Text: Acts 17:16-23, Title: Musings of a Seed-Picker 1, Date/Place: NRBC, 10/19/08, AM
A. Opening illustration: talk about my visit to Cairo, Egypt, the “city of 1000 mosques”
B. Background to passage: Missionary journey #2. Spitefully treated in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, however planting churches in each of those places. Paul finds himself in Athens alone waiting on Silas and Timothy to come from Berea by boat. All that he sees reminds him of the One that has called him to bear the gospel to kings and princes, Jews and Gentiles. And so rather than play the part of the tourist, or passively entertain himself while waiting, he cannot restrain himself from speaking of Christ to all those who would listen. And this text is probably one of the most important examples of evangelism in an unbelieving world that we have, and one of the most important in Acts. So we are going to do it in four parts, today’s part 1.
C. Main thought: From this text we can discern part of Paul’s methodology in evangelizing a pagan culture
A. Driven by a burden (v. 16)
1. The text says that Paul was provoked in his Spirit. The word means to be upset, even angry, and emotionally concerned. It carries the connotation of being stimulated to action or incited to act. It could be paraphrased idiomatically “his heart was eating him.” The Greek expresses an imperfect verb, translated, “kept on being provoked.” Everywhere he looked he saw idolatry, and the core of idolatry is putting something else in the place of Christ. And Paul could not stand Christ not being glorified. Paul’s burden was not that lost people were dying, although I am sure that he knew that and it pained him. He was not provoked at the temple prostitution, at the corrupt politics, at divorce, or infanticide of children. But His motivation was that the city was given over to idols and not to Christ.
2. Ex 32:19, John 2:15, Mark 11:15, Isa 42:8,
3. Illustration: Henry Martyn was a wealthy and brilliant scholar at Cambridge University in England, when he renounced all and sought to serve God as a missionary in 1805 turning down multiple offers for advancement in academia, and in marriage. In India he was talking to a Muslim who was telling him of a victory that they had over the Russians. He said that they killed so many Christians that Christ reached up from the fourth heaven and pulled on the skirt of Mohammed and begged him to desist. Martyn wrote that he was cut to the heart at this blasphemy. The Muslim realized that he said something that must have offended Martyn and so he asked what was so offensive. Martyn told him, “I could not endure existence if Jesus was not glorified; it would be hell to me, if He were always thus dishonored.” Astonished the Muslim asked why? Martyn said, “If any one plucked out your eyes, there is no saying why you would feel pain—it is a feeling! It is because I am one with Christ that I am wounded.” Martyn also told of a time when he was watching a Hindu procession. He said that, “Before the stumps of images, for they were not better, some of the people prostrated themselves, striking the ground twice with their foreheads. This excited more horror in me than I can well express…I thought that if I had words I would preach to the multitudes all day if I lost my life for it.” “Someone seems to have administered a massive dose of Novocain to our national conscious.”
4. In our culture it is easy to be provoked at sins like murder, sexual immorality, gay marriage, abortion, sex education in our schools, etc. But remember that the underlying motivation is not necessary hatred of these sins, but hatred of the fact that these sins subvert Christ! Oh, where is our love for the glorification of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world? Sure 50 million people died last year, half of which didn’t even have access to the gospel. And we should feel urgency about that. And we should be burdened about that. But let our greatest motivation and our greatest provocation be that Christ, the Greatest Treasure, worthy of all praise, be exalted in every aspect of every person’s life. Let nothing dethrone Christ as the centerpiece of all creation, history, and life itself! About 6.7 billion people in this world right now (even believers) by valuing anything more than Jesus. We all count him as less than TV, less than computers and cell phones, less than food and money, less than relationships and recreation, less than sleep, less than family, when we lift any of these things up or bring Him down. Not to esteem what is most worthy to be esteemed is idolatry. And Christ is the highest, the greatest, the bestest, the most glorious, most wonderful, most satisfying, most awesome reality in the world! He is worthy! He is worthy! He is worthy! Remember that you exist to make much of Him, and so when that cause is thwarted, we should become provoked. Pray that God will resensitize your conscience to the glory of Christ, let us be compelled to speak when we see Christ’s honor and position trampled and subverted.
B. Begin with religion (v. 22)
1. In his opening statement, he reminds them of how “religious” they are. This word could mean religious in a good sense, or superstitious in a bad sense. One was forbidden to use flattery at the Areopagus, but it probably wasn’t taken in a derogatory sense either, therefore, it was simply Paul noting the irony in what he was about to say about them not knowing what they worship, yet having so many gods. He was immediately doing two things. First he was finding a commonality. Commonalities make people more comfortable. And he had all sorts of religious people there. Define the Epicureans and the Stoics and others. He was not doing this in a manipulative way, simply to gain a hearing. Secondly, he was making a transition to spiritual things. Although it is not a big jump from philosophy to religion, Paul needed to guide his hearers down the road that leads to Christ.
2. John 4:7,
3. Illustration: tell about the EE method of witnessing and Geisler’s story about door to door, FAITH, the NET, Share Jesus without Fear, give some examples of finding commonalities like with the guy on the plane to Boston and his Harvard study about community involvement of ethnic minorities, serv. evang.
4. Remember that religion does not equal salvation. This truth is more obvious when we are discussing Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, or cults like the Mormons. But it is still applicable when we are talking to Catholics, Methodists, and Baptists. This word can also indicate superstition, which is what any religion degenerates to when simply going through the motions. When you share with anyone (believers or unbelievers), find a commonality. They could be specific or very generic. Once you find that and identify with them some, transition to spiritual things. It might be a question that is related to faith that opens a door in a non-threatening way, or something that you cued in on like their background, a piece of jewelry, a t-shirt or bumper sticker, or even a felt need. Start moving the conversation toward a place that you could speak of Christ. Remember to talk religion with an unbeliever and never get to Christ is not a witness, it is a conversation. And if the relationship is extended, there may be times when you don’t go for the gold, but never a time when you never ever get there.
C. Proclaim the Unknown God (v. 23)
1. In truth, even though Paul didn’t really mean “religious” in that sense, the Athenians were in fact very superstitious. Webster’s Dictionary defines that as “a belief, practice, or rite held or practiced in spite of evidence to the contrary.” The Athenians worried that there might be another god out there somewhere who would strike the city unless he/she was placated. So this altar was a precautionary measure just in case. Paul spies here an opportunity, to declare the God that they supposedly worship in ignorance. And he kept on proclaiming Christ and the resurrection.
2. Eph 2:12, Gal 4:8, John 4:22-24, Acts 22:4, 26:2,
3. Illustration: In Ac 17.23 the phrase ‘Unknown God’ may be simply rendered as ‘the god whom no one knows about,’ but in a number of languages the closest equivalent is ‘the god who has no name.’ Roman Catholic theologians since Vatican II and liberal protestants use the phrase “anonymous Christians” to describe people who worship ignorantly but will be saved, tell about Matt Kania and the cross around his neck,
4. Don’t misunderstand Paul to be affirming that their worship was acceptable to God or that they were saved through this ignorant worship. The only way anything can be acceptable to God is through faith in the blood of Christ and justification by that faith and that blood. Look for these opportunities in the lives of those in your family, coworkers, neighbors, and friends. It might be a circumstance that they are going through. It might be obvious searching for something in their lives. Proclaim to them the treasure that fills up the void in there life comes through the repenting, believing, and receiving of the now unknown God who wants to know them. There are thousands of people in this city and county, 28,000 at least, who worship unknown gods, and do not know the One True God! Tell of the Cross, tell of the resurrection, tell of the love of an all sufficient absolutely innocent, and watch hearts melt before Christ.
A. Closing illustration: walk them out in their minds to the front stoop and let them see the full parking lot at the flea market, then the homes with those all around, those in the woods, those in the cities…
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
