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

2. Acts 17:22-29
So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD ' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;

3. Acts 17:22-29
and 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.

4. Proclaiming the One True God
Starting Points
Diplomatic Yet Direct Approach
The One True God
The Religion of Today

5. Starting Points
Acts 17:22-23 So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD ' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
Reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles
And in the market place every day with those who happened to be present
And now with the philosophers at the Areopagus

6. Diplomatic Yet Direct Approach
Acts 17:22-23 So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD ' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
Respectful - Men of Athens
Diplomatic – I observe that you are very religious, he even quotes their own poets
Direct – What you worship in ignorance, I proclaim

7. The One True God
Acts 17:22-23 So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD ' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
Before Paul could preach the Gospel he had to correct their misunderstandings about God
How does Paul proclaim the One True God?

8. Creator of Everything
Acts 17:24 " The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;
God created everything
Nature is not God – God created nature/the earth and all that is in it
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

9. Lord of Everything
Acts 17:24 " The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;
Lord of heaven and earth – Lord of all
Omnipotence – Has all power
Jeremiah 32:17 ”Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You

10. Independent of Everything
Acts 17:25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;
Independence – Depends on nothing for His existence
Romans 11:34-36 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

11. Sustainer of Everything
Acts 17:25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;
Necessity of God – sustains all life, holds every atom together
Colossians 1:16-17 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

12. Determiner of Everything
Acts 17:26 and 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,
Sovereign – He is in total control and does whatever He pleases vs. gods who are detached and don’t care
He is intimately involved with His creation - Even the hairs on our head are numbered
Psalm 135:6 Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.

13. Present Everywhere Always
Acts 17:27-28 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.'
Omnipresence – God is everywhere always
Psalm 139:7-10 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.

14. Distinct from Everything
Acts 17:29 "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.
Even though God is present everywhere He is distinct from His creation
Transcendence – Distinct, separate and unlike any of His creation – though man was created in His image
Deuteronomy 4:35 "To you it was shown that you might know that the LORD, He is God; there is no other besides Him.

15. The Religion of Today
What is the most popular and widely accepted religion in America today?
Is it Christianity?
Is it Islam?
Is it some New Age religion?
What religion is taught in every public school?
What religion taints every court decision?
What religion affects every political or legislative issue?

16. Evolutionist: Dr. Stephen J. Gould
“Evolution is promoted by its practitioners as more than mere science. Evolution is promulgated as an ideology, a secular religion—a full-fledged alternative to Christianity, with meaning and morality. I am an ardent evolutionist and an ex-Christian, but I must admit, in this one complaint the creationists are absolutely right. Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today.”

17. Fact or Fiction
Based on the evidence; which religion is based on facts and which religion is based on fiction?
Voddie Baucham: “Why I chose to believe the Bible” I choose to believe the Bible because it is a reliable collection of Historical documents written by eye witnesses during the lifetime of other eye witnesses. They report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claim that their writings are divine rather than human in origin.

18. Answers in Genesis “Demolishing Strongholds” Carl Kerby Video Clips
13 Lesson Apologetics Course
Video Clips

19. Fact or Fiction Some simple questions to get to the truth?
Someone makes a statement about what they believe.
What do you mean by what you’re saying? Or (Clarify what they are trying to communicate)
How do you know what your saying is true? Or (Does the evidence support what you believe?)

20. Proclaiming the One True God
Remember that there are Different Starting Points
Use a Diplomatic Yet Direct Approach
Remember You Know the One True God
Remember the Major Religion in our Country is Based on Fiction not Facts

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