-A.R. Bernard
Kristos Kia Kosmos
Definition of world in Greek
1. Aion - age; period of time
2. Oikumene - land
3. Kosmos - order & arrangement of things; social order
Mk 16:15
The growth of Rev. Dr. A.R. Bernard’s church -
1978 - 1985: 4->300
1985 -1989: 300->625
1989-1999: 625->11k
1999-2006: 11k -> 27k
God has specific visions for everyone
God is a God of orders
Convictions of A.R. Bernard
1. Order - harvest is expected when we plant because of order (seasons come & go but they’ll never disappear; & physics never change which results in great inventions (like the sound systems of a concert)
Kosmos - original meaning: order of God
God created the world out of nothing thus He is actually not confined by this world yet because He created it thus the universal cannot be divorce from Him
He created an Open universal - free will (freedom & power of choice)
Why? Because God is love & there is no love without freedom of choice! So He took the risk!
2. Love is centered on the will not the emotions.
Thus God can command us to love Him, our parents, our friends, etc.
Thus we cannot fall in or fall out of love - cause it is a choice
The power to choose: Positive freedom
We are not free until we have the power to choose
If the universal is ordered, thus our choices have power: it can affect the universal
Yet Adam's choice re-orders the order God originally has put; so does this mean God is not sovereign?
No, because God is the alpha & the omega
He knows the beginning & the end!
Jesus was already prepared for Adam's choice
We cannot disobey without obeying
When Adam disobey God, he is obeying himself
Thus my choices determined my future - be careful about it!
We may end up being servants to our choices
Making better choices is based on the information we have & the way we think
It is essential that we take responsibility of our choices, least we blame other for our plight
Jh 1:1
Beginning - arché – the 1st cause
Word: logos (Gk.) - logikos - intelligence - mind
Thus this verse meant that - In the beginning is the mind of God & it cause & affect universal
Jesus was the mind of God: John saw beyond the physical body of Jesus because he saw the understanding of God
Jesus is the expression of God's mind!
Jh 1:4
Jesus was the light of men!
Every cause is an effect
Every effect has a cause
Some long-termed effects are so long that you don't know what are the causes anymore.
Jh 1:3
All: pas (Gk.) (everything! Even the things in decline - us!)
Jh 1:10
In Kosmos: God enter His creation without changing anything about Himself but Kosmos don't recognize it: it has changed so much that it don't recognize the creator anymore!
Jesus wants to re-order His creation or this chaos
Matt 19
Society is trying to re-order God's divine order
Sin is trying to influence our choices
But when we acknowledged our sins, Jesus starts to re-order our mind!
Every time we try to break from God's divine order, we malfunction
For example: God took out of man to make woman & never replace it thus it is not in man to be a woman. Often when we see a man wanting to be a woman, he is usually more feminine than a woman. Because in order to be recognized as a woman, who he is not, the man has to exaggerate his actions in order obtain that recognition.
Divine order leads to freedom
My life becomes free when I organize my life
Effectiveness in life demands order
Order demands a clear plan of actions
Trusting God is proactive not passive thus we need to make an impact on our society!
Acts 17:16-21
Kristos Kai Kosmos = Christ in Culture
Epicurean: believers of pleasure
Stoic: believers of fate
Areopagus: highest council in Athens
Athens is ever listening for new ideas
Acts 17:22-23
God is ever working & He has planned Paul to pass by Athens. Although Paul did not plan to stay in Athens yet when the opportunity arises Paul knows what to say & how to say
He also saw an opening in these people who believed they have an unknown god waiting to be discovered
Acts 17:24-28
We have to know that living, moving & having movement is not just about Christians but everyone!
We move in divine order whether we know or not.
But it is a matter of Common grace or special grace.
Common grace states that the sun shines on the just & unjust, while the special grace talks about God’s favor with His people. How Paul was able to preach in Athens unlike any other.
Acts 17:32:34
Only a few were saved…but who was the 1 saved?
Dionysius = devoted to dionysus (a Gk. god of fertility, entertainment & arts)
Western drama (arts & entertainment) is birth in the celebration of dionysus since 5B.C.
It gets arts & entertainment into the church
When Rome took over & it became pure entertainment after Rome falls, but later it entered church & for many years drama centered on the Christian faith
We never know when will we change lives but we cannot deny that we are the instruments of God to change lives. Paul never knows that Dionysius’ salvation symbolizes so much when he preaches that message and got Dionysius saved.
- CHC @ Expo Hall 8; Sat Service @ 5pm
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