esterday not to mention the months in the past maybe years maybe a lifetime would you just turn to Jesus Christ right now we come to you today God collectively asking not I can’t assume this for everybody but I want you to awaken my soul blow through the caverns that might be there right now things that I don’t do very well or don’t do often or don’t do it all because I found a way to conveniently walk around it like the people in the story of the

Good Samaritan but I pray holy spirit that you would awaken my soul would you pray that right now just in whatever way Lord maybe you don’t even know what way just pray it Lord Holy Spirit awaken my soul put in me the ability to feel you again restore to me as David said the joy of that day when I met you my salvation take me back there Lord and any cluttered debris garbage in the way just take it out make it new make it real and

make it alive because I need you Lord we all do so make a move in our hearts today and in the Days to Come For Your Glory and for our good in the name of Jesus Christ God’s People Prayed amen amen I I want to thank you kids for being so hanging in there you know go go seek God now in your kids club you’re gonna love it and Kevin thanks for moving the another leader the leaders that stood in the back sometimes we don’t see

them but they’re they’re a big deal here and in the live stream control room you people are rock stars I’m telling you in fact you who are on online and watching send in a check and maybe plane tickets for Maui for the people that are behind the scenes that make it possible right for you to see and hear this it’s really cool so and if you have an extra ticket throw one in for me I’ll be happy to escort them and all that stuff but so

I want to ask you a question it might seem strange from a guy that’s stood at a Podium for a long long time but have you ever felt super intimidated right most people rank speaking in front of others as one of their top fears maybe right below getting you know I don’t know brain surgery without novocaine or something I mean no it’s a big deal you know intimidated is a soft word for what some people just go no don’t ever put a microphone in front of

me so I I want to I’m going to give you some ideas I mean maybe maybe we could all tell a an intimidating story maybe you were asked to fix a meal for royalty I don’t know or or maybe just for your in-laws it could have been one of those and either one of those would make you go oh no what do I fix you know here’s another one maybe you were asked to address a gathering of brilliant Scholars and or your teenager right both bring

you like a a quiver what do I say to correct a teenager without them turning you off or maybe you’re a vocalist and we see them up here but maybe you are have gone places with your voice and talent musically and you’ve sung at the national anthem let’s say at a stadium imagine the game today it’s the Super Bowl Sunday I don’t know who’s singing it but I I’m sorry it’s I think it’s an indoor Stadium right indoor is that true wow no one cares about

the Super Bowl how many are getting together for food today see there’s a good thing that’s reality check that’s what that’s what I care about but you know indoor stadiums are a bummer because the thing I if I was at a Super Bowl game I’d love to watch f-16s fly overhead and and not drop anything but just keep going you know but but if maybe you’re one of those you’ve sang at a stadium at an arena maybe the the Moda Center here in Portland or or

maybe you just sang a solo in church intimidating both all of this here’s one for you maybe you were asked to provide premarital preparation or counseling for a couple that asked you to officiate at their wedding it happens to be that they that the two of them had a doctorate and a advance master’s degree between them in counseling and and now you can experience my sweaty Palms even as I tell you that again years later right and in case you’re curious I I did great I

mean actually I was outstanding right because I said so it was just like wow I mean my palm dude I’m tempted to have you feel my hands but that’d be gross so anyway but that that moment I remember thinking in fact I told him you guys could counsel me you guys can let’s reverse the tables I said no we have lots to learn here I’m like ah who are they looking at who they pointing to you that kind of thing so I’m trying to help you

imagine some I want to help you and I imagine what the Apostle Paul might have felt when he was invited to address I’m going to call him a think tank I’ll have other words as the morning unfolds but these are high pressured a very sophisticated intellectuals in Athens my Bible’s open to acts 17 that’s where you’re going to find with me some amazing things but this Gathering that he stood before was a gathering of philosophers and and Scholars in ancient Athens it’s a long ways away

it’s it’s in Greece okay just to give you a little point of geographical reference and in that day in that day you ready for this as you turn into Acts 17. They were recognized as the epicenter Athens was of genius thought so the city was home to many famous philosophers through the centuries listen to this list aristities Pericles Socrates or if you’re familiar with the movie in the early 70s so crates dude right Bill and Ted it’s excellent Adventures remember that’s stupidity at a new level

but anyway Socrates here’s a couple more you probably have heard before Aristotle how about Plato no not Play-Doh not that kind the the brilliant scholar it would have felt it would have felt like you had been asked to address the brightest Minds from Harvard Stanford Yale Dartmouth and Chemeketa Community College which is where I began my esteemed academic career okay and and here’s the deal Gathering like that like standing room only we would say and they were in wrapped attention to what you had to say

now it was it was a place in the city of Athens called the areopagus it was known as some of you have been there probably have you been there have you been there a few look at that that’s cool and it was on my label heavy heady Hill okay it was a a place where actually the Roman name Ford is a name we’re more familiar with Mars Hill and it was that place it was where political and judicial matters were adjudicated and decided and Ivy League

debates like I’m trying to capture here for you took place all there areopagus in Athens so now for a quick backstory Paul had arrived in this city last time we were together and and he was under escort for some from some Believers it to the North in Berea and you say how did he get here and why well only days earlier for Paul you’ll you’ll recall he had been whisked away quickly because the same troublemakers Jewish troublemakers that didn’t like him and it wasn’t a hidden

secret not only gave him grief in thessalonica just before Berea but then they they catch word hey hey we know where he went and they went after him and they found it their way to Berea and they were about to create more grief for him and they whisked him away quickly to Athens and it went like this verse 13 when the Jews in thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea some of them went there too agitating the crowds and stirring them

up just like they did in thessalonica the Believers immediately sent Paul to the coast we’re not sure if he if he took land or sea but it’s right on the coast went South the Believers immediately sending Paul South and they left Silas and Timothy in Berea look at verse 15 those who escorted Paul brought him here to Athens and then left with instructions from Paul for Silas and Timothy back in Berea to join him as soon as possible so you got Paul here actually alone for

a little bit and and he’s waiting for Silas and Timothy we just read to arrive but he wasted no time as he began to roam around and check out the city he he it was a it was this wandering around the city that caused a reaction in him that’s worthy of notation he didn’t just go wow cool things wow what a building some of you that have been there to Athens you would say that today about ancient relics or artifacts you’d go you take selfies and

pictures like that well Paul roamed around just like you and I would if we were there only in his case there was an impression that I’m going to call it aggravated him it stirred deeply and it was oppressive in no small way leaving him with a couple of standout words angry and sad now you’re ready to read verse 16. While Paul was waiting for them in Athens he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols so he reasoned in the synagogue with

both Jews and God-fearing Greeks as well as in the marketplace day after day with those who happened to be there a group of epicureans and stoic philosophers began to debate with him some of them asked what is this babbler trying to say that’s not exactly a term of endearment okay Joker doing kind of nonsense is he talking but others remarked he seems to be actually advocating a foreign God or Gods it says they said this because Paul was preaching dial in on verse 18. He was

preaching the Good News about Jesus and the resurrection then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the areopagus where they said to him may we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting in our City you’re bringing some strange ideas to our ears and we’d like to know what they mean all of the Athenians and foreigners who live there spent their time Luke notes doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas so what stirred Paul’s heart so deeply

we’re told straight up in verse 16. First impression is not just that there was a little Darkness or turn your head don’t look at that that’s sinful but what does verse 16 say a city loaded with Darkness full of idols you’re going to hear the word god this morning I will try to distinguish that it will it won’t be necessary most of the time but we’re talking about little G God not Big G the Living God because Athens was loaded with little God stuff and Paul

is talking about the Lord the Creator the the big God and I mean that deeply respectfully it was said of Athens there were more statues of gods than in all the rest of Greece put together and that in Athens it was easier to meet a god little G than another person that’s a big deal scene reminds me of Jesus when we’re told in Matthew 9 it’s a wonderful picture I’ll just capture it for you quickly he’s he’s he’s traveling with his disciples and he’s sharing these

very things talking about the kingdom of God and he’s and and he’s going big cities and little cities and countrysides Jesus is Matthew 9. And when he looked across at the crowd he saw something I’m making I think a fairly good assumption that disciples did not see it did and it it was it like took his breath away we would say but the disciples were like Hey we’re gonna roll this is cool look at the crowds right like I would I’d go we got the man

with us boy he pulls in a crowd this is dialed in baby you know that kind of thing and Jesus is not just not getting it or not into it the way they were he’s it says when he looked at the crowd he saw them as distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd huh said the 12 disciples with him you imagine being in that moment but Jesus saw something that was deeply impactful when he saw the crowds he had compassion on them it wasn’t just

the condition he went man that is that is so avoidable you shouldn’t be in that position no it’s Jesus that went oh oh more oh ah more everywhere they went there was there was a sadness an oppressive Spirit going on there so let me ask you before we move forward any further in this because we’re going to get to his speech now because he’s invited to deliver how do you see your city I don’t I’m I mean or let’s make it not about a city like

Tigard or Beaverton OR Portland but how do you see the people around you it’s the you know you spend time with them at work spend time with them at school you live in a neighborhood or an apartment complex someplace or a condo how do you how do you see the people living there do you see them as distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd Here’s a thought if you don’t either you live in heaven I mean it’s in love you’re missing something okay my neighborhood

is mostly mannered well I had I had trouble with a neighbor for a lot of years you heard me talk about them no more trouble I I we get along we really do we prayed for them we it’s a different day so our neighborhood’s mostly mannered and I don’t know the destiny of their souls I I know that some of them are pretty irreligious we’ll get to that in a minute nuns how do you how do you see your your space your people I have a

cop friend who’s who works in Portland and his answer to that question we asked him a group of us here asked him once during a Bible study in the days of all the riots like months after months of riots and and we asked him about his answer to the question how he sees the city and his answer was very corrective to my heart I I don’t think I ever really told him but but he said you know I see people in Portland who desperately need Jesus

and I thought man you’ve got things on your belt that could kill him a bunch of different ways or go after that guy that threw a rock at you or a bottle hit you in a in a in a terrible riot but I see you know he wasn’t he wasn’t making it up he was just being forthright is that how he lives every day I don’t know I suspect no but who knows but what a great place to start right anyway that’s got me thinking about

this little early roaming around the city when’s the last time I was really deeply or greatly distressed by what I saw because you know there are people in need on your street or in your building or at work but here’s the deal the deepest need of all the most desperate need of all is for those people to have a relationship with Jesus Christ I’m not just talking about the people really broken by drugs or some other malady it’s it’s it’s Universal we all need Jesus remember

the song people need the Lord when will we realize they need the Lord some may same some I think I just want to be fair some of your epicureans and stoics the people on your street they may conceal it really well but the they are spiritually lost if you’re hearing me this morning and Jesus is not on the throne of your life I say because the Bible says you’re spiritually lost in fact it uses other words like blind in second Corinthians chapter four you can look

it up it’s Jesus words he doesn’t say well you’re blind he just describes it honestly and and bound is another word do you write those down that’s a different set of glasses through which to look they’re bound bound by who I think you can figure that out but it’s right there in second Timothy chapter 2 verse 24 and 20 to 26. Okay now the people of Athens we’re loaded with intellect and we’ve established that but largely largely a completely but largely ignorant of the one true

God but on this day they’re about to encounter someone with not only a clear message but with conviction and and boldness to share it all and they and he did he he’s about to deliver on that so he’s brought up to the hill and his presentation is fully contained in the verses that begin in verse 22. So he stands up in the heady Hill areopagus and says people of Athens I saw an artist rendering of this and I thought it was extremely cool I don’t know

I don’t see some I don’t know it’s just me I see Paul in jeans and stuff no he had a big robe it was cool and probably consistent with the time and he has this rube and he has his hands lifted and speaking to a crowd of people we’ve established who that crowd is so people of Athens I see that in every way you are very religious for as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship I even found an altar with this

inscription to an unknown God I’m going to just interject and say I’ll bet most of the people knew exactly which God or which I should say object of worship he was referring to so so you are ignorant of the very thing that you worship to an unknown God why would you have a shrine there unless you plan to worship it that’s what he’s saying and this is what I plan to Proclaim to you The God Who made the world and everything in it is the Lord

of Heaven and Earth and does not live in buildings temples built by human hands and he is not served by human hands as if he needed anything rather he himself gives everyone life and breath not great and everything else verse 26 for one for one man from one man he made all of the Nations that they should inhabit the whole earth and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands is that a god of detail or what God did this

why would God do this that’s why he answers he did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out to him for him and find him though he is not far from any one of us for in him we live and move and have our being as some of your own prophets have said we are his offspring therefore since we are God’s offspring we should not think that the Divine being is like gold or silver or stone which I saw around your city an

image made by human design and skill don’t think of God that way and he says verse 30 in the past God overlooked such ignorance but now he commands all people in all places to repent for he has said a day when he will judge the world with Justice by the man he has appointed he has given proof of this to everyone by raising that man from the dead he’s done I’m not his message is delivered friend of mine made me laugh when he described philosophers he

said the job of a philosopher is to present a simple concept incomprehensibly and then to convince you it’s your fault for not understanding how many have ever felt that’s true here at Grace Point if you raise your hand I’m leaving right now I’m Gonna Leave so my apologies really to you who are philosophers or because and but you’re different than that you’re ones that are that that strive to say it to take complicated complex things and make them simple good for you keep doing it we

need to hear from you you make it clear when others are interested in fog and Haze just make it simple I remember my mentor years ago said Steve the Bible’s so full of cool things interesting exciting things don’t bore people so I’ve I apologies to you too I know we’re going to go an hour and a half or two hours but I don’t care you just told me you don’t care about the football game so let’s keep going ah yeah no I am I I forgot

what I was gonna say that’s the holy spirit said get back to my word boy so Paul’s here he’s delivered this message to the ivy league crowd in Athens and and I’m gonna say I’m going to speculate it was impossible for them to ignore I didn’t get in the fist fight there is no verbal shouting they’re not a shout down you know Republicans Democrat none of that it’s all right here and then I think it’s I’m going to call it a model the a model method

for sharing Jesus you see how he starts verse 22. I mean these are just principles in passing but he connects with his with the people and where they’re at he’s he’s establishing carefully connecting to the audience you know what he’s saying there verse 20 he’s saying you are dedicated Seekers there’s no question about it we would we would say you are I think in that group was very much like the group that is a growing group in America indeed in the world I read a worldwide

study that’s very current about this by Hannah wait she observed spiritual nuns today are characterized by a range of spiritual beliefs and practices that should jolt you back into the game it doesn’t mean they’re replacing God it means that they’re they’re hungry for something they’re into I read all kinds of quotes in this study and they’re into wanting to connect with their spiritual self they call it is that cool they’ve got they’ve got interest in shrines and and icons and blogs that go on and on

from a a bunch of perspectives so as a starting point maybe instead of assuming as I have that they got it all wrong dial in on that you know I see that you’re very religious I have a I’m not sure which religion exactly but there’s there’s a there’s a family altar in the home a half a block from our house and it’s the lights are on every night in there and it’s some religion it’s and that’s not walk on the other side it’s they’re they’re entered

they’re they’re searching that’s what Paul is doing here as he walked around Athens and then they connect he connects his message to their really their their question one of the objects of worship in a city that’s probably very intentional to not offend the gods because there’s it’s pluralism it’s mod it’s it’s polytheism it’s gosh you know we’re not sure which one it is so make sure there’s something for everyone there’s actually a religion in our there’s a a place like that on Murray Boulevard near us

that has a little something for everybody I I used to tease that it’s a smorgasbord spiritually just take a scoop of whatever you want and by the way Jesus is in that they got Jesus there so that’s the world we live in but connect it to Jesus right away and Paul does that very thing verse 23 as I walked around I saw this to an unknown God I’m going to tell you about who that God is you have a sense why would you put that label

except you have a sense that you’re missing someone or something it’s an unknown God I don’t know who it is but something tells me Romans 1 is a read today you got to write that down it’s in your notes too but make sure and read that because it’s these invisible attributes make it plain as day the Bible says that there is a God his name’s Jesus we’ve come to know him as that so Paul says that I want to make him known what was their question

who is that God we admit it it’s unknown and Paul says he’s Jesus and the rest of his talk is about that he talks about it in from verses 24 to 29 let me just highlight them and mention them he is the creator of Heaven and Earth it’s what he’s saying here he is the god that created this world that fact alone sets him apart from every other little G amen we know the one true God it was the one that actually said of himself I

am God you’re ready I hope you have your pin out you say where did he say that Pastor where’d he say that let me just give you John the Gospel of John how many of you have money in your wall of your purse pocket or purse raise your hand right now okay this will be easy for you I may have a one dollar bill John chapter one a two dollar bill I tricked you you were thinking of five right if you have a two dollar bill

John two five dollar bill John five ten dollar bill John 10. 20 bill John 20. 50 Bill there isn’t any chapter 50 and John I just got you okay just fooling with actually in a lot of other places but in case you forget everything I said today just remember the money in your wallet or purse and remember in John chapter 1 2 5 10 and 20 I can I can affirm the fact that Jesus is God the Creator God so you’re going to love it there’s

some others in John but those are the main ones okay so and then secondly he is sufficient he is all sufficient that means he doesn’t need anything he’s not a God that’s waiting for you to give him something that he ain’t got it’s not true he satisfies people’s need verse 25 including the most basic need of all life and death life and breath I should say and then thirdly he’s Sovereign and all he does and acts according to his plan verse 26 and 27 we just

read it sovereignty is so cool there’s never been a time when God said ah that got away from me okay correction when he created cats that was probably the day that it did not go well so what was I thinking okay there’s no food in this room so there can’t be a food fight right now okay just stop that was like that was uncalled for I’m really sorry what so anyway I’m not going to take I’m not going to respond to any of the cat call

okay here’s a god imagine that a God that says I got it I know what that balloon was that flew across your country recently I knew what it was I’ve got this this is really serious to mention but there’s a terrible series of earthquakes that was so bad it had me thinking I actually read it again the Olivet discourse in Matthew 24 Luke Mark 13 and Luke 21. Where Jesus said here’s the sign that I’m coming soon you know what it was in the middle of

that in every single telling massive earthquakes massive famines so he’s a God that’s got all of this under his control Jeremiah said it this way if you seek me you will find me when you seek for me with all of your heart I started this message that way I’m going to finish it that way if if you’re someplace else watching right now and you know something’s missing there’s a there’s a there’s a place for that God there’s a table set for that God in your life

but death no one’s ever taken that seat please please give your heart to Jesus Christ it belongs he is that God and and it’ll it’ll it’ll change everything when you do he’s the source the only source of Life can I add this when he said in John 11 I am the resurrection and the life he was saying to you look no further I’ve I’ve got death covered belong to me he who lives and Believes In Me will live even if he dies and he who lives

and Believes In Me will never die because you belong to the king of Life The Lord Of Life I talked to a brother here this morning and we’ve we were just kind of sighing at how many people are are leaving this life they’ve turned for home they’ve died and I thought in all the ones that we mentioned we know exactly where they turned for it’s called heaven and it’s home yeah still hurts but it’s home because we we miss them and we would like to be

with them right that’s truth so when you share these things about God with people before you’re done before you’re done please make it personal okay make it personal it’s more than information God’s expected response in verse 30 and 31 is worth reading again in the past God overlooks such ignorance I get it you didn’t get it that’s overlooking ignorance but now he’s commanding would you read that would you look at that again all people everywhere to repent for he said a day when he will judge

the world with Justice with Justice by the man he has appointed his own son he’s given proof of this plan to everyone by raising Jesus from the dead that’s making it personal repent of your sins the things that has has been in the way the debris we talked about earlier repent give it to Jesus be rescued is what verse 31 is saying from the coming judgment the wrath of God for people that refuse to repent that’s what that’s just judgment I’ve given you away I’ve given

you the only way and you have said no way and he’s given proof of his plan to do that verse 31 ends by raising his son from the dead how did it turn out the same way it still turns out did you see how the chapter ends when the Elite the ivy league crowd heard about the resurrection of the Dead some of them sneered but others said we want to hear you more on this subject some other time at that Paul left the council some of

the people a third group became followers of Paul and believed in Jesus among them were dionysius a member of the elite her agape areopagus and a woman named Damaris and a number we’re not told how many or who of other people turn to Jesus is what this text is telling us he’s the only God who can save your soul and here’s the simple truth because you need Jesus that revved up engine is saying yeah baby yeah baby true so I I am we we read Peter’s

words a long time ago in this in this study chapter 4 verse 12. There is salvation and no other name there’s no other method by which mankind must be saved but Jesus Christ amen so before I have you bow your heads on this Valentine’s Sunday I asked a couple friends of mine Dale and Debbie Potter to come up here very quickly to share how Dale’s response to the statement you need Jesus come on up Debbie don’t let anybody to stumble and Dale’s response long ago to

the statement you need Jesus changed everything tell us how that happened I think so yep yeah over 50 years ago I worked for the telephone company and a few years after I had begun there the place that I was working in Northeast Portland Debbie got out of college and started work at the same company I did I knew her family before I knew her her sister was in the same building I was her mom her two of her brothers her other sister they all work for

the phone company I met her by voice to start with because she would call our central office and report trouble that I would go fix and then I would have to call her back and clear the trouble ticket with her this went on for a long time that’s a great strategy by the way I’m just saying I’m just I think it’s really it was very intriguing many of you that have heard Debbie speak have never heard her sing I found out later how beautiful her voice

was she’s my favorite singer and she’s saying people need the Lord also yes all right I wanted to meet her in person and one of the requirements that for that to happen because we were both in our early 20s I was 23. And single and she was single and in order for any relationship to go past that she required another believer when we did go out to lunch after I pestered her a long time to meet she actually agreed but only if someone else would go

with us so we went to lunch and someone else that she worked with came with us and so I met her I wanted to see more of her but that was not going to happen without this when she learned about me and how my life was going I was pretty I was living single life a very worldly life I knew about God I saw the movie The Ten Commandments I knew about church I’d been there once or twice in my life but she said you need

Jesus it was the first time I’d heard that spoken that way because a lot of people would say Do you believe in God but you need Jesus what do you need Jesus for in need Jesus for eternal life you need Jesus to save you you need Jesus thank you in three days we’re celebrating 48 years of marriage but the most important part of my relationship with Debbie is that I heeded those words almost 50 years ago you need Jesus so awesome everything in me wants to

have you sing right now Debbie but no all right we’re gonna we’re gonna schedule her to sing people need the Lord okay fair enough fair enough very good earlier I said make it personal I think when Debbie said dude we don’t date again until you come to Jesus is making it fairly personal in my opinion but so incredible thank you for sharing would you bow your heads with me and we’re going to sing a final song Lord you said it well and I want to repeat

it again everyone everywhere must repent and receive Jesus Christ it’s nothing less than that there are no exemptions and exceptions to that it’s about you Jesus so I need to ask you with your eyes closed and your head’s bowed I need to ask you in this room and wherever you’re watching today or in days to come have you surrendered to Jesus Christ like Dale and Debbie’s story captures it had enormous implications for their marriage and the children God has blessed them with for 48 years but

it has even more implications it has eternity weighing in the balance we’ve established you need Jesus in this final song As we sing Lord I need you will you make it very personal and if it’s not settled for you would you this very moment utter the s

Transcript machine-generated from the sermon audio, so it may contain errors. 6,259 words.