Untitled Sermon (37)
Notes
Transcript
I want to welcome you again this morning.
First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.
I also want to welcome those who may be joining us for the first time today. I hope your time with us today is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.
I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.
What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.
With that said, we are currently doing that through the NT book of Act. A book written by a First Century disciple named Luke, who wrote it for a couple of reasons:
First, to give us a history of the church. How it started, who was there, and the circumstances that surrounded it.
Second, to give us a template of sorts. A template that teaches us how to accomplish the mission Jesus gave us to take the Gospel into the rest of the world.
So, if you haven’t been with us, I would encourage you to go online to mcf.life where you can listen to all of the messages leading up to today.
Today however we are picking back up in Acts 17
as we continue with the Apostle Paul on his second missionary journey.
You may recall for the last few weeks we’ve been in the city of Athens with Paul. A city that as we’ve said represented the foundation for everything secular in the 1st Century world.
And by secular I mean anything that is opposed to or is in direct contrast to the God of the Bible.
And as we’ve learned, that’s what makes Paul’s visit here so important. Because if Paul can lead people to faith in Jesus in this city, then he can in any city.
Which important for us because like Paul we are living in a world and culture that is becoming increasingly secular.
And so our goal in looking at Paul’s visit here has been simply to learn how Paul reached a secular culture with the Gospel. Because at the end of his time in Athens, Paul will have lead some to faith.
So, what did Paul do? How did he lead people to faith in possibly one of the most secular cities of the 1st century world?
Well, as we’ve discussed, he employed a specific evangelistic strategy.
It all started as he entered the city and became provoked and disturbed by what he saw. Which is the precursor to sharing the gospel. Because if you’re not disturbed by sin, then you’re not going to be an affective witness for Jesus to begin with.
It continued as Paul reasoned with people in the public square. Reasoned meaning he had a civil conversation with them that led to an opportunity to share his faith.
And then as we learned last week, it climaxed as a group of Athenian philosophers approached Paul in order to determine what he was teaching. An encounter that led Paul to a place called the Areopagus, which was an Athenian council hall where Paul would be expected to share and give a defense of the gospel.
And it’s in this interaction that Paul recognized he was dealing with two different groups of philosophers.
The first group were known as Epicureans. Epicureans were basically Deists who believed if there was a god, He was far removed from mankind and wanted nothing to do with them.
As a result, Epicureans believed the ultimate goal of one’s life should be to pursue happiness, and at all costs avoid pain.
Because as far as they were concerned, since there was no god, there was no afterlife, which meant this is the only life we have to live for. That being the case, live in a way that makes you happy since death is ultimately the end.
And as we discussed last week, this view isn’t far off from the most liberal aspects of our culture, who for the most part have discounted a divine creator and have opted to pursue their own temporal pleasure. Their goal, to be happy.
The second group were called the Stoics. And unlike the Epicureans, the stoics believed in the existence of gods, and believed for the most part they existed for the good of mankind.
As a result they believed in an afterlife, and instead of living for one’s happiness, they believed a person should strive for strong morals and ethical living.
So, a great question would be, “How was Paul able to distinguish between the two groups?”
He was able to it because Paul was a learned individual. In other words, Paul not only knew what he believed, he was aware of the beliefs of others in this secular culture. And so as the philosophers began to interact with him, make comments, and ask questions, right away Paul was able to determine which group was which.
Why was that important? It was important because one group was more open to the gospel than the other.
And as we learned the group that wasn’t open was the Epicureans and the group that was open was the Stoics.
As a result, as Paul stands in the Areopagus, it will be the Stoics that Paul directs his presentation of the gospel too. Why? Because they are the ones who are most receptive to what he has to say.
So, what does that all mean for us? Well, as we learned, it has a few important applications:
#1 - It means like Paul, if we want to reach a secular culture, then we need to be educated on what our culture actually believes. In other words, we need to be students of the world we live in.
#2 - It means like Paul, if we want to reach a secular culture, we have to not only know what our audience believes, but be able to meet them on common ground.
#3 - It means like Paul, if we want to reach a secular culture, we have to focus in on those who are most receptive. Those who are most open to the gospel.
Which brings us to the passage today. Because as Paul stands in the Areopagus, he will now present his case for the gospel to the leaders of Athens. And in doing so he will employ a specific approach in sharing the gospel. One I believe we too can use.
And so in order to help us understand and hopefully adopt Paul’s strategy, I have two goals today:
First, to walk through the passage and identify the specifics of Paul’s strategy.
Second, as we uncover Paul’s strategy, to determine what this strategy looks like for us by identifying some key witnessing principles. Principles that we could take and apply to any given witnessing situation.
And so with that as our basis, let’s jump back into Acts 17 with Paul as he stands before this Athenian council to explain and defend the gospel. Picking back up in verse 22, Luke writes:
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.
Let’s stop right there because I want you to notice first is that Luke begins by introducing us to the first witnessing principle, and I would state it like this:
1. In order to share my faith with a secular culture, I have to win their favor.
Now, I know that may sound counter intuitive too some. But what we need to understand about Paul’s opening statement, is that Paul is using a standard device in Greek rhetoric. It’s called a “capitatio benevolentiae”.
And it was often used as an introduction to a speech or talk in order to win one’s favor with the audience and secure their attention.
In his book, “How To Win Friends and Influence People”, Dale Carnegie puts it like this:
“A barber lathers a man before he shaves him.”
― Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People
That’s true, right? Otherwise it’s going to be a rough shave.
Same thing here. In a way, Paul is buttering them up for what he’s about to say. So, how does he do it? He does it by employing two key strategies of this principle:
#1 - He started in a complementary manner.
We talked about the importance of this a couple of weeks ago as we looked at Colossians 4 where Paul writes that when we address nonbelievers, that our speech should be gracious and seasoned with salt. Which means it should be kind and thought through. The Apostle Peter backs that up when he writes:
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Peter says do it with gentleness and respect. And that’s exactly what we see Paul doing here as he begins not with an attack, but a compliment.
So, what’s the compliment. The complement is the observation that they are very religious. That’s why he says, “…I perceive that in every way you are very religious.”
And for the Athenian, especially the Stoics, this would have come across as a compliment. Something they would have appreciated.
So, why would they have viewed this statement as a complement?
Think of it like this - It would be like if you were a Chiefs fan, which I know many of you sadly are, and I ran into you at Walmart wearing a bunch of Chiefs garb. You know, all decked out in red. At that point I have one of two options. I can tell you how silly and ridiculous you look. Which is going to drive a wedge between us, right? Or, instead of insulting you I can say something like, “Ah, I see that you are a very dedicated Chiefs fan.”
Why would I say that? Well, #1, I say it because it’s obvious by what you are wearing that you are a Chiefs fan. Can’t get around that. And #2, the truth is, you would take that as a compliment. That’s true, right?
Same thing here. After walking around the city and observing all the idols, Paul perceives he’s dealing with some very religious people. And so as he begins his speech, he begins with that observation. One they would have appreciated as he says, “…I perceive that in every way you are very religious.”
Which leads us to the second part of his strategy, because in order to address them with a compliment:
#2 - He complemented what was most important to them.
Based on the many idols Paul has observed around Athens, Paul draws a conclusion. And the conclusion is that their gods are especially important to them. And so in order to further win their favor, Paul not only approaches in a complimentary manner, he compliments them on what is most important to them.
Think of it like this - If you went in for a job interview, and you wanted to impress or score some brownie points with the boss or owner, how would you do it?
Well, you’d probably go out of your way to complement them on what’s most important to them. In other words, you would express your appreciation for what that company represents or provides for the community. Something you know they would appreciate.
The same thing happens in relationships. For example, if a single man is interested in a single woman, the smart move is too observe what is important to her. And then after determining that, to use that as an opening line.
So, if he notices she prides herself on the outfits she wears, he might say something like, “Wow, I’ve noticed you have a real sense for fashion.”
I know, it sounds corny, but it would work, right ladies?
That’s what Paul is doing here. He’s winning favor by puffing them up a little bit.
So, how does this apply to us? It applies in the same way. Because the truth is, if you want somebody to listen to you, then you have to be willing to create a conversational environment that will open the door for them to listen. And the best way to do that is by initially winning their favor.
Let me give you a couple of examples of how this might work:
Example #1 - Let’s say you’re trying to share your faith with someone who is very religious. And when I say religious, I’m talking about somebody who bases their faith primarily on the church they attend and the keeping of various rituals, VERSUS a biblical relationship with Jesus based on faith.
If you were talking to somebody like that, then one way to start the conversation would be, “You know what I appreciate about you? I appreciate how devoted you are to your faith. I wish more people were as devoted to being right with God as you are.”
That would be a compliment, right? And a compliment they would appreciate. Because you are complimenting them on something that is important to them. And now, a door has been opened.
Example #2 - Or, let’s say you are talking to somebody who believes in God, but they don’t see the necessity of going to church or seeking a relationship with God. As far as they’re concerned, they’re a good person and that’s all they need to be right with God.
If you were talking to somebody like that, then one way to start the conversation would be, “You know what I appreciate about you? I appreciate that you are a free thinker. That you just don’t believe something because somebody said it was true.”
That would be a compliment. A compliment they would appreciate. Because it would be something they’re proud of. And now, a door has been opened.
Everybody with me?
So, this is where Paul starts as he wins their favor by complementing their religious nature.
So, now that he has their attention, where does he go from there? Let’s find out. Luke writes:
23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
Paul now moves to the specifics of their religious nature as he begins to reference the many gods within Athens. But then he focuses in on one specific god. A god that the Athenians had entitled, “The Unknown god”. And then Paul says, “This is the god that I want to talk to you about.”
So, what’s going on here? Of all the gods in Athens, why is Paul focusing in on this one particular “unknown god”?
This leads us to the second principle of witnessing:
2. In order to share my faith with a secular culture, I have to expose their spiritual problem.
You see what Paul is doing, is before he says anything about Jesus or the gospel, he first exposes the lack of the gods they serve.
That’s why Paul refers to the “unknown God”.
So, maybe a great question to ask first would be, “Who is this unknown God?”
To the Athenians it was a god they might not know about. A god that they might have overlooked and angered.
And so in an attempt to avoid his wrath and gain his favor, they constructed an altar to this “unknown god”.
It was the idea that it’s better to be safe than sorry.
And what that tells us, is that deep down, the gods they thought they knew about, weren’t enough. Because if they were, they wouldn’t need to go searching for a god they weren’t aware of. Or seek favor and protection from a god they might have overlooked.
Because isn’t that what we’re doing when we are trying to be safe instead of sorry. We are basically admitting that the direction we are going may not be the right direction.
Or the decision we are making might not be the right decision.
So, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Better adopt an alternative plan, just in case. And to be honest, that’s a problem. Especially when it comes to our faith. Because there’s no security in that and it exposes the lack of confidence we have in what we think is true.
But now Paul seeks to give them security. Because Paul’s goal isn’t to introduce them to another false god, but instead to the true God. The only God. That’s why Paul says:
“What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” Acts 17:23b ESV
Paul says, “Let me solve this problem for you. Let me tell you about the God you don’t know about”.
So, let’s stop there for a moment and ask ourselves, “How does this apply to us?” Believe it or not, It applies in the same way.
Because the fact is, because we live in a secular culture, we live in a culture where people are continually seeking and serving false gods.
For some, it’s the false god of money. For others, the false god of success. And for many, the false god of happiness. And the list goes on.
But the problem for people who give themselves to false gods, is eventually those gods let them down. Because the fact is, there you will never have enough money. And success will never fill the void not matter how high you climb on the ladder. And happiness is often situational and temporary and will never satisfy. And as a result, at the end of the day, those gods aren’t enough.
So, what do people do? Well, most seek more false gods. Gods they haven’t tried before. Another god somebody told them about. Gods they hope will bring happiness. Gods they hope will bring them security. Gods they hope will fulfill their desires.
Some try sex. Some try alcohol and drugs. Some try alternative lifestyles. And they search and search and search trying to find the unknown god that will satisfy the ongoing lack in their life.
So, like Paul, in order to reach them, we have to be willing to expose their spiritual problem. And the problem is, they still haven’t found what their looking for. Somebody ought to make a song about that.
And that’s where we need to step in and say, “Let me tell you about a God that will end the search. A God that will fill the emptiness that you’ve being trying to fill.”
So, how do you do that? Let me give you a couple examples of what that might look like:
Example #1 - Going back to the example of the religious ritual person. As you compliment them on their devotion to their faith, a great question to ask them would be, “Listen, I know how devoted you are to your rituals, but let me ask you something. Do those rituals actually fulfill you? Do they actually lead you to become more Christ like? Or do you feel like something is still missing?”
And I think if they are honest with you, they would say, “You know what, sometimes I wonder if there is more to this than just going through some motions. Sometimes I wonder if I’m missing something.”
And that’s where you step in and say, “Let me tell you about something the Bible says about our faith. Something that maybe you didn’t know about.”
Example #2 - Or, let’s say you’re talking to the person who believes in God, but doesn’t see the need for going to church or pursuing a relationship with God because they are a good person. After winning his favor, you say something like, “Listen, I know you’re a good person. But have you ever wondered if you’re good enough? Like there’s something you’re missing. Something more you need to do to be good?”
And I think if they are honest with you, they would say, “You know what, sometimes I wonder if I am good enough. In fact, I’m always trying to better myself just in case I’m not.”
And that’s where you step in and say, “You know what, I used to struggle with that as well. But then one day I opened up my Bible and learned I could never be good enough. That no matter how hard I tried, I would always fall short. But then I learned about a God that died for me because I wasn’t good enough.”
Everybody still with me?
So, Paul moves from winning favor to exposing their spiritual problem. Which now opens the door to the third principle, which I would state like this:
3. In order to share my faith with a secular culture, I have to be willing to tell them the Biblical truth.
Look at what Paul went on to say:
24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,
What I want you to notice, is after wining their favor and exposing their spiritual problem, Paul now moves straight to the truth of who this unknown God is. So, who is this God? Well, let’s talk about what He’s not:
#1 - He’s not a God who’s found in the false created hopes of mankind.
That’s what Paul means when he says, “…He does not live in temples made by man...” Acts 17:24b ESV
Paul says, “Listen, He’s not a God that exists because we made a place for Him. Instead, He’s the God who made a place for us. He’s the God who created the world and everything in it. The God of heaven and earth. The God that doesn’t stand within creation, but stands outside of it and rules over it.”
#2 - He’s not a God who is sustained by man’s worship.
That’s what Paul means when he says:
25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
Paul says, “Listen, I know you think your sacrifices and offerings are providing your gods with something they are lacking or need from you. But the God I’m talking about doesn’t need us to serve Him or provide for Him. No. He’s actually the one who provides for us. He’s the one who gave us life. The one who breathed the breath of life into us.”
#3 - He’s not just one of the gods, He’s The only God.
That’s what Paul means when he says:
26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,
Paul says, “Listen, the God I’m talking about is the God who created man. And the God that rules over all mankind. Not only that, He’s the God who has established the lifespan and boundaries for all mankind. How can He do that? Because He’s the God, the only God. There is none other.:
#4 - He’s not a God who will forsake you.
That’s what Paul means when he goes on to say:
27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,
Paul says, “Listen, not only is He the one and only God, He’s a God that wants to have a relationship with you. A God that won’t let you down. A God that isn’t far off, but very close. A God that if you’ll seek Him, you will find Him. You see, He’s not like your false gods. He’s a God that won’t forsake you.”
So, this is Paul’s response. And what we need to understand is that this is a bold response. A response that would be uncomfortable to share. A response that could lead to hostility from his audience. But it’s the truth. And really for Paul, he has nothing to lose. Because if he doesn’t tell them, then who will. Paul puts it like this in Romans 10:
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Paul says if you want people to know about Jesus, you have to tell them the truth.
And again, what true for Paul must be true for us. Because f we want to lead somebody to Jesus, we have to tell them the truth. We have to tell them what the Bible says.
So, what does that look like? Let me give you a couple of examples:
Example #1 - Going back again to our religious ritual person, in order to help them find out what’s missing, you’re going to have to show them what the Bible actually says. You’re going to have to take them to a passage like Ephesians 2 where Paul writes:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
You have to help them see that rituals and works aren’t what make us right with God. And that the missing component in their faith is a relationship that God wants to have with them through faith and faith alone in Jesus.
Now, will that conversation be uncomfortable? Yes. Will it ruffle their feathers? Probably. But it’s the truth.
Example #2 - When it comes to the individual who thinks he’s good enough or can be good enough if he really tries, you need to take him to a passage like Romans 3 where Paul writes:
10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
You have to help them see that God isn’t looking for goodness, because nobody is good. Instead what He’s looking for is a surrendered life. A life that recognizes a need for God’s help. You need to take him to a verse like Romans 3 where Paul writes:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
You show them that the answer to their problem is Jesus. That because Jesus was good enough, through faith in Him we can be saved and made right with God.
Again, everybody with me?
We have to be willing to tell people the Biblical truth. You have to be bold. There’s now way around it.
But here’s what we need to understand. Unfortunately, even when we are bold and tell them the truth, not everybody is going to be open too or accept what the Bible says. That leads us to our fourth principle:
4. In order to share my faith with a secular culture, I have to reason beyond the Bible.
Let me show you what I mean by that. Because after appealing to Biblical truth, look at what Luke says Paul went on to say:
28 for
“ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
What I want you to notice is Paul moves from Biblical Truth to human reasoning as he now quotes a pagan philosopher. Why does he do that? Well, for one he’s dealing with philosophers. But secondly, if a person hasn’t put their faith in Jesus, then regardless of whether they’re a philosopher or not, that’s what they are reasoning from.
So, knowing that the philosophers may not buy into Biblical truth, Paul moves outside of the Bible and into secular beliefs. And in doing so, he quotes from some of their own beliefs.
That’s what the statement, “In him we live and move and have our being” is referencing. Because it represents a quote from a pagan philosopher. How do we know? We know because Paul states that it is. Because following the statement he says, “as even some of your own poets have said...”
And then he goes on to make another quote from pagan philosophy as he states, “For we are indeed his offspring.”
So in essence what Paul has done is take a quote from pagan philosophy that more than likely is referencing Zeus, one of the primary false gods of the pagan world, and he’s using it to make his point?
So, what’s his point? He states it in verse 29:
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
By taking a quote from their own belief system, Paul is now showing them the flaw of what they believe. And the flaw is, if we are God’s offspring, then no image made by human hands can render proper worship to God. Because if humanity is like God, then God is not like gold or silver or any such material representation.
You see, the point he’s making is that they have devalued their god and turned him into a lifeless, breathless, inanimate object. Which is really not a god at all.
And that’s what makes the God of the Bible and the false gods of the world different. Because the God of the Bible can’t be formed in an image made by man. Instead, we are his image bearers. He has formed us in his image. We are a representation of Him.
Everybody with me?
All that to say, using their own reasoning, Paul has shot holes in their belief system while at the same time pointing them to the true God for which there is no statue that can be made.
Now, you might be thinking, “Wow Pastor, I’m not sure I could be that clever.”
Listen, it’s not about begin clever. It’s honestly about using some common sense as you help people see that what they actually believe doesn’t make any sense.
Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about. And I’m going to tell you up front, this will be a controversial example, but I think it’s extremely relevant for the times we are living in.
Example - Let’s say that you have an opportunity to share your faith with someone who is living in an alternative lifestyle. For example, they are living in a homosexual relationship.
And so you do the deal as you win some favor and then take them to the truth of what God’s Word says concerning sexual immorality.
But after sharing some scripture, you can tell they’re not buying it. Because after all, they’re not basing their lifestyle on what the Bible says, but what the world says and what they feel to be true. Their argument is that God created them this way and they need to be true to their feelings.
And so at that point you shift gears as you move outside of the Bible and into the world of secular thinking.
And for our example, we’re going to move into the world of Science. Because after all, all we’ve been hearing lately is, “You have to follow the science.” So, ok the, let’s follow the science, specifically, the science of biology.
And so you say something like, “Ok, you think God made you this way. Then let me ask you this. Why would God, who created life, create you to be involved in a relationship that is unable to produce life.” And then you say, “For example. If we were to take two men involved in a homosexual relationship, put them on a deserted island, and leave them there with enough food, water, and medical supplies to last for 50 years, and then we came back to check on them 50 years later, what would we find?
Would we find an expanded community? Would we find children and grandchildren running and playing together? What would we find?
What we would find is two men who are maybe still alive.
Now, let’s say we perform the same experiment with a man and woman and then go back 50 years later, what would we find? We’d find more life. We’d find kids and grandkids and so on.
So, if you think God made you this way, then you and I must be talking about two different Gods. Because I serve the God who scientifically created us to produce life through the joining of a man and woman. The God who said to the first man and woman, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth...” Genesis 1:28b ESV
You see, I serve a God who creates life. A God who created you. A God I would love to introduce you too. A God that loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you. A God that can transform you from the inside out.”
Now, I know I’m probably going to get some emails and Facebook comments for that example, but it’s biologically true and it forces people to face not just Biblical truth, but scientific truth as well.
And this is what Paul is doing. He’s taking something they very much believe in about their gods, and he uses common sense to debunk it. And it’s what we need to be able and willing to do as well.
This leads us to our final principle, and I would state it like this:
5. In order to share my faith with a secular culture, I have to point them to Jesus.
Look at what Paul says next:
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
This should be obvious, but after sharing the truth, we have to point them to the true savior. And in doing so we have to point out some important facts:
Fact # 1 - There’s no more excuses.
This is what Paul means when he says:
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
Paul’s point here is that God has now made it crystal clear what it takes to be right with Him. That from this point forward, there are no excuses. Nobody is going to be able to stand before Jesus and say, “I didn’t know”.
Fact #2 - Jesus is coming back.
This is what Paul means when he says:
31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Paul’s point here is that one day soon God will judge the world, and it will be judged by the resurrected savior Jesus Christ. Paul puts it like this in Romans 2:
16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
The fact is, Jesus is coming back someday. We talked about this in detail this past Wednesday night. And when he comes back, He’s going to find two different groups of people. One group that is ready and waiting. And another that isn’t ready. And on that day Jesus will rescue those who are ready and judge those who are not ready.
And that’s why we have to do everything we can to point people to Jesus. Because without Jesus there is no hope and there is no eternal life. Without Jesus there is only judgment.
So, I don’t know about you, I want to make sure I do everything I can to point people to Him. To show them, convince them, and encourage them to put their faith in Jesus.
This is what God has called us to do.
Now, here’s the reality, regardless of how complementary you are, what Biblical truth you present, or how creatively you reason, the fact is, you’ll win some, but not all. In fact, it happened to Paul. Because listen to what happens next as Paul finishes out his gospel presentation:
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Luke says after he finished speaking, Paul had three different responses.
The first response came more than likely from the Epicurean Philosophers as they mocked him? Why did they mock him? Luke says they mocked him because he referred to the resurrection of the dead, which is something the Epicureans didn’t believe in. Remember, they believed death was the end and that there was no afterlife. Which means, up until this point, they were tracking with Paul. But once he mentioned the resurrection, he lost them.
And that’s exactly what happens sometimes in our witnessing. Because you may have somebody tracking with you, and then all of a sudden you point out a Biblical truth or idea that they can’t buy into. And in that moment, you lose them. It’s going to happen.
The second response came from the Stoics. Because after hearing Paul speak they said, “We will hear you again about this”. Which means they wanted to think about it. They’re not quite there yet and needed a little more time to process.
And that’s exactly what will happen sometimes when sharing our faith. You’ll share your faith with someone, and instead of rejecting they’ll say, “You know what, you made some valid points. Why don’t you let me think about it and maybe we can talk again sometime.” Which means you’re going to have another opportunity to share your faith with them.
The third response was the most positive and came from a smaller group within the audience, who after hearing Paul believed and put their faith in Jesus. Luke puts it like this:
34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
And that’s exactly what will happen with some after sharing your faith. In that moment, moved by the truth, reason, and the Holy Spirit, they’ll put their faith in Jesus. And in that we rejoice.
And at that point, our job is done. We’ve planted the seed, shared the truth, and done everything we can to lead people toJesus. And now, the rest is up to God.
Because after this sharing his faith with the Athenians, Paul moved on. Luke writes:
1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
Luke says Paul moved on to a new city, where like Athens through his words and actions, he would continue to share the gospel and lead people to Jesus. Because at the end of the day, that’s the mission Jesus has given us. To go in to all the world, baptizing, and teaching them all that Jesus has commanded us. To preach the gospel.
As we close this morning, that’s my challenge to you. To take what we’ve learned from Paul’s time in Athens and apply it to your life. And through your words and actions, have the courage to step into the opportunities that God gives you. to have the courage to share the truth. To have the courage tot be light in darkness. Jesus puts it like this:
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Amen?
Let’s Pray
