In my last three posts I have sought to discuss evangelism
in an honest fashion. Originally, I thought I would do only three posts on this
topic. However, this past week I was reminded just how helpful Luke’s Acts
17:16-34 account of Paul’s ministry in Athens is. So, I want to draw out some
of the lessons on evangelism we find there.
Before I get into those principles, I want to say a word
about the context and what is going on in this passage.
As part of the second missionary journey of Paul, he, Silas,
and Timothy were in Berea where many men and women believed (Acts 17:11-12).
However, we discover in Acts 17:13 Jews in Thessalonica came to Berea and
caused such an agitation that it led to Paul being sent off while Silas and
Timothy remained in Thessalonica (17:14-15).
Paul came to Athens, where, while waiting for Timothy and
Silas to come, his spirit was provoked in him when he saw a city full of idols
(17:16). Paul began to reason both in the synagogue with Jews and devout
persons, as well as in the marketplace with whoever was there, including
philosophers—many of whom stumbled over his preaching of the resurrection of
Jesus (17:17-18). These philosophers took Paul to the Areopagus, where
philosophers and those interested in hearing about new ideas, gathered
(17:19-21). In Acts 17:22-34 we find the account of what Paul said at the
Areopagus, along with the reaction to his message.
Here is the entire text of Acts 17:16-34:
Now
while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him
as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and
the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to
be there. 18 Some
of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said,
“What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher
of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
19 And they took him and
brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is
that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We
wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who
lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing
something new.
22 So Paul, standing
in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every
way you are very religious. 23 For
as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an
altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as
unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it,
being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,
25 nor is he served by
human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all
mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind
to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the
boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their
way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,
28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have
said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
29 Being then God's
offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver
or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he
commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge
the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has
given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
32 Now when they
heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will
hear you again about this.” 33 So
Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom
also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with
them.
Here are the first four of eight discoveries we make about sharing
our faith:
1. We should
be motivated to do gospel work by the reality that people do not worship the
true God. v. 16.
2. Though
there are situations with people closer to us in relationship in which we might
go more slowly in gospel work (e.g. 1 Peter 3:1-6), nevertheless, in our
culture most Christians go too slowly (or not at all into gospel work) and so
need to be reminded by Paul’s example at Athens, wherein it appears he went
relatively quickly into proclaiming the gospel. vv. 16-34
3. Paul discovered common ground with the
Athenians, i.e. a place at which he could enter the conversation. When we are
mindful of praising God, of chatting our faith, of giving testimony to what he
has done in us, and of giving testimony to the saving power and faithfulness of
our Savior, doing gospel work with unbeliever or believer should never be far
from our lips—as an overflow of our worship. Acts 17:22-23, 28
4. Sometimes, in a culture that is biblically
illiterate (as ours is becoming), we must explain what this God is like whom we
are proclaiming, to set a foundation for sharing the gospel and also why we
need it. Acts 17:24-31
In order to grasp just how much sometimes we must discuss with someone to
set a foundation, let’s look at some of the topics Paul covered in Athens:
a. The true God created all the world and
everything in it (24a), including all people—from one man, so the account of
Adam and Eve is affirmed by Paul (26a). What is more, God is the originator and
source of life and breath, all things, for all people (25b). Everything, then,
that a person has he ultimately owes it to God.
b. The true God is Lord, i.e. master or King,
of all that exists (24b). The implication of this is that every person is
obligated to submit to this King and follow him. Here, then, in this text, we
discover that the sin which brings man under judgment (cf. vv. 30-31) consists
of not submitting to and not worshipping the true King.
c. The true God does not live in manmade
temples, for he does not resemble manmade inanimate idols in any way (24c, 29).
Instead, because we are made in his image as his offspring, we resemble him.
d. He is self-sufficient and in need of
nothing that any other being gives to him. As such, man serves God as a servant
does his greater master—i.e. in submission, but he does not serve him as a
physician does a patient—providing something for God he does not have and is in
need of, and thus that places God in a better state than he was previously. Acts
17:25a
e. God is not only creator of all and source
of all that we have, he is the Governor of all, determining the times and
places mankind exists and lives. Though Luke does not tell us how God did this,
if we have been accurate in our other assessments of statements in Luke-Acts
about God’s specific and absolute sovereignty (e.g. Acts 4:28; 13:48), then
most likely what is intended here is that God’s plan initiates the processes
under consideration prior to and independent of man’s choices. Acts 17:26b
f. God, as the Governor of all, has so
ordered mankind in the different times and places so that they could seek or
worship him. There is something in his providential governance of the peoples
of the world that demonstrates that God has given every natural opportunity for
man to see, know, and seek God. Acts 17:27a
g. God is the continual sustainer of all
mankind—not merely creating and starting the processes of the world, but being
intimately involved in on-going life and processes of mankind—and he does this
as a God that is near-by, i.e. who is not hard to find. Acts 17:27c-28
h. God is also a God who hates sin and so is
judge—judging in accordance with his righteous nature, and doing so through a
man who lived, died, and was raised in the place of sinners. As such, Paul
makes it clear why we need salvation and how we come to salvation. Acts
17:30-31
Joyfully heralding the gospel with you,
Tom
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