Idolatry

How does a Christian respond appropriately to what we know to be false religions, idols, angry pagans and those who hate us? This is an important question because it is often the situation we face as followers of Christ and it will never change. Some folks teach that if we are loving, caring and peaceful we will be treated with love and respect in response. That may be true sometime but it is the opposite of truth in many cases. I am sure you remember that several Christians on a medical team were murdered recently because they were delivering care and love to Muslims.

I am going to look briefly at an incident when Paul was almost overcome with a case of spiritual stomach ache when he was in Athens evidently for the first time. We will also look at how he responded to the pagan leaders in that situation. Perhaps it can be a model for us.

Acts 17:16 While Paul was waiting for his friends in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. ( Paul was upset spiritually because he saw so many false idols in the city. How did he respond? Did he attack or scoff at them?)

17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.

18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean."

(Here is a key verse indicating that Paul really understood the Greek culture and entered into that culture appropriately. He did not act like a Christian Jew but an educated Greek philosopher.) 21 All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.

(The Greeks loved to debate so Paul debated them. He did so well that they invited him to go to the Areopagus, where the Council met, to have an official debate with them.)

22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. (Did he attack them and their beliefs? Was he disrespectful or antagonistic? Did he not take them seriously? Did he say they were ignorant or evil or from Satan? It was the opposite. Paul affirmed them for being religious. He patted them on the back.

(From a influence point of view, it was a brilliant move. Had he attacked their religion or attacked them it would probably instigated them to ignore him or fight him because he had disobeyed the rules of the debate to say nothing of violating the rules of common decency. He was wise enough to realize how to best start the process of conversion and transformation.

I live in Cincinnati, home of Procter and Gamble, a huge corporation. They have spent some two billion dollars on marketing per year for decades. Why do they do that? They want to change the behavior of non customers to become customers and to keep customer buying their products. It is all about influence.

Never does P&G attack their potential customers. Despite selling soap to clean body and clothing, P&G refrains from saying things like, "You all are a bunch of dirty, stinking, people that no one wants to be around so buy our products." They never intentionally try to insult their customers or potential customers, even when it would be factually correct.

Paul was as wise and informed as P&G. He did not insult potential customers. Instead he affirmed them as very religious people. He drew up beside these philosophers and said, "I admire your fervor for religion." Now he changes his strategy. He says, "I have done some research to prove my point.")

23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.

(This is another brilliant preaching insight based on a thorough knowledge of the Greek religious culture and beliefs. This statue to the UNKNOWN GOD was actually a statue to the Lord God, the Creator of the Universe who was sought by the Greeks but was still unknowable to them. Now listen to this brilliant and well researched missionary, Paul.

Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

In other words, Paul says, "I know you have been searching for the unknowable, invisible God and He sent me here to reveal Him."

This is an unmatched, Holy Spirit led sermon based on thorough research into the Greek culture and religious belief system. Paul was able to RESPOND to these pagans with peace, love and joy rather than anxiety, anger and pessimism. Despite starting with a troubled spirit/mind/emotional state, he had gotten over that period of distress and was able to preach a great evangelistic sermon to the council of philosophers.

What lessons do we have to learn from Paul's conversion from anxiety to peace and anger to wisdom?

Where does this kind of wisdom need to be applied today?

Do you see any Christian leaders who need God's peace in order to preach with wisdom, cultural understanding and peace? Where?

When and where do you need God's peace and love to preach the right word at the right time in the right way?