makes a God out of money. I will than you worships money and nothing is too good for is God, so he gives himself to that God. What I'm trying to tell you different that anything that a man loves more than God is an idol. Anything that a man serves more than God is an idol.

Anything that a man fears more than God is an idol. Anything that a man trust more than God is and idol and our world is full of idols. Now back in that day there were little more superstitious. I mean they'd made the gods of sticks and stones. Somebody said it was easier to meet a dog on the streets of Athens that was to meet a man that 30,000 at least of these idols that they were worshiping and man, and that day what I call superstitious idolatry. But I want a one ultimate. Not only did he meet superstitious idolatry.

But he met stubborn bigotry. That's a completely different thing. But yet just as hard to be a way of notice verse 17 therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews and with the devout persons, about the word devout means religious but religious of a different kind. These were not idolaters as a matter fact they 180° from idolaters. They look down there long noses at the idolaters. It was unspeakable unthinkable to them. That man would glorify their biases and then worship thing Berman and Beeston sticks and stones, I was unthinkable. These were people who were monotheists. These were people who believed in the one true God, Jehovah God, and furthermore they had the Bible they had the Scriptures they had the Old Testament what Paul went into that synagogue and he began to preach to them Jesus Christ would they hear him know they would not want they were so sure they were right and they were so sure he was wrong. They had a stiff neck, bigotry, Nepal at the been able to understand that because he'd been just like them at one time. Did you know dear friend, the hardest man to win the Jesus Christ is the man who doesn't see his need of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many times he has a religious bigotry and the so many like that to me today. You go talk to them about being saved about knowing Jesus Christ about a personal relationship with God through Christ and they'll tell you no uncertain terms look, I'm not a pagan I have my religion friend most of the people in America need to turn from religion to Jesus Christ. It was a religious crowd that crucified Jesus and the hardest person to win is that person who doesn't see his knee up all met that kind of opposition to the gospel. I will take 1/3 challenge to the gospel that the apostle Paul met that day. Not only was there with what I call this a superstitious idolatry, and not only was there this stubborn bigotry but there was finally a sophisticated philosophy and perhaps this was the hardest of all to deal with. Now notice this sophisticated philosophy. Notice verse 18 then certain philosopher of the Epicureans and of the Stoics encountered him and some said, what will this babbler say in some he seems to be a set her forth of strange gods because a priest under them, Jesus and the resurrection. Now there were two kinds of philosophers that Paul encountered specially there in Athens. First of all, there was the philosophy of the Epicurean Epicurus live about 300 years before Jesus. He was a teacher, brilliant man. He made Athens his adopted home. Plato and Aristotle. Epicurus Zeno. These were the philosophers who taught in Athens and Epicurus taught this that that God doesn't exist or that if he does exist. You can't know him. There is no personal God. And since there is no personal God, then life has no purpose, and that would certainly follow.

If life has no purpose in life has no meaning, and that was certainly follow and therefore if there is no noble God and if life has no purpose and therefore life has no meaning was the wisest thing you can do what just feel as good as you can until you die pleasure and Epicurus.

A person who lives for pleasure.

And so I said just make yourself comfortable being as comfortable as you can get as much pleasure as you can live for pleasure, not Epicurus when he said this, he was basically a gardener farmer what he thought was the good life was just outgrowing things and living in the garden, and so forth a very plain and simple life. But remember he did say that pleasure is the end of all things, and so you tell somebody that they're going to take it and run with. By the time of all 300 years later they had said that pleasure was the grossest sort of immorality and gluttony and sold their macho in the Senate, was he drink and be merry for tomorrow. You well. You say we have that philosophy with us today. Sure, the city just like that as a matter fact Madison Avenue has taken that philosophy. There was a certain beer company that learned a lesson from Epicurus and slogan eyes.

This whole thing ever. This you only go through life. One time, grab all the gusto you can grab all the gusto you can get you only go through life once that's the Epicureans that's what they're saying just live in a meal during and the mayor hey folks, that's all around us. It feels good about this philosophy was philosophy of pleasure, but with the others. The Stoics you read about the Stoics they are in verse 18. The Stoics well, actually they were disciples of Zeno and Zeno talk from a porch and Greek word for porch is stolen so they: Stoics and the Stoics were those who believed in pantheism pantheism is panned, meaning everything in the awesome meaning God saw a person who believes in pantheism believes that God is in everything and everything is God. That is, this entire universe is God. Everything is God and God is in everything. Therefore, there is no personal noble God. When you let all of the air out of these were materialist, pure and simple materials and therefore they felt themselves as just victims of what ever happens. Who are these people today that the humanist they don't believe that there is a God who is imminent and working and noble in mankind. They just believe that we are the sum total body chemistry and the environment.

Therefore, the Stoics felt there was nothing really.

They could do about anything. Just sort of victims of fate, just wait and let it happen so therefore they said to themselves, look, don't get too elated over joy and don't get too disturbed over grief just intellectually be above it all and is just a form of stoicism just sort of grand and diagram determination are people like that around us today.

Hey folks, there were aware everywhere. Getting up in the morning taking an aspirin, drinking a cup of coffee running off to work drawing the breath, and drawing a salary and getting bounced about, there's no meaning to life.

No purpose to life.

They are just simply trying to get as the writer of Ecclesiastes said there's nothing new under the sun and this apostle Paul went to Athens so long ago, and there he met superstitious idolatry. He met stubborn bigotry and sophisticated philosophy where how to be meeting Leslie what happened here is very interesting. Notice in verse 19 and they took him and brought him to the Areopagus that was the speakers form saying may we know what this new doctrine whereabouts speaker Steve latte one you drop a handkerchief until Paul DiPrete to be on the second .4 hits the ground. They said would you tell us what I'll bring a certain strange things to our ears. We would know therefore what these things mean for all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell her to hear some new thing they wanted something to tickle their intellectual itch so they thought. Well let's hear what this babbler will say now notice verse 22 then Paul stood in the midst of Mars Hill and CAG men of Athens, I perceive that in all things your two superstitious fry passed by, and beheld your devotions and I found an altar with this inscription to the on known whom therefore ye ignorantly worship him, declare I am to you know what they've done in Athens was this I say that $30,000, but in case they missed one. They had one extra called the unknown God. They just said you would only fending these out. Then we missed himself, like the lady who I had merit for husbands and succession. First of all, she married a very wealthy banker and she married a very famous actor and then she married a notable preacher.

Finally she married an undertaker and that succession somebody asked her why did you marry those husband she said, well, one for the money to for the show three to get ready and forgive Cassie see she had it all figured out. Now that's the way that's the way these Athenians had done just thinking this thing through.

And they said well in case we have offended this God will make an altar to alcohol use that as a preacher would just to get their attention. He said I notice I notice that you are worshiping a God the unknown God. And that's the only one that I want to tell you about the one you don't know. I want to tell you just who this God is and very quickly. I want to see what Paul told them about this God because different as we go out tomorrow. This is the God that we are going to declare, I trust. First of all Paul says he's the God who created you look if you're willing verse 24 God that made the world and all things therein saying that he is Lord of heaven and earth with this one statement. He banished all of their idols. Notice, this he dwells not in temples made with hands, you're not going to corner this God in the temple you're not going to be able to make this God of sticks and stones. He is the great God created all things. He is the God who created you these also the God who controls you look in verse 26 and God is made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth and have to determine the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation and so forth. Now what is he saying he saying listen this God who created you as the God who controls you. He's not some pantheistic God. He's not some distant God these a God who is active in the affairs of man. He is the son of God who watches over the affairs of this world.

I wish I had more time to talk about that but also he said to them, he's also the God who convicts you look in verse 27 that they should seek the Lord haply they might feel after him and find him. My watch it though he be not far from every one of us, for in him we live and move and have our being. This God is the God who convicts you. That is has one of your post to say where his offspring.

That is, we are made in the image of God and therefore there is a longing to know God. To know the one true God. He's the one who convicts us for Christ is not like that light up every man that cometh into the world as a man in Atlanta, Georgia has a trucking firm's name is Claude Brown fine Christian. I think he has perhaps 150 businesses across America very successful man that when he has an employee they come to work for him. A prospective employee giving a polygraph test, we would say they lie detector test and here's an interesting thing.

I was astounded when I read this and yet I should one of the questions he asks is, do you believe in God and the polygraph technician has sworn an affidavit to this point that every person who says no I don't believe in God.

Every single one of them registers he's lying. Everyone everyone when I say no you do to see so as said in his heart there is no God, nodding his head. Now Paul says listen this is the God this is the God who created you, this is the God controls you. This is the God who convicts you. Then he said this is the God who commands you, I want you to see it in verse 30 in the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now command this all men everywhere to repent, because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom if ordained wear of the given assurance and all man in that he has raised him from the dead. Paul said this, listen, listen, there's a judgment coming stairs. I God is not some stone you philosophers understand this, God. God became a man he lived and died on the crossfire sands. He was very easily raised again from the dead receiving manual be saved, rejecting you stand before at the judge is a God who commands all men everywhere to repent. I want to tell you what Paul told feel repent of his sin and trust Christ UBC. What was the result of all of this look in verse 32 and when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mom mother said we'll hear you again on this matter. Some laughter and some procrastinated. So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit certain Cleveland to him and believe every time I preach the gospel that happens it was happening today. Some people listening to me by radio, television, some people listening later by take some of you here. Some of you just kinda laughing. You sit there you just kind of snickered. I will be smart when I tell you this is modality July 3 way in the hell you can laugh your way out.

Once you get some the markers we had others settle will hear you later time. That's where many folks are going to die and go to him.

He had been often reproved and harness his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy those not thyself tomorrow but thank God. Others believe. I can't make you believe, but I won't tell you this, the God lotion.

He's the God who created you, he's the God who conviction.

He's the God who commands you and calls and says repent and believe me saying will you do when you say come in my heart Lord Jesus, forgive my sin and Satan friend the same price that saved me will save you say want to save millions will save you today.

If you trust and I promise you on the authority of the word. If you trust your saving the hardest man to win. Jesus Christ is the man who doesn't see his need of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see your need for Jesus. If you do pray with me right now. Trust in Christ. You can pray something like this God in heaven. I know the center. I know I'm separated from you, but I believe that Jesus died in my place on the cross he gave himself for me and I received the gift that you're offering right now.

I receive the salvation that Jesus is offering and I proclaim him, Lord of my life take control.

I give you all that I am change me from the inside out. I pray right now in Jesus name, amen. If you trusted Jesus.

Would you let us know about that, go to our discovery, Jesus page@lwf.org/radio to find resources and materials that will answer questions about your faith and you'll find a response section there to let us know about your decision want to welcome you into God's family and celebrate with you today. Again, go to LWF.org/radio and click Discover Jesus, if you like to order a copy of today's lesson on CD request three challenges to the cross when you call to order at 1877 love God's message is also part of that powerful series that old time religion for the complete collection 22 insightful messages.

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Remember, we become like what we worship choose to worship God today. Be sure to tune in next time for an insightful lesson on how to cope with criticism on love word not long ago, the listener reached out by phone and said this I discovered Pastor Rogers six years ago.

He's my go to pastor on the Internet whenever I need immediate encouragement. He represents truth which is so refreshing.

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