Acts 17:18-21 Then certain Epicurean and Stoic - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Acts 17:18-21

Then certain Epicurean and Stoic

philosophers

encountered him. And some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods," because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

19

 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "

May we know what this new doctrine

is

of which you speak

?

20

 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean."

21

For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing

. Slide2

Acts 20:28-31

Therefore

take heed to yourselves and to all the flock

, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

29

 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

30

 Also

from among yourselves men will rise up

, speaking perverse things,

to draw away the disciples after themselves

.

31

Therefore watch

, and

remember

that for three years

I did not cease to warn everyone

night and day with tears. Slide3

“Radical Restoration

”

Part 1Slide4

What is “Radical Restoration”?

It is an

attempt to

“radically”

reshape the nature of local churches and their worship.

It is d

efinitely

“radical”…

But SORELY

lacking on the “restoration”

end!Slide5

What is “Radical Restoration”?

There are varying methods depending on the location, but common viewpoints and attitudes are present throughout.

It is a very “subjective” movement.

(Influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions)Slide6

A Very “Subjective” Movement

P

age 22) “Not

Rules, but righteousness” and “Not Ritual, but spiritual” are put in quotation marks as the words of

Jesus.

P

age 73)

Smith makes the

claim,

“Ironically, it is we who continue to worry more about whether we are doctrinally restored than about whether we are spiritually restored!”

.Slide7

A Very “Subjective” Movement

On

pages 121 &

122 Smith says, “I find it fascinating that Scripture suggests almost exact parallels between the miraculous gifts and those which are non-miraculous

.”

“

Overflowing

joy, peace, and hope? What is that, if not ecstasy

!”… “What

is music of the heart, if not ecstasy

!”

Romans

8:26; 15:13, & Ephesians 5:19

are all cited in reference to “ecstasy” similar to that of miraculous tongues.Slide8

“Ecstasy”

“

a state of being beyond reason”

“an overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement.”

“an emotional or religious frenzy or trancelike state, originally one involving an experience of mystic self-transcendence.”Slide9

The one proposing “Radical Reform” is

very speculative

in his reasoning of Scripture.

“Apparently, their love feasts were a mirror image of our own Thanksgiving celebrations…”

“

From what we can tell”…

“

Apparently…

Under the heading, “Meeting From House to House”

“

their apparent practice”…

“

presumably”…

“

I wonder”...

“

this might have taken place

”...

“But

it is also possible”...

“

If that were the case”...

“

Paul might have been

”…

“equally

possible

”…

All of this speculation from only

one

page

of the book (

p.

146)! Slide10

We must have an unbiased approach to reasoning the Scriptures…

In those days

there was

no king in Israel

; everyone did

what was

right in his own eyes.

(Judges 17:6)

 In those days

there was

no king in Israel;

everyone did

what was

right in his own eyes

.

(Judges 21:25)

There is a way

that seems

right to a ma

n, But its end

is

the way of death.

(

Prov

14:12)

 There is a way

that seems

right to a man,

But its end

is

the way of death

.

(

Prov

16:25)

O

Lord

, I know the way of man

is

not in himself;

It is

not in man who walks to direct his own steps.

(

Jer

10:23)Slide11

Major Traits of “Radical Restoration”

E

mphasis on emotions and feelings of the members.

Emphasis on edification.

The

Lord’s Supper.

Name changing.

Vibrant small group “fellowships”.

Informal, spontaneous, “mutual ministry” in worship.Slide12

The Ultimate Standard

“

All

Scripture

is

given by inspiration of God

, and

is

profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

17

that the man of God may be complete

, thoroughly equipped for

every

good work

.” (2

Tim

3:16-17)

Jeremiah 10:23; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 10:1-4

“and

when He had given thanks, He broke

it

and said,

"Take, eat;

this is My body which is broken

for you;

do this

in remembrance of Me."

(1

Cor

11:24)Slide13

The Ultimate

Standard for Worship

“And

do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but

be filled with the Spirit,

19

 speaking to one another

in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the

Lord” (

Eph

5:18-19)

“

Let

the word of Christ dwell in you

richly

in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another

in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord

.” (Col 3:16)

“But

the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will

worship the Father in spirit and truth

; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him

.”

(John 4:23)Slide14

The Standard for Edification

“Even

so you, since you are zealous for spiritual

gifts,

let it be

for the edification of the church

that

you seek to excel

.” (1

Cor

14:12)

“How

is it then, brethren?

Whenever you come together

, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation.

Let all things be done for edification

.” (1

Cor

14:26)

Corinthians were downplaying

the importance of some

(gifts

& individuals

)

and

played

up the importance of others.

(

1Cor

. 12:12-26, 29-13:3)

One

of the

major

points of

chapter 14

was to make

sure

they

used their

gifts

for

the good of

others,

&

not

for self-glorification

. Slide15

How do we stir up and exhort one another?

“And

let us consider one another in order to

stir up love and good works

,

25

 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as

is

the manner of some, but exhorting

one another,

and so much the more as you see the Day approaching

.” (

Heb

10:24-25)

It may involve some direct words of exhortation, but does it not include drawing near to God?

(Hebrews 10:19-25)Slide16

Worship of God is said to benefit others

“Let

the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,

teaching and admonishing

one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing

with grace in your hearts

to the Lord

.” (Col 3:16)

“

speaking

to one another

in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and

making melody in your heart to the

Lord

” (

Eph

5:19)Slide17

“Radical Restoration”

God has revealed Himself by means of a

distinct and solid

standard.

That which

we feel

to be our need for edification can never replace the worship God has commanded.

That worship will edify

us! Slide18

“

Repentance and remission

of sins should be preached”

Then He said to them,

"Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise

from the dead the third day,

47

and that

repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name

to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

(Luke 24:46-47)

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that

God has made this Jesus

, whom you crucified,

both Lord and Christ

."

37

 Now when they heard

this,

they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men

and

brethren,

what shall we do

?"

38

 Then Peter said to them, "

Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins

; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

(Acts 2:36-38)