April 9, 2006

Palm Sunday

“Our God Loves Our World”

Changed Lives Change Lives

Various Scriptures

Prayer and Scripture: Judy

 

·       I want to start out this morning by reading a passage from a book I’m in the middle of by pastor Erwin Raphael McManus called The Barbarian Way.  This is what McManus writes: When the Creator chooses to dwell within His creation, there is transformation….  You are not intended to be a spiritual zoo where people can look at God in you from a safe distance.  You are a jungle where the Spirit roams wild and free in your life.  You are the recipient of the God who cannot be tamed and of a faith that must not be tamed…  …you are most fully alive when you are on an adventure with God (pp. 66-67). 

·       That is exactly what Paul experienced when He encountered Christ.  He was a different man, and because He was changed, God used Him to change lives.  Let’s read about it in Acts 17:16-34.

·       Acts 17:16-34 from The Message – The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got – all those idols!  The city was a junkyard of idols.  17 He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place.  And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along.  18 He got to know some of the Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well through these conversations.  Some of them dismissed him with sarcasm: What an airhead!”  But others, listening to him go on and on about Jesus and the resurrection, were intrigued: “That’s a new slant on the gods.  Tell us more.”  19 These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation over at the Areopagus, where things were a little quieter.  They said, “This is a new one on us.  20 We’ve never heard anything quite like it.  Where did you come up with this anyway?  Explain so we can understand.”  21 Downtown Athens was a great place for gossip.  There were always people hanging around, natives and tourists alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most anything.  22 So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them.  “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously.  23 When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across.  And then I found one inscribed, TO THE GOD NOBODY KNOWS.  I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with.  24 The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines 25 or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself.  He made the creatures; the creatures don’t make him.  26 Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, 27 with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him.  He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us.  He’s not remote; he’s near.  28 We live and move in him, can’t get away from him!  One of your own poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created!’  29 Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?  30 God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better – but that time is past.  The unknown is now known, and he’s calling for a radical life-change.  31 He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right.  And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead.”  32 At the phrase “raising him from the dead,” the listeners split: Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, “Let’s do this again.  We want to hear more.”  33 But that was it for the day, and Paul left.  34 There were still others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with Paul – among them Dionysus the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris. 

·       This is quite a passage.  Paul had been shuffled off to Athens to keep the Jews from Thessalonica and Berea from killing him.  While there he couldn’t help but notice all of the idols – hundreds and hundreds of them.  The New American Standards says that his soul was provoked within him.  Athens sounds a lot like our culture – everyone has their own custom-designed idol that mixes and matches whatever religious and anti-religious beliefs suit their fancy.  The Athenians had a shrine to “The Unknown God” because they wanted to cover their bases and make sure they didn’t leave any out that could cause them problems.  Many millions of Americans allow just a little bit of God in some form or another into their lives just to cover their bases – after all, they’re good people.  Saul was a good person, in fact, a great person in the eyes of the Jews before he met Jesus and became Paul.  So it’s fairly safe to say that we’re in a similar culture as the one Paul was facing.  So what did he do to shine the light of Christ?  And what can we do to shine the light as well?

·       Paul connected with people like him.  Verse 17 - He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place.  He first went to those who had some fear of God with the good news of Christ and used the situation in Athens to reach them.  He shared on Sabbath days in the synagogue and went out into the marketplace to share with those folks as well.  We too can share Christ with those who are like us, who start with some fear or knowledge of God, and help them make that step of faith that will bring them into personal relationship with Jesus.  Having common ground with people helps us know how to share our faith and helps them connect with what we’re sharing.

·       Paul connected with people unlike him.  Verses 17-18 - And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along.  18 He got to know some of the Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well through these conversations.  He met all kinds of people in the marketplace and shared about Christ with them.  Some were regular tradesmen like him, and many were not.  Some were even among the leading intellectuals of the city.  But if they showed any kind of interest, Paul was willing to talk to them about Christ.  We too can share Christ with those in the marketplace, whether it’s people we work with or see every day or simply somebody who looks like they could use a friend.  If they show any kind of interest, we can help them make the transition from what they believe to be true to the truth that is found in Christ.

·       Paul built relationships with both kinds of people.  He took the time to earn the trust of both the God-fearers and those who knew nothing about God.  Those connections paid off over time and earned him the opportunity to share his faith in an even greater venue.  We too can build relationships with both kinds of people, God-fearers and those who know nothing about God.  We can be the loving hands of God to them.  We may not be a spiritual zoo but we are on display, and people will see Christ in us every day if we have the same kind of vital and living relationship with Christ that Paul did.

·       Paul shared his faith in ways his audience could understand.  Verses 22-23 - So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them.  “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously.  23 When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across.  And then I found one inscribed, TO THE GOD NOBODY KNOWS.  I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with.  To say the Athenians were religious would be one of the greatest understatements of all time.  We already talked about their obsession with idols.  Paul used terms and language they understood and connected with to present the truth.  That’s one reason I’m preaching a series on The Da Vinci Code after Easter – so we can combat the lies by sharing God’s truth in ways people can understand. 

·       What was the result of Paul’s efforts?  Verses 32-34 - At the phrase “raising him from the dead,” the listeners split: Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, “Let’s do this again.  We want to hear more.”  33 But that was it for the day, and Paul left.  34 There were still others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with Paul – among them Dionysus the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.  Some people just totally blew Paul off, just like they will us.  Some will want to hear more in the future, but aren’t ready for more now.  Some will come to faith in Christ because we’ve shared our faith.  I personally am not the greatest evangelist in the world, and probably neither are you.  But we don’t have to be.  We just have to be faithful, follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, and share what He wants us to share.  As we’ve seen in Paul’s life, the Spirit will work and will bring people to Christ through those who are willing to be used.

·       In your bulletins are copies of an invitation to our church’s Easter events.  Maybe while we’ve been together this morning God’s been whispering to your heart some folks that He’d like you to invite.  Use the invitations, and there are more on the lit table in the foyer if you need them.  Just write their name and your name on the back and give them out.  Or maybe God’s been speaking to your heart about more directly sharing your faith.  Ask His help in being bold and sharing what He has for you to share.  He will help you.  Let’s pray.