This week the Presidential debate between President Obama and Mitt Romeny dominated the media. A lot of poles felt that Romney won the debate. There have been many famous debates over the years. The debate between Abraham Lincoln and Steven A. Douglas is certainly well known.
Perhaps the most famous debate took place in 1960 for the first time in front of a TV audience. In 1960, a not well known Senator from Massachusetts named John F. Kennedy and then Vice President Richard Nixon met in the first-ever televised debate. The debate illustrated the importance of a candidate’s style and on-camera appearance. Kennedy appeared youthful, tanned and comfortable with the new medium, while Nixon, recovering from the flu, looked sweaty and pale. According to Newton Minow and Craig LaMay, authors of "Inside the Presidential Debates," radio listeners thought Nixon won the debate. Television viewers, however, gave the nod to Kennedy, who went on to win the 1960 election. John Kennedy knew the importance of reaching the masses through the new medium of television.
Today we will discuss another great debater who is found in the scriptures. His name is Paul. Let’s read his story in Acts, Chapter 17.
“While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.
He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”
Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.” (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)” (Acts 17:16-21)
Upon arriving in Athens Paul made himself familiar with the people and culture. He was troubled by the idol worship he saw but never do we see him attacking them by beating them over their head with word of God and declaring they were on their way to hell. When you approach people in this manner they will most likely ignore you or be offended by you. But they will certainly not heed your words.
So Paul presented himself as a Jew and a believer to those in the synagogue in Athens to warn and encourage them. That is a good role model for the church, to encourage with love and warn with the truth.
When he spoke of Jesus and the resurrection we was rebuffed and ridiculed. But their interest was peaked to the point that he was delivered to the high council, similar to our Supreme Court. And he was given an audience in which to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So Paul presented his argument to the high council. And in his presentation are lessons we can learn about evangelism.
1. Paul’s observation of God
“So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.” (Acts 17:22-23)
Paul immediately catches their attention by finding common ground. He finds a common ground on which to reach them, and that common ground is religion. He says “your beliefs do not go unnoticed.” Paul recognized three things common to all of mankind.
Firstly, mankind by nature is religious. Every society, no matter how primitive, has some conception of a higher power. Some seek this power through crystals and mediums. Some believe in evil spirits that attack us. Even karma, believing what goes around comes around, is a belief in a higher power. The word Paul uses for “religion” could also be interpreted “superstitious.”
The Athenians had idols for every god under and above heaven. However, in case they missed one, they built an altar and worshiped this “unknown God”
Secondly, mankind is on a constant search for God and the truth. The fact that they had an idol to the unknown god proved that they were groping about in darkness looking for some truth that existed but they could not find.
Thirdly, mankind has suppressed the truth about God. And in doing so has allowed idols to dominate their worship. The reason people don’t know God is simply because they don’t want to know God. We can witness to others but until they come to desire to know him they will continue to turn to their idols.
2) Paul’s introduction of God.
“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.”(Acts 17:24-25)
Paul tells them 4 facts about this unknown God that they worship.
1) He created everything. (vs24) “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. ” (Gen 1:1)
Each of the god’s represented in Athens would have their own creation story. Today’s most popular creation story is what has become known as the ‘big bang theory.’ In a nutshell it states that the entire universe was once condensed down to a huge single mass of matter and then one day it blew up and scattered the solar system all over the place. What it doesn’t explain is how that mass of matter came to be in the first place.
One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.
The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we’ve decided that we no longer need you. We’re to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don’t you just go on and get lost."
God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this? Let’s say we have a man-making contest." To which the scientist replied, "Okay, great!"
But God added, "Now, we’re going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."
The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.
God looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"
2) God doesn’t live in man-made temples. (vs. 24)Every god in Athens would have had a temple to be a place of worship. But Paul said my God cannot be confined to a temple. Perhaps he shared the story of King Solomon building the temple for God and realizing, as he stood there “But will God really live on earth? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27) Paul could then explain how our God walks with us everywhere we go. Aren’t you glad that He is not confined to a building?
3) God doesn’t need our help. (vs. 25) The idols would need upkeep, dusting and polishing. But Paul tells them we can’t serve his needs because He has no needs. Maybe Paul quoted Psalms 50:10-12 “For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it.”
4) God satisfies our needs. (vs25) Unlike the idols that silently made great demands from those who follow them, God’s desire is to listen and meet our requests. We are told in the scriptures “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” (James 1:17)
Next, Paul introduces them to the first Adam. (vs26) He would quote Genesis 2:7 “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”
He went on to explain how this unknown God created all the nations, established their boundaries and decide who would rule over them. “For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know
that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses— even to the lowliest of people.” (Dan 4:17)
He explains that God’s sole purpose in the creation of man was to create not just a people (the Jews) but to draw all people to him (the Gentiles). (vs27) He further explains that God realizes that we grope about in darkness seeking him even though He is ever present with us. “They grope in the darkness without a light.
He makes them stagger like drunkards.” (Job 12:25)
He then turns the table on them using their own argument. (Vs 28) He is quoting their great philosopher Aratus who wrote
“Let us begin with Zeus, whom we mortals never leave unspoken.
For every street, every market-place is full of Zeus.
Even the sea and the harbour are full of this deity.
Everywhere everyone is indebted to Zeus.
For we are indeed his offspring”
Then Paul draws this conclusion. (Vs 29) If we are the offspring of a gold, silver, stone idol, how than can we have life. Since we serve a God who created us in his own image, we should look upon him not as something designed by a craftsman but rather a living spiritual being. And it is from this Unknown God that we are the offspring.
Now he ends his debate with a warning (Vs 30) Perhaps he shared how harshly God dealt with his people that where not ignorant. “Lord, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them,
but they refused to be corrected. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent.
Then I said, “But what can we expect from the poor?
They are ignorant. They don’t know the ways of the Lord.
They don’t understand God’s laws.” (Jeremiah 5:3-4)
And he gives them a course of action to take. (vs. 31)
“For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” (2 Cor 5:10)
So, did Paul win his debate? “When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” That ended Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” (Acts 17:32-34)
What lessons can we learn from this to be an effective evangelist?
1) Become familiar with those that you want to share the gospel with. Acquire an understanding of their background and the culture they were raised in.
2) Do not be put off by those who ridicule you. It could be a front for the fear in their lives.
3) Understand that people are searching for a higher power to believe in, whether they admit it or not.
4) Listen to their arguments and be prepared to respond with truth and kindness.
5) Tell them about the hope they have in Jesus but warn them gently about the coming judgment.
6) Realize that some will laugh in contempt but others will desire to hear more. And some will turn and accept Jesus. You are responsible for sharing the gospel and not the response of those who hear it.
The sphere of influence you live in is your Athens. Go debate for God and with his guidance you will win.
