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This is the manuscript of the sermon preached at Christ Church Sunday April 21, 2024
4. The Testimony of Personal Experience.
Scripture:
Psalms 19:1-14 NIV [1] The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. [2] Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. [3] They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. [4] Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. [5] It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. [6] It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. [7] The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. [8] The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. [9] The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. [10] They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. [11] By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. [12] But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. [13] Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. [14] May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Introduction
Is there a God?
This is the most important question a person can ask. If a person says, "There is a God" - then that belief should drive them to find out who He is, what He is like. Is there a God?
Yes there is!
As our text for today says,
God has not left Himself without testimony.
Text:
Acts 14:17 NIV [17] Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
Here’s the definition of testimony; evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something.
So , let’s consider today;
1. The Testimony of Creation.
2. The Testimony of Your Own Conscience.
3. The Testimony of Christ.
4. The Testimony of Personal Experience.
Let's first look at The Testimony of Creation.
As we read in our scripture this morning from Psalm 19, the very first verse says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands”
Psalms 8:3-4 NIV says [3] When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, [4] what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
And Romans 1:18- 20 adds;
Romans 1:18-20 NIV [18] The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, [19] since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. [20] For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
These verses tell us that the entire universe is God’s thumb print. It testifies to the existence of a creator who has unlimited power.
Let me explain this with three simple propositions.
PROPOSITION #1: The Universe is filled with order, complexity, and purpose.
When we look at our earth, it is just the right size. If it were any smaller, the atmosphere would be unable to support human life. If it were any larger, the atmosphere would contain free hydrogen like on Jupiter and Saturn.
The earth is also exactly the right distance from the sun. If it were any closer, it would be burned to a crisp. If it were any farther away, it would freeze as if it were in a giant deep freeze. The tilt of the earth is just right to ensure the seasons of summer, winter, spring, and fall.
The moon is just right for the earth as it controls the ocean tides. The ocean is just right as it serves as a giant thermostat for the earth. Because of the tides, continuous waves break upon the shores of the ocean aerating the oceans of this planet and providing oxygen for the plankton, which is the very foundation of the food chain. Without the plankton, there would not be oxygen and man would not be able to live upon this earth.
The universe is characterized by order, complexity, and purpose - from the smallest cell to the largest star. God created things to function in an orderly fashion and He continues to keep things in order.
John 1:1-5 NIV [1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. [4] In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Colossians 1:15-20 NIV [15] The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. [19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
God’s handiwork is present everywhere for all to view. All you need to do is just look around.
PROPOSITION #1: The Universe is filled with order, complexity, and purpose. That brings us to PROPOSITION #2:
Order, complexity, and purpose point to an intelligent designer.
Let me use a watch as an example.
Once upon a time my watch was merely a number of disorganized elements and metals lying on a dusty road. Over the process of time, it began to take shape. A few dinosaurs, trotting along a dusty road, kicked a few of the pieces together. Some cavemen in the nearby area passed that way and their shoeless feet kicked more elements together. Billions and billions of years passed and it began to evolve. It developed hands and a face, but no legs. Then one day it started ticking. I came along, picked it up, and put it on. And it’s been running ever since.
Do you believe that story of my watch? Of course not.
My watch gives the second of the minute, the minute of the hour, the hour of the day, and the day of the week. My watch is a thing of order and purpose - and this implies that there had to be a watchmaker! Behind this watch there had to be a watchmaker, someone designed in in order for to use for a specific purpose so that we would know exactly what time it is so that we could have some order in our lives and order, complexity and purpose point to an intelligent designer.
PROPOSITION #1: The Universe is filled with order, complexity, and purpose. PROPOSITION #2: Order, complexity, and purpose point to an intelligent designer.
This brings us to the third proposition PROPOSITION #3: Therefore the universe had an intelligent designer.
Remember my watch? My watch is a thing of order and purpose, and this points to a watchmaker. Now, think about the universe. It is far more orderly, complex, and purposeful than my watch. If it’s logical to assume that my watch has a watchmaker, then it’s even more logical to assume that the universe has a creator and a designer.
The first piece of evidence is the testimony of creation the second is
2. The Testimony of Your Own Conscience.
Examine the history of the civilization of humans. From ancient times until now, all peoples, who have not been brainwashed, have had a seed thought of God. Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Indians—all have believed in sometype of god.
Where did this seed thought idea come?
Is it the result of wishful thinking? Did humans create a universal father image and turn around and worship the figment of their own imagination? Is it a matter of whistling in the dark?
No. God placed the idea of himself in the minds of humans.
Romans 2:14-15 NIV[14] (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. [15] They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)
In his letter to the church in Rome Paul uses the law that Moses gave the Isrealites in the wilderness to show that the Gentiles, who were not given the written Mosaic law still had God’s law written on their hearts in other words in their consciences.
The Gentiles knew that It’s wrong to mistreat your parents, commit premeditated cold blooded murder, or cheat on your spouse; it’s wrong to lie about your neighbor or to covet what they have. These are the same principles revealed through the 10 Commandments, the law.
Exodus 20:12-17 NIV [12] “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. [13] “You shall not murder. [14] “You shall not commit adultery. [15] “You shall not steal. [16] “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. [17] “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
These are things written in the hearts of every single person under the sun - from the deepest, darkest jungles of Africa, South America and Asia, to rural farm communities, to the bright lights of the big city. Every person has a conscience which testifies to the existence of God and His law. Even atheists, who say there is no god at all have a conscience. The only problem is: not every person listens to his or her own conscience. That’s why people still mistreat their parents, commit cold blooded murder, have sex outside of marriage, lie, steal, and covet. That’s why some people say, "There is no God." They’ve learned to tune out their own conscience.
Listen to your conscience and it will testify to the existence of God and His law.
Now let’s move on to the third piece of evidence for God’s existence. The first is the testimony of creation, then the testimony of your own conscience, then there's
3. The Testimony of Christ.
Jesus Christ is the greatest testimony for the existence of God because He is God in human flesh.
First of all Jesus Claimed to Be the One True God
The New Testament declares that Jesus Christ is one true God who became a human being. The Gospel of John begins by stating the eternal nature of Jesus.
John 1:1, 14 NIV [1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[14] The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
This is clear testimony that Jesus, the eternal God, became a human.
On one occasion, we find that the Jewish leaders were offended at Jesus’ claim to be God.
John 5:16-18 NIV [16] So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. [17] In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” [18] For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
It is obvious Jesus made some amazing claims about Himself.
Jesus Claimed the Ability to Forgive Sin
Jesus claimed to do something that only God could do; He forgave sin.
Mark 2:1-5 NIV [1] A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. [2] They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. [3] Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. [4] Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. [5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
This claim brought a heated response from the religious leaders.
Mark 2:6-7 NIV [6] Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, [7] “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
They were absolutely right. Only God has the ability to forgive sins.
Isaiah 43:25 NIV says “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
Jesus, by claiming the ability to forgive sin, put Himself on an equal level with God.
3. To Back up His Claims Jesus Predicted He Would Rise from the Dead
The fact that Jesus claimed to be God is clear. However the question is, “Were His claims true?” Jesus gave evidence that He was God by doing the things only God could do.
However, according to Jesus, the one thing that would separate Him from any other person is that He would rise from the dead three days after His death.
He made a number of predictions of His resurrection. Jesus made the tremendous claim that He would be raised from the dead three days after His death and He claimed that He had the ability to do this.
Matthew 12:39-40 NIV [39] He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. [40] For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
John 10:14-18 NIV [14] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. [17] The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. [18] No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Jesus said that He could bring Himself back from the dead. This is an absolutely incredible claim which He made!
4. Not only did He make this prediction, He fulfilled it by coming back from the dead. Jesus’ Resurrection Proves He Is God the Son
Jesus’ conquered the greatest enemy we all face, death.
Romans 1:1-4 NIV [1] Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— [2] the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures [3] regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, [4] and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
The death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the dead is the gospel, or Good News, in which we place our faith.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 NIV [1] Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. [2] By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. [3] For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, [5] and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. [6] After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. [7] Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, [8] and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
The resurrection of Jesus demonstrated the fact that He indeed is God. It showed that He has authority in all matters including life and death.
We can sum it all up this way
The New Testament testifies that Jesus is the eternal God.
Jesus demonstrated that He could do the things only God could do, including conquering death.
Jesus’ resurrection is evidence that He indeed was God the Son.
This line of evidence, the claims of Jesus Christ as well as His resurrection from the dead, gives further evidence that the God of the Bible exists.
Now to the final piece of evidence.
4. The Testimony of Personal Experience.
Admittedly this is the weakest argument for God’s existence. But nevertheless it is still extremely important. You see, just believing that God really exists won’t do you one bit of good.
James 2:19 NIV You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You must experience God for yourself.
Psalms 34:8 NIV says Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
You’ve got to experience God for yourself! How?
The answer is in Hebrews 11:6 NIV And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Conclusion
Some time ago a father and son who were atheists devoted their lives to projecting the doctrine that there is no God. At last the father lay on his deathbed and said,
“Son, what if we have been wrong all this time? What if there is a God?” The son replied, “Oh, Dad, don’t say that. Hold on. Hold on.”
The father gasped, “That’s just the point, son. There’s nothing to hold on to.”
Faith in Christ brings hope and confidence for the future.
Dear God, You are the source of all life, and giver of all grace:
We thank You for the gift of life:for air, food, and water; for the love of family. We thank You for the mystery of creation: for the beauty that the eye can see, for the marvels that the ear can hear,
for all the amazing mysteries that fill the universe with wonder.
Help us to grow in knowledge and appreciation of Your Creation,
To be good stewards of what You have given us, And to always remember that every good gift comes only from You. We thank You for this day and for our life. We thank You that You are our God, our Creator, and our Savior. For these, and all blessings,
we give You thanks, eternal, loving God, through Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
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