1. Christian Heritage Church
Indeed my Heritage is Beautiful To Me
(Psalm 16:6b)

2. Acts 17:26-34
He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' "Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that

3. Acts 17:26-34
all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this." So Paul went out of their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

4. The Universal Call to Repentance
Universal Message
Universal Accountability
Universal Call to Repentance
Universal Day of Judgment
Universal Proof
Three Different Responses

5. Universal Message
There is a lot of discussion today about making the Gospel message relevant or contextualizing it
Make it less offensive
Make it more attractive
Make it appear much like what our culture already loves and desires (Felt Needs)
Drawing them in with what they want will give you a greater opportunity to present the Gospel later, after they already like you, when it is more convenient and less threatening
This is “Cult Mentality”

6. Universal Message
Is it up to us to strategize and advertise and commercialize Christianity in a way that appeals to the world, or do we need to be faithful with the message?
Is salvation a battle of wits or is salvation from the Lord?
Did you know it’s up to God to open the door of opportunity not us?
Acts 14:27 When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

7. Universal Message
1 Corinthians 16:8-9 But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; for a wide door for effective service has opened to me
2 Corinthians 2:12-13 Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord… I went on to Macedonia.
Colossians 4:3 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ

8. Universal Message Paul preached Jesus and gained a greater opportunity
What could have Paul Given them?
1 Corinthians 1:21-24 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Does this sound like giving people what they want or is Paul being faithful to the Message?

9. Universal Message This is a universal message.
Luke 24:46-47 "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
Why is this message unchanged by culture or time?

10. Universal Accountability
Acts 17:26-28 He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'
Man is responsible to seek God even in his blindness -even though no man can find God apart from grace
Knowledge that God exists is written on the heart of every man – we are without excuse

11. Universal Accountability
Romans 1:18-22 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools

12. Universal Call to Repentance
Acts 17:29-30 "Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent
How does God command all men everywhere to repent?
The Gospel is a call to repentance and faith

13. Universal Call to Repentance
Acts 17:30 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? …
For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

14. Universal Call to Repentance
but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."
We must have confidence in the simplicity of the Gospel
And in the power and wisdom of God

15. Universal Day of Judgment
Acts 17:31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed…
Acts 10:42 "And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that Jesus is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
Romans 2:16 On the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

16. Universal Proof
Acts 17:31 … having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
The resurrection is an undisputed fact of history
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

17. Three Different Responses
Acts 17:32-34 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this.“ So Paul went out of their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Some sneered (mocked and ridiculed)
Some said we will speak to you again about this
Some believed – Dionysius the Areopagite – Damaris – and others

18. Questions to Consider Who saves sinners? Who opens doors?
Will we be faithful?

19. Christian Heritage Church
Indeed my Heritage is Beautiful To Me
(Psalm 16:6b)