Acts 17:22-31, Psalm 66:8-20, 1 Peter 3:13-22, John 14:15-21.
A). AN ANSWER TO AGNOSTICISM.
Acts 17:22-31.
While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy to catch up with him in Athens, he might have been excused if he took some leisure to do a little sightseeing. However, seeing a city full of idols provoked Paul into a painful state of agitation: quite literally a ‘paroxysm’ (Acts 17:16). The Apostle was experiencing the same reaction to idolatry as does the LORD Himself (e.g. Isaiah 65:2-3)!
So, Paul reasoned with the worshippers in the synagogue, and disputed every day with the passers-by in the market place (Acts 17:17). This led to the opportunity to share the gospel ‘in the midst of’ the philosophical council on Mars hill (Acts 17:22). Despite having been ‘taken hold of’ and ‘brought’ to Mars hill (Acts 17:19), Paul was not under arrest: the council no longer functioned as a court, and at the end of the proceedings Paul was free to ‘depart’ from the midst of them (Acts 17:33).
Although Paul had been so agitated at the idolatry which he saw, he was composed in his thoughts as he addressed the assembly in the passage before us. The Apostle first politely suggested that they were “far too religious” (Acts 17:22). It is possible to be too ‘religious’ without really making any real headway toward the divine (cf. Acts 17:27)!
Paul found a point of contact with his listeners: among the many shrines which he had observed, he had noticed an altar dedicated to “the unknown God” (Acts 17:23). It was this God, “whom not knowing you reverence,” he suggested, “who I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). The Apostle was not thereby endorsing their religiosity, but rather acknowledging their ignorance (cf. Acts 17:30).
The address thereafter speaks of God as the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Acts 17:24-25). From one man (Adam!) He made every nation of men and, significantly, determined the times and the boundaries of their dwellings (Acts 17:26). Paul quoted Greek poets (Acts 17:28), just like we might quote Shakespeare to an English-speaking audience.
There is a sense in which God is the father of all mankind. We find it in the genealogy of Luke’s Gospel, where Adam is called ‘the son of God’ (Luke 3:38). Paul’s argument is, since we are the “offspring” of God, we ought not think that the God who made us can be likened to gold, or silver, or stone - or anything of our devising (Acts 17:29).
With this, Paul announces that the God of whom he speaks - the God whom they are groping after in a cloud of ignorance - is the judge of all the earth. Furthermore, there is a specific day set for this righteous judgment, and a man appointed for the task. Of this same man (Jesus - cf. Acts 10:42), God has given assurance by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:31)!
Some chose, and still choose, to scoff at the resurrection. Others chose to prevaricate (Acts 17:32). Others ‘believed’ (Acts 17:34) - in what Paul proclaimed: ‘Jesus and the resurrection’ (cf. Acts 17:18).
God is commanding all men everywhere to repent. The times of this ignorance cannot go on (Acts 17:30). Time is running out…
B). A TESTIMONY OF ANSWERED PRAYER.
Psalm 66:8-20.
“O bless our God, ye peoples” (Psalm 66:8) is an appeal being made by the congregation of God’s people to all the peoples of all the lands of all the earth (Psalm 66:1; cf. Psalm 100:1). This is evangelism which puts God first. It is not about us, it is not about you, it is about Him.
“Let the sound of His praise be heard” (Psalm 66:8) gives permission to the church to harness all this world’s media for the furtherance of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Tell the world to tell others: this stuff is good! This word is for you, and you, and you: pass it on!
We stand with the Apostle Paul on Mars Hill in Athens, recognizing with him the universal truth which he quotes from the Greek poets: ‘in Him we live, and move, and have our being’ (Acts 17:28). The Psalmist says much the same thing: “He holds our soul in life” (Psalm 66:9). But for the Christian there is more: “He does not allow our feet to slip.”
How is it that the congregation of God’s people can be so sure of this? Well, they have been tried like silver, and come through the furnace with their faith intact (Psalm 66:10; cf. Deuteronomy 4:20). For our encouragement, we should listen to Job 23:10 - ‘He knows the way that I take, and when He has tried me I shall come forth as gold.’
Israel went through the “fire” of affliction, and through the “water” of the Red Sea. The LORD has delivered us, not only from the tyranny of sin and of death (“men riding over our heads”), but also into “a spacious place”: the fullness of new life in Christ Jesus (Psalm 66:11-12; cf. Psalm 66:6).
The testimony of the people of God is supplemented with the testimony of one believer: like a good old-fashioned evangelistic meeting, which not only has good preaching, but also individual testimonies to follow. The voice of the one rises above the song of the congregation: “I will go to your house… I will pay my vows, which I made when I was in trouble” (Psalm 66:13-14). The burnt offerings (Psalm 66:15) indicate the whole-heartedness of this believer’s commitment to the LORD.
The choir had sung, ‘Come and see the works of God’ (Psalm 66:5) - but this individual personalises it: “Come and hear… what God has done for me!” (Psalm 66:16). The Psalmist had been in trouble (Psalm 66:14), he cried to God (Psalm 66:17), and God “attended to the voice of my prayer” (Psalm 66:19). Key to this success in prayer, indicates the Psalmist, was the state of his heart toward God: he cherished not iniquity in his heart (Psalm 66:18).
The Psalm ends as it began: by blessing God. For, “He has not turned away my prayer, nor removed His mercy/ loving kindness from me” (Psalm 66:20). Many Christians can relate to this testimony in their own experience - why not share it with others?
C). THE VICTORY OF CHRIST’S SUFFERING.
1 Peter 3:13-22.
Who will harm us if we do that which is good (1 Peter 3:13)? The question is rhetorical. If God be for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?
Yet even if we do seem to suffer for righteousness’ sake (1 Peter 3:14), we have the blessing of Jesus (Matthew 5:10-12). Peter exhorts us not to fear, and echoes Jesus’ encouragement to us not to be troubled (John 14:1). We are to be of good cheer, because He has overcome the world (John 16:33).
We are to reverence the Lord God within our hearts (1 Peter 3:15). We need fear no other (Isaiah 8:12-13). We must always be ready to give a reasoned account of the hope that is within us, to give a legal defence if need be.
We are to do this with meekness and godly fear. Also it is important that our conscience is clear (1 Peter 3:16). Only then might we awaken conscience in our accusers (Romans 12:20-21).
The consensus of this passage, and others like it, is that it is better to suffer for well doing than for evil doing (1 Peter 3:17). Thus we submit ourselves to the will of God. If we continue firm and persevere in the face of unjust sufferings, ‘this is grace’ (1 Peter 2:20): this is acceptable to God; this is thank-worthy with God.
Again the example of Jesus’ sufferings is set before us as our paradigm (1 Peter 3:18): we suffer, just as Christ suffers. Yet His suffering is unique in that it is vicarious: He suffered for us to bring us to God. He was put to death as to this physical mode of being, but was made alive by the Spirit.
By the Spirit, says Peter, “He went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:19). The language suggests that Jesus “went” somewhere, and the flow of the passage suggests that this took place between His death and resurrection. In that place, Jesus made a declaration, no doubt of His victory wrought at the Cross of Calvary.
Neither hell nor Hades is named here, but 2 Peter 2:4 mentions the angels as being held captive in Tartarus, which was popularly understood as a place of imprisonment and torment within Hades. This raises the possibility that it was fallen angels who heard the Lord’s announcement. The Bible gives the designation ‘spirits’ to both angels (Hebrews 1:14), and demons (Luke 10:17; Luke 10:20).
These spirits are identified as those who refused to obey God during the time of God’s longsuffering (patience) when Noah was building the ark (1 Peter 3:20). In this context this might refer to men rather than fallen angels. Peter does go on to make a more explicit reference to the good news of the gospel being preached to those who are now dead (1 Peter 4:6).
Yet the question remains: when was the gospel preached to the dead? Was it between Jesus’ death and resurrection? Or by the preaching of the Spirit of Christ through the prophets of old when they were still alive (1 Peter 1:10-11) - and particularly through Noah (2 Peter 2:5) ?
To whoever, wherever and whenever this proclamation was made, whatever it was, we are reminded that we also are living in a time of God’s patience (2 Peter 3:9). Jesus is not willing that any should perish, and His coming is delayed to give the greater number of people the greater opportunity to repent. Eight souls were saved from the water of the Flood by the bearing up of the ark on the water (1 Peter 3:20): thus the medium of judgement, water, also became the medium of salvation.
This becomes a symbol of baptism (1 Peter 3:21), which in turn becomes a symbol of our inner cleansing. It is not the water of baptism that saves us, but what it represents: the putting away of the works of the flesh, and the answer of a good conscience towards God. The key to Christian living is found in our union with Christ, both in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).
Jesus is represented to us here as the victor, who has made an open show of His triumph over the forces of evil (1 Peter 3:22). Suffering may well be our calling, as it was His (1 Peter 2:21). Yet it is in His victory that we are made victorious, even when we suffer unjustly, and for His cause (Romans 8:33-37).
D). MORE COMFORTS FOR TROUBLED HEARTS.
John 14:15-21.
*Notice how closely our love and our obedience are bound together (John 14:15; cf. John 14:21; 1 John 2:3-5).
#4. He has given us the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17).
Jesus said, “I will pray the Father, and He will send another Comforter that He may abide with you forever.”
Elsewhere it is Jesus who sends “the promise of the Father” (cf. Luke 24:49). Thus the Holy Spirit is said to proceed from the Father “and the Son” in the Western creeds.
The Holy Spirit is personal, a “He” not an “it;” a 'Who' not a 'what.' The Spirit of truth indwells us (John 14:17). He helps us to pray (cf. Romans 8:26), and assists us when we are called to account for what we believe (cf. Matthew 10:19-20).
This is another reason that the eleven Apostles should ‘let not their heart be troubled’ (cf. John 14:1). Jesus would ask the Father, the Father would send the Spirit, and the Spirit would come as “another Comforter” (John 14:16).
“Another” Comforter suggests another like Jesus, filling the void when Jesus is gone. The Greek word for Comforter is also used of Jesus in 1 John 2:1, although there it is translated ‘Advocate.’
Thus we have all three Persons of the Godhead: Jesus as ‘Emmanuel: God with us’ (cf. Matthew 1:23). The Holy Spirit as ‘God in us’ (John 14:17). And the Father as ‘God for us’ as in ‘If God be for us, who can be against us’ (cf. Romans 8:31).
The world, natural, sensual people, cannot receive the Spirit of truth because it neither sees Him nor knows Him (John 14:17; cf. 1 Corinthians 2:14; Jude 1:19). Christian people know Him because they have the experience of His indwelling.
#5. Jesus will come again (John 14:18-20).
The word translated “comfortless” (John 14:18) is quite literally “orphans,” which returns us to Jesus’ tender “little children” with which He began this discourse (cf. John 13:33).
Jesus’ “I will come to you” (John 14:18) might refer to His coming in the Spirit, but perhaps also to His appearing at the end of the age. We find the same phrase at the end of the Bible (cf. Revelation 22:20).
Jesus also said, “Behold I am with you always, even to the end of the world” (cf. Matthew 28:20). Meanwhile we “see” Him with the eyes of faith, and because He lives, we live (John 14:19). “At that day” (John 14:20) would then refer to the day of His coming.
*Back in John 14:15, we saw how closely our love and our obedience are bound together: “If ye love Me, keep my commandments.” In John 14:21, Jesus develops this thought. It is not the mere ‘having’ of His commandments that demonstrates our love to Him, but the ‘KEEPING’ of them. As John says elsewhere, ‘Hereby do we know that we know Him: if we keep His commandments’ (cf. 1 John 2:3).
Jesus continues in John 14:21, “and He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love Him, and will manifest myself to him.”
This does not mean that we earn the love of God by our works: the Father has already demonstrated His love to us by sending His Son to die for us, and Jesus has demonstrated His love by fulfilling that task.
However, what Jesus is referring to here is a special manifestation of Himself to those who prove their love by their life. To quote John again, ‘But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God PERFECTED’ (1 John 2:5). You have to live it to know it!
