In Jesus Holy Name October 16, 2022
Text: Acts 17:2-4,10-11 Redeemer Lutheran
“Conversations with God Believers”
Acts 17 records the missionary journey of Paul and Silas. They arrive in Thessalonica, Berea and then finally Paul arrives in Athens. In each city he has conversations with people who believe in God. Either they believe in the God of the bible, which is why he often began in Jewish synagogues. Or as he discovered in Athens, the people were very religious and had temples to many different “gods”.
Charles Swindoll wrote: “Athens had more statues of idols that it had people.” That may or may not be true, but Acts 17 is the story of a monotheistic Jew smack dab in the middle of polytheistic Gentiles. Acts 17 is the story of a narrow minded former Pharisee surrounded by broad minded philosophers. One idol hating Christian among many idol worshiping pagans. Outnumbered. Out voted. Out shouted. But no outwitted.
Rev. Ray Pritchard wrote: The first rule of theology is that all spiritual reality begins with recognition that there is a God who rules the affairs of men and nations. He is truly God, and we are truly not.” If you do not recognize this truth you will be forever stuck in spiritual kindergarten.
The gospel, the “good news” begins with God. It doesn’t begin with Jesus or with us. The divine plan of salvation begins with the God who designed it. If you are wrong about God, you are bound to be wrong everywhere else.
Pollster George Barna in his new book “The Second Coming of the Church” proves this point. Even though a recent 2022 Gallup poll notes that 81% of Americans believe in God, with 4 in 10 believing that God can intervene in human affairs for our benefit….. they still live in spiritual kindergarten. Like the Athenians who were very religious and temples to many “gods”, Americans have many false theological assumptions about “God”.
Barna’s research states:
1. 61% do not believe the Holy Spirit is a real Person, only a force or power.
2. 60% believe Satan is not a real being.
3. 55% believe that if a person does enough good things he will go to heaven
4. 53% say that all people pray to the same God under different names.
5. 44% Jesus Christ committed sin when he lived on earth.
6. 44% after death all people go to the same place regardless of personal belief.
7. 40% Jesus did not physically rise from the dead.
In Thessalonica and Berea Paul began where people were in their understanding of God. Paul knew that those at a Jewish Synagogue understood the O.T. He reviewed the O.T. bible passages that Jesus gave to the disciples on the day of His resurrection. Paul spoke of how humanity had fallen into sin, and how God, the one God, the only God, had in mercy, decided to save us. He told how God, sent His son into the world to take our place.
Paul talked about how Jesus Christ in the far away Judean town of Bethlehem was born of a virgin. He spoke of how Jesus, the true God and true man lived His life, rejecting every temptation and fulfilling everyone of God’s laws. Paul spoke about how Jesus was hated and rejected. He told how Jesus was betrayed and murdered. Then he explained that this was the Divine Plan,
When Paul arrives in Athens he realizes that they are very religious. He begins: “Men of Athens I see that in every way you are religious. I found an altar to the “:unknown god”…let me tell you about the God who created the world and everything in it. This is why the Apostle’s Creed begins with these familiar words: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” Until you know who God is, you cannot understand the Christian faith. People must know that God is the Creator before you can share more about Jesus.
And so Paul began… “Let me tell you about the God who created the world and everything in it. This is the “unknown god”. The Athenians had forgotten this monument.
It is perfectly normal for people to forget. People do it all the time. When things in life are crazy and facing the unknown, people make promises to God. Then after the crisis has passed they look toward heaven and say: “You know, God, I was just kidding.” Well the Greeks forgot. The like us, were very busy people. They had things to do. On a personal level, they, like us, had fortunes to make, retirements to plan and children to raise. On a civic level. They like us had buildings to build, they had poems to write, arts to exhibit, football and basket ball games to watch.
There is good reason why 81% of Americans believe in God. Michael J. Behe, professor of Biological Sciences at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania states that he has iron clad proof that the human cell is not the result of Darwinian evolution. The biochemical reactions that takes place in the human cell and thus all of creation must have been designed by a supernatural entity whom he has called: “the Intelligent Designer.”
Paul began where the Athenians were. They were religious. They believed in an “unknown god”. 81% of Americans are religious. Many hold to the belief in an “Intelligent Designer” who created the Universe. Creation demands a Creator. The heavens tell the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship. That’s why only a “fool would say… there is no God. (Psalm 14:1)
While 81% of Americans believe in God… the Barna poll tells us that there is great confusion. Many remain in spiritual kindergarten.
One of the ironies of our secular age is that the culture has tried to remove God and His values from our lives and those we’ve become a nation of idolaters, worshipping gods we have created.
Consider the role that sports plays in our culture. For many people it looks a lot like a religion. It has temples, called stadiums. It has costumes, which we call uniforms, It has services which we call games. It has worship music which we call chants and cheers. It has high priests, called star athletes. And it has piety, which we call fan loyalty. “You know…49’ers live or die.” I really want my children in S.S, but you know we have completive…soccer, baseball or what ever.
Just this week someone posted…” If worship is optional for you, then it will not even be necessary for your children.”
Jesus Christ came as the sacrificial lamb who gave His life to death on a
Roman cross to end the epidemics of sin, death and Satan. One day He will return not to bring salvation but to bring judgment. On the Day of Pentecost Peter said: “Salvation is found in no one else. There is no other name given under heaven by which we can be saved.” ‘
When the Greeks heard that Jesus had risen from the grave, some wanted to hear more but others… they sneered. The skeptical Greek audience knew tht the roman execution squads were most thorough. When the Romans said someone was dead, that person was dead. Nor did they buy the ridiculous notion that the place of Jesus’ burial was lost, and His mourners went to the wrong grave. That mistake they knew could have bene easily corrected. Nor did they think that Jesus body had been stolen by His disciples. The Greeks new the Jewish leaders. If Jesus body could have been found, the priest would have found it.
Just this past week my wife and I weere at an event and my old car mechanic happened to be at the same table. I’ve known him a long time. He is a God believer. I reminded him that was great but what about Jesus. He said.. but I’m not going to church. I did not invite him to church…I just put my arm around him and we laughed and I said…it’s about Jesus.
It’s up to the Holy Spirit to move him out of spiritual kindergarten… Just keep the door open.
Amen.
