Psalm 19 1 Introduction 1 Psalm 19 1

Psalm 19: 1

• Introduction 1. Psalm 19: 1 -The universe: God exists! “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. ”

• Introduction 2. Many ask, “How may I know God exists? ” 3. Some things known by evidence without sight & touch Not by telescope or microscope The atom, intelligence, love Ancient people left evidence Overwhelming evidence God exists!

• Introduction 4. Psalm 19 Undeniable evidence for God Vv. 1 -6 God’s glory in His creation Ø Vv. 1 -4 (a) Message to all men

Psalm 19: 2 -4 “Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun. ”

• Introduction 4. Psalm 19 Undeniable evidence for God Vv. 1 -6 God’s glory in His creation Ø Vv. 4 (b) -6 Majestic sun: evidence for God

Psalm 19: 5, 6 “Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat. ”

Ø Majestic sun: evidence for God

• Introduction 4. Psalm 19 Undeniable evidence for God Vv. 7 -11 God’s glory in His Word Absolute truth

Psalm 19: 7, 8 “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. ”

Psalm 19: 9, 10 “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. ”

Psalm 19: 11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. ” “

• Introduction 4. Psalm 19 Undeniable evidence for God Vv. 12 -14 Prayer for right relationship with God

Psalm 19: 12, 13 “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. ”

Psalm 19: 14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. ”

• Introduction 5. Summary of evidence for God Cause & effect: Creator & creation Intelligent design: Intelligent Designer Man’s capacity to worship God: God exists Why men deny God

I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation A. Cosmological Argument: The Universe Must Have an Adequate Cause Cosmology: Greek kosmos (order, form, the world as an ordered whole) + logia (study) Every effect has an adequate cause: something comes from something, nothing comes from nothing The cosmos exists: what is the adequate cause?

I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation A. Cosmological Argument: The Universe Must Have an Adequate Cause Hebrews 3: 3 -4 The architect or builder of a house, family, or nation is greater than his work

Hebrews 3: 3, 4 “For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. ”

I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation A. Cosmological Argument: The Universe Must Have an Adequate Cause If a watch is evidence of a maker, how much more is the cosmos evidence of God!

I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation B. God: First Cause, Uncaused Cause Genesis 1: 1 -God, uncreated Creator “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ”

I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation B. God: First Cause, Uncaused Cause Which is the more reasonable First Cause: Eternal God OR eternal matter?

Which is the more reasonable First Cause: Eternal God OR Eternal Matter? ETERNAL GOD ETERNAL MATTER Intelligent Power to will, plan All-wise Infinite power to fulfill His plan Infinite love, good will Non-intelligent No power to will, plan No wisdom No power to fulfill its no-plan No love, no good will

I. Cause & Effect: Creator & Creation B. God: First Cause, Uncaused Cause Matter & energy are finite Ø 2 nd law of thermodynamics: “The universe is… growing old, wearing down, running down, due ultimately to burn itself out…. ” Ø 2 Peter 3: 10 God will destroy the universe when its purpose is finished— it cannot perpetuate itself

2 Peter 3: 10 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. ”

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer A. Teleological Argument: The Design & Order of the Universe Require an Intelligent Designer Teleology: Greek telos (end, purpose, design) + logia (study) The universe reflects order and design, not random chance—it is cosmos, not chaos

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic and Productive Way Genesis 1: 11, 24, 27 -28 Plant, animal, and human life reproduce after their kind: why?

Genesis 1: 11, 24, 27 -28 Plant, animal, and human life reproduce after their kind: why? 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. ---------- --------------- 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ---------- --------------- 24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: ….

Genesis 1: 11, 24, 27 -28 Plant, animal, and human life reproduce after their kind: why? So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living that moves on the earth…

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic and Productive Way Genesis 8: 22 Cycles and seasons of nature sustain life: why? 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic and Productive Way Psalm 147: 7 -9 Nature functions in a sequence to sustain life: why?

Psalm 147: 7 -9 Nature functions in a sequence to sustain life: why? Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God, 8 Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. 9 He gives to the beast its food, And to the young ravens that cry.

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic and Productive Way The earth is tilted at the right angle (23 degrees) to sustain life: why?

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic and Productive Way The earth rotates once per day on its axis the right speed (1040 miles/hr; 1670 km/hr) and orbits the sun once per yr. at the right speed (18. 5 miles/sec; 30 km/sec) to sustain life: why?

The earth rotates once per day on its axis the right speed (1040 miles/hr; 1670 km/hr ) and orbits the sun once per yr. at the right speed (18. 5 miles/sec; 30 km/sec) to sustain life: why?

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic and Productive Way The sun is the right temperature (surface 10, 000° F/ 5, 600° C; core 27, 000° F/ 15, 000° C) and distance (93, 000 miles/ 150, 000 km) from earth to sustain life: why?

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic and Productive Way The moon is the right distance from earth (elliptical, oval orbit: 221, 463 miles/ 356, 334 km to 251, 968 miles) 405, 503 km) to sustain life: why?

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic and Productive Way The earth’s atmosphere (bubble of air, affects temperature & weather) is the right thickness (248 miles/ 400 km) to sustain life: why?

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic and Productive Way The earth’s crust is the right thickness (6 miles/ 9. 6 km oceanic; 35 miles/ 56 km continental) to sustain life: why?

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic, and Productive Way The oceans are the right depth (avg. 2. 6 miles/ 4. 3 km; deepest 7 mi/ 11 km) to sustain life: why?

II. Intelligent Design: Intelligent Designer B. The Universe Functions in an Orderly, Systematic and Productive Way Animal instincts sustain life: young herring gulls tap a red spot on the parent’s beak to be fed: why?

III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists A. Ontological Argument: Man’s Capacity to Worship God Is Evidence for God’s Existence Ontology: Greek on, ontos (being, existence, what exists) + logia (study) Evidence of God’s existence: man’s unique capacity to seek, love, and worship God

III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts) Genesis 1: 27 -28 The existence of males implies females

Genesis 1: 27 -28 The existence of males implies females “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living that moves on the earth. ”

III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts) 1 Corinthians 6: 13 The existence of the belly implies food “Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ”

III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts) 1 Corinthians 6: 13 The existence of the body implies God has a purpose for it “Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ”

III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts) Eccl. 3: 11 God gave man an innate capacity to contemplate & seek eternity: God is there! “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. ”

III. Man’s Capacity to Worship God: God Exists B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts) Man’s uniquely religious nature (seeking God, good and right) corresponds to the existence of God

B. The Existence of Some Things Is Evidence of Corresponding Things (Counterparts) THIS CORRESPONDS THAT Male Female Belly Food Our body God’s purpose We seek eternity Our capacity for God is there God exists

IV. Why Men Deny God A. Historically Men Knew God But Rejected Him Romans 1: 21 Ingratitude and pride led them astray “Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ”

IV. Why Men Deny God A. Historically Men Knew God But Rejected Him Romans 1: 21 Ingratitude and pride led them astray Their descendants are ignorant: We MUST teach!

IV. Why Men Deny God B. Some Men Have Not Considered the Evidence Psalm 19: 1 Evidence is always available! “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. ”

IV. Why Men Deny God B. Some Men Have Not Considered the Evidence 2 Peter 3: 5 Some close their eyes to the evidence “For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water. ”

IV. Why Men Deny God C. Love of Sin is the Root Cause Psalm 14: 1 -3 Denying God eases one’s conscience

Psalm 14: 1 -3 Denying God eases the conscience “The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God. " They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, not one. ”

• Conclusion 1. Psalm 19: 1 -The universe: God exists! “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. ”

• Conclusion 2. Summary of evidence for God Cause & effect: Creator & creation Intelligent design: Intelligent Designer Man’s capacity to worship God: God exists Why men deny God

• Conclusion 3. God patiently awaits sinners to seek Him! Mark 16: 15 -16 God sent the Savior! “And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. ”