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Athens.
It had once been the education centre of the ancient world. But by the time of Acts, it had lost its former glory. Athenians now occupied themselves with superstitions, pagan festivals and trivial debates. Like social media addicts, they spent all their time just telling or hearing something new (Acts 17:21).
You might think a seasoned apostle like Paul would have outgrown culture shock at this stage of his career. Not completely. In deep solidarity with the God who is Jealous, Paul was shaken to the core by the idolatry of Athens. His spirit was provoked within him when he saw the city overgrown with idols (Acts 17:16 ESV).
His spirit was provoked within him when he saw the city overgrown with idols.
The word provoked here means deeply distressed, irritated, exasperated. Are we likewise exasperated by the darkness in our city and world today? Or have we become so indifferent that we don’t even notice it anymore?
While Paul was provoked, he didn’t react. Alone with God in a forest of idols, he engaged the city and confronted its darkness with the Light of the Gospel.
Like a skillful farmer, he sowed seed in every field. First, he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and God-fearing Gentiles. Then every day in the marketplace with anyone who would listen (Acts 17:17). And next he engaged the Areopagus on their own turf and terms (Acts:18-22).
The Areopagus was not a benign debating society. It was both the City Council and the Supreme Court of Athens. It could intervene in all areas of corporate life. It had judicial authority to try any crime and inflict the death penalty.
The Areopagus presented Paul with his greatest challenge yet as a communicator: May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean (Acts:19–21). Like Socrates before him, Paul was accused of introducing foreign deities to Athens.
Paul was ready in season and out of season. The challenge of Athens drew out the best of him. Much was at stake. The speech that follows is not only a textbook example of cross-cultural communication. It’s also one of the greatest tributes ever to the One True God whose name is Jealous (Exodus 34:14). Let the Supreme Court of Athens hear His voice. Come what may.
Fast and pray
- We live in a garden of gods. Have we become numb to the idolatry around us? Many of our churches are not as evangelistic as they once were. Why? Below are some possible reasons (adapted from a poll). Review them carefully. Respond to each one honestly in terms of very true, quite true or not true.
• Christians are not gripped by the reality of judgment and hell (Revelation 20:15).
• Christians have lost their burden to reach the lost.
• Christians lack a sense of urgency to reach the lost.
• Christians do not befriend and spend time with the lost.
• Christians are lazy, indifferent and apathetic.
• Christians are known more for what we are against than what we are for.
• Churches have an evangelistic mindset of you come rather than we go.
• Christians think that evangelism is the role of the pastor and paid staff.
• Christians see Church as meeting my needs rather than reaching the lost.
• Christians are in a retreat mode as culture becomes more secular.
• Christians hold back from sharing the Gospel for fear of offending others.
• Christians don’t really believe that Christ is the only way of salvation.
• Churches are no longer houses of prayer with a passion for the lost.
• Churches have lost their focus on training disciples to reach the lost.
• Churches have theological systems that do not encourage evangelism.
• Churches have too many things going on, and so they have no time and no energy for what really matters like evangelism and world missions.
- Reflect deeply on each reason. Highlight those that apply to you and your church. Pray over each issue. In brokenness, pray for a mighty awakening. May we see and hear the cries of the lost going into eternity without Christ (Hebrew 9:27). Lord, soften our hearts to love and win the lost with a great sense of urgency.
- Life and death hang in the balance. Bring pre-believers before the Lord. Pour out your heart for each one by name — that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26).
- Pray for a revival of evangelistic passion among Christian students and thinkers in the world of academia. That whenever they open their mouths to witness, they will experience a new anointing to proclaim the Gospel clearly, disarming all arguments, touching the heart and the intellect of skeptics and seekers alike.
Read the devotional from Day 18: Faith and Reason here.
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