Sermon Notes
Title: Knowing God (Part I)
Text: Acts 17:22-30 / Jeremiah 9:23&24
Topic: The Attributes of God
Teacher: Dr. Barry D. Lovett
Time: 1/16/11
File Under: Doctrinal
23 Thus says the Lord : Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; 24 but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord ; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NRSV)
22 Then Paul stood before the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “People of Athens, I can see you are very religious in all things. 23 As I was going through your city, I saw the objects you worship. I found an altar that had these words written on it: to a god who is not known . You worship a god that you don’t know, and this is the God I am telling you about! 24 The God who made the whole world and everything in it is the Lord of the land and the sky. He does not live in temples built by human hands. Acts 17:22-24 (NCV)
Many of our spiritual, ethical, doctrinal and even emotional and physical problems are a result of a misconception of God.
Theology = The study of God
One of the ways God is known to us is through His attributes… “A quality or characteristic belonging to a person or a thing”
GOD IS OMNIPOTENT: HE CAN DO IT!
“Both riches and honor come from thee, and thou rulest over all. In thy hand are power and might…” I Chron 29:12
“with God all things are possible” Mat 19:26
GOD IS OMNIPRESENT: HE IS HERE!
There is no point nearer to God than any other point.
Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there 9 If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. Psalm 139:7-10
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place keeping watch o the evil and the Good.” Psalms 15:3
“Can any hide himself in t secret places that I shall not see him?” Jeremiah 24:23
IF JESUS CAME TO YOUR HOUSE
If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two, If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what YOU’D do. Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room to such an honored guest, and all the food you’d serve would be the very best, and you would keep assuring Him you’re glad to have Him there, that serving Him in you own home is joy beyond compare. BUT when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door with arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly visitor? Or would you have to change you clothes before you let Him in? Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they’d been? Would you turn of the DVD and hope He hadn’t heard and wish you hadn’t uttered that last loud, hasty word? Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out? Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you have to rush about? And I wonder, if the Savior spent a day or two with you, would you go right on dong the things you always do? Would you go right on saying the things you always say? Would life for you continue as it does from day to day? Would your family conversation keep up its usual pace? And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace? Would you sing the songs you always sing, and read the books you read, and let Him know the things on which you mind and spirit feed? Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you’d planned to go? Or would you, maybe change your plans for just a day or so? Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends? Or would you hope they’d stay away until His visit ends? Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on? Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was finally gone? Oh, it might be interesting to know the things that you would do if Jesus Christ in person came to spend some time with you. – Lois Kendall Blanchard