2013 Acts #28: an exposition of Acts 17:16-34. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, December 1, 2013.
Intro:
How do you engage a world in love with novelty and the spectacular? When people pride themselves on their intelligence and yet daily prove the reality of Paul’s word to the church at Corinth – “The world does not know God through its wisdom?” A place of great learning and culture yet filled with superstition and idolatry? A strange mixture of religion and paganism. A world not at all concerned about God in general or the Gospel in particular. By the way, I’m not describing our culture. I’m talking about the city of Athens – 2000 years ago when the apostle Paul strolled into town.
Paul having been run out of town following a brief but successful ministry in Thessalonica, made his way to Berea. There the noble Bereans search the Scripture daily to test the truth of Paul’s message. The result was that a great many came to saving faith. But that band of thugs from Thessalonica came to Berea and drove Paul further west to the great city of Athens. Athens was an important city in the ancient world. Of course its heyday was several hundred years prior to the coming of Paul. Athens was, at one time, the cultural center of the world. While clearly on the decline it was still the leading intellectual center of Paul’s day. Home to the “golden age” of philosophy in the 4th and 5th centuries Athens was also known for its great literature, art and architecture. It was to this cultured, intelligent, religious, pagan city that Paul came preaching the Gospel.
Luke had stayed behind in Philippi. Silas and Timothy were left at Berea and Paul alone traveled to Athens. While waiting their arrival, Paul began reasoning with the Jews in the Synagogue. It is from Paul’s ministry in this diverse, cultured city that we learn some valuable lessons for our own ministry. Our text is found in the 17th chapter of Acts.
Text: Acts 17:16-34
Paul brought the gospel to the commercial center of Thessalonica.
He then traveled to the backwater, one horse town of Berea.
Now he comes to the cultured city of Athens.
Athens provides a model for us with its diversity. We live in a diverse culture. For years we in this country, particularly here in the “Bible Belt”, lived in a monolithic culture. We looked alike, walked alike, talked alike, thought and worshiped alike. Not so anymore. The world has come to us and they’ve brought their own ways and culture. Due to the inroads of secular thinking and an increasingly humanistic perspective – “the times they are a changing.” This is not your father’s America. What must we do to impact this culture?
Many today are arguing that we jettison the past in order to reach the minds and hearts of our neighbors, friends and coworkers. But I ask, “Is that necessary?” In our obsession to be relevant and “cutting edge” are we failing to appreciate the relevance of our past? Must we embrace the “new and improved” while tossing out the “tried and tested?”
I’d like to suggest a return to the 60’s. No, not the 1960s, 1860s or the 1660s – I’m advocating that we return to the time of the apostles. When we do we will recognize that:
Thesis: The lifeblood of a New Testament church is to engage in authentic Gospel ministry.
There is widespread agreement about that statement. People of divergent theological views would equally affirm the truth of what I just said. Of course we don’t all mean the same thing by that statement! As we explore our text we will discover what the New Testament teaches us about Gospel ministry.
There are three things I want to call to your attention.
- Corruption and perversion within a community burdens and emboldens Gospel ministry. (17:16-21)
- Authentic Gospel ministry demands that we passionately proclaim the simple truths of the Gospel. (17:22-31)
- Success in Gospel ministry is measured by obedience and faithfulness not numerical results. (17:32-43)
Conclusion:
If you’ve ever tried to share the Gospel – it was a success. You may have stumbled through it. You might have gotten mixed up and left out a verse or two – that’s not the point. The point is God honors the preaching of the truth. God honors His Word. That person you spoke to may not have responded with repentance and faith. They may have even mocked or ridiculed – but it was no failure. God’s Word does not return void. It accomplishes His purpose. We are in the truth business not the result business. If we will be consistent and faithful with the truth – results will take care of themselves! Careful now – the key is if we are faithful and consistent with our witnessing!