Turn, turn to your Bibles to act 17 or 16 to the end of the chapter.
Starting at 16. Now while Paul waited for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him.
When he saw that the city was given over to idols, therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers.
The marketplace daily with those who happen to be there. Then certain and stoic philosophers and to encountered him and some said what does this babbler want to say, encountered him. And some said, what does this babbler want to say?
Others said he seems to be a procl and they took him and brought him to the Aer Pegasus.
Saying, may we know that this new doctrine is of which you speak. For you are bringing some strange things to our ears.
Therefore, we want to know what these things mean. For all Athenians and the foreign foreigners who are were spent their time and nothing else but neither to tell them to hear some new thing.
Then Paul stood in the midst of the aerial packet. Pegas and said, man of Athens, I perceive that in all good things you are very religious.
For as I passed through and consider and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription.
To the known unknown God. Therefore, the one whom you worship without knowing Him, I proclaim to you, God, who made the world and everything in it.
Since he is God in heaven over God of Heaven and Earth does not dwell in temples made with Hence, nor is he worshiped with men's hands as through He needed anything.
Since he gives to all life breath in all things. And he has made one blood every nation of man to dwell on all the face of the earth and he's determined their pre-anointed times and their boundaries of their dwellings.
So that they see shall seek the Lord in the hope that they might grope in for him and find him though he is not far from each one of us for in him we live and move and have our being as also.
Some of our own poets have said, for we are also his offspring. Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought to not to think of the divine nature that is gold and silver and stone.
Something shaped by art and man's
Devising. Truly these times of ignorance, God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to report.
Repent. Because we have he is anointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained.
He has given assurance of this. To all by raising him from the dead. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some locked while others said, We will hear you again in this matter.
So Paul departed from among them. However, some men joined him and believed among the Diana Seas and Reggo pergate and a woman named Demaris and others with them.
Merci.
Thank you. Yeah.
I'll pray for this. Pray for the beginning of the meeting. Yeah. Dear God, thanks for this great day that we can spend and very per a new speaker.
I'm sorry, I don't know. Yeah. And I pray for all the missionaries and refugees that we had just heard in announcements.
And pray for a great day today that we can learn about more of you. And she's named it man.
Amen.
It's been a few years since we, were back among you with Jeannie and was here today with me.
We had a good time revisiting our children in the Chicago area. And I'd like first to give you a few, some news from France and our ministry.
Thanks for standing behind us and loving us bring for us, those who receive our newsletter. If you don't and if you want just let us know.
Anyway, so you Frances in the news pretty much these days, we've because of the war in Israel.
I was following the aggression of the terrorist group of, what's it called? How much?
It's the conflict is being transported in France. And there has been in since October seventh more anti-Semitic, more anti-Semitic, transgressions or, accidents or incidents in France than in the last 2 years.
And some we hope we pray that it won't escalate They are demonstrations almost weekly.
In my town in Ghernobyl, there are, scores of, bomb threats, scares in the schools.
So schools have to be, I mean, some people from ours, somebody said that it was a third time this week.
That their kid couldn't was sent back from from school home because of those bomb threats. So of course they are nothing, thank God no bomb exploded across the country, but exactly what's happening in airports, train stations, etc.
So the climate is really rotten. And if you would pray for France, we, we live a dentist time right now in France, there's a huge demonstration.
To support the Jews across the country. We feel very alone and scared. Many have taken their Mizzu's off the the door.
I have one. I just have my son to remove it because most of the deliveries from, Amazon are probably, from the Muslim Brotherhood.
If you see what I mean. And so anyway, that's, the climate there is at the moment.
So. Help pray that the French Christians will know how to bring a climate of peace and not of paranoia or at least be a voice that, contributes to peace and in the country and pray for France in general.
Thanks for your prayers also for our family. Just a few news maybe if we could just jump to the few slides I've prepared.
If, if, if you can, if you can switch to.
There. So anyway, what's up from, what's up from Grenoble?
Friends. Yeah, I guess it needs to be detected. You want me to unplug and plug it back in?
I can do that. Up. And disconnected and I should be connected and that's that doesn't scoop anyway so what's what's new from our family well We live in Grenoble, France, as you may know, it's in the, it's in the Alps.
If you've never seen your novel there, you have a picture, a picture or 2. Lots of mountains not too far from the Switzerland and in Italy.
It's about 500,000 inhabitants strong, 70,000 college students, a high tech town.
And we are a family of 7 children and 11. Grand children. So here is the latest. Children picture we had this summer.
Tim only Tim, one of our sons living in Shekar, Chicago was missing in that picture. It's a pretty rats getting harder and harder to together the all the children at the same time in the same place but nonetheless we give thanks for them.
So that's where we live. There's maybe 30, evangelical churches in that town.
I'm on the board of the pastoral. evangelical board of the city of evangelical churches in the city.
There's a good collaboration spirit. Good fellowship and we thank God for that. Family news.
Well, first game, Lisa, but one year ago, 2 days ago. So. I was born in California.
She met there for the first time her twin uncle. It was a kind of a surprise for her.
She was confused because they are identical twins in case she didn't notice. So that was really fun.
That was really fun. And the same thing happened with the son of Luke. The twin.
Then came Toby in spring in Chicago and there he is and we just met him just a few weeks ago and we really thank God for him too.
And then, last came Caleb with a spelling mistake, but I'm dyslexic, okay?
Get me up the hug. Don't fire me. That he was born in the UK. So these are the great great subjects of rejoicing for us as a family and By the grace of God, Luke, one of the twin brothers.
Who lives in France is the only one of the twins and with his younger brother Joseph who still lives with us.
Look baptized his brother. This past June. All our you learn are baptized and working with Christ by the grace of God now and we thank God for seeing our children walking in the truth.
But it's pure grace, I must say, and we really thank God. Luke had the opportunity of opening a business, a meat market.
And he had the opportunity to give his testimony as a Christian on national TV just a few months ago and we thanked for that.
Ministry news. Well, You heard about that text if you find a man of peace.
Or maybe we could, extended or woman of peace, you know, it's like You have this text.
When you enter a house for a safe piece to this house, if someone who promised pieces there, your peace will rest on them if not it will return to you stay there and eating and drinking whatever they give you for the worker deserves his wages do not move around from a house to house, etc, etc.
Well, that's a bit what happened. To us during the COVID confinement and or just before and during, there's a number of people that we met and it started with this young girl in the middle, She was becoming Christian.
She had been browsing the internet on her own. And so we had a number of, Bible studies to discover the, the grand story in the Bible.
The grand story of redemption. And then Joel, an older lady. She joined too and she was also cruising the internet and came to the Bible bookstore to get a Bible.
And they said, well, there's a gene, is starting a Bible study. If you want, why don't you join?
And so she joined. Then her son also came from time to time. Joseph. Another Joseph and then another girl, I know a me also was cruising the internet, no no connections with Christians and she she wanted to know more about.
So there we started. And after basically a year, they all were now believers. And I told them, well, maybe it would be time, so I would get to know your families.
Why don't we transfer that Bible study into your homes? And so we'd go from one home to the next.
I mean, of this group of people. And that's exactly what happened. So eating and drinking in the duration and talking we did.
But we open the Bible every time and other people joined in. The spouses children some children some friends came in and so we spent time discovering the grand story of redemption as I said.
Very often we when we share the gospel, we go a bit too fast. Yeah, we think that sharing the gospel, I'm sure it's a caricature.
You don't do that here. It's Jesus saves. Well, what does that mean?
Jesus safe? From what? And who's Jesus anyway? I'm in the neighborhood.
So that's basically if I were to caricature the reaction of the French because they don't even have the vocabulary to understand those words.
So we go through from creation, fall, redemption, the grand story in which the gospel is described, right?
And so that's what we started doing in the home of participants. One of the man here in this picture is the father of the world-class soccer player.
I will, I won't tell you saying he was in an area and he is a firm believer and he witnesses about his faith quite quite regularly.
There is a so Couple husbands, 3 husbands that joined there. And so we continue having our Bible studies with them.
And more drinking, more eating together, everything happens around a table in France, you know. If you want to have a connection.
That's the way it goes. So it's a dangerous hazard for health. You should see what I mean.
Anyway. So we did that until they finally got the story right. They understood who Jesus really is. Some got saved.
Some are still on the way. And Just before we left a few weeks, now that's about 5 weeks back, 2 of them asked to be baptized.
We've got them in the pool of Joseph and his mother. And they invited the whole family over 30 people who had never heard the gospel before, never connected, visited an evangelical church before for the most part.
Very moving time tears I shared with them the baptism of the Eunuch when Philip shared the gospel with him through the prophecy of isia So that was very moving time and encouraging time.
We attend a new small evangelical assembly here on campus in the college ministry called the Fu, Faye, Evan Gilic, and I was present for over 30 years.
And now we're just helping. We're a second, right? You know, we're just trying to give away all our caps.
We're not so young anymore and here is a young missionary guy from which you call in South Africa and his wife they really came to help and so we were helping them part of the time trying to reach international English speaking as the college students PhDs and the like or professionals that come from all over the world like Nigeria, Latin America or wherever, you name it.
And the COVID during that time, when we started meeting, it was right at the beginning, basically just before the COVID hit.
And so it took a beating, but it continued online because we could not, we're not even allowed to meet.
At that time but we continued and so we the numbers are going back up So, we're quite encouraged and since people are afraid or were afraid during that time to get into a building, we decided to take them out and do things that were outside.
And so I'd encourage people from the assembly to invite their friends like you have a couple pictures here, one on top is visit of Geneva Wall of Reformation.
Was very easy to explain the Gotha by explaining what the Reformation was a lot about. So that's what we need or in Ghernobyl.
We use culture. That actually the, the name of the activity I gave to is, that the, the name of the activity I gave to is, and that you, to your nature and culture visiting either nature or cultural settings and bring in your friends and bring in your friends in here and the second picture you have in the bottom is the The baptistry that goes back to the first century in Ghernobyl that was
found under the bishopric. So and it's very easy when you stand there to explain, oh, what is baptism?
You know, we baptized people by immersion in those days, you know, it was for adults.
And so you explained through Romans 6 to gospel. It's very easy to go from culture history.
Into the gospel and that's that's what we did. Also would take them out in mushroom engine.
We did just that last Sunday before we came over in the US. And I have a friend who is a pharmacist and a professor in the university.
And is an expert on mushrooms. So with the we'd ask them to give us testimony, but of course help us to recognize good mushrooms from the deadly ones, which most of them are, don't even try to guess because there are thousands of varieties and only a few a handful few can be eaten anyway.
And so Eating we do, we continue doing in our home and with with Ginny. She's a great, has a great, has a great encouraging and hospitality ministry.
That's what we did during that time. So many were afraid as I said to come into churches.
So I started an online, also an online Bible study. We celebrated our at the end of the year this summer with this group.
And it's continuing. Some people adding out some people are leaving but so so far it's it's been kind of growing so and but we meet for real from time to time and these people originally were all in the global area and are in different towns because of They are moving, you know, for work reason, etc.
Also something interesting things happen in those 3 Bible, Avengers, Eventually, Bible groups that we started is that in each one of those there's a young couple usually living together who asked us to marry them.
And so we, explained what marriage was about. I went through the alpha course marriage refreshment or marriage marriage course something like this to explain what Christian marriage is about.
And it was so easy to share the gospel again. With them when you come to lessons like reconciliation, forgiveness, I mean so essential to keep a marriage together.
Well, anyway, at the provision of marrying 2 of those in September and there are the pictures and one has already a kid.
Now, so it's really wonderful. We're really rejoiced for that. Also an activity that keeps us busy is multiplying evangelists to join at the beginning of COVID, an association of evangelists called Franz-evenger, and I'm in charge of a small class class, 2,025 of people who are being trained in evangelism coming from all
walks of life life there is a head nurse here in the picture she's from a Moroccan background there is a driver, youth troubled youthfully social worker, another guy who opened a business selling ice cream and Benny on beaches in France.
Anyway, and some this guy is going to go full time. Anyway, so that's something that's really give me a lot of encouragement.
We have a lot of fun in this. Time of our life. It's a different type of a activity throughout the years.
Last I would share with you the still there's a need. An opening for people who would like to join the team at the College Ministry called Luthu, which I talked about.
So if you want to come either to study for a semester. For a year. In Gnobo, we have 70,000 col, college, students that come.
You can study anything, be French of course, but anything technical or literature anyway. Why don't you consider coming to Global?
You could join the team short term or longer term living in a college ministry house that's right on on campus.
So if you want, you are welcome and obviously you'd be willing to learn French. That would be, something that you, you don't have to speak French from the start, but you will, you must be willing to learn at least.
So, and you're welcome. If you are interested, let us know. We're really looking because there's a change in the team and one of the, family that was there is moving out and we are trying to help the team do its job.
So if you want to be spam, note this email address and you'll learn the right to be spun 4 times a year.
Thank you for your attention.
There.
And now I'd like to, oh, that's one of the activities. There we go.
Okay.
Acts, 17. Where did I? Okay, what time is it? Okay, I have a So what time again?
For yet. 1130. Okay, 20 min. So I'll have to bridge a number of things.
So you you forgive me if I don't go through the whole thing. But anyway. How do you reach out to a secular society like France or increasingly the US?
That's a good question. A post-Christian society. France has been there longer than you have been, but you're heading there and you're catching us very quickly.
Don't believe me. So Paul is a good example in point because when he went to Athens, he faced a society had no knowledge what whatsoever of the Bible, the gospel.
The Creator God, the prophecies 0. All this was unknown to them. The Vocabo Christian Wiki.
Unknown to that. So we read the text of what Paul did and usually would go to a synagogue for first to evangelize the people who had a base to understand what he was talking about, then usually when people would get saved.
He was kicked out with them with the first disciples and he would continue evangelizing. On the marketplace.
The people locally and who were pagans. And so that's what he was doing. I'd like to examine a few things that it characterized.
Paul's, action. Now, they his society, the Hebrew society of his day was much different from the Greek society which was very highly secular, like secularized.
By very pluralistic, there were temples all over the place. And basically, they would not be much different from this kind of attitude that we hear.
Oh, it may not be your truth, but it's my truth. If it's true, normally it's true for, something is true is true for ri, right?
Well, that's the way people approach truth these days from an exponential point of view if it works for it's true.
Oh, I invoke the demons and work they will move to out there. Alright, well, if you have no guide, why not?
That's exactly people how approach, truth these days are through their tribes through their colleagues, through what they hear on the internet or TV.
So anyway, That was a cancer society that he was trying to reach out. And as we saw, he was quite distressed because of were all kinds of idols everywhere.
Fidelity to one temple was very limited if it worked at if it didn't work I would try another god or another changing or go from one to the next.
A very pragmatic in their approach to spirituality like today. Small, Gus board, spirituality, right?
And so as we see, you reasoned with the juicy at a very, he knew how to aim for the head, not just the heart.
But he knew that it was a society that fought. I mean that for whom it was important to to address as far as the intelligence was concerned and the reason was concerned.
So that's how you talk to both Jews and Greeks on the marketplace. They day by day.
Those who happen to be there and he was not an indifferent. Person as we see. A group of Epicurian and Stuic philosophers began to dispute with him.
Some of them asked, what is this Pablo trying to say? Or those remarks, he seems to be advocating foreign gods.
So that's interesting to see those 2 different schools of spirituality that were prevalent in Greek society.
And it's amazing to see that those 2 schools of thoughts are still very present here in France or in America.
Like you have first the epicureans. Now, if I was to caricature the picker in, the French see themselves as epicure and they reduce it to good food, good wine, good women, good pleasures and live life to the full in burn your candle, by 2 ends at the same time.
I mean, canon, cano meaning the it's a French expression. Meaning life is like a candle.
Why should you only light it on one side? Light it on both. You know, let's let's have a fireworks.
Let's go fast. Right, right into life. You know, life is short. That's basically how the French see themselves and you even see restaurants selling good wine good cheese, they're called, you know, the epicurian.
That's the name of the restaurant, all the boutique. Anyway, so they were also coming out Stoics as well as Epicureans were part of that school of spirituality that divided the world as being met between the material and this spiritual.
But in their view only the spiritual dimension of the world was not worthy and Good. Anything that had to do with the material world was bad.
Proof of it. We all die. There's disease, ugliness. etc, there is only redemption by our aspiration to become gods and that's what we're distant to so they've flighted their egos.
We are only pure spirit that are in prison of a body. And so it's not very important what you do with your body.
You could go to the brother one day and be to the temple the next. No contradiction. You know, and so the Stoics for themselves, what did they want?
Well, they didn't want to suffer the Epicureans wanted to be to have to experience quietness of heart.
I mean inner peace. Now, I wonder, I always wondered what, what Paul's message was.
To those those audience. Probably first to the appearance I would say. I see that you're seeking by All means to make sense of this life and have live a good life.
I mean a bit like the Americans or the French today, right? You trade, you're trying to live.
What hedonism has to offer. Hedonism, what is it? It's the philosophy of life.
That they would have subscribed to that says basically the ultimate goal of life is to experience pleasure. Right?
Pursue pleasure as an end of itself. That's the maximum thing. And for because you're alive and it's not gonna last so make it fun.
And so Paul would have probably told them, said, well, there's nothing wrong with wanting to be happy and this life.
I mean, who wants to be a masochist and suffer that I think you do and I don't either.
But the problem is you're chasing a goal that you will never reach because happiness is a byproduct of a higher goal and the goal you will never reach because happiness is a byproduct of a higher goal and the goal you're aiming for will prove to be short sighted and deceptive and.
Disavon, forget the, the word in England. You'll be disappointed.
If you think you should reduce life to, one more romantic conquest or having the most beautiful buddy as a pull on, you know, by going to the gym every day.
I understand what you're doing that, but L, happiness. You will not find because you've been created for another kind of happiness.
At another kind of goal. And we know the goal for which the Bible and Paul's in taught that God assigned to us.
We've been created. By God and for the pleasure of God to glorify God. First and then join in forever.
So in a sense probably he said you want to enjoy life. You're a good epicurean, right?
Yeah, well, there's a real pleasure in getting to know God and serving him. You will find fulfillment in your life by doing that and a true joy.
Because happiness is a byproduct of glorifying God and joining in forever. That's the catechism of Westminster that says so and we it's it's a way to summarize some Bible biblical teachings right And so that's probably how you went about.
Because otherwise you'll be disappointed and what would you talk to this what would he say to the Stoics now the Stoics, they didn't want to suffer.
Well, that's one of the characteristics of the Stoics. But I mean, who likes to suffer?
And maybe their question would have been, yeah, if, if there is a God, if God is good, then why is there so much suffering look at all those poor Palestinians who are suffering or the Jews, etc, or disease, my mom died of a cancer.
Therefore, I don't believe in God anymore. I mean, you, we've all heard that, right?
It's true if you don't have the explanation of of the fall, creation and fault at the, what we're experiencing is an anomaly.
This is not normal. The Bible is agreed with you. Yes, it's not normal. You, and it's wrong.
There's something wrong in the whole system. And what is wrong is that we have been disconnected from the god of life.
We've forgotten who we are, what we live for, what are the rules of life, basic rules that we transgress every day because we say we need to in reinvent our reality.
Well guess what? You can't reinvent your reality and you know why? Because it already exists.
And when you try to reinvent really, calling good evil and evil good. You'll hit walls one after the other and get a bloody nose and then you'll You will punch a finger to God.
But in fact, you just were not in line. Between God's intent in living in putting all the rules, the spiritual rules and physical rules that go that govern creation.
Our relationship with him, our relationship with one another, or I mean if if you want to get out of the of a building that is, I don't know, was 10 stories high.
You don't say, okay, my truth is that, it might be your truth that you need to take the elevator, but I think I can get out of the window.
Well, please feel free. Go first. I'll take the elevator. Why?
Because there is a rule and this is called gravity and it's gonna make you fall and when you get down that's gonna hurt.
Reality, which is truth, truth is reality, either you align with it or you suffer from it.
That's all layers to it. And so this thing, there's it might not be your truth, might be my truth, but not your truth.
That's a bunch of baloney. Doesn't work! That's babbling of philosophers that love to evolve in the world of ideas, typically Greek thinking, the French are like that.
We love the world of ideas debating to death. We're even ready to chop half of France's heads that we did during the the Revolution, not being able to be a half friend, but a lot.
Yeah, on series. On utopias who have not even tested. That's typically French and Greek thinking.
We evolved in a world of completely disconnected from reality. That's not the revelation of creation God give us.
The human is not. A pure spirit who is in prison in a body. One day I'll be like a god I'll be flying on the sky on the on the clouds.
You know, you've probably seen that cartoon, you see a guy that was in the far side.
He was on, he's on the cloud sitting after he died and he has the harp in his and he's like looks like Borders and I should have brought a magazine.
Boring. That's the view of eternal life is like an eternal and less prayer or meeting or church meeting, etc.
I don't know why I was talking about that. Yeah. But the French, I mean, we are right there.
I mean, you are, there is this slogan, In France, we don't have oil but ideas.
We love to swim in the world of ideas. We're going to solve all the problem with our ideas.
You know, who cares about reality? That's typically French. Anyway, that's what typically stoics and the stories didn't want to suffer.
But at the same time, they didn't want to because they didn't know them. Observe the rules for which that govern the world.
And as I told you, reality is super intolerant. Always will be because it exists and I think you're in line with it or you're not and you're going to suffer.
So basically, I was wondering what would Paul have told him? What was how did he go about? Maybe he would have told him, wow.
You know, I, you're right, I mean, suffering is a terrible thing. Death is a, war is a terrible thing.
I mean, one child that dies is one child too too many. Or, I mean, that's terrible what's happening in this world.
You're right. Who wants to suffer? But you know what? You don't need to retreat out of reality because that's exactly what they were doing.
They wanted to be stoic. Don't try to be not so moved about reality, which they said was ultimately.
An illusion. Reality and illusion? Yeah, that's your new way you can cope with reality.
It's so hard and tough. Just pretend it's an illusion. Don't listen to the news.
Don't when you see a poor guy begging on the on the corner. It's easy an illusion too, your neighbor too.
By the way, you are an illusion to your neighbor and next to you. Don't be surprised if you ignores you.
It's it's a hard thing to put in place and to to observe but that's what people do.
I mean who was to suffer, right? Well, you would have probably told him, you know, you don't need to.
To pretend your neighbor is an illusion or that suffering is an illusion or that poverty is an illusion or death is an illusion.
To, so, to put up with this life or suffering in this life. You know what? The God who created the world came down, become a man.
And suffered all the sufferings that you suffering now or that you will suffer one day. Don't mistake in yourself, you will.
But just like, remember when we tell the story of Daniel, that Daniel's friends should rack me check in a bed and they go.
In the fiery furnace when they were thrown into it. There's a fourth one that appeared, a fourth being.
It was the angel of the Lord was Christ himself. Came and walked through the furnace that they were going and took them out of it.
And we have the good news to know that Christ is with us. He's come, he suffered, he died, and he rose, he overcame death and suffering and that's our destiny.
But if we suffer in this world, we're no bigger than our master and we will. Christ is with us.
His spirit is alive, is in our hearts and you can walk with us and instead of being insensitive.
Hardened with hard hearts to the reality of our of our. Neighbors of this world. Pretending they're an illusion.
We can truly continue ministering to them. Serve them, love them, go to them. And without losing our humanity.
That's because Christ is with us. And and Suffering is not forever. Death is not forever.
That's the assurance of eternal life that he came for right. So I'm sorry I've gone a bit too long, only have 5 min.
So we'll, we'll, we'll go in MoD TGV. It's bullet train mode.
Paul Central message? Well, they say that this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection in the middle of sharing the gospel.
Never forget, Jesus Christ. The good news, Jesus and the resurrection. Sometimes we say, Jesus Christ, drive the for our sins.
It's a very hard concept to understand that for a non-Christian. But if you do, please explain everything.
Don't forget the resurrection. We often forget to speak about the writer. It's central to our faith. Right?
Well, it was central for, it was central. For, Peter's preaching in acts, but Peter, a difference with Peter that Peter could invoke the the prophecies of Joel.
Because the Hebrews understood it and they were waiting for the kingdom of God on the Messiah.
They didn't know what the kingdom of God was. They didn't know what the Messiah was.
They didn't know what the professor was. They didn't know the Prophet Joel, etc.
So you start where they are. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Aeropagus where they said to him, may we know what this new teaching that you're presenting, you're bringing some strange ideas indeed, especially Can you measure?
A God becomes becoming a man. The end of the passage that we read. You know what happens when you start talking about the resurrection.
People lost interest. We'll listen to you another day because for them it was an insult to their basically the way they saw themselves in this other future, we're going to become gods.
And you were saying that a god Made himself a man came to suffer and die. That doesn't encourage me to my worldview.
Bye-bye. See? But nonetheless, he confronted this reality with Theres that they were living in which was unfortunately misinformed.
Paul was a very good culture observer and communicator that we know. And you knew how to start where people were in their journey toward faith.
And instead of looking for every opportunity to shock them or to disagree with them or to correct their wrong doctrines.
That's how he started. He started by What they had in common? Oh, you know, I think you're very religious people.
I mean, you're spiritual people have seen temples all over the place. I mean, it was an abomination, but You started where they were at least that thing that they wanted to make sure that it all covered that they were in good standing with all the gods and even the one that they didn't know.
That's why they had an altar and I will start. And while that's good thing, I'm going to talk to you about about him because you don't know him.
That's why I've come. So you start, let's seek for common ground when we start talking, right?
And so if you look, if you look. At what he did in his preaching. He will go through the grand story.
Creation. Call, redemption. Restoration you will find those 4 elements either explicitly or implicitly in this text.
The God who made the world and everything in it the Lord of heaven and earth and etc, doesn't live in temple, he gives mental life, he made every nation of men.
Etc. He starts with by telling them the grand story. Let's not go too fast. When we explain the gospel and by otherwise we will answer.
Questions and ask asking. The question of your neighbor is not, are we saved by faith alone and by Greece alone?
Using that's his question? They don't understand those words anymore. So let's start by the beginning.
Right? So you will talk, talk, talk to them about their identity and worth. We are his offspring questions of identity.
I mean, that's super. Relevant these days. I mean if you don't know who you are, no wonder you're in doubt and you suffer terribly and you think that your identity is based on your self-proclamation every day to the world that from this day on you're going to call me this and consider me that and if you don't I'll sue you.
Well that's a very poor base to base your identity on a feeling of fleeting feelings.
That can be very changeable. And the day you meet God, you just find reconciliation. I mean, we're all fallen, some in one way, someone another.
And what is wonderful is that when we accept God's purpose for us Give me a, man, but therefore I the man.
Accepted. If you're a messed up man, don't worry. We're all messed up.
If you're a messwoman, we're all messed up women. Okay, just accept what God has made you to be.
Because it's the calling on you whether you're trouble in your identity or sexual identity whatever it is is the same for everybody, is to be holy.
Whether you're, you would be considered in the, in the lingo as a heterosexual or gale, lesbian, etc.
These words, by the way, are not biblical words. Reject them. If you start using them, you cooked.
You are cooked. 2 only 2 biological sex, men, women. Okay, I know that's a very controversial idea these days.
But it's a rally that does it. We accept it or we don't. But as I said, we cannot reinvent reality.
And we need to be loving and when we're explaining those things and respectful. But when, I explained that to some people who are very dear to my heart.
I explained to them, he said, the call on your life doesn't mind. Is to be holy, just accept it and live with it.
By the grace of God, this person today. Which is not the solution to his problem, is married has children, etc.
And that is living and has a wife. Oh, husband who knows the problem and is very supportive and helps them just because except who they were.
I'm gonna stop here because I don't have the time. But remember, you have all those in there.
So God bless you. Thanks for your prayers and support and We are very happy to be back with you today.
Maybe the Lord encourage you in the way you try to minister around you. The submission is the same across the street or across the world as we say, right?
So. So not the French is not so different. There we go. Let's pray.
Heavenly Father, yes, it's true that your message is relevant yesterday, but it is again today.
Message of reconciliation with who we are and who you are.
Don't think us the keys to live a meaningful life. Was I believing all the lies that are being proposed to us when we're in darkness?
Thank you so much for Paul's who came to Athens. Thank you for sending us as your representative in a in a culture that has forgotten you, that doesn't know who you are, help us to be good represented loving.
Representatives and that will. Treat their neighbors not as an illusion. But the human being created. Beautiful image of God.
Worthy of love and respect. Which there's so much lack of in this world. Pup is to make you credible Lord in this world in Jesus name.
Amen.
Good bless you.