In our local men’s group we are studying the Book of Romans. It’s a wildly interesting book, the discussion at the men’s group, can be just as wild and interesting.
I wanted to take a few minutes to inspect this single verse.
“For what can be known”....what is the “what” in the beginning of this verse. It’s the truth just talked about in verse 18, being suppressed by the unrighteousness of the ungodly. This truth: (Hebrews 11:6):
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists...”
That’s not to say he is or was a Christian. I don’t think he hailed the God of the Bible or his heritage at all. But what Einstein’s statement does say, in essence is, that it agrees with the scripture in this regard; that it is plain to see there is something of a supernatural entity he named it the “illimitable superior spirit.” It is then plain to him, that even in our feeble attempts to understand such a god or God (big or little G), that it is worth his admiration however humble it might be.
So when the topic is framed this way, we can see that it is not a lack of information, but rather a lack of interest in the things of God. His laws, his notions on morality. Oh sure, people are interested in God. It’s the silent longing of our conscience, of our existence to know about Him, about his existence. We treat it almost like passing by a car wreck, you want see the wreck, but you don’t want to see too much. Because what we might see might be scary. Too scary in fact, so, we don’t want to investigate too much into scripture. Don’t spend too much time talking about it with co-workers, or that guy or that girl. You know the one. They are always asking to pray and won’t stop talking about Jesus. You might see something that’s convicting, and none of us wants to feel convicted.
It’s not really the question though. It’s not really about whether or not you look or seek out God is it? It’s about what we do with the information about God. The information of God has been out there for a very long time. Before Moses wrote any scripture, before there was a bible, people like Abraham were called, visited, and spoken to by God. Think about it. We think of things in today’s terms only. Like Christianity, Jewish, Muslim, whatever. Before all that, before there was one Jew, Abraham was just a man in the world. Just like everyone else. Yet he was called out by God for a reason. To fulfill God’s plan, that’s a different topic. People like Abraham, all over the world, had ideas and concepts of God. Even Abraham himself had ideas about God I’m sure. It is because of the longing in the human heart to know God. So is it really any surprise that many different civilizations throughout time, have sought to know God. I’ve often heard the claim from people trying to disprove my faith that Christianity wasn’t the first religion. That many religions have similar stories. That’s true. But the fact that different civilizations attest to the notion of a God does not disprove the Bible. More accurately, I say it proves what the the scripture says, it tells us what we read earlier. “For what can be known about God, is plain to them.”
It's plain to us, because God made it that way, "because God has shown it to them.” (Rom 1:19) How's that for clarity. Is that clear enough for you? Can you hear me now?? This is so, because God is Just. What do I mean by that? I mean, scripture tell us that “God has shown it to them,” because He is a just God and will not condemn anyone who is totally without knowledge of him. He won't make a way and then not give you the grace to take you to it or to navigate it. This is why it has been shown to us, so we are without excuse.
This is why I titled this: the Gift of God’s Revelation. It is a gift of God because even when our hearts are just happy to hide from God, he is happy to reveal himself to us. Even with the evil in our hearts that drives us away from him; he seeks us. How can I say that? Because we'd rather not answer to him. We'd rather just go about our lives unaided. It’s not until we are driven to, and broken to our knees in utter pain, that we cry out to him. Maybe out of sheer agony, pain, anger, or just plain disillusionment. Yet, think about it, it is while He knows this, He knows we suppress the truth (remember verse 18, the one just before our study verse), he knows we don’t seek him out, and yet: “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God,” (Romans 5:10, ESV) He still sent his Son. Would you do that? The rest of verse 10 is this: “by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10, ESV)
Would you do that? Would you or I send our son....our only son....(my mind just went right to my grandson) he’s only about a year old and my daughters only baby. She just posted the picture the other day. He’s her life. The absolute love and joy in her heart and life. It makes me so happy to see her write that about him. I know she feels what I feel. Could I think for even one second that my daughter would send him to die for people with gratitude like ours. No way. Not for a moment would any of us think about killing our son for one single human being on this planet. But His ways are not our ways, are they? Oh and I thank God that He is not like us.
Doesn’t really sound like something we deserve does it?
We don’t deserve it. We deserve Hell? In our sins, we deserve Hell. Unless you repent to God, Jesus said, “you will die in your sins.”
Wait just a minute, stop right there Geoff. How can you say that I deserve to go to Hell? How dare you?!!!
How dare I? That’s a good question, that’s a great question. Now, God asks you....How dare you? I made you from the dirt, I made you from nothing. I breathed into your lungs, I gave you life. I sustain you everyday. Everything you have I gave you. The home the car, your children. Your clothes, your money. Your cell phone. Then even when you rebelled against me, and sought out your own ways, I sent my son to you that you might have life eternally, be reconciled with me. How did you repay me? You killed him....then I raised him from the dead so you might believe that he has the power to save you, and still you rebel and say my ways are foolish. And you say how dare I? How dare you? Who is this that darkens my council?!!! Where were you oh man when I made the earth? When I measured? Tell me?!
Think I’m making this up.
Read Job 38 sometime. Look, He has rightfully decreed, the wages of sin is death. That is why it’s called grace. He gracefully, or maybe said another way, mercifully gives us what we do not deserve and gave to Christ (his Son) on the cross what we do deserve. Namely our punishment. His righteousness imputed to us.
That’s my friends is the gospel. Let’s not get all mixed up because of the word gospel. It’s not a religious term. It was just a phrase used to announce good news. Like, “the new emperor is born!” That kind of Greek or Roman News, so this is the good news of God.
This is why we call the gift of God, it is a gift that He revealed to us the Gift of Knowledge, the knowledge of His Son. We must turn to him and confess our sinfulness to him. Do that and you can be saved. It’s not just a moment. It’s not a magical prayer and special words uttered. No formula. No card to sign. No special aisle that, at a certain point in the sermon you walk down. It’s a heart issue. God wants you to reunite with him. Not just say words. If you feel the call in your heart, you know it. Gods general call, like a tug on your heart, as you’ve maybe read these words. Or even perhaps sometime maybe recently. And here you are reading this. Follow that longing that has been with man through the ages. You want to know where that longing comes from. I’ll solve the mystery right here. Right now. It’s from the moment we left the Garden. The moment of disappointment with God long past. Like when we disappointed our parents. You remember that don’t you. That sad pit in your stomach. We walked out of the garden much the same way, saddened by the loss of relationship. We no longer could walk with God in the garden. And as time rolled on for each passing generation the sting of the memory of that sad walk vanished. But the longing never went away. If you feel that ancient pull in your heart. Do not, turn away. Do not die with that in your heart. Meet him. Beg him. As the tax collector. With tears in our eyes, Lord please forgive me I’m a sinful man.....
Time will tell if your heart is in the right place.
Lord, it is my prayer, our prayer, the same prayer that all the saints have had down through the centuries, this message that we preach so that everyone should come to repentance and a right relationship with you God. We pray that eyes are opened. Hearts are illuminated, tears will be wept away. Hurt will be comforted. Understanding of who you are and how deep your Love is for us. For the purpose that lost hearts will be reunited with their Creator, and their lives will be forever changed in that union with you Lord. There is such joy for the believer in when we learn of how sinful we are, and when we have a right view of you a supreme and powerful God, that you have made a way and constantly seek out those to reunite with us with you oh Lord. That you chose to love us so much that you sent your son. You son Jesus came that we might have life. He was obedient to you Lord. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord Jesus. Collect all who will come to you. It’s in your name we pray.
Amen.
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