A sermon on ignorance
A. There are some very smart people who are ignorant.
B. Ignorance means that people have limited (or no) knowledge about a certain area of life.
C. A man may be bright enough to be a nuclear physicist.
D. At the same time he may be ignorant about fruit trees.
E. Ignorance means that people are uninformed about one or more things.
F. Ignorance can also be related to a lack of experience.
G. Someone may be asked to change a tire or replace the oil in a car.
H. If someone doesn’t know how to do these things they are ignorant about them.
I. That is, they are unaware of how the tasks are to be done.
2. If a modern preacher told a group of people they were ignorant there would probably be a lot of anger.
3. Perhaps we cannot comprehend a preacher telling a bunch of people that they are ignorant.
4. In the New Testament we find that gospel preachers told people that they were ignorant.
5. One example of this is found in Acts 3.
6. In Acts 2 Peter delivered a hard-hitting sermon.
7. He said that God sent His Son into the world and people killed Him.
8. By the hands of “lawless men” the Jews “crucified and “slayed” the Lord (Acts 2:23).
9. In Acts 3 Peter’s sermon is not so sharp.
10. In the third chapter we find that Peter “toned down” his preaching.
11. Still, Peter said that those who were listening to him were ignorant.
12. Acts 3:14-17 – READ.
13. Tonight we want to look at the word translated ignorant.
A. The word translated “ignorance” is a word that is especially fascinating.
B. The main part of this word is identical to a word for “know.”
C. Writers took a word that meant “know” and made a slight change.
D. The change caused the word to go from meaning “know” to “not know.”
E. Some of the words in the New Testament are negated.
F. That is, writers added an “a” to the beginning of certain words.
G. We even have examples of this in English.
H. A “theist” is someone who believes in God.
I. If we add an “a” to theist, what do we have?
J. We have “atheist” (someone who does NOT believe in God).
K. In the Greek language an “a” is added to the beginning of the word “know.”
L. The addition of this “a” is just like theist and atheist.
M. The word “know” was turned into a term that meant “to not know.”
N. This is the word that we are talking about (the term translated “ignorance”).
14.
LET’S SEE WHAT WE CAN LEARN ABOUT THE
WORD “IGNORANCE.”
A. A form of this word is used in Mk. 9:32.
B. In this passage Jesus said that He would be “delivered up.”
C. He said that he would be killed and after “three days rise again” (verse 31).
D. The disciples did not understand what the Lord meant.
E. This is made clear in verse 32 – READ.
F. The term that describes the ignorance is translated “understood not.”
G. The disciples were ignorant about what would happen to Jesus.
15. As we look at this verse we learn something about ignorance.
16. Sometimes people do not understand things and they are “afraid to ask.”
17. Is ignorance good?
18. If we do not understand something should we keep out hand down and hide in the corner?
19. No.
20. What Jesus had to say was information that the disciples needed to know.
21. This was information that was absolutely critical.
22. Ignorance is usually not a good thing.
23. The Bible specifically says that God does not want us to be ignorant.
24. In Acts 17:30 it is said man once lived in ignorance.
25. There was a period when people didn’t have a good understanding of spiritual things.
26. This time is past. Paul said, “The times of ignorance….”.
27. The New Testament has been written and preserved for all people.
28. Therefore, Acts 17:30 says that all people must “repent.”
29. We do not have any excuse to live in a way that is contrary to God.
30. God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3).
31. As a result of what God has given to use we cannot rely upon spiritual ignorance.
32. This what Peter taught in Acts 3:17.
33. People rejected the Lord they did not understand everything.
34. Peter specifically said that the people were “ignorance.”
A. This may be hard to comprehend but Peter said it was true.
B. The people were ignorant about the Lord being the Son of God.
C. They did not realize (or fully realize) what they were doing.
D. The people acted in ignorance but their lack of knowledge did not save them.
E. Not knowing did not release them from the need to repent.
F. These people still needed to be cleansed of their wrongs.
35. The people in Acts 3 were somewhat similar to Paul.
36. In 1 Tim. 1 Paul described his life before becoming a Christian.
A. In verse 12 Paul said that he was thankful to God.
B. Paul said that he had been “appointed” to serve the Lord.
C. Prior to this appointment Paul had been the Lord’s enemy – verse 13a – READ.
37. Paul tried to destroy the people of God.
38. Yet, he obtained “mercy.” Why was God so gracious to Paul?
39. The answer is found at the end of verse 13 – READ.
40. Paul was “ignorant” about his sins.
41. His ignorance was not an excuse.
42. God took Paul’s ignorance into account, but Paul was not excused from repenting.
43. IGNORANCE COMES IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS.
A. One of the ways that the Bible describes ignorance is found in Acts 17:23.
B. After Paul became a Christian he tried to convert others.
C. Some of the people Paul spoke to were very religious.
D. In Acts 17 we find that Paul met some religious people.
E. In the 22nd verse of this chapter it is said that Paul commented on these people’s devotion.
F. He said these people were “very religious.”
G. Then he said this (verse 23) – READ.
44. In Acts 3 a gospel preacher said that people were ignorant.
45. Peter was not trying to be mean; he simply stated a fact.
46. Did Paul preach the same message that Peter preached? Yes he did.
47. Paul said that religious people worshipped “in ignorance.”
48. They were unaware of the proper way to worship.
49. They were even ignorant about the one true God.
50. This ignorance needed to be overcome.
51. At the end of Acts 17:23, Paul said, “I set forth” this information unto you.
52. The first Christians did not endorse ignorance.
53. They could not approve of ignorance because of what is said in Acts 17:30.
54. The time for ignorance has passed.
55. For this reason Paul was able to say this some about ignorance to the Thess. – 1 Thes. 4:13a – READ.
56. In several of Paul’s letters this expression is used.
57. Another place where it is found is Rom. 6:4.
58. Paul asked these Christians if they were “ignorant” about their baptism.
59. Didn’t they know (remember) why they had been immersed?
A. Asking people if they do not know about things is still a good question.
B. Some members of the church need to be asked if they are “ignorant” about certain things.
C. Do we not know what is right?
60. When we think about ignorance we find that it is based upon a variety of things.
61. Sometimes people are afraid to ask about something and thus stay in a state of ignorance.
62. Others may not understand and this keep them uniformed.
63. There is also willful ignorance.
64. Some people are ignorant because they refuse to learn what is right.
65. This was what Paul described in Rom. 10:3.
A. Paul spoke about the nation of Israel.
B. He said that he really wanted the Hebrew people to be saved.
C. Paul said that his fellow Jews were “ignorant” of God’s righteousness.
D. Didn’t the Hebrews people know about Jesus and the gospel?
E. Was the information about Christ and the church hidden from them?
F. These people knew about the Lord and the right way.
G. From Pentecost on the Jews were told about the righteousness of God (gospel).
H. In Rom. 10 Paul said the Jews wanted to “establish their own righteousness.”
I. They were ignorant because they closed their mind to the truth.
66. Ignorance is usually a bad thing.
67. In the area of religion it is absolutely deadly.
68. To be ignorant of the one true God is the ultimate form of ignorance.
69. To be willfully ignorant of the true God’s will is the highest form of stubbornness & arrogance.
70. To know God’s will and to follow it is to be informed.
71. If we are not ignorant about Christ and the gospel we need to go talk to the people who are.
72. QUOTE Acts 17:30.
73. If we are ignorant about things related to the church (we don’t know), it is time to learn.
74. Tonight, if this lesson has caused you to rethink some things and we can help you…
75. Remember:
Without faith we cannot please God (Heb. 11:6).
We cannot be a child of God without repentance (Lk. 13:3).
We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:12; Acts 8:36-38).
Finally we must be baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27) for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).
Have we done these things and are we living a faithful Christian life?