Jesus Had To Come In Order To Reveal Truth
Shining a Light on Why Christmas Came: Part Two
Pastor Paul Robie
December 15, 2013
Romans 1:18-23 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the
godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since
what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine
nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that
men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God
nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were
darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the
glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals
and reptiles.
Observation #1: There are some things we can know about God by simple OBSERVATION.
(Romans 1:19-20)
VV. 19-20 … since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has
made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his
eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what
has been made…
 The “Big Bang” and the “cosmological constant” point to the fact that there must be
a CREATOR and a sustainer of the Universe = The Cosmological Argument
 The order, purpose and fine-tuning of the universe point to an intelligent DESIGNER
who cares about us - The Teleological Argument
“Altogether, there are fifteen physical constants whose values current theory is unable to
predict. They are givens: they simply have the value that they have. This list includes the
speed of light, the strength of the weak and strong nuclear forces, various parameters
associated with electromagnetism, and the forces of gravity. The chance that all of these
constants would take on the values necessary to result in a stable universe capable of
sustaining complex life forms is almost infinitesimal. And yet, those are the parameters that
we observe.”
- Francis Collins (The Language of God)
 The observation that all people groups for all time have WORSHIPPED (know God
intuitively) points to the existence of God = The Ontological Argument (v.21)
v.21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him…
 Since we all have a sense of right and wrong, and we have a sense of failing to do
what is right (guilt), there must be a MORAL Law-Giver = The Moral Argument
Problem: There are many who will not WORSHIP God or give THANKS to Him – they SUPPRESS
the truth about God. (v.21)
vv.19,21 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and
wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness… 21 For although they knew
God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became
futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Question: Why do people refuse to worship God?
Answer: If we have a Creator we are ACCOUNTABLE to Him. (Colossians 1:16-17)
Colossians 1:16-17 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible
and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him
and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Observation #2: Only Christ, the Word made flesh, could REVEAL what was missing in our
knowledge of God gained through observation. (John 1:14; 14:6)
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his
glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.”
 The PERFECT life that Christ lived revealed our sinfulness and our need for a SAVIOR.
Romans 1:22-23 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged
the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and
animals and reptiles.
 The CROSS of Christ revealed his LOVE for us.
“The essence of sin is we human beings substituting ourselves for God, while the essence of
salvation is God substituting himself for us.” – John Stott
“If that is true, how can God be a God of love if he does not become personally involved in
suffering the same violence, oppression, grief, weakness, and pain that we experience? The
answer to that question is twofold. First, God can’t. Second, only one major world religion
even claims that God does.”
- Timothy Keller (Reason For God)
The Gospel: My view of self is not based on a view of myself as a moral achiever. In Christ I
am at once sinful and lost, yet accepted. I am so bad He had to die for me, and so loved,
He was glad to die for me. This leads me to deeper humility as well as deeper confidence.
John 3:16-21 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him
is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he
has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has
come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his
deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may
be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
Discussion Questions
1. Which of the four arguments for the existence of God, in your opinion, has the most
weight / ability to convince? Why?
This is up to the individual to choose. It will give you a good opportunity to make sure
everyone knows the basics of each argument.
2. Read Romans 1:18-23 and discuss the motivation behind “suppressing” the truth about
God. Read John 3:16-21 and discuss why people love “darkness” and not “light.”
How do these reasons compare?
What we are trying to get at here is the motive that each person has to deny God. Sure there
is a good motive to worship God, mainly, because we think our God is worthy of worship.
Sometimes religious people worship God thinking that it will earn them status or standing with
God. The religious approach to worship is one of trying to control God by obligating Him.
Worship is then a “work” that goes into the worshippers account and compels God to bless
him. This is not true and not acceptable to God since we clearly have been saved by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ. People do not want to be accountable to God – and therefore,
they seek to deny his existence. However, in denying God, they are forced to make up
reasons for their moral behavior or sense of morality. There is no foundation to build a case
for moral outrage upon since nothing matters but matter. In a materialistic universe, there is
no reason for anything except cause and effect. Certainly, there is no morality – no
goodness – no truth.
3. How is it that Christ’s life could convince the religious person that they will never be
good enough to satisfy God’s justice?
I think that a close examination of the life of Christ will reveal that he lived the life we could
never live – and therefore, he was the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He satisfied the justice of
God because he was perfect. The pagans or the religious people thought that what they did
in terms of worship and devotion was going to be enough to appease the anger of God
against injustice. They are mistaken – no one is righteous according to Romans 3:23.
Therefore, we need to give up any notion that we can be good enough to escape God’s
punishment on our own.
4. How is it that Christ’s death on the Cross could convince someone that they are more
loved than they ever imagined?
The death of Christ on the cross was the ultimate display of love. He was willing to exchange
his righteous life for our sin. He was willing to take our punishment on himself so that we might
find life in him. That is as good of definition of love as anyone can give. This is how we know
what love is, he laid down his life for us. Other good passages:
John 15:9-13 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If
you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's
commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and
that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved
you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us.