Gospel

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22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
29"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

Paul in his missionary journeys came to Athens and found a place called Areopagus where there were various images of worship to different gods one of which was to an unknown God. He used this as an opportunity ( a launch pad)to declare the gospel to those around.

Today there are opportunities around us beckoning on us, crying out. The question is can we see them and latch unto them and preach the Gospel? There is the Credit Crunch and global economic melt down, we saw the Ash Cloud. Governments are trying various fixes but it is not working.

Paul was not one to miss such opportunity. Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you

He told them that that God that is unknown, made the heaven and the earth and everything in them, including you and I.. That God set the boundaries of nations determining where each of us would live and created all things through his Son, Jesus. He did all these with a purpose at heart and that is: that people everywhere will one day acknowledge Him and seek Him, find Him and walk with Him. Paul then even alluded to what one of their poets said about the unknown God: ‘In Him we live, move and have our being’…’we are His offspring.’

And Paul, agreeing with the poet that we are His offspring, charged that we should not think therefore that God is like silver or gold, or stone, or anything made wit human hands.

The message and good news then is the same today, reader. If you’re serving an Idol or an unknown God, it is time to think again. The God of heaven, Creator of the ends of the earth, Who spoke and it was done, commanded and it stood fast, ’light be,’ and light was, made you and I. He created man in His own image, hence we are His offspring. He made the first man- Adam – and breathed into his nostrils and man became a living soul. And through that one Man the whole families of the earth came into being. Adam had a relationship with God that was, alive, vibrant until sin came and separated man from God. Sin created a vacuum, a chasm, an alienation and we find Adam running away from the presence of God. God came to commune with him as usual, calling out, ’Adam, Adam, where are you ? And Adam was hiding, afraid of God’s presence. Why? Because he had sinned.

Today are you running away from God’s presence? God is calling; God is reaching out to you. Can you hear His Voice? Like the prodigal son, will you come to your senses and realise that there is a better way and a better place than where you are? Will you acknowledge that you have sinned against your father in heaven and return home like the prodigal son did?
There a God-sized hole in each one of us and only the living God will fill that hole perfectly. Drugs, sex, money, knowledge, property and what have you, cannot fit that hole well. There will still be something missing. You will still be like a fish out of water, pinning and yearning for the ultimate- the place where you belong- the arms of the Most high God.

Besides, it is good to know that God is, like the father of the prodigal son, daily watching and waiting, looking out the window, for the day when you will come back home. He longs for you. Yes you may have blown it big time, nevertheless, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from ALL sin. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. If you will confess your sins with your mouth and believe with your heart that Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, you will be saved. God will wipe your slate clean, give you a new lease of life. There will be a great joy in heaven, a party, because of your decision to turn round (180 degrees) and enter the ark of Salvation –Jesus Christ.

In the day of Noah, only those who entered the ark were saved. Those who hardened their ears, mocked Noah, perished in the flood. In Nineveh only Lot was saved because he was counted righteous. His wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.

Heed this warning today. Enter the ark. Come put of Nineveh. Don’t look back. Run into the Ship of Salvation-Jesus Christ, the redeemer, the ransom, the Rock of Salvation, the sweet Rose of Sharon, the Perfect Sacrifice. In Him is life, light and hope. Without Him, it is doom, gloom, damnation and death.
But then you have a choice. The loving nature of God gives you the free will to choose. He said in Deut: ‘I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing…choose life and live. My friend, make the right choice TODAY!

God bless you as you do.


I look forward to hearing from you.

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