Telling Others The Gospel Series

The phrase something unknown really means “in ignorance” though the hearers wouldn’t have taken it that way. He tactfully tells them they don’t know what they are talking about—which is literally true. It’s as if he is saying, “You admit there is a God you don’t know. Very well, then. I happen to know that God and I will now proclaim him to you. I will begin where you end.”

This is tremendous evangelistic strategy. How could they be offended when he starts by quoting from one of their own altars ­ “To the unknown God?” By admitting there is more to God than they know, they have opened the door for Paul to preach the gospel boldly.

This is what I mean by finding common ground. It doesn’t mean compromising your values in order to share the gospel. Paul here isn’t compromising anything. He’s just finding a way to gain a hearing with these highly intelligent people. And how did he find it? The same way you will in your own evangelism—by listening, by reading, by watching, by observing, by paying attention to what people say and do.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has set eternity in every human heart. Sooner or later, that longing for eternity will express itself in one way or another. Pay attention and you’ll see it when it happens. That’s your common ground.

That leads me to suggest a simple prayer: “Lord, give me an open door to share Christ this week. Amen.” If you pray that prayer, just keep your eyes open and your ears tuned in because sooner or later, you’ll sense the “God-shaped vacuum” inside the heart of those who don’t know Jesus. When the door opens, be courageous and just step in. That’s what Paul did. You can do it, too.

In verses 24-25, Paul gives them a theology lesson, courageously speaking of God as the Creator and the Giver of all things: “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. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” Paul then establishes the fact that God is near enough for us to reach out to Him and find what we’re looking for.

Verse 30 shows us the depth of Paul’s courageousness: “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” Paul is mincing no words here.

When I think about the need to be courageous, I’m helped greatly by something Bill Bright once said: “Instead of assuming that people don’t want to hear the gospel, try instead to assume that they will be interested in the good news. Your friend may have just gone through circumstances that have prepared his heart to receive Jesus Christ. God may have been leading him into an awareness of his need for truth. Perhaps he has felt especially alone -- or in need of love.”

Be Christ-Centered

As Paul moves from being courteous to being contemporary, to being courageous, he comes to the final phase of his speech: he was Christ-centered. You see, it’s not enough to just be nice and spend time with people. Nor is it enough to just be bold. We must look for ways to talk about Jesus.