Principles of Evangelisms from Acts 17
I was driving a group of teenagers to a concert last weekend and while we were all talking one of them turned to me and said, “Did you know that there is an actual atheist in the class below me? Can you believe that?” It sounded like she was talking about a Bigfoot sighting. I said, “You don’t have to talk about them that way. Atheism isn’t a disease.” This made the kids chuckle a little. Then one of them said, “Is it contagious?” Not wanting to be outdone I said, “It can be if you don’t know why you believe what you believe.” This made them get quiet for a minute (which I hope means that they were thinking.) Now I want to ask you all to think about this. When you’re talking to an unbeliever are you persuading them or are they persuading you. II Corinthians 5.11 says, “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. . . .” Are you prepared to defend and communicate the message of Christianity to today’s people?
This is an unusual time. People seem to be more interested in spirituality, but not in God. Why else would there be a show on network TV about talking with dead people? We all think that we’re more intellectual than those who came before us, but we do the stupidest stuff. Why else would you be able to watch Who Wants to be a Millionaire on one channel and then turn to Fear Factor on another? And of course, immorality is widespread. (Insert your own television show.) How are we going to take the gospel to a generation of people like this one? The apostle Paul once visited a place like this. He went to a city that had a misdirected interest in spirituality. He went to a city that claimed to be the most intelligent. This place also had rampant immorality.
We can learn some things from Paul’s time in Athens that could help us do evangelism better today. Read Acts17.16ff.
Acts 17:16-18:1
16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
Open your eyes and look around you. Don’t walk around in the world blindly and don’t huddle here in the church and ignore what goes on out there. This phrase can also refer to anger. He had a sense of righteous indignation. But note his reaction. He doesn’t set off a bomb in the temple of Hermes, he doesn’t petition the government to censor the idolatry. He turns his anger into compassion and tries to help.
17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
He used reason. Don’t buy into the lie that reason and faith are incompatible. One of my favorite books explains why this idea is false and how it got so popular. It is good to use reason when explaining the gospel. This doesn’t mean you have to be eloquent (I Corinthians 2:1) or complex, but you can let logic and reason point to the simple truth of Christianity. Reason alone will not cause people to accept Jesus, but if it’s their first line of defense and we never get them past it, then they will remain lost and they’ll be convinced that they’re right.
Reasoning is what he did, but where and with whom? He went first to the place where people discussed religious things and then he talked to those who were present and willing to listen (in the market). We can also look for opportunities like this. Where are the places that the gospel needs to go and where people are interested in talking about spiritual matters?
18A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
He was misunderstood by some people. (Iesous and Anastasis. They don’t know the first thing about what Paul’s saying, and that’s going to influence how he presents his message later. They had made altars to shame, famine, and desire.) They responded by disputing and mocking. When we proclaim the message, some people will oppose us. We can’t change their hearts, only God can do that, but it is our responsibility to give the message as clearly as possible.
19Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." 21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Again, he takes an opportunity to go to a place of philosophic discussion where people are willing (and even anxious) to hear him. It’s not totally clear what the purpose of this council was. They were sort of civic/religious/philosophical. It was a group of fairly important Athenians.
22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
He was courteous and respectful, even pointing out positive things about the people’s faith. You won’t know the good things to point out unless you have researched what they believe and listened to them explain what they believe. That’s also just common courtesy. If you want someone to listen to you, you need to listen to them as well. ‘“Religious” meant religiously observant, not that he agreed with their religion (KJV “superstitions” does not convey the right idea).’ (Keener 373). He was complimenting them: I see that you’re very careful about practicing your religion. He’s not commenting (yet) on whether it’s right or wrong.
23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
He looks for something in their beliefs to use as a jumping off point. This makes it much more personal and easier to accept. What are some ‘altars to the unknown god’ in our culture? Islam, Judaism, New-age, Buddhism, Wicca, Atheism, Agnosticism, Humanism, etc. Here’s an example. If you’re talking to a recovering alcoholic who has been through AA, then they might claim to believe in a ‘higher power.’ If that’s what they believe then you can start from there and say, ‘What do you think the higher power is like? Has it ever communicated with people? Does it have a sense of right and wrong?’ You can give them a chance to think more about this and then you can explain more fully who God is and what He is like. When you’re learning about what someone believes, you can be looking for a jumping off point.
24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
He doesn’t stop at the common ground. He goes on to point out differences and explain more about God’s attributes and character. He is creating a contrast between their faith and his and he’s laying the groundwork for the gospel. He doesn’t begin by saying “You need Jesus!” because he doesn’t assume that they know anything. (These people think Jesus is just a petty god from another city-state.)
In this country there was a time 60 years ago when you could say the name Jesus and just about everyone would know what you were talking about. If we make that assumption now we would be dead wrong. Things have changed and we have to be willing to lay the groundwork as Paul does here. You can’t start out by telling someone what they need to do to get right with God if they’ve never even been introduced to God (and convinced that He exists) or told about his attributes. (Are you willing to do this? If evangelism requires you to listen carefully, to use your mind, to do your homework, to be creative, are you willing to do this for Jesus?!)
Paul did not water down the gospel. He points out the ways that his doctrine is different from the local philosophies and the things he teaches fly in the face of Greek thought. The Epicureans believed that there were gods, but they thought they were distant and indifferent toward humans. The idea that God “determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live” would have been shocking to them. Don’t be afraid to point out differences.
27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
Again, he’s making it personal.
28`For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, `We are his offspring.’
He quotes Aratus, a Greek poet who flourished about 277 years before Christ. He is acquainted with his audience’s material and he is ready to use it in his case for Christianity. (All truth is God’s truth.) He was careful about his purity but he was also diligent to know about the culture of his audience. In his studies he probably read a lot of stuff that he didn’t agree with.
Aristotle: ‘It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain an idea without accepting it.’
It is possible to read books by atheists and not become an atheist. I’m not afraid of hearing other people’s ideas because I’m confident that Christianity makes more sense. So do your homework. Learning about their beliefs can only help you share the gospel with them.
29"Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone-an image made by man’s design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
Application. He gave them the first step they needed to take. We can give the first step, too. Don’t overwhelm people, but don’t leave them wondering what they should do next, either.
31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."
Proof is a strong word, but he used it. The resurrection is the centerpiece of our case. Be prepared to give evidence for it. The apostle Paul considered the reality of the resurrection to be of supreme importance. I Corinthians 15.17: “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” Put some time into investigating this event so you can discuss the evidence for it. It will benefit your own faith and your evangelism.
32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." 33At that, Paul left the Council.
People respond in different ways. He has done his part by making his case clearly and relevantly. When some reject him he moves on. We shouldn’t blame ourselves when people reject the message; this is just part of it.
34A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
This may seem like a disappointment, but these conversions, especially Dionysius, were very significant. We also don’t know from this how much fruit came eventually because of Paul’s preaching. We plant seeds, but God makes them grow . . . in His time. (1 Corinthians 3.6)
Conclusion:
1. Be aware of and compassionate for the lost people around you.
2. Go to those who are willing and interested.
3. Faith does not exclude reason.
4. Know the reasons for what you believe.
5. You will be misunderstood and mocked.
6. Be kind and courteous.
7. Look for common ground to start off from.
8. Don’t be afraid to point out differences.
9. Don’t assume that they know anything (Lay the groundwork.)
10.Listen and/or research so that you understand what they believe.
11.Give them application steps.
11.b (Focus on the resurrection.)
12.Be prepared for mixed responses.
13.God gives the increase: Be patient.
We should be aware of the lost people around us and we should be compassionate. We should go to those who are willing and interested. We must understand that faith does not exclude reason. We should know the reasons for what we believe. We will be misunderstood and mocked. Be kind and courteous. Look for common ground to start off from. Don’t be afraid to point out differences. Don’t assume that they know anything (Lay the groundwork.) Listen and/or research so that you understand what they believe. Give them application. Be prepared for mixed responses. God gives the increase. Be patient.
Note: I also have a handout to go along with this available in MS Publisher format. I’d be glad to email it to you if it would be helpful.
