The Unknown God?
The book of Acts chronicles the spreading of the gospel message throughout the world, focusing on the life of the Apostle Paul.
The people of Athens in that day were a very “religious” people. All around the city were many altars and idols and temples erected to a wide assortment of so called “gods.” The city itself had been named after the goddess Athena. Those who didn’t worship idols instead worshiped philosophy, literature, rhetoric or other arts.
Paul, while traveling through Athens, had encountered one of the many altars titled, “Agnosto Theo,” or “To an Unknown God.” Paul remembered this and used it as his theme in his sermon on Mars Hill.
Paul’s point to us, as Christians, is this — our God CAN BE and WANTS TO BE — KNOWN! As Paul said, “He is not far from each one of us.” He is not some elusive deity playing games of “hide and seek.” He is not a god who chooses to remain aloof from us wretched humans. He is not a divine being who is so far advanced than us that He determines to remain distant from us.
No, not at all! He is a God who wants to know us, His creation, and wants to be known by us. On the contrary, instead of concealing Himself or being ever elusive, HE IS TRYING TO MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US. He wants us to experience His friendship. His desire is to become one with us!
This is in stark contrast to most religions (contemporary and historical). Christians believe it is US who have hidden from God (we are hopelessly lost), and God seeks us out in order to save us (see the “lost parables” in the gospels). In contrast to our human reasoning, God wants us to know Him because He is a God who can be loved for who He is. When we know Him, we cannot help but love Him.
When we understand what He has done for us, we cannot help but pledge our lives to Him. But we MUST get to know Him first! And to get to know Him we MUST spend time with Him.
GOD MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN TO US
We do not worship and serve an “unknown God.” We have already determined in this sermon series that all of creation shouts at the top of its lungs for a Creator, a grand Designer, a divine being who not only created the universe but sustains it by His power. God makes Himself known (as far as His existence and certain qualities) through His creation.
However, faith in a God of creation might be considered a “starting point” in our relationship with Him. We have a God who has revealed His compassion and love for humankind by sending His own Son to die in our place. The Son perfectly reflects the Father. If we have seen the Son, we have seen the Father. If we believe in Christ, we believe in God. God has come to earth through His Son. God has completely, wholly, entirely revealed Himself by walking among us. We can know God personally, as a friend, through Jesus Christ.
God has also revealed Himself through the Holy Spirit. He has revealed His desire to be in a close relationship with us by sending us the Holy Spirit, HIS spirit, to live within us. The Spirit always guides us to the Son. The Spirit draws us to God. The Spirit gives us godly wisdom and understanding. The Spirit convicts us of sin. The Spirit assures us when we are on the right track.
Since we were not alive on planet earth 2,000 years ago when Jesus physically walked the earth, how can we now know Him? God has given us a Book, a precious God-inspired Book called the Holy Scriptures which reveals God to us. He inspired certain men of God to write the words down and others to preserve it throughout the generations. These are God’s words to us.
The book of Acts chronicles the spreading of the gospel message throughout the world, focusing on the life of the Apostle Paul.
The people of Athens in that day were a very “religious” people. All around the city were many altars and idols and temples erected to a wide assortment of so called “gods.” The city itself had been named after the goddess Athena. Those who didn’t worship idols instead worshiped philosophy, literature, rhetoric or other arts.
Paul, while traveling through Athens, had encountered one of the many altars titled, “Agnosto Theo,” or “To an Unknown God.” Paul remembered this and used it as his theme in his sermon on Mars Hill.
Paul’s point to us, as Christians, is this — our God CAN BE and WANTS TO BE — KNOWN! As Paul said, “He is not far from each one of us.” He is not some elusive deity playing games of “hide and seek.” He is not a god who chooses to remain aloof from us wretched humans. He is not a divine being who is so far advanced than us that He determines to remain distant from us.
No, not at all! He is a God who wants to know us, His creation, and wants to be known by us. On the contrary, instead of concealing Himself or being ever elusive, HE IS TRYING TO MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US. He wants us to experience His friendship. His desire is to become one with us!
This is in stark contrast to most religions (contemporary and historical). Christians believe it is US who have hidden from God (we are hopelessly lost), and God seeks us out in order to save us (see the “lost parables” in the gospels). In contrast to our human reasoning, God wants us to know Him because He is a God who can be loved for who He is. When we know Him, we cannot help but love Him.
When we understand what He has done for us, we cannot help but pledge our lives to Him. But we MUST get to know Him first! And to get to know Him we MUST spend time with Him.
GOD MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN TO US
We do not worship and serve an “unknown God.” We have already determined in this sermon series that all of creation shouts at the top of its lungs for a Creator, a grand Designer, a divine being who not only created the universe but sustains it by His power. God makes Himself known (as far as His existence and certain qualities) through His creation.
However, faith in a God of creation might be considered a “starting point” in our relationship with Him. We have a God who has revealed His compassion and love for humankind by sending His own Son to die in our place. The Son perfectly reflects the Father. If we have seen the Son, we have seen the Father. If we believe in Christ, we believe in God. God has come to earth through His Son. God has completely, wholly, entirely revealed Himself by walking among us. We can know God personally, as a friend, through Jesus Christ.
God has also revealed Himself through the Holy Spirit. He has revealed His desire to be in a close relationship with us by sending us the Holy Spirit, HIS spirit, to live within us. The Spirit always guides us to the Son. The Spirit draws us to God. The Spirit gives us godly wisdom and understanding. The Spirit convicts us of sin. The Spirit assures us when we are on the right track.
Since we were not alive on planet earth 2,000 years ago when Jesus physically walked the earth, how can we now know Him? God has given us a Book, a precious God-inspired Book called the Holy Scriptures which reveals God to us. He inspired certain men of God to write the words down and others to preserve it throughout the generations. These are God’s words to us.
