06-09-2019 – Keith Cozort – There Is A God-Part 1 (AM Sermon)

We certainly appreciate your visit your attendance this morning. We have some that are visiting with us, and we want you to know that we’re honored by your presence. Hope that you’ll come back at every opportunity that you have. It’s good to have Dan and Kim home for a few days. Anyway, wish it could be longer of course, but we are glad that they were able to come home to visit for a little while.

Good to have uncle Keith with us this morning from Mississippi. Appreciate him being here as well. One to let you know that the Christian evidences seminar that Curry street had Friday evening and yesterday was very good. Had good attendance there. Some of you were able to be there for at least part of it and or the Jeff Miller did a great job in presenting the material that he intended to present.

And we enjoyed being able to be there, to sit in and to glean and to learn more as it relates toward those particular subjects this morning. I want us to think concerning the fact that there is a God. Yeah. Now some may think, well, why are we even having to worry about this particular subject? We all believe that there is a God.

Well, I hope that’s true, but it’s not always true. And there are many in the world today, of course, who do not believe that there is a God Genesis chapter one verse one, the very first verse of the old Testament in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And here the scriptures begin with the very statement concerning the fact that there is a God without seeking to try to prove that there is a God.

And yet, so many times today we have to do that. We have to prove to people that there is a God or at least attempt to do that. And so I want you to take just a moment anyway, and to ask yourself a question, why do you believe in God? Why do I believe in God? What kind of answers are we able to come up with?

Because certainly if we do believe in God, we ought to be able to explain that to others. That’s what God expects of us to do as to why we do believe that there is a God. You know that in fact, there are many people in the world who do not want to believe there is a God and they want too many of them.

These do not want to believe that there is a God, because they want to be free from restrictions. They want to be free from commandments that are contained in scripture. And thereby, if you don’t believe there is a God, then you’re not responsible for abiding by certain laws and statutes and commandments. Those who are humanist are those who reject the certainty of God and the,

and religion as a whole, there are those that are called religious humanists, but there, there is no real difference between the two. They are ones who do not believe in God. They are though. They don’t always admit it, but they are atheist. They do not believe that there is such a thing as God. And it is the case that the humanist have come out with their,

what they called their manifesto. In 1933, we have the humanist manifesto. Number one that came out 40 years later in 1973, we CA they came out with the humanist manifesto, number two, and then in 2003, 30 years, after that, they came out with the humanist manifesto, number three. And in each of these, they are promoting essentially the same ideas,

but enlarging their spectrum. As it relates to the idea that there is no God in the preface of their manifesto. Number two, they wrote the following as in 1933, humanist still believe that traditional theism, the belief in God, especially faith in the prayer, hearing God assuming to live and care for persons to hear and to understand their prayers and to be able to do something about them is an unproved and outmoded faith.

All right, now they admit that going all the way back to 1933, the year my father was born all the way back to 1933, there were those who held to this particular idea and they were promoting this particular idea. In fact, one of those who was the one of the signers to humanist manifesto, number one in 1933 was a man by the name of John Dewey.

John Dewey, of course is recognized as being the father father of modern day education. And yet he was a humanist. He did not believe in God. He even served on the board of one of the first humanist organizations and yet promoted the idea that God should not be taught. And of course we know that that’s been carried forth ever since then in the preface of the humanist manifesto,

number two, they say reasonable minds look to other means for survival. They’ve been talking about the idea of God. And so reasonable minds look to other means for survival. Then a belief in God, which therefore the implication of course is if you believe in God, then you are, are unreasonable. And of course they promote that idea as well. Manifesto number one had 15 tenants or 15 main points that they included in it.

Humanist manifesto, number two had 17. And yet in humanist manifesto, number two, first tenant of that second manifesto said, no deity will save us. We must save ourselves therefore, or there is no reliance upon a greater being than man himself. They also went on to say in the very first tenant as non theist, non-believers in God, we begin with humans,

not God nature, not deity. And so it is that as far as with the humanists are concerned and they will rightfully admit science becomes their God. Science is where they place their greatest confidence rather than this mystic idea, as they would promote it any way of there being some Supreme deity out there that is watching over us and cares about us it to any extent.

And so there are those out there who promote the idea that God does not exist. And when you remember concerning the fact that they’ve been doing this even before 1933, certainly, but it has been a constant progression of things that have taken place to promote this particular idea. Then you can see that they’ve been very effective, very effective in their dealings with these things because they have made it to where you’re not allowed to mention God in school.

You’re not allowed to bring the Bible to school and teach concerning the Bible in so many different ways. Anyway, and yet, as you see that God is diminished in not only school, but our society that is a result of that. Immorality has increased. Immorality has increased, and we are witnessing the moral decay that is taking place in our country, but not just in our country,

even around the world because of the advancement of the promotion of the idea that there is no God, why has this become popular? Why is it that the humanist and the belief that there is no God has advanced as far as it has? Well, there’s probably two explanations at least that we could give anyway. And one of course is that if you don’t believe there’s a God,

then you don’t believe there’s a devil. And therefore you don’t believe the devil or Satan is working. So as to defeat those who do believe in God, but also that it is advancing because we as members of the body of Christ, we as Christians have failed to prepare ourselves, generally speaking, to defend our belief in God, to those who are non-believers.

And as a result of that, they look upon us as being those who really have nothing to stand on. That’s one of the reasons that the Christian evidences seminar like Curry street had Friday and Saturday helps to instill in us explanations that we can give evidences, that we can give that. In fact, God does exist. Somebody comes along and says, well,

I believe in God, because the Bible teaches it. Well, that’s good. I believe in God, because the Bible teaches it. But to most people in the world today, that’s just simply not enough. The Bible can say anything as far as they’re concerned. That doesn’t mean it’s true. And when you listen to various ones teaching concerning the Bible,

you hear them say just about anything. And yet it doesn’t mean it’s true, even as far as what the Bible teaches. And so it is such that we need to be those who prepare ourselves in order to be able to answer people. Why do you believe there is a God? Why is it that you believe in this superstition? As many of them classify it anyway,

that’s been around for a long, long time, but it’s all it is. It’s just superstition. It’s just a bunch of stories. Why do you believe those things are true? The fact of the matter is there is evidence whereby we can know that God does exist and that the word of God is in fact, his book that he has given to mankind.

And so let’s, let’s start with that. I believe in God, because number one, the word that he has given the word that he has given to us, the Bible, and you can look at various things that the scriptures teach. For example, turn to Hebrews chapter one, there are some 3,800 references or instances in just the old Testament where we read God said,

or the Lord said, or by revelation, he, God made known 3,800 times in the old Testament alone. Those phrases are used in the new Testament. There are certainly many, many times when those phrases are used. The new Testament is smaller than the old Testament, as far as size is concerned. And yet in Hebrews chapter one verses one and two,

the Hebrew, his writers said, God, who at sundry times, and in diverse manners, spake in times past, under the fathers, by the prophets have in these last days, spoken unto us by his son whom he has appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the world. And so it is that the Hebrews writer begins in writing to these Jewish Christians.

We know from the study of the book of Hebrews, that these are Jewish Christians, many of whom are considering going back under Judaism, considering turning their back upon Christianity and going back under that, which they were familiar with that being Judaism and the Hebrews writer is going to seek to show them through various proofs and evidences that in fact, Christianity far surpasses Judaism and everything about Christianity is better and greater than that of Judaism,

even though Judaism did exactly what God intended for it to do, the law of Moses was to bring them to Christ. And that’s what it did. And yet it was such that the law in and of itself, though, it did everything God intended for it to do was not that which would bring about salvation. And so it is that the law of Christ is that that is written to those who are the saved.

Those who have now received the benefits of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ of him giving him, giving himself upon the cross so that we can have the hope of eternal life. Those benefits of course, would flow backwards to those under the law of Moses, but also those under the patriarchal law in old Testament times. But from the time of the crucifixion of Christ onward,

it is the new Testament that governs mankind. No one as we’ve stated before, no one living today or since the time of the crucifixion of Christ has lived under the old Testament law, no one today lives under the old Testament law, not even the Jews, they don’t follow the old Testament. They don’t believe what the old Testament teaches. And in fact,

many of those who are Jews by way of nationality and religion do not even believe the Bible. In fact, they’re very many of them are those who do not believe there is a God, because they don’t believe that what was stated in the old Testament ever took place or was fulfilled the way that it was promised. So the word that God has given is that which can help us to know,

and to believe that in fact, there is a God turn with me. If you will, to John chapter 20, the Hebrews writer had made mention concerning the fact that the words of Jesus are those that govern us now in John chapter 20 verses 30 and 31, the apostle John says, and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples,

which are not written in this book. But these are written that she might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name. John says toward the close of the first century, when he writes the gospel of John concerning Christ, that Jesus did many other things that he didn’t record. He didn’t record in the book of John,

but he says that these are written that you might believe. John is saying that if you are willing to examine what he records as an eye witness, if you are willing to examine what is recorded in the book of John, then you can also be one who believes that Jesus is the Christ. The son of God. It is possible, even though we did not witness it for ourselves,

that we can through the study of the scriptures, know beyond a shadow of a doubt that in fact, Jesus is who he claimed to be. But of course, that’s going to take effort on our parts in order to do it. The Bible of course consists of 66 books. We often think of it as being one book and, and really it is,

but it’s a library of 66 books written by about 40 different men and written in three different languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. It was such that it was recorded over a period of somewhere between 15 to 1600 years. And yet though, the majority of the writers of the Bible did not know one another did not in contact with one another. Yet,

there are no mistakes in scripture. Now we have many of those who don’t believe the Bible who proclaim that there are thousands and thousands of errors. The scriptures fact of the matter is they’re wrong. There are no errors in scripture. There are no mistakes in scripture. And before we need to be those who are able to show demonstrate to them, such things,

certainly one of the big evidences concerning the inspiration of scripture is concerning prophecy and fulfillment, prophecy, and fulfillment. When you turn to the book of Jeremiah chapter 25, five, Jeremiah chapter 25 there in verses 11 through 13, notice what the prophet Jeremiah writes. Now, Jeremiah lives begins to prophesize to the Southern kingdom of Judah. Little more than 20 years before they’re taken into Babylonian captivity by Nebuchadnezzar.

And he will prophesize for many years after they are go into captivity. He is one of those that was never taken by the Babylonians, but in Jeremiah chapter 25, beginning in verse 11, Jeremiah says, and he speaking concerning, what’s going to happen to Israel when you back up and look at the context as a result of Nebuchadnezzar, but he says,

and this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment. And these nations shall serve the king of Babylon 70 years. It shall come to pass. When 70 years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon. And that nation say, if the Lord for their iniquity and the land of the Cal deans, and we’ll make it perpetual desolations.

And I will bring upon that land, all my words, which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah have prophesied against all nations. And so here, Jeremiah records the words of the Lord here. And he speaks concerning the fact that the land of Judah, the Southern kingdom is going to be that which is going to become a land of desolation.

It is going to be a land of astonishment. It’s going to be an astonishment because here are the people of God. And yet God is going to allow them to be taken captives. And this land that they have, as well as the temple in Jerusalem is going to be destroyed. And yet God says that he’s going to allow the, the Jews to be servants of king Nebuchadnezzar for 70 years.

It is only here in the book of Jeremiah, where we read concerning God’s specifying as to how long the Jews were going to be in captivity, that it was going to be for 70 years. And when you look at the history of the Jewish people, as Daniel is going to bring out in the book of Daniel and other places, that in fact,

that’s exactly what takes place 70 years from the time that the first carrying away takes place in six oh six BC of which Daniel and his three friends had an I and Michelle and Azariah were taken captive as well, along with thousands of others. Beginning then until the time when the Persians conquered the Babylonians and Cyrus, the king of Persia will allow the Jews to go back to rebuild Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem is 70 years,

five 36 BC is when the Jews are allowed by Cyrus to go back to rebuild the city and to rebuild the temple. And yet Jeremiah peaks before the events transpire that in fact, the Jews are going to be in captivity to the Babylon for 70 years. When you back up a few pages to the book of Isaiah chapter 44, Isaiah who lives 200 to 250 years before the time of the return from captivity in Isaiah chapter 44,

beginning with verse 24 and going through the end of the chapter verse 28, Isaiah says, thus, sayeth the Lord, by the way, hear those phrases does thus, if the Lord, God is the one who’s given this die Redeemer. And he, that performed earth, he that formed the, from the womb. I am the Lord that make us all things that stretch it forth.

The heavens alone, that spread with abroad the earth by myself, that frustrated the tokens of the liars and make it diviners mad and turn with wise men backward and make it their knowledge foolish that continue that confirm with the word of his servant and perform at the counsel of his messengers. That say if to Jerusalem, thou shalt be inhabited and to the cities of Judah,

ye shall be built. And I will raise up the decade places, thereof that say if to the deep be dry and I will dry up the rivers that say, if the Cyrus he is my shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, thou shall be built and to the temple thy foundation shall be laid. Here’s the prophet. Isaiah speaking the words,

the Lord 200, almost 250 years before Cyrus has ever even board speed’s concerning the fact that God is going to have Cyrus calls him by name the king of Persia, to be the one who is going to allow the children of Israel or those of Judah to return back to Jerusalem, as well as to instruct them to build their temple. Once more there in the city of Jerusalem.

Well, Isaiah prophesied this long before it ever happened. And when you turn over to the book of Ezra,<inaudible> After the book of second Chronicles, turn over to the book of Ezra they’re in chapter one, the book of Ezra begins where second Chronicles ends in giving the history of the Jews, Jewish people, and as read chapter one. And in verse one says now in the first year of Cyrus,

king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah by might be fulfilled. The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing same thus say a Cyrus king of Persia. The Lord, God of heaven have given me all the kingdoms of the earth.

And he has charged me to build him and house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah<inaudible> As Laura says, this was the proclamation that Cyrus, the king of Persia made. And by the way, if you were to back up to the closing verses of second Chronicles, chapter 36, there as we’re here is fading the exact same thing. That’s at the end of second Chronicles.

And that’s why we generally believe that Ezra is the writer of first and second Chronicles, as well as the book of Ezra. But he speaks exactly the same thing that in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished. The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia,

that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom. And put it also in writing saying that’s verse 22 of second Chronicles, chapter 36, but that’s the same thing that stated in Ezra chapter one. And so it is that Jeremiah made the prophecy that those of Judah were going to be taken by Nebuchadnezzar, into Babylonian captivity. They were going to be in captivity for 70 years.

Isaiah tells us that Cyrus who will be the king of Persia is going to be the one who’s going to release them to go back and to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, as well as to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Second Chronicles and Ezra says, that’s exactly what took place. And so prophecy and fulfillment helped to show us the fact that this book could not just simply be written by mere human being than it originated in the mind of man,

without there being a God, that if you truly understand concerning the people in the places, places, and the chronology of things, there just simply is no way that these things could have taken place. Let me give you another example, turn with me. If you will, to the book of Ezekiel Zeke you’ll of course was also taken captive in the carrying away of those of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar and in his EQL chapter 26,

his EQL is going to speak concerning things that are going to happen as well. When you think concerning this particular time period, those of you who were here for the Tuesday morning class, studying the book of Daniel and, and other things such as that, we, we noted concerning the fact that when the Babylonians took away the Jews as captives, you have Daniel who’s taken in the first carrying away.

He and his three friends. You have a Zeke Yule who is taken in the second carrying away in five 97 BC. And then you have in five 86, BC, the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, as well as the destruction of the temple and the caring way of everybody, except the, the poorest and those who were considered to be of no real value of which Jeremiah has left behind there to remain in Judah.

Eventually he’s going to be taken down against his will into Egypt To Be there and to prophesize for a while as well. But his ego was taken in that second carrying away in five 97 BC. But as EQL says in chapter 26, beginning in verse one, and it came to pass in the 11th year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me saying now the 11th years,

the 11th year of him being in captivity under Nebuchadnezzar son of man, because that Tyrus has said, has said against Jerusalem, aha. She is broken. That was the gates of the people. She is stir. She has turned unto me. I shall replenish. Now she is laid waste. Therefore thus sayeth the Lord, God behold, I am against the old Tyrus and will cause many nations to come up against the,

as the sea caused with his waves to come up and they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus and break down her tires towers rather. And I also, or I will also scrape her dust from her and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea four. I have spoken at sayeth the Lord God,

and it shall become a spoil to the nations and her daughters, which are in the field shall be slain by the sword. And they shall know that I am the Lord for thus sayeth the Lord, God behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, a king of Kings from the north, with horses and with chariots and with horseman and companies and much people.

He shall slay with a sword, thy daughters in the field. He shall make a Ford against thee and cast a Mount against thee and lift up the buckler against the, and he shall set engines of war against thy walls. And with his axes, he shall break down the towers. By reason of the abundance of his horses, there does shall cover.

The thy walls shall make at thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen and of the wheels and of the chariots. When he shall enter into the high gate, as men enter into a city where in his made a breach with the hooves of his horses, shall he tread down all the streets? He shall slay the people with the sword and die strong Garrison shall go down to the ground and they shall make a spoil of thee of thy riches and make a pray of thy merchandise.

And they shall break down thy walls and destroy the high pleasant houses. And they shall lay thy stones. And I timber and I dust in the midst of the water. And I will cause the noise of die songs to cease. And the sound of thy heart shall be no more heard. And I will make the light. The top of a rock thou shall be a place to spread knits upon thou shall be built no more for I,

the Lord has spoken it, say, if the Lord, God here is equal prophesies concerning what is going to happen to as it’s translated here, Tyrus, this is the city of tire, which is a few miles south of the city of Sidon. And so it is that Zeke Yule makes this prophecy and he prophesies that verse three, that many nations are going to come up against tire.

And the sea cause death is ways to come up and they shall destroy the walls of tire and they will scrape her dust from her and make her like the top of a rock. It’s interesting. When you go through and you read history concerning tire, you find out that never can answer in five 85 BC for 13 years is going to encamp against the city of tire.

The city of tire was a very interesting place. The people were very interesting. It’s located on the Mediterranean sea, but it was such that even though many nations attempted to come up against it yet many times at they were not able to defeat those of tire. The reason was because a half mile off shore was an island and it was also part of the city of tire.

But it was such that when an enemy came against the city itself on the mainland, the people would go to the island and therefore they were protected. Most of these nations did not have ships at this particular time. Never could as, or didn’t have a Navy. And therefore for 13 years, he’s going to encamp against the city of tire. And yet he’s not going to be able to defeat it because the majority of the people end up leaving and going to the island.

He’s going to destroy the city as his equal prophesies here, but he isn’t able to defeat it. Well, later on in three 92, BC Egypt is going to come against the city of tire and assaulted. And they too are not going to be victorious against the city of tire. Because again, the people fled from the city and went to the island.

And even though Egypt was one who was known for having ships, they didn’t have them at this time, evidently and therefore they were not able to deceit to defeat those of tire in three 33 BC Alexander, the great goes against the city of tire. And again, the people flee from the city on the mainland and go to the island. Well, Alexander came up with this fancy idea that what we’ll do is we’ll build the bridge.

And so what they did is they destroyed all the houses and they took everything that they could move from. The main land here, where the city of tire was located and they built this Causeway that went all the way out to the island, a half a mile. And they say, they tell us that it was, if I remember correctly, about 300 feet wide.

So as to be able to get large numbers of forces out there. And so as a result of that, Alexander, the great was able to defeat the city of tire and to defeat the people of tire. And he slaughtered mass hundreds of thousands of them because of all the work and the labor that they had to put forth in order to get to them.

It’s interesting how that Nebuchadnezzar spent 13 years going against the city of tire and was not able to defeat it. Alexander the great spent seven months building the Causeway out there and thereby was able to defeat the people. But also as a result of that, just as he ZQ spoke about the timbers and, and everything that was of the mainland were taken out and they were thrown into the sea to build this bridge that went out to the island.

And it was such that this area was known as having no value at all from that point on, because everything that was of any value at all was now in the seed to make the bridge. And it was good for nothing other than fishermen to lay their nets out to dry, which is exactly what is EQL says was going to happen right here. When you drop down to verses 19 through 21 for thus sayeth the Lord God,

when I shall make the, a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I shall bring up the deep upon the, the and great water shall cover thee. When I shall bring thee down with them, that descend into the pit with the people of old time and shell set the in the low parts of the earth in places desolate of old with them that go down to the pit that thou be not inhabited.

And I shall set glory in the land of the living. I will make the, a terror and thou shall be no more though. Thou be sought for yet. Shout thou never be found again, say if the Lord God utter destruction utter desolation is AQL says, is going to take place with the city of tire remembered. His EQL is living five 97 BC when he’s taken captive and therefore will live for a period of time after that,

this is not going to happen in three until three 33 BC 200 years later, if not even a little bit more before the fulfillment comes, but it is because of things such as this and the great detail that is given to us, that we can know that in fact, God does exist. These things could not have been speculated, could not have been prophesied to be fulfilled in such an exact way as they are fulfilled.

According to scripture, if it were not for the fact that the writers were those who were inspired of God to speak and to teach those things, which God wanted them to speak and to teach. And so it is yes, can believe that there is a God. Now there are other reasons and Lord willing in a couple of weeks, we’ll come back and look at this some more to look at other reasons,

but certainly we don’t have to have any more than just this one to show that, in fact, the Bible is the word of God and therefore God does exist. We can know beyond a shadow of a doubt. We have proof that God does exist. Therefore we can have great confidence. Now what the Bible teaches is in fact true. And when the Bible tells us that one bust here,

the word in order to believe it, John six verse 45, we can know that that’s true. When the Bible tells us that one must believe. If he’s going to have hope of being saved, mark 16, verse 16, we can know that that’s true. When the Bible tells us that one must repair or else he will perish acts chapter two,

verse 38, Luke chapter 13, verses three and five in the other places, we can know that that is true. We can, when the Bible tells us that one must confess his faith in Christ before men, Matthew chapter 10 verse 32, we can know that that is true. When the Bible tells us that one must be baptized in order to receive the remission of his sins in order to be saved from his sins.

We can know that that is true. Mark 16 verse 16, acts two verse 38 next 22 verse 16. Yes, we can know there is a God and we can know what God wants of us and expects of us in order to be in heaven with him. If you’re outside the body of Christ this morning, will you obey the gospel in order to put your Lord on in baptism,

having heard the word, do you believe it? Are you willing to repent and to confess your faith in Christ, willing to be immersed in water, to be baptized in order to receive the remission of your sins in order to be saved from your sins. We certainly plead with you to do that before it is eternally too late. If you’re already a member of the body of Christ,

and yet you’ve turned back to the world, please will you come back and repentance, praying to God for forgiveness and begin again, walking in the way of righteousness. If we can help you in any way, will you come as together we stand and as we sing.