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Scripture: Acts 14:15-17; Psa. 19; Rom. 1:20
I. The existence of God:
А. God exists in the universe.
B. God exists in human living.
C. God exists in the thoughts of man.
D. God exists in human conversation. The fact that people talk about God’s existence or nonexistence is a proof that God exists.
E. God exists in the dictionary. The fact that every dictionary has the word God is a proof that God exists.
II. The proof of God’s existence:
А. The creation of the universe proves that God exists.
B. The very operation of nature proves that God exists. Consider the showers from heaven, the growth of produce from the earth, and the distance between the sun and the earth that keeps a suitable climate for human living.
C. Human psychological faculties prove that God exists. For instance, within man there is the capacity for joy. Psalm 16:11 says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy.” This verse shows that man’s capacity to be filled with joy is related to God. Whatever God does in the universe is to make man full of joy. Friends, today is your joy full? If not, your lack of joy shows that you do not have God. If you are full of joy, that shows that you have received Him and proves that God exists.
III. What should you do with God?
А. Confess that you are far from Him, that you are sinful, and that you come short of His glory.
B. Repent and turn back to Him.
C. Receive the Son of God, Jesus Christ, as your Savior.
D. Through Christ enjoy and serve God in spirit.
Scripture: Acts 16:19-34
I. A hard man:
А. The one who was saved was a keeper of the prison, a jailer. All jailers are hard men; otherwise, they would not be able to keep the prison.
B. Some jailers may be a little softhearted, but this one thrust Paul and Silas into the inner prison, even securing their feet in the stocks, above that which was commanded by the magistrates.
C. A hard man is a hardhearted man.
II. God’s way of dealing with the hardhearted man:
А. God makes him hear the gospel. The prayers and praises offered to God by the two apostles became the gospel when they reached the ears of the jailer. He never knew anything about God, but when he heard the two apostles praying and singing, he got some realization of God. Dear friend, can you say that you have never heard the gospel before? When you heard people joyfully praying and singing to God, you heard the gospel.
B. By means of an earthquake. This hardhearted man heard the gospel, but his heart was not touched at all. So God had to cause the earth to shake. The foundations of the prison house were shaken, all the doors were opened, and every prisoner’s bonds were unfastened. After you hear the gospel, your heart is still very hard. Eventually, God has to cause your wife to get sick, your business to go bankrupt, your losing your job, or your contracting tuberculosis. When God shakes you in this way, you will get saved. Sometimes you will encounter a real earthquake or hurricane. When the hurricane blasts and the earth quakes, then you will truly believe in God.
III. The result of God’s dealing:
After the shaking, the hardened heart was softened. Many are saved through this kind of shaking. The gospel of God is the Word of God, and the shaking of God is the action of God; after He speaks, His action follows.
IV. How to be saved:
А. After being shaken by God, the hardhearted jailer was softened and said immediately, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (v. 30).
B. And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household” (v. 31).
C. Then the jailer and his whole household were baptized.
V. The result of being saved:
А. The jailer received forgiveness of sins and obtained life.
B. Having received the Lord, the jailer and his household were filled with joy.
Scripture: Acts 16:30-31
I. Who is the Lord Jesus?
А. He is the Lord who created the universe. He is also the God who is our Savior.
B. He is Jesus who is God become a man. He is the One who is God and also is a man.
C. He became man to bear our sins. And because He is God, He is also able to forgive our sins.
II. What did the Lord Jesus do?
А. He died and shed His blood on the cross for our sins.
B. He resurrected from the dead in order that we might have life.
C. Because of His death and resurrection He became the Savior of our whole being.
III. What should we do with the Lord Jesus?
А. Acknowledge that He is the Savior of all mankind.
B. Acknowledge that He is our Savior, that He died and resurrected for us.
C. Receive Him as our Savior.
IV. The unit of the Lord’s salvation:
Even though the salvation of the Lord comes to an individual, God’s intention is that the entire household unit receive salvation. The salvation of the Lord comes not only to an individual but also to the whole household. Therefore, the Word says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.”
V. The result of salvation:
А. Sins are forgiven.
B. Eternal life is obtained.
Scripture: Acts 17:22-29
I. The God who created the universe:
А. The universe came into being by the creation of God.
B. This God, unknown to man, is the God who created the universe.
II. The Lord of heaven and earth:
А. The universe was created by God and hence belongs to God. Therefore, it says that He is the Lord of heaven and earth. The Lord means “the Ruler” (Acts 17:24).
B. He is the Lord of the universe, and the Administrator as well. We need to know God both through the creation and through the administration of the universe.
III. The source of mankind:
А. This God is the Creator not only of the universe, but also of mankind. The Scripture says, “He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things. And He made from one every nation of men” (Acts 17:25-26). This word shows that He is the Creator of mankind and also is the source of mankind.
B. Man is not only from Him but is also taken care of and fed by Him. The human life is given by Him, and human existence is sustained by Him. Man came out of Him and depends upon Him. He is the source of all mankind. Without Him man could never have come into being; neither could there be any human living. Verse 28 says, “In Him we live and move and are...For we are also His race.”
IV. The Lord’s ruling of man:
А. This passage of the Scriptures says that man came out of God and depends upon God. Man is ruled and controlled by God. After He created him, God put man on the earth and appointed the seasons and boundaries of his dwelling. Every man is ruled and appointed by God in time and space. Even the time and place of your birth are not decided by you; they are appointed by God. When someone decides to get married, he may choose the date. But may I ask you a question? Did you choose the time and place of your birth? Whether you are born in China or in the United States, in a wealthy family or in a poor family, none of this is up to you.
B. Since God rules over our time and space, not one thing related to us is outside of His ruling.
V. God can be found:
А. Man always thinks that God is too mysterious, too far away from us, and that He cannot be found or apprehended. On the contrary, God can be found. We are able to realize something of God by the creation of the universe, the existence of all the things, and even by the existence of human life itself. Therefore the Scriptures say, “The invisible things of Him...have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being perceived by the things made” (Rom. 1:20).
B. Since we can apprehend God, then knowing God is not only a matter of outward perceiving but also of inward reasoning. To apprehend is to think and to reason within ourselves. It involves psychological functioning. Therefore, we know God through creation outwardly and through our psychological apprehension within. When we look at nature without, we cannot help but admit the existence of God. When we turn to our heart within, we know clearly that God exists. Therefore, God can be found.
VI. What should you do with God?
А. When we think of God, we naturally would want to worship Him. This desire to worship God is in our blood. In every human race there is such a concept. Human beings try to worship God — even though many worship the wrong god — for worshipping God is a natural instinct in man.
B. Do not worship idols as if they were God; neither worship God as if God were an idol. We are made by God; therefore, we should not make God an idol. All the idols of gold, silver, wood, or stone are made by man, so how can we worship these idols?
C. Confess that you are far away from God. Repent and turn back to God.
D. Receive Jesus as your Savior.
E. Worship God in spirit after receiving the Lord.
Scripture: Acts 17:30-31
I. The first period — God was overlooking:
А. In the first period God allowed man to do whatever he wanted. It seems that God did not concern Himself too much with what man did. This was God’s overlooking.
B. This period was also the time of man’s ignorance. Because the gospel had not yet been preached and because man was without the light of God’s revelation, he was in ignorance. Prior to the gospel age God overlooked much and let man go his own way.
I. The second period — God commands men to repent:
А. During the second period God concerns Himself with what man does. This is the period when God visits men, seeks men, and saves men. He commands all men to repent and be saved.
B. Since the beginning of the human race, the things concerning God were never preached in such a clear way until the gospel age. In this period God gives special revelation to man. Through the gospel He gives light to men that they may know God. So there can be no excuse for men not knowing God.
C. This period is called the gospel period. During this time God’s purpose is to save men, and God’s work is to have the gospel preached so that they may be saved. Therefore, in this period man should repent, believe, and receive God’s salvation.
I. The third period — God will judge men:
А. When the gospel period has passed, God will judge the whole world in the day that He has appointed.
B. The future judgment will be according to God’s righteousness as well as man’s deeds or works. But because by works no one is perfect, all will be condemned, and the result will be eternal perdition.
C. Although today God saves man through Jesus Christ, in the future God will judge man through Jesus Christ. As He is the Savior today, so shall He be the Lord of judgment in that day.
D. If a man receives Christ today, to him Christ is a Savior. If a man does not receive Christ today, he will still have to meet Him in the future. At that time Christ will be the Lord of judgment to him. Sooner or later all men will face the Lord. No man will be able to escape His presence. If today, under grace, you do not get involved with Him as your Savior, you will still have to get involved with Him that day. Today He is your Savior; if not, in that day He will be your Judge. Whether He is your Savior or your Judge is not up to Him; it is up to you. You cannot avoid this decision; please make your decision now.
I. God’s saving way:
А. God raised Jesus from the dead; this is God’s saving way. By Jesus’ death man’s sins are taken away, and by His resurrection man may obtain eternal life. This eternal life is the very life of God.
B. Today, as we are in the gospel period, those who do not believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection or accept His salvation will come under His judgment in that day.
C. Jesus died and was resurrected. This is a faithful saying. When you receive the Lord Jesus, you are not receiving a historical figure but a living and real Savior. How do you know that Jesus died for sinners? It is because Jesus was resurrected. Jesus is not a dead historical figure but a living and real Savior. He works miracles, brings men from darkness into light, makes the weak strong, turns the hearts of men, and hearkens to the prayers of men. All these prove that Jesus is a living Savior.
D. Men receive God’s salvation by believing. Believe that the Lord Jesus has died and resurrected to save you from sin and from judgment.
E. To believe, you must first repent. In the gospel period God specifically wants men to repent. Repent and believe, and you will be saved and will not be judged in that day.
Scripture: Acts 26:18
I. Eyes are opened:
А. Man is born blind. He does not know God, life, or even himself.
B. When man hears the gospel and believes in Jesus, his eyes are opened by the Holy Spirit. He then is able to know God, life, himself, and the Savior.
II. Men are turned from darkness to light:
А. Man is born in darkness. This is evidenced by two facts:
1. Man cannot see God; he can neither know nor understand the things of God.
2. Man has no joy; this is because there is misery in darkness.
B. Though we are born in darkness, when we believe the gospel and receive the life of Christ, we are turned to light. The gospel of God is light, because God is light and the life of Christ is also light. When we have the light within, we are able to see clearly and we have joy.
III. Men are turned from the authority of Satan to God:
А. Man is born under the authority of Satan and is controlled and enslaved by Satan. For example:
1. A man commits sins not merely by himself. Many people do not want to do evil, but they cannot help themselves. Some even commit crimes. This is because man is under the control of Satan. Please tell me, who wants to do evil? Man does evil that he does not want to do. This proves that man is under Satan’s control.
2. Because man is under the authority of Satan, he cannot refuse death. He cannot be free from sin; neither can he be free from death.
B. When a man hears the gospel and receives Christ, he is freed from the authority of Satan. Through His death on the cross Christ destroyed the one who had the might of death, the devil. When one turns to Christ, he is delivered from the authority of Satan to God and is freed from sin and death.
IV. Forgiveness of sins is received through faith:
А. Man is of the world from his birth; he is common and unholy. He has nothing to do with God and is unable to partake of the riches of God’s inheritance.
B. When he receives Christ, he is separated from the world and is sanctified unto God. Now he is the partaker of God’s divine nature as well as God’s inheritance.
C. The inheritance of God includes present and eternal blessings. In order that we may actually obtain this inheritance, God has granted us both the life and the foretaste of this inheritance. The life is the life of God, and the foretaste is the Holy Spirit. These qualify us to enjoy and obtain this inheritance.
V. How to obtain the blessings of the gospel:
А. Repent and believe.
B. Receive Jesus as your Savior.
Scripture: Rom. 1:16-17
I. The gospel is the power of God:
А. The gospel is not only a blessed message, but it is also the power of God.
B. The source of the gospel is God; therefore, it is the power of God. The power of the gospel is equal to the power of God.
C. Give practical examples to prove that the gospel is powerful in saving all kinds of people. The entire life and living of a great sinner is changed after he believes in the gospel. There has never been any teaching as powerful as the power of the gospel.
II. The power of the gospel is based on God’s righteousness:
А. This portion of the Scriptures shows us that the gospel is powerful because God’s righteousness is in the gospel. Any religious method demands that man cultivates a moral conduct, that is, establish his own righteousness. There is no need to explain what righteousness is. Do not say that righteousness means lawfulness; people understand that it refers to man’s works. Only the gospel of God is based on God’s righteousness. Man’s righteousness is imperfect and weak, but God’s righteousness is perfect and powerful. Man’s righteousness is changeable, but God’s righteousness never changes. The religious method is based on man’s righteousness and teaches that a man can be saved only if he can do good. But the fact is that no one can do good. God’s saving way is that through His righteousness God has accomplished the work of salvation for us.
B. We are all sinners before God. According to God’s righteousness, we all should be sentenced to death. But God sent the Lord Jesus to die for our sins. Thus, the death of the Lord Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirement of God.
C. Because the death of the Lord Jesus has fulfilled God’s righteous requirement, today God’s righteousness demands that He must forgive and justify those who believe in Jesus. Thus, God’s righteousness, through the death of Christ, saves all those who receive the Lord Jesus. Because it is unchanging and powerful, God’s righteousness makes the gospel powerful.
III. The power of the gospel is based on God’s life:
А. The gospel of God not only contains God’s righteousness but also God’s life. Romans 1:17 says that the gospel gives life to those who believe, and this life is the life of God.
B. God’s saving way is that man may be forgiven of his sins and delivered from perdition on the negative side, and that man may be one with God on the positive side. The negative side is accomplished by God’s righteousness; the positive side is accomplished by God’s life.
C. The gospel of God causes man to obtain righteousness as well as God’s life. To obtain God’s righteousness is to be justified; to obtain God’s life is to be regenerated.
IV. How to receive the power of this gospel:
А. Confess that you have no righteousness, only sin, that you have no life, only death.
B. Believe that the Lord Jesus died and was resurrected. The death of Jesus takes away our sins, fulfills God’s righteousness, and gives us His righteousness. The resurrection of the Lord abolished death and gives us the life of God.
C. This gospel is out of faith to faith. The Scriptures say that the righteous shall have life and live by faith. Thus, you must believe in Christ and in the word of the gospel. By believing, you will receive the power of the gospel of God, the righteousness of God, and the life of God.
Scripture: Rom. 1:19-20
I. God has manifested Himself among men and in everything related to man:
А. The fact that there are parents proves that there is a God. Everyone was born with a certain set of parents. You should ask the question, “Where did my parents come from?” Continue with this question and you will have to trace it to God.
B. The structure of your body is wonderful and complete, both physically and psychologically. You should ask how this came about.
C. Many things that you encounter make you feel that they cannot be mere coincidences. You cannot help but believe that there must be the arrangement of God in it. These coincidences are the manifestation of God.
D. Just study the universe a little, and you cannot help but acknowledge that God exists. Consider the laws of nature, the revolution of the planets, and the changing of the seasons. Who is the One that arranges and rules all of these? You cannot help but confess that there is a God.
II. Creation manifests the existence of God:
А. The Scriptures say, “The invisible things of Him, both His eternal power and divine characteristics, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being perceived by the things made” (Rom. 1:20). It shows that the existence of the universe is the manifestation of God.
B. Here the Scriptures say that the creation and existence of the universe especially manifest God’s eternal power and His divine characteristics. Emphasize that God’s power and characteristics manifest God Himself:
1. God’s eternal power makes Him known. The earth is rotating in space, and man living on the earth is pulled by gravity. Both are a matter of power. Where does the power come from? This wonderful power is the manifestation of God.
2. God’s divine characteristics make Him known. Many good things in the universe, such as light, kindness, and mercy, all symbolize God’s divine characteristics.
III. God is clearly seen:
А. All the foregoing examples show that God is clearly seen. Facts speak louder than arguments. All creation is a strong proof of God’s existence. How can a sensible person deny the existence of God if he is fair and honest within?
B. If you still insist on saying that there is no God, then you are the fool mentioned in Psalm 14, which says, “The fool has said in his heart, / There is no God” (v. 1). Only a fool would say that there is no God, because God is so clearly seen.
IV. What should you do with God?
А. Appreciate that God’s existence may be realized through His creation.
B. Repent and turn to God.
C. Believe that the Son of God is your Savior.
D. Worship God in spirit.
Scripture: Rom. 1:18-32
I. The ungodliness of men:
А. Man’s first relationship is the relationship between man and God. Chinese people talk about five ethical principles. Actually, on top of these five there should be one more principle, namely, the principle of the relationship between man and God. The first of these five principles is the principle for the relationship between man and his parents. In fact, the relationship between man and God is much higher than that between man and his parents. No doubt man is born of his parents, but he was born because God first created mankind. God is the source of our being; therefore, man should worship and serve God. If man’s relationship with God is normal, man will have the virtue of godliness. The word godliness is not used here to describe the relationship among men but rather the relationship between man and God.
B. Man should keep a normal relationship with God, but such was never established. Instead, men turn away from God and worship idols; consequently, men become ungodly. There are some who do not worship idols, yet they deny the existence of God. They too are ungodly.
II. The unrighteousness of men:
А. Human beings not only have a relationship with God but also a relationship with men. The five ethical principles are concerning the relationship between men. The abnormal relationship among men is called unrighteousness. A man is unrighteous if he does not honor his parents and if he is without respectfulness, loyalty, faithfulness, courtesy, righteousness, purity, or a sense of shame.
B. Mention all the unrighteousness in Romans item by item; there are altogether twenty-nine items. Some of these refer to the sinful deeds, and others refer to the sinful people. Read these items beginning with Romans 1:18. Sometimes the working of the Holy Spirit can really touch people’s feeling. Do not read through all at once. Pause and ask the audience how they feel after going through each point.
III. The relationship between ungodliness and unrighteousness:
А. Ungodliness is toward God; unrighteousness is toward men. Man is ungodly toward God first and then unrighteous toward men. All unrighteousness comes from ungodliness.
B. Therefore, if man does not worship God, he definitely will be a source of trouble to his fellow man. Luke 18 describes a man who does not fear God and does not regard men. If man’s relationship with God is not right, his relationship with men is definitely wrong. Atheists definitely are immoral. Homes without God are definitely dark homes. If man is improper toward men, it is because he is improper toward God.
IV. The result of ungodliness and unrighteousness:
А. Ungodliness and unrighteousness cause man to damage himself. If a man worships lower animals, he is destroying himself. There is no unrighteous man who does not destroy himself. The result of unrighteousness is destroying one’s reputation, family, status, and position.
B. Ungodliness and unrighteousness not only bring self-destruction; they also bring the wrath of God. Sometimes man meets the small anger of God, such as car accidents, sickness, or bankruptcy, etc. In the future he will meet the great wrath of God, which is eternal perdition.
V. How to depart from ungodliness and unrighteousness:
А. Repent and confess that you are ungodly and unrighteous.
B. Change your mind and turn to God.
C. Receive Christ as your Savior.
D. Be one who serves God.
Scripture: Rom. 3:9-20
I. All are under sin:
А. Man is born in sin.
B. Man grows up in sin.
C. Man lives in sin.
D. Man wallows in sin.
E. All men are under sin.
II. There is none righteous:
А. A righteous man is just and faultless before God.
B. Using “just and faultless” as a yardstick to measure a man, we find that there is none righteous, because man is not normal toward God and is not just toward man.
III. There is none who does good:
А. “Righteousness” (Rom. 3:10) is up to the standard of justice, but “good” (v. 12) is exceeding the standard of justice. Whenever you do something more than what you ought to do, you are doing something that is good. For example, you hired a servant and promised to pay him $600 monthly. If you pay him only $580, you have done something unrighteous. If you give him $650, you have done something good.
B. But even if you do something good, there is none who can do good out of a pure heart. Most good works contain side effects that expose that the heart is not pure. Consequently, there is none who does good, not even one.
IV. The conditions of man:
А. There is none who understands. All are confused and foolish, not knowing how to behave themselves before God and before men.
B. There is none who seeks out God, who is the source of righteousness, the origin of all good. There is none who seeks Him out; therefore, there is none righteous and none who does good.
C. All have turned aside.
D. All have together become useless.
E. Their throat is an opened grave. Everything that comes out of men is stinking and dead.
F. Their tongues practice deceit.
G. The poison of asps is under their lips.
H. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.
I. Their feet are swift to shed blood.
J. Destruction and misery are in their ways.
K. They know not the way of peace.
L. There is no fear of God before their eyes.
After talking about these twelve points of man’s condition, all will have to bow down their heads and confess that there is none righteous, none who does good, not even one.
M. The world is under the condemnation of God:
А. Man has sins, and God has the law. The sins of man conflict with the law of God.
B. According to His law, God has to condemn man.
C. Since all have sinned, all are under God’s condemnation.
N. How can a man become righteous?
А. Confess that you are not righteous; neither can you become righteous. In other words, admit that you have no righteousness and that you can do nothing that is righteous.
B. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and receive Him as your righteousness.
C. Receive the Lord Jesus as your living Savior. He makes you righteous and causes you to live out His righteousness.
