Shine – In Active Debate
OPENING PRAYER:
Father, all truth is in You. I desire to learn and grow in how to lovingly share that truth. Open the eyes of my heart that I might see You. Amen
“ A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate 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. Then 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? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So, you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. Acts 17:18-23 NIV
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” At that, Paul left the Council. Acts 17:32-33 NIV
REFLECT:
Paul was a committed evangelist. Primarily, he was committed to sharing the good news of Jesus – his life, death, burial, and resurrection – all to bring each person that accepts His sacrifice for their sin to an eternal relationship with God. To the church in Corinth he said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:22 NIV. Finding himself in Athens, Paul went to the synagogue and the marketplace to engage in discussions with the locals, always looking to move the conversation to matters of faith and to correct “ignorance” that held them captive. He did not shy away from these discussions but prepared for and sought them out. He wisely took things from their culture and interests to begin a spiritual discussion. In the passage today, Paul refers to an altar “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.” Paul was able to bring truth into confused issues.
APPLY:
Likewise, our world is searching for answers. There are many voices speaking, texting, posting, and arguing loudly and convincingly about things that are far from the truth of God’s Word. “I am the way, the truth and the life.,” Jesus claims in John 14:6 NIV. Yet so often Christ followers are hesitant to gently speak the Truth confidently when given the chance to do so. In his recent book, Being The Bad Guys, Stephen McAlpine explains that many of our Christian views long held as moral and true, are now regarded not just as old-fashioned or stupid, but as “dangerous.” However, rather than viewing ourselves as “victims” we need to understand that in Christ we are “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37 NIV). We are victors in Christ. McAlpine states, “I do believe that what we have in the gospel is the most liberating, hope-filled news that the world has ever seen.” How can we hide this light under a bushel basket? How can we hesitate to throw this life preserver to people who are drowning in the sea of lies that our culture espouses? We must commit ourselves to the truth of God’s Word; study it and know it. We must understand where popular untrue ideas regarding authority, identity, value, and purpose being shouted and taught need to be refuted and respectfully countered. We must love people unreservedly and boldly share the Truth until the entire world knows.
CLOSING PRAYER:
“May the words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalms 19:14 NIV) In Jesus name, Amen.
WORSHIP: