Acts 17:32-34 KJV And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. [33] So Paul departed from among them. [34] Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
I. INTRODUCTION -- “SUTHRUN” HUMORIST LEWIS GRIZZARD
When I was a kid, there was a weekly columnist who graced the pages of the Dothan Eagle. He was the famous (or infamous) Lewis Grizzard, a great Southern humorist, who lived in Atlanta. He generally did his best to explain to all the outsiders (meaning Yankees), how the good “Suthrun” folks lived.
He would write some of the funniest stories about grits, cathead biscuits, and turnips that had been graced with hog-jowls. He would write about great “Suthrun” Americans such as Weyman C. Wannamaker, Jr. who had great skills with a pool cue. In fact he wrote one story about how that Weyman gave instructions about how to use the back end of a pool stick to put a genuine knot on the head of a fellow who accused him of cheating one day at the pool hall. Before the incident was over, Weyman had added a knot to the poor sap’s head and shoved a number 5 ball in his mouth.
Grizzard wrote about the pretty girls that he spent a lot of time daydreaming about. Like, for instance, Kathy Sue Loudermilk, who was always more interested in Weyman C. Wannamaker, Jr. than she was in Lewis Grizzard.
Old Lewis wrote a fair amount about dogs too. He had them categorized according to how they acted. There were yard dogs that were the sort that enjoyed eating table scraps and on hot summer days would generally be found lying up under a pickup truck trying to cool off. There were hog dogs who were fat little dogs whose lineage could not be quite determined, the Heinz 57 sort of breed, but they would eat anything that was tossed in their bowls and then would beg for more when it all had been consumed. There were lap dogs that spent a lot of time just loving their owners. They would jump up in the lap of their owner and lick their face, hands, and anything else that came near their red tongues. There were A. J. Foyt dogs that would spend much time lying at the edge of the yard and chased every car, truck, tractor, or motorcycle that came by. Grizzard said that of all the dogs in his neck of the woods that this sort of dog usually had the shortest life span because inevitably he would end up catching one of those vehicles he was chasing and great was the fall of it. There were also shoe dogs that spent a lot of time searching out shoes to chew up and when there were no shoes available to gnaw on, they would resort to glasses, books, and various and sundry objects.
Lewis had a terrible problem with his heart and endured some nasty open-heart surgeries before he would finally die on the third attempt. His first heart surgery required a valve replacement. He spent much joy and a sense of great pride in telling his readers that he had a pig’s valve in his heart. He related that he now had a good excuse for wanting to spend much of his days lying around and taking long afternoon naps. He also said that until he had his heart surgery that he always enjoyed seeing how far he could spit watermelon seeds but now he would just rather eat them. He attributed this pig-like quality to the new heart valve he had installed.
Lewis Grizzard also wrote a lot of books. They had nifty titles like, “If I Ever Get Back To Georgia, I’m Gonna Nail My Feet To the Ground,” and “Chili Dawgs Always Bark At Night,” and one that mentioned “taters” having eyes, and a few others. But there was one that captured my attention sometime back, the title was “Shoot Low Boys, They’re Riding Shetland Ponies.” It tells of Lewis’ hunt for some real heroes.
He starts off explaining about how that when he was a kid, his heroes were the dime-store cowboys like John Wayne. He tells about how that John Wayne could ride a horse with the reins in his mouth, a six-shooter in his left hand, a rifle in his right hand, and charge into a gang of outlaws and lay them all low. What set John Wayne apart were the big white horses or big black horses that he would ride. These horses always put John Wayne in a class all by himself.
This was the sort of stuff that Lewis’ believed heroes were made of when he was a kid. But he said that as he got older he begin to realize that this sort of hero worship was so far-fetched and unrealistic that his search for heroes changed. He said that he found a whole lot of great heroes who did not ride big white horses but there were a lot of heroes who were confined to riding Shetland ponies. He found some great Americans who were down on their luck and pretty much flat on their back with some of the blows that life had dealt but they continued to get back up and dream again.
The more of “Shoot Low Boys, They’re Riding Shetland Ponies” that I read the more that I realized that Lewis was almost bordering into writing some of his own “Suthrun” brand of theology.
II. JUST AVERAGE. . .
-Most of us, if we are willing to admit it, have discovered that we will spend a lot of our lives riding Shetland ponies. There is something about the daily wear and tear of life that will pound the starch out of us.
-More often than not, the dreams and visions of youth and early adulthood will soon have to give way to the routine and mundane avenues of life.
-Periodically we find that we are in the presence of a truly great mind or one of greatly gifted talents, or one of great business acumen but for the most part we see a lot of folks who ride Shetland ponies. In fact the largest family in life is made up of those who ride Shetland ponies.
-Despite the fact that we see a lot who ride Shetland ponies, the greatest danger in life is that we who do ride these Shetland ponies underestimate our value to the Kingdom of God. In fact, I believe that it is a very assault of hell that would come to use and cause us to undervalue the grace of God in our lives.
-The devil would encourage us to believe that we aren’t really necessary to the forward progress of the Kingdom of God because we may not be “front and center” in the activities of the Kingdom.
-The biggest temptation that the low-riders often face is they frequently underestimate their own power in God’s plan for the end-time church.
A. The “One-Note” Musician
There is such an individual who is referred to as a “one-note” musician. He has to follow the same daily routine of eating and sleeping until it is time to prepare for the evening. He carefully inspects his violin and he places it in its case, looks at his watch and starts for the concert hall.
He takes his seat in the orchestra with the other musicians, arranges his score, he tunes his instrument. On the arrival of the conductor the music begins with the leader skillfully bringing in first one group of musicians and then another. After quite a long time the crucial moment arrives and it is time when the one note is played. The conductor turns to him and his one note sounds forth.
Once more the orchestra plays and the one note man sits quietly throughout the rest of the concert. At the end of the day he knows that he has done his duty well and earned contentment and peace of mind. One note only. The contribution is small but crucial. A mere one note piece, but even that is important. If a person is to play well and at the right moment he must be prepared.
B. God’s Hall of Fame
-The book of Acts and the Epistles are filled with men who were not well known in the world but they were well-known to God. They were well known to those whom they assisted in the forward progress of the Kingdom.
-Romans 16 is the hall that honors all those who rode Shetland ponies in the days of the Early Church:
• Phebe our sister, which is a servant.
• Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus
• My wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ
• Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.
• Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles.
• Amplias my beloved in the Lord.
• Urbane, our helper in Christ.
• Stachys my beloved.
• Apelles approved in Christ.
• Aristobulus’ household.
• Herodion my kinsman.
• The household of Narcissus.
• Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord.
• Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.
• Rufus chosen in the Lord.
• Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.
• Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.
• Timotheus my workfellow.
• Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
• Tertius, who wrote this epistle.
• Gaius mine host.
• Erastus the chamberlain of the city.
• Quartus a brother.
-Far more than “just average.”
III. ACTS 17
-Acts 17 picks up mid-way through Paul’s second missionary journey. The second missionary journey begins with Acts 15:41 through Acts 18:22.
-Paul was working with Silas during this venue and they would establish the Thessalonian, Philippian, and Corinthian churches during this second missionary journey.
A. Athens
-The text that we have read was taken from the account at Mar’s Hill in Athens, Greece. Paul was profoundly disturbed by the scenes in the city that let him know that this city was entirely given over to idolatry.
• Athens housed the Acropolis which was a place that was filled with dead heroes.
• Athens was the home of Mar’s Hill which was the residence of the judicial body of the Areopagus.
• Athens hosted the great works of art, education, law, medicine, and was even known as the seat of democracy.
• Athens was filled with the minds of the brilliant. Aristarchus and Archimedes contributed much to astronomy and other sciences.
• But Athens was ruled with a great spiritual void. The Athenians did their best to fill their lives with beautiful but powerless stone idols.
-When he saw all of these things, Paul began to dispute and to preach. There comes a time in life when it is time to pray and let God work the situation out. But when you are facing false religion and false doctrine, it is time to rise up and to preach.
-Paul began to preach to them Jesus Christ and the resurrection that had taken place. This message got the attention of the inhabitants of the hill. The Epicureans and the Stoics started scoffing at the message and determined for the message to be totally stifled.
-Because of their human reasoning, they felt that the best avenue to destroy the message was to elevate it to such a place that everyone on Mar’s Hill could hear what he had to say. So they put him front and center and told him to again speak of the strange gods and his new doctrine.
-What they did not realize was that Paul was about to set forth the identity of Jehovah of the Old Testament and this new doctrine was nothing more than the mighty God in Christ.
-The more Paul preached the more that seemed to get stirred up. He preached heartily about how that God made the world and that He would not be confined to their heathen man-made temples. Furthermore, a time of repentance was at hand not just for the people of Mar’s Hill but for the entire civilization of man.
-In response to this message, there were the usual scoffers but some were convicted by the Spirit and desired to hear more of Paul’s message.
-Despite the opposition that Paul was faced with, the work of the Holy Ghost could not be stopped and converts followed.
B. The Athenian Converts
-Acts 17:34 lists Dionysius and Damaris who were converted. From some obscure historical sources it is noted that Dionysius would end up becoming a pastor in the city of Athens and would ultimately die at the hands of Domitian as a martyr.
-As for Damaris, some historians feel that because her name is mentioned by Luke that she was the wife of Dionysius. Yet, both of these details about this couple cannot be confirmed with absolute certainty.
-But Luke was determined that he would slip in the mention of this couple and of some “others” who determined to help them further the Gospel in that world that so troubled Paul.
-But if little is known about these people that Luke wrote of, much can be determined about their relationship with God simply because of the surroundings that they lived in.
-By Luke’s own admission, Paul was deeply troubled by what confronted him in this city of Athens.
• It was wholly given to idolatry. In fact, some historians say it was easier to find an idol than a man in that city. Much immorality was mixed with the idol worship.
• It was a city that pursued the sensual pleasures that fed their fleshly appetites and lusts. This was motivated by the philosophies of the Epicureans.
• It was a city that was in the firm clutches of the exaltation of the mind. The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were filled with uncertainty and when Paul began to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ and His resurrection to them, they begin to debate fearlessly.
• It was a city that exalted democracy and freedom of choice. A democracy can sometimes be an atmosphere even worse than horrible persecution. The velvet curtain of choice and affluence often rock the spiritual man to sleep.
-This was the Athens that these converts had to serve the Lord in. Despite this decadent culture they lived in, they became worshippers, converts, world-changers, and people who pressed in the Spirit.
• There are no documented miracles they performed.
• There is no evidence of any church they may have started.
• There are no records that they won any souls.
• There are no reports of any offerings that they sent to others.
-In fact, not a lot of fanfare can be said about these converts except that they were faithful to what God had saved them from.
C. The Trap To Avoid
-We must be very careful to not allow ourselves to fall into the mortal trap of comparison with others. It can be deadly to our spiritual life. I am not excusing laziness nor lukewarm indifference but the vast majority of folks will ride Shetland ponies right through the gates of Heaven (Remember Romans 16?).
-The fact of the matter is this:
• One can be true and never perform a miracle.
• One can be courageous and never perform a miracle.
• One can be self-controlled and never perform a miracle.
• One can a worshiper and never perform a miracle.
-More often than not, the devil desires to fill people full of condemnation, guilt, and doubt.
-The devil loves to play toward our sense of pride. If he can cause us to envy one who rides the great stallions of life, then spiritual paralysis soon follows.
There is a story that came out of Texas some years ago concerning two men. One was very large and strong and the other very small. One day, they were out in the yard in the sun and the small man said to the large man, “Big man you know what I would do if I was as big as you?”
“No,” said the big man. “Little man what would you do if you were as big as I am?”
“Well,” the little man said, “I would go right over there to those woods where the bears are, and I would hunt the biggest, blackest, most violent bear I could find and I would lay hold on him and I would just tear him to pieces. I would just split his jaws wide open just to show him what kind of man I am.”
Then the big man answered very quietly, “Little man, there are a lot of little bears in those woods and I don’t see you tearing any of them to pieces.”
-A lot of folks would do the great things if they were capable, but fail to do the small ones because they don’t want to ride a Shetland pony.
IV. GREAT MEN RIDE SHETLAND PONIES
-Some of the most powerful men and women in the Kingdom of God ride Shetland ponies. In fact, Paul gave us reason for it:
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 KJV [26] For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: [27] But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; [28] And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: [29] That no flesh should glory in his presence.
-What I am coming to understand is the fact that overall we know very little of even what the Apostles did. We find only a few of the Apostles like Peter, John, James, and Paul who have the details of their lives spelled out in the Acts and in a few fragmented details in the Epistles, otherwise, not much is none.
-Furthermore, this tells me that the majority of the other Apostles and great saints of God spent much time riding Shetland ponies. Their one desire was that Jesus Christ would be elevated and the Kingdom would be extended, no matter how they had to work to see it done.
-It is my belief that we live in a generation where the devil literally wants to destroy many in the Church who feel as if their contributions to the Kingdom are very tiny and really make no difference. I am here to declare him a liar and to tell you to stay in the saddle!
-But the Lord set a precedent with His arrival. When the Lord chose to enter the world, He came to a manger in Bethlehem.
• He did not appear as a King already in a political realm.
• He did not come as a General already set up in a vast military.
• He did not arrive as a head of state with an entourage of clerks.
-If the Lord showed up like this in the world then we must be faithful in our calling, in our praying, in our determination, in our perseverance, in our hunger, and in our desire for revival.
Zechariah 4:6 KJV Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
-God is not looking for extravagant materials, plans, programs. . . . . . All He is looking for is for what things we may deem as simple. But the simple has the capacity to invoke the miraculous.
• It was a sling shot that killed a giant.
• It was the jawbone that brought a great victory.
• It was the scarlet cord that saved Rahab’s family.
• It was the rod in the hand of Moses that secured Israel’s exit.
• It was the mantle striking the waters that parted the Jordan for Elijah.
• It was the little boy’s lunch of fish and bread that fed the multitude.
-That is the way that God works. . . . . . It is the simple that has the capacity to invoke the miraculous.
-Never, never, never underestimate the power of the small things that we have in our lives.
-I think I will stay on my Shetland pony!
Philip Harrelson
