Monday – Gospels
Reading – Acts 17
Highlight Verses:
“So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.”
Acts of the Apostles 17:22-23 NLT
This chapter covers three different locations with very different people.
In Thessalonica, people started to believe until religious leaders rose up against them.
Paul and Silas left town to quell the violence.
In Berea, the people listened with open minds until those same religious leaders came to undermine them.
They once again left town to quell the potential violence.
Athens was a Greek city. By cultural tradition, they welcomed debate and were eager to hear Paul.
Paul opened his words with a culturally relevant observation and went on to explain the Gospel with some success.
Each of these locations reflects conditions today.
Like Thessalonica, those in power within today’s cultural and educational institutions want to protect that power. When that power is threatened with the truth, they fight back with tactics that border on violence.
Like in Berea, those powers often send operatives into other locations to incite opposition where they feel their power threatened.
Those actions drove Paul and Silas to Athens. It’s possible they would not have gone there if not for the protests driving them there.
The Gospel found roots there.
What can we learn from all this?
I find it telling that Paul and Silas moved on when they met opposition.
Rather than fan the flame of violent opposition, they moved on to where their message would be accepted.
They also made effort to be culturally relevant without compromising the Gospel.
Here in America and much of the world, it feels like we are losing the cultural war.
There are times when we need to take a stand for what is right (especially at the ballot box).
But we also need to exercise wisdom and follow God’s guidance to lead us to where the Gospel can have the greatest effect.
The Holy Spirit will deliver the message of truth if we are faithful to follow His guidance rather than our prideful sense of indignation.
Sometimes His guidance will lead us into situations we need to take a strong unpopular stand for the truth.
Often, He will lead us into more strategic paths that will bring God even greater glory.
Have you ever had to take a strong confrontational stand? How did it turn out?
Has God ever led you to change tactics to find a more culturally relevant inroad for the Gospel? How did that turn out?
