Yes - God Is At Work In The World

I. Introduction – Slide 1

In Acts 16 and 17, Paul’s second missionary journey left little question. God was at work in the good and tough times:

• In Derbe and Lystra, the churches there are growing. There God brings Timothy into Paul’s life.

• In Phillipi, God brings Lydia and her entire household to faith. But they are not the only ones. Beaten and jailed after a riot from healing the slave girl – God brings the jailer’s household to faith after a God sent earthquake frees Paul and Silas.

• In Thessalonica, the Spirit penetrates the hearts of many a Jew there with the Gospel – Yet a violent uproar cut their stay short. A mob provoked by militant Judaizers stormed Jason’s home where they were staying.

• Escaping to Berea, the Spirit drew many Jews to believe there as well including several prominent Greeks. But again, the Judaizers show up and cut their stay short. So the believers escort Paul to Athens.

• Despite resistance. having met with so much success – God’s working presence was so evident in their journey.

• But now in Athens, Paul is alone. Their godless culture is overwhelming to Paul. And at least at first, God’s working presence seems absent.

SLIDE 2

Paul walks around Athens as any tourist would. Paul looks like a midget when he stands next to the huge pillars of the Parthenon – 35 feet high. Inside are numerous shrines, statues, and altars. Fashioned in gold, silver, ivory, and marble are images of the twelve gods like Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, and the others.

As Paul strolls around, he is not impressed. Verse 16 indicates he is overwhelmed and distressed. How could so many people find themselves separated from Jesus Christ? Why isn’t God at work here in this great city of culture and philosophy? Paul gets right to work – He heads to the local synagogue.

The Athenians who prided themselves on their culture were oblivious to the existence of Jesus Christ. Paul knew these idols were just non-living things. Compared to Christ, these idols offered them nothing. But then, Paul’s eyes are drawn to an altar that stood out from the rest.

Slide 3

It was the Athenians altar to an unknown god. Luke only mentions this one. But archaeologists have found similar inscriptions on others. Searching for the backstory behind this, they found one in the ancient book “Lives of the Eminent Philosophers” from 275AD. There it is recorded that Epimenides, in 600 BC, helped save Athens from a terrible contagious disease. Epimenides summons outside help. And we read - A Pythian priestess boarded a ship from Crete. She instructed them to purify the city of Athens. Bring a number of sheep into Athens. Let them go about as they please. Then mark the spot where each one lays. Sacrifice them as a blood offering to cleanse the city. Epimenides led this effort. Everywhere a lamb laid down, the lamb was sacrificed to the unknown god. Such areas were marked in honor and altars were built there. We’ll see how Paul uses this backstory to introduce Jesus at work in their lives.

Slide 4

II. Problem in the World Today – What We See and Feel – Jumping to today, the world bears many similarities to Athens in Paul’s day. Like Paul, we find ourselves today in the center of culture. Within a few hours drive are Chicago and Detroit – offering all their museums, and education, and culture. Much of our world is still in a state of ignorance when it comes to Jesus Christ. Within an hour’s radius of Fruitport, you will find mosques, Hindu Shrines, Buddhist temples, Bahai Houses, Jewish synagogues, witch Covens, and Satanic meeting houses. Go to Grand Haven for fortune telling. Drive to Saugatuck - Find your Zen energy flow at the water through meditation to discover your divinity within you. It is hard to see God at work in the world with all these alternatives.

Slide 5

Then as people of God’s Word, we may even approach the Bible and come away with an odd assumption. We are left tempted to think that God is less active now than he was in the narrative of the Bible. Then it seems with all this future talk about heaven and Jesus that his activity suddenly picks up again in the future. It is hard to see God at work in the world presently in our time without special revelation.

Slide 6

Now add into the equation the state of the world which is in a state of divide. Add in all the drama in our lives and around us. Wars between rival nations. Or defaulting to violence to settle our differences. It is hard to see God at work when all is falling apart around us.