Do You Care Enough To Engage Minds? (AM Sermon Notes)
How Are You Engaging The World? Part 2
GIST: Care enough about those trapped by sin to go to them and engage their minds.
SCRIPTURE: Acts 17:22-34
Last week, we started looking at Paul’s time in Athens by considering what he did and what that means for us as fellow followers of Jesus. We stopped just short of him being pulled before the Areopagus where he delivered this incredibly famous speech. This morning, I want to quickly recap what led up to this and then digest the rest of this message together.
When Paul arrived in Athens, it’s unclear whether or not his original intentions were to jump straight into ministry or take a bit of a breather while he waited for Silas and Timothy to arrive. Either way, he doesn’t end up waiting around because he sees a city stuck in idolatry, and he’s burdened. He can’t stand by and just be ok with sin destroying their lives or these people living in open defiance of Jesus, the One who made them and saved them. So...he starts sharing→ everywhere! He talks to the people in the Jewish synagogue first. These were people who would have had similar upbringings to Paul and who would have had a foundational knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures...which point to Jesus’ coming. However, he didn’t stay there. He also went into the marketplace. This was the “lifeblood” of the city. Everything happened here: social gatherings, shopping, religious ceremonies, education. This is where the people were, so that’s where Paul went, and he spoke to whoever happened to be there!
These are the first steps to engaging the world in a meaningful way. Care about people. Not just in word, but truly care about them. Then, go to them. Put your money where your mouth is and go to wherever people are who need to hear about Jesus. That’s what we covered last Sunday in a nutshell. This morning, I want to pick back up where we left Paul, being drug before the Areopagus. This is the center of religious and philosophical learning. When these learned men heard of what Paul was doing, they called him before their counsel and asked for a personal explanation. What we have here is a summarized version of what he said. Apparently, speeches here typically lasted an hour or so. We’re left with the “couple-minute” cliff notes version ☺️.
Our gist last week was: Care enough about those trapped by sin to go to them and engage their minds. We’re going to focus just on that last part this morning and break down how we should engage people’s minds by caring enough to talk to them while pointing them to the truth of Jesus. I know I said last week this would be a one-pointer, but that was a pretty stacked point...so I made it two ☺️. Let’s pray and dive in.
I. CARE ENOUGH TO TALK TO PEOPLE
Let’s look at the first two verses here to see how Paul begins his speech. “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.” I don’t want to major on a minor here, but it’s important to notice that when Paul speaks to these educated Athenians who have no real background knowledge of the Old Testament scriptures, he doesn’t start talking to them in the same way he would people at a Jewish synagogue. I’m not saying Paul was fake and just took on whatever form he needed to trick people into listening to him. Rather, Paul demonstrates compassion by being sensitive to who his listeners are.
I’m afraid of muddying the waters here, so let me just try to make these observations as clearly as possible.
1. Establish Common Ground. This is like conversation-starting 101. Figure out what you and the other person can talk about and go from there! Why has “talking about the weather” become synonymous with “talking about nothing”? Because it’s what we default back to when we can’t think of anything else to say! Why? Because it’s one thing we know we all have in common. I actually talk to people about the weather all the time… not just because I can’t think of anything to say, but because we live in rural Missouri, and it’s usually the most exciting thing happening ☺️.
Now, many of you probably do this naturally. If you have kids, that’s a great conversation starter when you’re talking to other people with kids. BUT, if you’re talking to someone who doesn’t have any children, you probably don’t start with you’re latest “poop” story (or maybe you do, because...let’s face it...they’re great icebreakers). Either way, the point is this: if we care about people we talk to them not at them. As a society, meaningful conversation is becoming a lost art. As Christians, we need to do better. If we’re going to claim to be compassionate, we have to live it in the way we intentionally talk to people. I might be uncomfortable, but don’t let that be an excuse. Jesus called us to go, not to “go if it’s easy”. That being said, we must→
2. Never Vary The Message. The Gospel is unchanging. As we’ll see in a moment, Paul might not have started in the same place every time, but he always ended with Jesus. People might have different life experiences that affect how we’ll talk to them, but everyone has the same central need: Jesus! Therefore, and please hear me clearly on this (that’s why it’s point two in this list ☺️), we cannot ever sacrifice the integrity of the Gospel. This is the core→ God is holy. We are sinners who deserve Hell. Jesus chose to take on Hell in our place and died and rose again. If we believe in Him and give Him control of our lives, we will be saved. That message must never change. The Bible and all its truth must never be neglected in favor of more popular stances (which will always come and go). We must stand firm on the truth→
3. But Be Flexible With The “Method” Because We’re Talking To Individuals! That’s what Paul does here. He starts by pointing out, “Hey, you’re religious.” We’re not sure of his tone here, but the observation was solid. As we pointed out last week, there were more “gods than men” in Athens. Paul used this as a starting point and even brings out that they have an altar to an “unknown god”. This was because they didn’t want to offend any of the gods by not worshipping them, so they made these altars as “just in case we missed you” altars. Paul had been paying attention. So he starts there and says: you’re religious...but that’s not enough, and the one you’re worshiping as unknown, I want to show Him to you. And that’s exactly what he does. See, we need to be talking to people, but we can’t cop-out and call just talking evangelism. We talk to people→
II. WHILE POINTING TO THE TRUTH OF JESUS
This isn’t some secretive “hidden agenda” that we are trying to sneak into conversations. It’s unhealthy to think of it that way. It should be the truth that has changed everything about your life that you can’t help but want to share with those who so desperately need it! Let’s look at where Paul goes next here→ “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.” He starts by establishing some truths that might have rocked the boat, but only a little. Nonetheless, he’s establishing key truths here. Honestly, these are truths we still need to remember desperately today. First, →
God Is The Creator Who Is Closer Than We Realize. Most in this original context wouldn’t have been too upset with the idea of a creator God. He’s still speaking in terms they would have resonated with. He even quotes their poetry. He changes the context completely (it was originally a poem about Zeus), but he uses something familiar to point to something bigger. You’re trying all these different things to get close to “the divine”, to “true meaning”, but it’s not what you think. See→
We Were Made To Seek Him. I love that line: “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…” (emphasis added). We were made by God and we were made for God. You do have a purpose in this life, and that purpose is only fulfilled when you seek after the One who made you. He’s not hiding. He wants to be found. That’s why He’s revealed Himself to us! That’s why Jesus came. That’s why the Scripture has been preserved throughout time. That’s why He’s being proclaimed all across this world today!
He develops that argument. God is huge and made you and is the one actually pursuing you→
So… Clearly, He’s More Than Us & More Than We Can “Make Him”. Now, he’s striking a chord a bit. He just said...all those altars you have and the way you’ve been creating gods in your image in order to reach fulfillment, none of that will work. Those can’t be God, because He’s bigger than that. We don’t make God; He made us and loves us and pursues us. Paul’s flipping their worldview upside down, again, because he’s taken time to understand it.
After building this bridge, he crosses it. And we always need to remember that this ending point is the most important thing we have to offer anyone. There is a loving creator God→
And He Requires Something Of Us. What do you think he talks about next? Our need for redemption and the blessed redeemer who provides it! “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.” What is he saying here? You haven’t experienced His judgment yet, but it is coming. Jesus came and died and rose again. Then, He ascended into Heaven, but He’s coming back. This isn’t all recorded here, but remember, we’re being provided the cliff notes, and Paul was drug up here for talking about Jesus. So what’s he doing? He’s calling for repentance. We’ve made mistakes. We’ve fallen short of God’s design for our lives. Because of that, we deserve Hell. But, God sent a redeemer, Jesus! No matter who you’re talking to or where you start, it always has to come back to Jesus! He’s our hope. He’s our everything. You have nothing else to offer...and there is nothing else anyone could ever need!
So, that’s how Paul spoke in this context. What was the→
Reaction? “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.” Some mocked, some were curious, but a few believed! This might seem like a failure, but I would be more than ecstatic if a few believed in Jesus because of my witness...even if it meant others were mocking. Those are condemned souls being given life! In fact, the man mentioned here was a deep thinking Areopagite whose name literally meant: “Devoted to Dionysus”, the trickster god of wine and festivities. His life was devoted to selfish, destructive endeavors, but now he’s been set free! Amazing Grace.
TAKEAWAYS
1. Care enough to have real conversations with real people. 1. Establish Common Ground. 2. Never Vary The Message. 3. But Be Flexible With The “Method” Because We’re Talking To Individuals!
2. And care enough to always point them to Jesus. Oh, how easy this is to type and how hard it is to practice. I’m not good at this. Please, pray for me this week, that I would be a better witness for Jesus. Let’s pray for each other, as we close, that this world might see and be set free!
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