WEBVTT 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:03.140 What should a person believe? 00:00:05.380 --> 00:00:07.880 What is okay to believe? 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:11.430 You examine the world today. 00:00:11.600 --> 00:00:20.220 There are a tremendous amount of teachings geared towards who God is, whether there even is a God, and 00:00:20.220 --> 00:00:22.260 to the possibility of even knowing truth. 00:00:24.460 --> 00:00:26.760 This morning we're going to begin a journey called believe. 00:00:29.080 --> 00:00:34.780 We're going to investigate through the next few weeks, the core foundation of what the early church believed. 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:44.300 The early church had a belief that was so strong that for the first three centuries that Christianity existed after the death of Jesus, they 00:00:44.400 --> 00:00:50.890 faced tremendous persecution, and without fear they were led to a martyr's death. 00:00:52.620 --> 00:00:59.920 For the first 300 years that Christianity existed before the legalization of Christianity by Constantine, 150 years of those 300 00:01:00.260 --> 00:01:06.260 years were under extreme persecution, where if you told people you knew Jesus, you could very well lose your head. 00:01:08.080 --> 00:01:15.200 And yet the early church did, to the point that today we quote, the blood of the martyrs 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:16.560 was the seat of the church. 00:01:18.980 --> 00:01:22.880 What foundation did they rest upon that gave them such security in their faith? 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:27.200 Even at the face of death, they could walk into it without any fear. 00:01:29.540 --> 00:01:30.640 What should a person believe? 00:01:32.520 --> 00:01:34.380 Do you know why you believe what you believe? 00:01:35.540 --> 00:01:36.920 Or do you believe in anything at all? 00:01:38.780 --> 00:01:45.820 Regardless of where you are in that spectrum, these next few weeks will help us as a family begin to investigate what this 00:01:45.820 --> 00:01:46.960 God is all about. 00:01:47.340 --> 00:01:48.210 Who is Jesus? 00:01:48.520 --> 00:01:51.640 Is all of this really dependable and can I place my faith upon it? 00:01:53.960 --> 00:01:56.620 Maybe at some point in your life you find yourself a lot like me. 00:01:58.260 --> 00:02:02.640 You wanted to know who God was, didn't really know how to begin. 00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:09.680 But as you begin to look at the lives of other people who claim to follow God, it gave you such a sour taste in your mouth that although you knew on the inside that 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:15.980 a God may exist in this world, you were very dissatisfied with the people who pointed you towards him and so rejected God altogether. 00:02:19.040 --> 00:02:26.260 My encouragement to you throughout this series would be not to look at one another, but to simply begin this investigation for yourself. 00:02:28.160 --> 00:02:28.600 Is there a God? 00:02:30.380 --> 00:02:31.040 Is he knowable? 00:02:32.740 --> 00:02:35.740 Because if he is, it should change our lives. 00:02:39.440 --> 00:02:46.640 If you're a believer and you're here this morning, the Bible gives you a certain amount of responsibility and the nobility of God as you grow 00:02:46.640 --> 00:02:48.330 in that relationship with him. 00:02:49.640 --> 00:02:50.930 How do you know that God exists? 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:53.140 How? 00:02:53.220 --> 00:02:55.240 This morning do we know that God exists? 00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:04.480 Tells us in Genesis chapter one, in the very beginning, before you even begin to pour throughout Scripture, the assumption of 00:03:04.480 --> 00:03:11.760 the existence of God is poured forth and never tells us or explains to us where this God came from, 00:03:12.040 --> 00:03:14.600 how he came into existence, how to really know about him. 00:03:14.620 --> 00:03:18.200 It just assumes and presumes for us that there is a God. 00:03:20.600 --> 00:03:27.620 If you're a believer this morning, it tells you in first Thessalonians 521 to prove all things and hold fast to 00:03:27.620 --> 00:03:29.240 that which is right or good. 00:03:30.700 --> 00:03:37.560 And first Peter 315 always be ready to make a defense to anyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you. 00:03:38.640 --> 00:03:42.340 But when you do it, do it with gentleness and reverence. 00:03:44.780 --> 00:03:51.840 Some people today reject altogether the existence of God, so much so that by theologians 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:55.660 the 20th century has been referred to as the century of atheism. 00:03:58.600 --> 00:04:06.280 And when you begin to examine biblical Christianity, there are two ways that Scripture identifies for us to prove the existence of God under 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:06.910 two spectrums. 00:04:07.160 --> 00:04:12.660 We'll begin to investigate in the weeks ahead, but the first is under general revelation through God's creation. 00:04:13.620 --> 00:04:15.330 Can he be made known to us? 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:23.240 Further on in this week, we'll begin to identify just the special revelation God has given to us through His Word and through Jesus. 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:29.900 Under those two spectrums, will we come to know God's Word as trustworthy, will come to know who Jesus truly is. 00:04:29.940 --> 00:04:35.600 But in both spectrums of general revelation and special revelation will come to understand that yes, there is a God. 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:39.200 Yes, we can know him, and yes, we can grow with him. 00:04:40.820 --> 00:04:48.190 Today, when we look at this general revelation, there's three questions that I want to primarily focus on for us this morning. 00:04:49.100 --> 00:04:51.260 One, how do we know God exists? 00:04:52.800 --> 00:04:54.900 Two where did God come from? 00:04:56.460 --> 00:04:57.340 And if there is a God. 00:04:58.140 --> 00:04:58.440 Three. 00:04:59.420 --> 00:05:01.220 How do we explain evil in the world? 00:05:03.260 --> 00:05:10.760 If we were to pick up our Bible and just begin to read from the very beginning, the very first verse, it says, in the beginning God 00:05:10.760 --> 00:05:13.280 created the heavens and the earth. 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:23.040 From the very first chapter of the first verse of the Bible, we have great conflict and division among people, 00:05:23.280 --> 00:05:26.220 and whether or not they choose to accept or reject God. 00:05:27.780 --> 00:05:30.840 Does he exist or doesn't he? 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:36.860 If you reject the existence of God from the very outset, the Bible just won't make any sense to you at all. 00:05:38.260 --> 00:05:39.750 But how do we know that God exists? 00:05:41.620 --> 00:05:47.560 Point number one this morning that I want to point out to us that comes from the chapter of Genesis one is the underlying word created. 00:05:49.500 --> 00:05:52.400 Created in Hebrew means literally out of nothing. 00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:55.320 There was this nothingness. 00:05:55.720 --> 00:05:56.260 There was God. 00:05:56.300 --> 00:05:57.580 There was this nothingness that existed. 00:05:57.840 --> 00:06:00.380 And from this nothingness, God brought forth life. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:05.660 Regardless of what belief you hold to in this world. 00:06:06.260 --> 00:06:09.100 A cause always has an effect. 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:11.660 Popular. 00:06:11.660 --> 00:06:12.200 Popular. 00:06:12.280 --> 00:06:17.660 Contrary teaching to what Scripture declares to us that God formed out of nothing is evolution. 00:06:20.080 --> 00:06:21.560 You examine the claims of evolution. 00:06:22.060 --> 00:06:29.520 At some point there becomes great conflict and understanding the beginning of all existence, because out of nothing had 00:06:29.520 --> 00:06:30.800 to come something. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:39.960 Even in the realm of evolution, when we begin to form or things begin to evolve into creation, you have to ask yourself, in 00:06:39.960 --> 00:06:46.550 the most simplest elements of evolving, where did those basic elements come from? 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:51.680 Something had to come from nothing. 00:06:52.580 --> 00:06:53.200 Who created it. 00:06:54.560 --> 00:07:00.000 The Bible tells us in the beginning, the one who created something out of nothing was God. 00:07:00.380 --> 00:07:03.880 It goes on and reflects to us throughout Scripture, not found in Genesis chapter one. 00:07:04.080 --> 00:07:09.640 It begins to describe the beauty and the glory of God being evident to us through his creation. 00:07:11.580 --> 00:07:18.950 After Genesis one, we find that God did create and Psalm chapter eight, Psalm 19, Romans chapter one. 00:07:18.960 --> 00:07:26.340 All the authors of those books begin to share with us how God's creation reflects to us and displays to us his 00:07:26.340 --> 00:07:26.720 glory. 00:07:28.920 --> 00:07:33.660 The universal design displays an intelligent designer. 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:38.020 The universe is designed with intelligent order. 00:07:39.420 --> 00:07:46.580 God sort of had this idea in mind when we looked upon creation as human beings walking this earth, we would begin to reflect upon such 00:07:46.580 --> 00:07:47.530 a glorious creator. 00:07:48.760 --> 00:07:54.060 In Psalm 19 and verse one, it says, the heavens declare the glory of God, hold on to those. 00:07:54.280 --> 00:07:58.810 That phrase for just a moment, because it's going to become very important to us in the following slides. 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:02.790 The skies proclaim the work of his hands. 00:08:04.080 --> 00:08:05.820 Day after day they pour forth speech. 00:08:06.020 --> 00:08:07.540 Night after night they reveal knowledge. 00:08:08.500 --> 00:08:09.320 They have no speech. 00:08:09.520 --> 00:08:10.320 They use no words. 00:08:10.420 --> 00:08:11.600 No sound is heard from them. 00:08:11.880 --> 00:08:13.920 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth. 00:08:14.400 --> 00:08:17.080 Their words to the ends of the world. 00:08:18.740 --> 00:08:23.510 The intelligent design of the world reflects an intelligent designer. 00:08:24.280 --> 00:08:31.340 If you were to consider just for a moment the glory of God's hand creating, and to think about the earth and 00:08:31.400 --> 00:08:38.500 all of its beauty, if we were to go beyond the earth, we would find, depending on whether or not you want to say, Pluto as a planet. 00:08:38.640 --> 00:08:42.220 Today I vote he's in the sun. 00:08:43.400 --> 00:08:45.100 Three rocks back from the sun. 00:08:45.280 --> 00:08:48.960 Us this morning and on it continues into nine planets. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:50.260 Pluto. 00:08:51.060 --> 00:08:51.860 Sticking with it. 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:56.540 Look at the magnitude of the sun in comparison to the Earth. 00:08:57.880 --> 00:09:05.220 The sun and the nine planets that make up our solar system that we are aware of and learning about in 00:09:05.220 --> 00:09:05.420 grade school. 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:07.600 But next. 00:09:08.640 --> 00:09:10.920 What about the galaxy? 00:09:12.640 --> 00:09:12.840 Our galaxy. 00:09:14.340 --> 00:09:16.000 It's referred to as the Milky Way. 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:24.640 Do you know that the scientists say that within the galaxy, there are somewhere between 200 to 400 million stars and 00:09:24.660 --> 00:09:28.630 over 50 billion planets that make up the Milky Way? 00:09:29.580 --> 00:09:31.120 Where are we in this Milky Way? 00:09:31.900 --> 00:09:32.160 Well. 00:09:34.140 --> 00:09:34.340 Right there. 00:09:36.100 --> 00:09:37.150 If I were to show you. 00:09:37.800 --> 00:09:42.740 If you could just take, like, the head of a pin and just maybe pop it on that little arrow that's pointing to the to the sun. 00:09:42.740 --> 00:09:45.040 Remember how big the sun was in comparison to the Earth? 00:09:45.560 --> 00:09:51.670 We can't even see the sun in comparison to the Milky Way that is the galaxy in which we live. 00:09:52.560 --> 00:09:58.060 But what really blows my mind as we examine the galaxy is that the galaxy isn't all that there is to the universe. 00:09:59.300 --> 00:10:06.320 Scientists still have no idea how many galaxies are out there, but they estimate it's somewhere between 200 billion to 500 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:08.040 billion galaxies that exist. 00:10:10.100 --> 00:10:14.220 The heavens declare the glory of God. 00:10:14.260 --> 00:10:16.960 Night after night, they sing forth his praise. 00:10:18.580 --> 00:10:23.760 Intelligent design reflects an intelligent designer. 00:10:24.420 --> 00:10:28.580 There is order to this world, and that order reflects a creator. 00:10:30.260 --> 00:10:33.730 We examine just the details of this organization. 00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:35.430 Even upon planet Earth. 00:10:35.700 --> 00:10:41.850 Everything is dependent upon something else to produce life and which is formed here on Earth. 00:10:42.420 --> 00:10:47.520 All of it interwoven and intertwined, as if an intelligent designer created it. 00:10:49.060 --> 00:10:54.000 There was a man by the name of William Paley who thought about the existence of God. 00:10:55.660 --> 00:11:02.500 The story goes, one day he was walking along a sidewalk, and upon the sidewalk he saw a watch placed upon the sidewalk. 00:11:02.660 --> 00:11:04.190 And he had just a simple thought. 00:11:05.080 --> 00:11:06.350 There is a watch here. 00:11:06.880 --> 00:11:14.660 And the way that watch got here is that a watchmaker designed it, and upon designing it, someone dropped it. 00:11:15.300 --> 00:11:16.750 And the evidence goes as follows. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:20.640 Throughout our life, if you see a watch, it was formed by a watchmaker. 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:25.500 If you see a picture drawn on a refrigerator, it was likely drawn by a child. 00:11:26.300 --> 00:11:31.120 If you see the model model of a Lego, maybe dad got a hold of him, but a person designed it, right? 00:11:32.680 --> 00:11:35.040 The clothes you wear, designed by a seamstress. 00:11:35.160 --> 00:11:39.370 The mail you pick up in your mailbox was placed there by a mailman. 00:11:39.520 --> 00:11:40.400 Written by an individual. 00:11:41.340 --> 00:11:43.960 A skyscraper designed by an architect. 00:11:44.940 --> 00:11:47.080 This world created by God. 00:11:49.040 --> 00:11:49.260 Thank you. 00:11:49.400 --> 00:11:50.000 Jacob. 00:11:54.100 --> 00:11:56.810 Order and design reflects an intelligent designer. 00:11:58.520 --> 00:11:59.300 It's interesting to me. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:06.040 For the last 150 years, science has been hijacked by a form of teaching that denies the existence of God. 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:07.460 But when science first began it. 00:12:07.760 --> 00:12:10.480 It began in the enlightenment period through a group of Christians. 00:12:11.880 --> 00:12:13.120 The idea went as follows. 00:12:13.380 --> 00:12:14.620 God created all of this. 00:12:14.660 --> 00:12:20.760 If we were to scientifically examine it in more detail, what it would allow us to do as people is come to know God better in our lives. 00:12:22.560 --> 00:12:31.440 Within the last few decades, science has now begun to take a turn back to a theos, a 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:32.140 God creation. 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:37.500 Today, it's believed and estimated that over 90% of astronomers believe in God. 00:12:38.800 --> 00:12:45.860 Doctor Robert Jastrow, one of the world's greatest astronomers, is the founder and director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies at NASA. 00:12:47.700 --> 00:12:52.320 In his book God and the astronomers, he says the strange developments are going on in astronomy. 00:12:53.640 --> 00:12:57.060 One of these was the discovery of the universe, and that it had a beginning. 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:01.000 And that means that there was and had to be a beginner. 00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:04.480 Scientists have scaled the mountains of ignorance. 00:13:05.140 --> 00:13:06.840 We're about to conquer the highest peak. 00:13:07.620 --> 00:13:14.620 And as we pull ourselves over the final rock, we are greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries. 00:13:16.700 --> 00:13:24.360 The great astronomer Pierre de Laplace said the evidence for God, as opposed to the evidence against him as the creator of this universe, is 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:26.140 as infinity to one. 00:13:26.920 --> 00:13:27.930 It could not be measured. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:31.080 In the 1990s, there was a book written. 00:13:31.940 --> 00:13:37.010 It was considered one of the greatest and monumental scientific books written at its time. 00:13:37.740 --> 00:13:38.980 60 Nobel notables. 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:42.260 Excuse me 60 notable scientists helped compose this book. 00:13:43.140 --> 00:13:45.480 24 of them were Nobel Prize winners. 00:13:45.980 --> 00:13:53.440 The title of the book, cosmos Bios and Theos in English means universe, 00:13:54.220 --> 00:13:56.720 life, and God. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:04.500 The co-editor editor of the book, Yale physicist and Nobel Laureate Professor Henry Margenau, concludes this there 00:14:04.500 --> 00:14:08.460 is only one convincing answer for the intricate laws that exist in nature. 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:15.400 Creation by an omnipotent, omniscient God. 00:14:16.020 --> 00:14:23.120 The order of the universe displays to us an intelligent designer, and in displaying to us 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:27.540 an intelligent designer reminds us that yes, life has a purpose. 00:14:29.060 --> 00:14:34.200 The Bible tells us in Proverbs 16 four, the Lord has made everything for its own purpose. 00:14:35.980 --> 00:14:39.040 The complexity of the structure of the earth displays no random accident. 00:14:40.460 --> 00:14:48.120 Its intricate details of relying upon other created things designed for interdependency in life is by no accident, because 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:51.470 the universe has order and it has purpose. 00:14:53.080 --> 00:14:57.060 The world was created with levels of order, causing one thing to depend upon another. 00:14:57.080 --> 00:15:04.180 If you think about just the structure of the Earth itself, if it were 10% smaller, if it were 10% 00:15:04.180 --> 00:15:05.660 larger, it couldn't sustain life. 00:15:07.340 --> 00:15:11.280 If the Earth were any closer or further from the sun, it couldn't sustain life. 00:15:11.420 --> 00:15:15.330 If the earth were tilted at 20, the earth were tilted at 23 degrees. 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:19.140 It would not tolerate the health, healthy life before the sun. 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:26.900 It would create polar ice caps on the top and became the equator become incapable of bearing the heat. 00:15:28.800 --> 00:15:29.690 Even the moon itself. 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:32.970 Without the moon, the Earth wouldn't survive. 00:15:34.560 --> 00:15:36.460 The moon creates the tides. 00:15:36.660 --> 00:15:42.020 The tides create the waves in the ocean without the waves in the ocean. 00:15:42.500 --> 00:15:45.270 The ocean would become one large stench pool. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:47.900 Without those waves in the ocean. 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:50.550 Creating the oxygen for the animals to breathe. 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:52.880 The first thing that would die would be the plankton. 00:15:54.160 --> 00:16:01.180 The plankton, being the lowest on the totem pole, also begins all of life within the ocean, and the life of the ocean would die and 00:16:01.180 --> 00:16:02.740 with it would go the earth. 00:16:04.940 --> 00:16:11.320 Random chaos does not bring the order of the galaxies, but an intelligent designer does. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:20.400 The order of the universe reminds us that there is a purpose, perhaps even in our own lives, the 00:16:20.800 --> 00:16:26.480 point of life when we realize that there is more to life as seen in death. 00:16:28.820 --> 00:16:33.540 Have you ever been in a time of crisis and the depth of your soul? 00:16:33.700 --> 00:16:34.990 Seeing a loved one pass away. 00:16:36.060 --> 00:16:44.000 Going through such pain and anguish that 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:44.000 your soul and your spirit tells you that this is not the way things should be. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:45.880 God created us for life. 00:16:47.760 --> 00:16:52.520 When you read through the entire Bible, you find that we call it the Book of Life. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:57.280 God is a God of life. 00:16:58.200 --> 00:17:04.310 When God created us, he didn't intend for death to exist, but man rejected him and death reigned. 00:17:05.520 --> 00:17:10.950 And when we go to a funeral, we're faced with tremendous crisis, and we stare death in the face. 00:17:11.099 --> 00:17:17.510 Our soul aches because we know internally we were not intended to experience death. 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:20.550 But when sin reigns, so did death. 00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:29.920 It tells us in First Corinthians 1556, the sting of death is sin and 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:30.990 the time of crisis. 00:17:31.180 --> 00:17:36.420 We find what we truly believe as our soul cries out for the loved ones that have passed on. 00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:38.100 For you. 00:17:38.260 --> 00:17:40.080 Read in revelation chapter 21. 00:17:40.140 --> 00:17:47.380 Verses three and four reminds us that God, though sin reigns currently, God will come back one day as a triumphant warrior and defeat all pain, 00:17:47.380 --> 00:17:48.700 all sorrow, and all death. 00:17:50.840 --> 00:17:57.780 Death was never intended for our soul to experience, and so when death happens, it is a grievous thing on behalf of our lives. 00:17:58.040 --> 00:18:03.100 As we experience the loss of another without a God, life has no meaning. 00:18:03.100 --> 00:18:05.990 Without a god, death should not affect us. 00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:08.480 But on the inside we know it does. 00:18:10.340 --> 00:18:15.840 A moral, intelligent being cannot be explained apart from a moral, intelligent God. 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:21.580 Especially when you begin to consider, consider the immaterial parts of man. 00:18:23.120 --> 00:18:30.260 Matter itself, or the evolution of matter into human beings doesn't have the ability to be intellectual, to 00:18:30.260 --> 00:18:35.440 think, to plan, to have emotions, morals, or even drawn to the desire to worship. 00:18:37.020 --> 00:18:44.720 But if you look at man, the Bible tells us that what should be evident in our lives is the fingerprint of God says 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:48.740 in Genesis 126, let us make man in our own image. 00:18:48.740 --> 00:18:49.340 God is talking. 00:18:50.860 --> 00:18:58.120 Genesis two seven then the Lord God formed man out of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a 00:18:58.120 --> 00:18:58.720 living being. 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:03.240 God's spirit breathed into our spirit, creating for us life. 00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:09.860 And in so doing, the immaterial part of us as human beings should reflect the identity of God. 00:19:11.800 --> 00:19:18.050 See, God is the explanation for our spiritual longing within our souls. 00:19:19.400 --> 00:19:25.870 The Bible tells us in Psalm 139 and verse 14, I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 00:19:26.260 --> 00:19:27.640 Wonderful are your works. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:28.620 And the best part? 00:19:29.420 --> 00:19:33.250 My soul knows it very well. 00:19:34.700 --> 00:19:40.830 Your soul draws to worship something greater than yourself, because God created you for something greater than yourself. 00:19:41.740 --> 00:19:48.820 Do you realize in life it is impossible not to put your faith in something, whether it be you, whether it be 00:19:48.820 --> 00:19:49.660 a higher being. 00:19:49.740 --> 00:19:56.020 It is impossible to live your life not putting your faith in something you were created to worship. 00:19:57.860 --> 00:20:01.060 Let me give you an illustration of how we know anyone. 00:20:01.080 --> 00:20:06.980 Ever been to the Grand Canyon, or the ocean, or the sand dunes? 00:20:08.840 --> 00:20:12.100 I don't like the sand dunes, but pick your place for a minute if you're not. 00:20:12.260 --> 00:20:15.680 If you're from the east, like me and you moved west, the mountains are still captivating to me. 00:20:15.900 --> 00:20:23.120 But you think about those moments where you stood on the precipice of something more glorious than you, and that moment of all. 00:20:24.520 --> 00:20:29.000 Did you stop and say, man, I'm so glad all of this randomly happened. 00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:33.090 This was a great roll of dice. 00:20:33.980 --> 00:20:41.020 Or do you stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon and look down and say, man, I know there's a hole there, but look at that arm, that tan. 00:20:41.080 --> 00:20:42.000 It is great. 00:20:42.220 --> 00:20:44.620 I am so good looking, I am incredible. 00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:47.380 No. 00:20:48.940 --> 00:20:49.480 Do you know why? 00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:58.220 Because God has instilled in you the desire to worship, to have faith, and to reflect upon things which are glorious, and to have those 00:20:58.220 --> 00:21:03.740 awful moments in which your breath is taken away by things greater than you are. 00:21:04.600 --> 00:21:10.630 When we look at pictures of the Milky Way and we see us and we just feel so small in this world. 00:21:12.200 --> 00:21:12.500 Wow. 00:21:12.920 --> 00:21:17.250 And when we stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon, the reason my thoughts don't go to me and all my problems. 00:21:17.500 --> 00:21:19.360 And I just reflect over that glorious sight. 00:21:19.820 --> 00:21:26.820 I say, wow, God not only has created me fearfully and wonderfully, God has created all of this 00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:31.570 fearfully and wonderfully, and my soul knows it very well. 00:21:34.040 --> 00:21:35.900 God explains your spiritual longing. 00:21:37.340 --> 00:21:40.840 God also explains our pursuit for just positive emotions. 00:21:42.140 --> 00:21:49.600 But the fruit of the spirit, the things in God that draw us to the goodness, its love, its joy, its peace, patience, kindness and gentleness 00:21:49.600 --> 00:21:55.280 these things were drawn to who told us these emotions were supposed to be what were drawn to his people? 00:21:56.380 --> 00:22:01.330 It's because we're created in God's image and God reflects in his nature these good things. 00:22:02.560 --> 00:22:04.000 What about our morals? 00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:11.750 See, in the book of revelation, it's talking about a local church, referring to her as a female. 00:22:11.860 --> 00:22:16.920 It says I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her, of her immorality. 00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:22.100 Think about how God explains our morals. 00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:30.920 God, in even giving us the opportunity to repent, suggest to us that we have an internal knowledge with our inner being of what is right and 00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:31.600 what is wrong? 00:22:33.100 --> 00:22:40.200 I mean, when you were born, who had to come and tell you that good should win over evil when you're drawn to go watch movies in the 00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:40.300 theater. 00:22:40.760 --> 00:22:43.920 Why is it you cheer for the movies in which John Wayne gets the bad guys? 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:46.780 Who told you that was good? 00:22:47.640 --> 00:22:48.640 Who told you that was entertaining? 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:53.420 I mean, could you imagine if we just flip flop all themes of movies? 00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:54.880 And in the end, every bad guy won. 00:22:55.960 --> 00:22:58.540 We'd walk out so depressed and never go to the theater again, would we? 00:22:59.360 --> 00:23:00.880 After a while, we just couldn't take it anymore. 00:23:02.760 --> 00:23:08.500 Where did that inclination and idea of good triumphing over evil come within your life? 00:23:09.420 --> 00:23:13.560 There was a man who did a study going around to all tribal groups within the world, trying to investigate. 00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:16.820 Is there a group that exists that doesn't have a sense of morality? 00:23:17.100 --> 00:23:21.800 Is there a group that exists that doesn't have an idea of any being higher than themselves? 00:23:23.660 --> 00:23:26.340 Upon his investigation, he found out no. 00:23:29.260 --> 00:23:32.200 Every people group within the world reflect upon a higher being. 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:38.980 Every people group within a world have a sense of right and wrong, a moral compass within them, God given. 00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:43.940 God explains the ability for us to think, to plan, to dream, to mature, to progress. 00:23:45.100 --> 00:23:50.200 When you look in Genesis chapter one and verse 28, where did all these ideas of even dreaming come from? 00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:52.120 How can matter even begin to dream? 00:23:53.540 --> 00:23:55.380 How can matter think and plan for the future? 00:23:57.300 --> 00:24:04.420 But it tells us in Genesis 128, When God created you in his image, he said, be fruitful and multiply and fill 00:24:04.420 --> 00:24:11.020 the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. 00:24:11.400 --> 00:24:13.740 Do you know why you get depressed when you're not being productive? 00:24:15.840 --> 00:24:17.550 Because God created you to be productive. 00:24:19.740 --> 00:24:24.280 Ephesians chapter two and verse ten says, he created us for good works. 00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:31.780 God created you as a being to reflect his nature and we as people fail to do so. 00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:33.500 We have those feelings of negativity. 00:24:35.140 --> 00:24:42.240 We feel empty inside, like our purpose isn't good enough and depressed that we're not accomplishing whatever it is that we're supposed to accomplishing, 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:45.280 maybe not realizing that God has created us to do so. 00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:58.560 God is the only explanation for how we as people think, 00:24:58.560 --> 00:24:59.080 how we as people seek to progress, to plan, to grow, and to love and rejecting God. 00:24:59.180 --> 00:25:03.420 We come up with several fundamental problems for the existence of us as people. 00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:08.030 We can't, without God explain how something came from nothing. 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:14.020 You'll have to explain how nothing of intelligence made a universe of intelligence. 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:21.560 You'll have to explain how the unintelligent design of chaos created a sustaining purpose and order in this world. 00:25:23.060 --> 00:25:30.360 I would say for things that we've seen in the multiple galaxies that exist, you've got a better shot of a tornado ripping through a junkyard and creating a 747 00:25:30.360 --> 00:25:30.820 jet. 00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:33.490 Then you do this universe coming into existence. 00:25:36.300 --> 00:25:43.400 Without a god, how can matter create immaterial parts to produce a being with a soul, a conscience of feelings 00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:49.950 of morals, or a desire to worship, to stand in moments of awe as he sits upon the precipice of the canyons. 00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:55.720 If you reject God, you deny a purpose to an organized world. 00:25:57.760 --> 00:26:03.080 Why organize something of such great, beautiful design and intellectual complexity without no long term purpose? 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:05.920 Without God, life becomes meaningless. 00:26:06.060 --> 00:26:07.960 Without God, death becomes meaningless. 00:26:10.820 --> 00:26:17.900 When it comes to scientific reasoning, you have to explain how modern science is now beginning to reject the idea of evolution and accept the 00:26:18.120 --> 00:26:19.550 idea of intelligent design. 00:26:22.060 --> 00:26:29.220 Even if you've recently saw the movie conducted by Ben Stein called expelled, it goes through scientific reasoning of the existence of God that's 00:26:29.260 --> 00:26:31.560 not able to be taught within public schools today. 00:26:34.180 --> 00:26:39.360 If you don't believe in a God, possibility is you believe in evolution. 00:26:40.740 --> 00:26:47.860 One final thought I would just throw out to Kerry is if you believe in the idea of evolution, you have explaining to do as to how you're not 00:26:47.860 --> 00:26:48.220 racist. 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:52.660 Think about that for just a moment. 00:26:54.580 --> 00:27:00.640 Historically, if you study the great communist leaders in history who caused World War two, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler. 00:27:01.380 --> 00:27:05.020 Do you know and realize that both of those men were believed in evolution? 00:27:06.460 --> 00:27:08.580 They clung to the teachings of Charles Darwin. 00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:12.920 Do you know why Adolf Hitler began to massacre the Jewish people? 00:27:15.040 --> 00:27:16.980 They hadn't evolved into the supreme race. 00:27:19.860 --> 00:27:22.940 Do you know how slavery existed in America? 00:27:25.260 --> 00:27:27.380 Looking at people less as human beings. 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:33.080 The idea of evolution teaches, at its very core, racism. 00:27:35.060 --> 00:27:35.560 People aren't equal. 00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:39.590 Some have evolved more greatly than others. 00:27:41.660 --> 00:27:43.180 In America, we don't like to hear that, do we? 00:27:44.380 --> 00:27:46.520 Created equal is what we stand for. 00:27:49.360 --> 00:27:55.340 There is a God to the idea of the universe through the details of man and his complexity. 00:27:55.980 --> 00:27:58.160 With the fingerprint of God, it can be seen. 00:27:58.560 --> 00:28:04.400 Night after his praise goes forth, his glory is declared through his creation. 00:28:04.620 --> 00:28:05.110 It tells us. 00:28:06.620 --> 00:28:08.280 But if God created this world. 00:28:09.720 --> 00:28:13.480 Great question to ask where did God come from? 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:18.960 You ever wonder that if God started all of this? 00:28:19.060 --> 00:28:20.060 Where was God's beginning? 00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:27.020 How to remind us this morning that if God created all this, one of the things that we can't do is define God through his creation. 00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:30.950 We look at all of creation, all that God has designed. 00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:33.640 We seek to define him through things that exist. 00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:37.000 God and His Word even does that for us. 00:28:38.460 --> 00:28:39.680 God is both immanent. 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:42.130 He's personal in our lives, but he's also transcendent. 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:43.920 He can't always be defined or understood. 00:28:44.040 --> 00:28:51.240 For instance, if I were to say to us, God is eternal, we can't always grasp what eternal means because we ourselves have no definition 00:28:51.240 --> 00:28:53.450 of eternality other than the word stated. 00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:54.440 We are eternal. 00:28:54.860 --> 00:28:58.860 We have a beginning, but God doesn't. 00:29:00.080 --> 00:29:02.920 And sometimes in the idea of his creation, it reflects who God is. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:08.190 And other times when we try to confine him to his creation, we get an inappropriate definition of who God is. 00:29:08.460 --> 00:29:11.150 And we can't always define him within the world in which we live. 00:29:13.540 --> 00:29:18.200 Everything we see in creation came into existence, and therefore we conclude that all of it has a beginning. 00:29:19.480 --> 00:29:21.520 Nothing exists on this earth that was not made. 00:29:21.580 --> 00:29:28.580 However, we can't conclude God's works the same way as created things because God is not defined 00:29:28.580 --> 00:29:32.620 to this world like the things that he created. 00:29:34.060 --> 00:29:41.120 He is the creator, which means he is to be separate from his creation in order to create it, in order to 00:29:41.120 --> 00:29:41.520 exist. 00:29:41.900 --> 00:29:42.660 To come into existence. 00:29:43.060 --> 00:29:50.100 What you need is a is a particular time in which your existence began, a place in which you came from, and a creator in which who 00:29:50.100 --> 00:29:50.760 gives you life. 00:29:52.320 --> 00:29:56.310 When it comes to God's existence, this is the way the Bible defines it. 00:29:57.640 --> 00:30:04.720 If you open up your New Testament to the Gospels and one of the very first Gospels, or, excuse me, the last gospel that you read in the New Testament, it says, 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:09.820 in the beginning was the word referring to Jesus, and the word was with God, and the word was God. 00:30:10.760 --> 00:30:12.260 In the beginning, God. 00:30:13.160 --> 00:30:17.620 If you open up to Genesis chapter one, what you find is in the beginning God. 00:30:19.420 --> 00:30:26.280 Not that God has a beginning, but God is the beginning tells us in Psalms 90 and verse two. 00:30:26.280 --> 00:30:30.460 From everlasting to everlasting you are God. 00:30:32.320 --> 00:30:33.640 Without a point of origin. 00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:36.300 To begin, God has no beginning. 00:30:37.560 --> 00:30:38.120 He simply is. 00:30:40.120 --> 00:30:43.350 In order for something to have a beginning, it must have a time to exist. 00:30:43.380 --> 00:30:48.300 However, before something could be created, time must have been designed for something to have a beginning. 00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:57.340 Who started time so 00:30:57.340 --> 00:30:57.340 that things could exist? 00:30:57.340 --> 00:30:57.340 The answer is God. 00:30:57.340 --> 00:30:58.720 He has always been. 00:30:59.200 --> 00:31:06.760 If you were to read further into creation, it tells us in Genesis chapter one, in the beginning God created, created literally 00:31:06.760 --> 00:31:07.780 out of nothing. 00:31:09.020 --> 00:31:11.080 God has no time in which he could come into existence. 00:31:11.640 --> 00:31:17.020 God has no place in which he could be from, because there before God was nothing until he created. 00:31:18.060 --> 00:31:19.040 Do you realize this? 00:31:19.040 --> 00:31:20.640 Follow this line of thinking for a moment. 00:31:20.900 --> 00:31:28.160 The idea, just the concept or idea of being able to create nothing could be created until the idea of creating 00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:28.940 came into existence. 00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:33.660 Who formulated the idea to create before things could be created? 00:31:34.800 --> 00:31:35.680 Something had to. 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:45.040 And out of nothing God made it tells us in Colossians 116, referring to Jesus, For by him all things 00:31:45.040 --> 00:31:45.880 were created. 00:31:46.200 --> 00:31:53.440 For by him both in the heavens and the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:54.160 him and for him. 00:31:55.560 --> 00:32:01.320 Meaning before everything in this world that we know, everything that we don't know existed, God is. 00:32:04.260 --> 00:32:11.520 Third, a creator to come from says in Isaiah 4310, before 00:32:11.520 --> 00:32:14.730 me there was no God, and there will be none after me. 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:20.830 Isaiah 44 and verse six, there is no God besides me. 00:32:21.580 --> 00:32:25.640 Isaiah is writing to a people group who have accepted several gods in which they worship. 00:32:26.160 --> 00:32:31.030 And he's got this great cause within the chapters of Isaiah, the very end of Isaiah. 00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:32.180 And he's sharing with the people. 00:32:32.620 --> 00:32:34.500 There is no other God but God. 00:32:34.500 --> 00:32:35.920 There is no God before him. 00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:37.460 There is no God after him. 00:32:37.480 --> 00:32:39.240 He is God and God alone. 00:32:41.800 --> 00:32:46.080 God has no time to exist, no place to exist, no creator to create him. 00:32:46.080 --> 00:32:47.570 He simply is. 00:32:48.920 --> 00:32:51.040 So where did God come from? 00:32:52.460 --> 00:32:55.960 The conclusion God did not come from somewhere because there was nowhere to come from. 00:32:56.780 --> 00:33:00.400 There was no time created for anything to come into existence until God made it. 00:33:00.620 --> 00:33:03.700 There was no place from which to be made until God made it. 00:33:03.720 --> 00:33:08.080 There was no greater being for which to design him, because God is it. 00:33:10.340 --> 00:33:17.460 Moses came before God, and Exodus chapter three God appeared to him, and Moses said, 00:33:17.460 --> 00:33:23.180 when I go back to the nation of Israel, he's in the desert away from the nation of Israel, who's under persecution and slavery in Egypt. 00:33:23.420 --> 00:33:29.860 And he says, when I go back to my people after you've had this conversation with me, who do I tell these people that sent me? 00:33:30.440 --> 00:33:31.620 I mean, what am I going to say to them? 00:33:33.360 --> 00:33:39.140 God simply says in Exodus 314, tell them I am has sent you. 00:33:40.260 --> 00:33:44.060 Not that he was, not that he will be, but he is always in the moment. 00:33:45.360 --> 00:33:48.680 If you go back to all eternity, God is. 00:33:49.600 --> 00:33:54.120 If you go as far into the future as your mind could possibly fathom, God is. 00:33:55.640 --> 00:33:57.160 He is not defined by time. 00:33:57.240 --> 00:33:59.740 He rests outside of the realm of time. 00:34:00.080 --> 00:34:02.680 God simply, always and forever will be. 00:34:04.600 --> 00:34:07.380 Jesus comes in John chapter eight and verse 58. 00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:11.040 And the Jews are asking him to define who he is. 00:34:11.120 --> 00:34:12.179 And this is what Jesus says. 00:34:12.420 --> 00:34:16.739 He says to them, truly, truly, I say to you, this means this is the truth I'm about to tell you. 00:34:18.020 --> 00:34:23.100 Before Abraham was, I am. 00:34:23.480 --> 00:34:30.480 The same Old Testament name given to Yahweh is now given to Jesus, Elohim, Yahweh, 00:34:31.280 --> 00:34:34.310 Jehovah, whatever you want to call him, he is the great I am. 00:34:36.020 --> 00:34:43.219 You know what the Jewish response was to Jesus making the statement, if you were to read the next two verses in this chapter, they picked up stones to 00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:47.639 kill him because they understood the claims that Jesus was making. 00:34:49.199 --> 00:34:56.540 Jesus is committing blasphemy against God by referring to himself as the eternal existing God, who always is and 00:34:56.540 --> 00:34:57.260 always will be. 00:34:59.300 --> 00:35:01.100 The conclusion where did God come from? 00:35:02.540 --> 00:35:08.640 The answer is God is asking, where did God come from? 00:35:08.640 --> 00:35:10.660 Is seeking to define God through his creation. 00:35:10.700 --> 00:35:17.800 Everything that we see has a beginning because it has a point in time from which to come and has a place of origin from which to begin, 00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:19.840 and a creator who can make it. 00:35:20.640 --> 00:35:27.200 But asking where did God come from is like asking what color, what the color blue smells like. 00:35:28.180 --> 00:35:30.220 It's like asking, what does darkness taste like? 00:35:31.780 --> 00:35:33.620 Or what kind of car is Henry Ford? 00:35:34.620 --> 00:35:39.440 It's like placing an object on a tape measure to determine its weight. 00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:43.380 Or placing an object on a scale to determine its length. 00:35:44.560 --> 00:35:50.420 God isn't defined within his creation as to his existence, because God is separate and apart from his existence. 00:35:51.500 --> 00:35:52.260 God didn't begin. 00:35:53.300 --> 00:35:53.620 God is. 00:35:56.220 --> 00:36:04.180 So if we have a God and he's always existed, next question we should ask is how 00:36:04.180 --> 00:36:04.920 then do we handle evil? 00:36:07.720 --> 00:36:08.500 Where did evil come from? 00:36:10.720 --> 00:36:18.020 It's been said by philosophers, and at one point in history, a teacher stood before his young students in class and he said, do you believe that 00:36:18.100 --> 00:36:19.040 God made everything? 00:36:20.520 --> 00:36:23.100 Of which the class remarked, yes, we believe that God made everything. 00:36:24.680 --> 00:36:31.720 The atheistic teacher then responded, If God created everything and evil then exists, then God must be 00:36:31.720 --> 00:36:34.340 an evil God. 00:36:34.560 --> 00:36:41.970 That day in that classroom, there happened to be a brilliant young genius sitting in that class, and he stood up before the teacher and the class. 00:36:42.940 --> 00:36:44.020 His name was Albert Einstein. 00:36:45.580 --> 00:36:48.910 And he said to his teacher, teacher, do you believe? 00:36:50.280 --> 00:36:51.240 Do you believe in cold? 00:36:52.600 --> 00:36:58.880 And the teacher remarked, yes, of which Einstein responded, well, cold really doesn't exist. 00:36:59.080 --> 00:37:00.840 It's just the absence of heat. 00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:03.670 Teacher, do you believe in darkness? 00:37:04.180 --> 00:37:05.210 Which the teacher said? 00:37:05.260 --> 00:37:05.360 Yes. 00:37:06.920 --> 00:37:09.660 Einstein responded, darkness really doesn't exist. 00:37:09.860 --> 00:37:11.690 It's just the absence of light. 00:37:12.780 --> 00:37:13.080 Teacher. 00:37:14.620 --> 00:37:15.320 Do you believe in evil? 00:37:16.680 --> 00:37:18.520 The teacher responded, yes. 00:37:18.900 --> 00:37:23.780 Evil is real, but it's just the absence of God. 00:37:25.120 --> 00:37:29.700 God does not create evil, though he temporarily permits. 00:37:32.420 --> 00:37:38.490 It tells us in second Peter three nine, God is long suffering, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. 00:37:40.600 --> 00:37:42.580 Do you know why evil is here in this world today? 00:37:44.460 --> 00:37:45.700 It's not because of God. 00:37:47.120 --> 00:37:48.200 It's because of us. 00:37:50.220 --> 00:37:56.660 The Bible tells us that God created human beings, or God created creatures with free will. 00:37:58.820 --> 00:38:03.490 God is love, and he created something in which could respond and reflect to his love. 00:38:04.660 --> 00:38:11.990 In fact, the greatest command in the Bible says to love the Lord your God with all your heart and God, being a loving God, 00:38:12.200 --> 00:38:15.440 responded with creating a creature who could respond in loving him back. 00:38:16.680 --> 00:38:20.820 But in choosing to give us the ability to love, he's given us the ability to not love. 00:38:22.220 --> 00:38:25.130 Because love can exist without the ability not to love. 00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:29.740 God created us with free will for the ability to love him. 00:38:31.700 --> 00:38:33.360 But what happened is man rejected him. 00:38:35.640 --> 00:38:40.260 Evil comes into existence when God's creatures reject him. 00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:47.150 It says in Isaiah chapter 14, one of the very first creature that God's designed here is Lucifer. 00:38:48.160 --> 00:38:54.630 Satan, the most beautiful angel to ever exist in all of his creation, in charge of music in heaven. 00:38:56.480 --> 00:38:59.220 It says this is a response of what Lucifer did before God. 00:38:59.320 --> 00:39:01.980 But you said, Lucifer, in your heart, I will ascend to heaven. 00:39:02.600 --> 00:39:07.960 I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. 00:39:08.220 --> 00:39:10.160 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. 00:39:10.160 --> 00:39:12.580 I will make myself like the Most High. 00:39:13.520 --> 00:39:19.600 Nevertheless, you'll be thrust down into Sheol to the recesses of the pit. 00:39:21.560 --> 00:39:25.480 Evil comes into existence in this world as God's creatures reject God. 00:39:28.480 --> 00:39:35.620 When God created Lucifer, it tells us in Isaiah 14, his goal was to make himself like the Most High to 00:39:35.620 --> 00:39:36.900 become like God. 00:39:38.840 --> 00:39:40.720 You think that would have been enough to learn a lesson? 00:39:40.720 --> 00:39:47.220 But when you turn to Genesis chapter three, the serpent who is Satan is now found again in the Garden of Eden. 00:39:48.460 --> 00:39:51.420 And guess what lie he shares with our parents, Adam and Eve? 00:39:53.380 --> 00:39:55.440 Serpent said to the woman, you surely will not die. 00:39:55.520 --> 00:40:04.080 For God knows that in the day you eat from it, eyes will be opened, and you will be like God. 00:40:05.420 --> 00:40:12.880 Evil comes into existence not because God is an evil God, but because he created creatures of their own free will and 00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:19.900 in creating creatures of their own free will, when we choose to reject him, evil is present because all good things originate 00:40:19.900 --> 00:40:25.700 from God Himself and choosing to reject God. 00:40:25.780 --> 00:40:27.880 Sin reigns in this world. 00:40:29.500 --> 00:40:30.440 Romans chapter one. 00:40:30.620 --> 00:40:37.620 Reflecting on the existence of God, Paul writes, for since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, his eternal power, his divine 00:40:37.620 --> 00:40:39.300 nature have been clearly seen. 00:40:39.300 --> 00:40:45.160 God is seen through creation, being understood, though what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 00:40:45.480 --> 00:40:48.520 For even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks. 00:40:48.840 --> 00:40:53.280 But they became futile in their speculation, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 00:40:54.670 --> 00:40:56.020 Professing, I like this, I see this a lot. 00:40:56.120 --> 00:41:02.940 When we reject God professing to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the Grand Canyon. 00:41:04.980 --> 00:41:11.380 For of the incorruptible God, for an image in the form of corruptible man, and of birds and four footed animals and crawling creatures. 00:41:12.940 --> 00:41:15.150 It's as if we're looking at God and saying, God, you don't exist. 00:41:15.720 --> 00:41:16.820 This is all we've got, guys. 00:41:16.820 --> 00:41:20.480 Let's just look around and have fun with what we have in this world, because that's all it has to offer. 00:41:21.560 --> 00:41:23.000 And therefore, this is what God does. 00:41:23.260 --> 00:41:28.310 God gave them over into the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among themselves. 00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:34.300 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator. 00:41:35.360 --> 00:41:40.180 Verse 24 God allows us the freedom of our decision. 00:41:41.520 --> 00:41:46.380 He looks at us as we reject him, and having our own free will can't force us to love him. 00:41:47.800 --> 00:41:49.220 He displays his glory. 00:41:49.220 --> 00:41:50.480 He displays his hand. 00:41:50.480 --> 00:41:51.620 He explains his existence. 00:41:52.060 --> 00:41:57.010 He shares with us how evil came into this world which should propel us closer to God, not further away. 00:41:57.040 --> 00:42:00.010 And yet man continues to turn their back on him. 00:42:01.540 --> 00:42:07.400 And God, knowing his desire for us to love him freely, it says he's not willing for any to perish, but for all come to repentance. 00:42:07.740 --> 00:42:12.980 And God, being the gentleman that he is, says, okay, have it your way. 00:42:15.540 --> 00:42:22.540 The message of the existence of God is important because not believing in God is a tragedy of the utmost utmost to the 00:42:22.540 --> 00:42:23.880 existence of man. 00:42:25.460 --> 00:42:27.720 W Sanders wrote in the American magazine. 00:42:29.100 --> 00:42:33.480 I would like to introduce you to one of the most loneliest and unhappiest individuals on earth. 00:42:34.660 --> 00:42:37.300 I am talking about a man who does not believe in God. 00:42:38.420 --> 00:42:44.170 I can introduce you to such a man because I myself am one. 00:42:46.280 --> 00:42:52.620 You know, it's a great victory for Satan and even in our own depravity, a great victory from Satan. 00:42:52.740 --> 00:42:55.280 If he can convince us that there is no God. 00:42:55.500 --> 00:42:59.460 Because in so we are robbed of all of life's meaning and purpose. 00:43:01.040 --> 00:43:05.260 It's a great victory from Satan if he can keep us from responding to who God is. 00:43:05.300 --> 00:43:10.260 In light of himself revealing to himself to us as his creatures. 00:43:12.440 --> 00:43:19.040 But in the end, I could argue all day to prove to people the scientific reasoning for the existence of God. 00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:24.420 But the truth is, according to Romans chapter one, God holds us without excuse. 00:43:27.740 --> 00:43:34.900 Maybe you're like me, and you've made the mistake of letting the dissatisfaction of other people claiming to follow after God 00:43:34.900 --> 00:43:42.020 put such a sour taste in your mouth for who God is, that you've rejected him altogether, but internally, knowing that 00:43:42.020 --> 00:43:43.620 yes, he does exist. 00:43:46.820 --> 00:43:49.120 Dm Maurice responds to that. 00:43:50.460 --> 00:43:57.550 To that excuse, he says, if a man rejects God, it's not because of science, and reason requires them to. 00:43:58.280 --> 00:44:00.790 It's simply because he wants to. 00:44:03.020 --> 00:44:08.400 Romans chapter one is written in our Bible, not because God desires for us to simply recognize that he's there. 00:44:09.620 --> 00:44:13.660 God desires for us to recognize that he's there, and for it to begin to change our life. 00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:18.680 And rather than worship the creature, we acknowledge the creator. 00:44:20.060 --> 00:44:22.260 I like verses found in James chapter two. 00:44:23.660 --> 00:44:24.820 You believe that God is one. 00:44:26.100 --> 00:44:29.920 Maybe we should insert big deal because you do well. 00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:32.550 But even so, the demons also believe and shudder. 00:44:34.100 --> 00:44:35.380 Demons believe there's a God. 00:44:36.340 --> 00:44:38.980 Satan himself knows there is a God. 00:44:39.680 --> 00:44:41.900 Knowing there is a god isn't enough in itself. 00:44:42.980 --> 00:44:50.560 It's that knowing there is a God and following after him begins to allow us to be changed the way that God desires. 00:44:52.640 --> 00:44:53.360 Believers this morning. 00:44:55.020 --> 00:45:02.120 This message, I know, isn't necessarily an emotional life changer as much as it is an intellectual 00:45:02.120 --> 00:45:03.570 life changer. 00:45:05.260 --> 00:45:12.900 But here's what's important for us when we recognize in Corinthians chapter ten and verse four, the weapons we fight are 00:45:12.960 --> 00:45:14.180 not the weapons of the world. 00:45:15.100 --> 00:45:19.540 On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 00:45:21.800 --> 00:45:26.900 Maybe for the time being in this room we could think I'm on a on a precipice right now, and I'm. 00:45:27.160 --> 00:45:30.710 And I'm wondering if God even exists because my life has been such turmoil. 00:45:31.100 --> 00:45:33.360 I'm just questioning who he is and if he's really there. 00:45:34.820 --> 00:45:35.540 Or maybe yourself. 00:45:35.680 --> 00:45:42.180 You've acknowledged in your life that there is a God and you've gotten to a point of certain, a certain amount of uncertainty to define him. 00:45:43.100 --> 00:45:46.560 Or maybe you can reflect on people in your lives who don't know him. 00:45:46.640 --> 00:45:53.660 And maybe the reason they choose not to know him is because they've been burnt out on so many beliefs and so much garbage that's thrown into this world by people who claim to 00:45:53.660 --> 00:45:54.160 know who God is. 00:45:56.000 --> 00:46:03.260 Well, the Bible says in Corinthians ten four, these people are trapped in strongholds, but the weapons 00:46:03.260 --> 00:46:08.000 that we fight with and knowing God demolishes those strongholds. 00:46:08.440 --> 00:46:09.580 Verse five. 00:46:09.580 --> 00:46:15.540 We demolish arguments in every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. 00:46:17.860 --> 00:46:19.900 Do you see the captivating thought of this verse? 00:46:21.280 --> 00:46:28.420 It's as if it's saying to us as Genesis chapter one and verse one, if you are to begin on the foundation of everything that God starts, it begins 00:46:28.420 --> 00:46:30.740 with the knowledge of God. 00:46:33.940 --> 00:46:38.280 The fear of the Lord, it tells us in Proverbs three is the beginning of all knowledge. 00:46:40.760 --> 00:46:48.740 This morning, while we lay before us as the foundational pillar to understanding the early church, 00:46:49.920 --> 00:46:54.720 what is it they believed that gave them such courage to stand in all opposition? 00:46:57.080 --> 00:47:02.140 It begins with yes, Virginia, there is a God. 00:47:02.740 --> 00:47:09.700 The question we ask ourselves today isn't, Is God just simply knowledgeable in your head? 00:47:09.720 --> 00:47:11.320 Do you have the knowledge of God in your head? 00:47:11.340 --> 00:47:16.560 But is that knowledge of God affecting your heart in such a way that you are changed through knowing him? 00:47:19.120 --> 00:47:24.510 Is there a difference between who you are apart from God and who you are now with God? 00:47:25.900 --> 00:47:33.560 Can you reflect back on your life and see now acknowledging his position over you, that you are different? 00:47:35.100 --> 00:47:38.840 This morning, we've just seen a very broad view of the general revelation that there is a God. 00:47:40.040 --> 00:47:46.730 In the weeks ahead, we'll be able to define the existence of God, more so through the special revelation of His Word in Jesus. 00:47:49.440 --> 00:47:56.520 Examine your life this morning and ask yourselves in light of God, is there a difference in me? 00:47:57.060 --> 00:47:58.020 Let's close in a word of prayer.