Sermon For August 20, 2000
HEBREW TESTAMENT: Athens - City of Idols ~ Acts 17:16-21
It isn’t easy starting churches. All the traveling is not the worst of it. It’s dealing with people, with their ideas, with their expectations. I don’t know why I am so surprised at this after all, I, Paul, was reluctant to hear the word about Jesus Christ. In fact, when I first heard about the people of The Way, the followers of this Jesus, I too tried to stomp them out, to arrest them, to throw them into prison. But then, when my Lord spoke to me I was so filled with the Spirit that I was convinced that all I had to do was speak the word and everyone else would understand that Jesus was the Messiah that God had promised for so long.
I have always prided myself on being a convincing speaker. I have studied the Law long and well, and I can argue the finest point with anyone, and convince them that my interpretation is the correct one. So each time I get to a new town with my companions and attend worship at the synagogue, I feel that all I have to do is explain to them how Jesus is the one that the prophets have promised. And they will readily accept him into their hearts, and become a Christian, just as I am. Whenever I meet resistance I am surprised all over again. It is clear to me that I have much to learn about dealing with people.
Silas, Timothy, and I went to Thessalonica and we spoke there in worship and there were those who were convinced by my words, but many others were jealous. Jealous at the response that people had. They began to tell stories about us to incite anger and hatred. Finally, we needed to leave town because there were just too many who were after us.
We went to Beroea, and there we attended synagogue again, and spoke the word of God’s love in Jesus Christ. Again there were those who were convinced. In fact, the reception that we received there was much warmer than in Thessalonica. But the Thessalonians heard that we were preaching in another town nearby, and they sent their troublemakers to again harass us. Well, a plan was made. I was to go ahead to Athens, and then Silas and Timothy would follow me soon after. I went to Athens and planned at first to wait for a time. You see, I knew that without Silas and Timothy with me that I was apt to get myself into much more trouble. For I was always filled with the power of the Spirit and I declared my understanding of Jesus Christ in no uncertain terms. I challenged people when they tried to convince me that they should continue to follow the laws of our fathers. Silas and Timothy usually helped me to moderate my words a little. Now without them I was afraid to speak out. I looked around the city and everywhere I turned there was an idol to this god and that god. The more I looked, the more disturbed I became. Finally I began to speak out. I spoke first to the Jews, but they wanted to hear nothing of my words. I spoke to others who were gathered on the streets and finally began to have conversations with the Greek philosophers. After my first few encounters, I realized that if I was going to be able to convince them, I was going to have to take a different approach.
First of all, these philosophers liked to play with new ideas. They would look at my words and understand them to be just some novelty, a play item to occupy an afternoon, or a day or two. But that was certainly not my intent in speaking out, for I wanted people to filled with the Holy Spirit that their hearts might be changed. I knew that I would not be able to use the words of Scripture, as I did when I gathered together with the Jewish congregation, for these Greeks knew nothing of the words of our ancestors. Nothing of the Prophets, of Moses. I knew also that if I approached them in my usual manner, of declaring to them the truth of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ, that they would not be very receptive. So I tried something new, something different for me. I began with words of praise for them. Indeed there was an element of truth to the words of praise. These were clearly people that were seeking out the meaning of life. Looking for truth, searching everywhere that they might find the one God. So I began softly, a smile on my face. I said, “My friends, I compliment you. It is very clear that you are deeply religious people. You have idols, monuments to so many different gods here. You even have one here to an unknown god, so that no one might be left out. I would like to share with you a word about that unknown God. The one that you were afraid you were missing. I know clearly that you are seeking the truth and I want to share with you the truth that has been revealed to me. This God that I speak of is the God who created everything. Everywhere you look, up to the mountaintops, out across the water, in the smallest seed, it is this God who has brought all things into being. You can look up at the wonders of your own hand, the fish of the sea, the birds flying through the air. Everything that is amazing about this world. And it points you directly to this unknown God. The God that I declare to you, is creator of all things. This God is not just a distant God. But instead has come to speak to us in a messenger that was promised long, long ago. The name of the messenger is Jesus. Jesus, from the town of Nazareth. In our language we call him “the Messiah”; in your words we refer to him as “the Christ”. The one who brings God’s words of truth, the one who points directly to the unknown God that you have been seeking for so long. This God is not just a God of nature, but is a God instead that transcends all nature, for death brings an end to our searching. Death, the last enemy. But this God that I speak of will bring new life out of death. He has lifted up Jesus Christ from the grave. Resurrected him to a glorious new life and it is with this power of life that I stand before you and speak these words of truth.”
I spoke to them. I did all I could to speak in their language, in their images. They understood creation. I even used the words of their own poets. I said, “This is the God in whom we live and move and have our being.” And another who said, “We are this God’s own offspring, we are the children of our creator.” Through most of my talk with them they were right here with me. But when I spoke of resurrection some of them stumbled. There were those who believed, eager searchers who recognized the power of what I was saying. But there were many others who decided that resurrection was too much for them to comprehend and they began to turn on me.
And so it was in each town, again and again. Some were saved, some were convinced and others turned their backs. I will be grateful when Timothy and Silas join with me again so that I might have some companionship in this task of starting new churches. I pray for God’s Spirit to be with us, because we most certainly need help.