The Essential Message: Righteousness, Self-Control, Judgment

REFLECTION QUOTES

“All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.”

~James Thurber (1894-1961), American cartoonist and writer

“I remember my father telling me, ‘The eyes of God are on us always.’ The eyes of God. What a phrase to a young boy. What were God’s eyes like? Unimaginably penetrating, intense eyes, I assumed.”

~Judah Rosenthal in Woody Allen’s “Crimes and Misdemeanors”

“If pride is a sin … moral pride is the greatest sin.”

“Being wrong about important things is exhausting.”

~John Irving, The Cider House Rules



“If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake. That will be punishment – as well as the prison.”

“Here a strange thought came into his head: perhaps all his clothes were covered with blood, perhaps there were stains all over them, and he simply did not see, did not notice them, because his reason was failing, going to pieces…his mind darkening.”

~Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881), Crime and Punishment

“Mental health is an on going process of dedication to reality at all costs.”

~M. Scott Peck (1936-2005), American psychiatrist

“The most terrible thing about materialism, even more terrible than its proneness to violence, is its boredom, from which sex, alcohol, drugs, all devices for putting out the accusing light of reason and suppressing the unrealizable aspirations of love, offer a prospect of deliverance.”

~Malcolm Muggeridge (1903-1990), English journalist

“Learn to know Christ and him crucified. Learn to sing to him, and say, ‘Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness, I am your sin. You have taken upon yourself what is mine and given me what is yours. You have become what you were not so that I might become what I was not.’”

~Marin Luther (1483-1546), 16th century Reformer

SERMON PASSAGE

Acts 10 (NASB) – Peter in Caesarea

39 We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40 God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43 Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”



Acts 17 (NASB) – Paul In Athens

30 Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”



Acts 24 (ESV) – Paul before Governor Felix

24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” 26 At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. 27 When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.