World Wide Witness: Mission In A Secular World

Acts 17. Nick is going to come and read that for us. We did Acts 16 last week. We've jumped

the visit to Thessalonica and we're going to jump to Athens. Partly because during the

summer you remember we went through the book of Thessalonians, so we've kind of covered

that a little bit. So, yeah, Nick is going to read for us now. You can just give the page

numbers and the letters. Thanks.

So I'm reading from Acts chapter 17 and starting at verse 13 to the end of the chapter and that's

Acts 17 · chapter mention

on page 1113 in the Red Church Bible. Burgundy colour, I suppose. Thank you.

When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea,

they went there too, agitating the crowd and stirring them up. The brothers immediately

sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. The men who escorted Paul brought

him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full

of idols. 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. 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. This was because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the

resurrection. 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? You are bringing some strange ideas

to our ears and we want to know more, to know what they mean. All the Athenians and the foreigners

who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, men of Athens, I see that in every way

you are very religious. 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. Now what you worship as something

unknown? I am going to proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of

heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands as if

he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man

he made every nation of men that they should inhabit the whole earth. And he determined the time set for

them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps

reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from them. For in him we live and move and have our

being. As some of your own poets have said, we are his offspring. Therefore, since we are God's offspring,

we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image made by man's design

and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of

this to all men by raising him from the dead. When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them

sneered and others said, we want to hear more on this subject. At that, Paul left the council. A few men became

followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysus, a member of the Areopagus, and also a woman named

Damaris, and a number of others.

Thank you.

Thanks very much, Nick.

Kirstie's just handing around some pens and sheets there if anybody would like to take notes.

And again, if there's any questions that arise from this morning, please feel free to talk with me

afterwards. Or at least you can raise them on our Wednesday evening studies where we follow up

on the section. There's further questions about it and application and how it applies to us. So you can

have a look at that. Or you can meet with us on Wednesday as we do that.

Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for this book of Acts. Thank you for everything that is there for us to read and to learn. We pray that it would not just be history, just mere information, but that these words would be life-changing.

We pray that we would be life-changing. We pray that we will be different people from what we hear today, that your spirit would change us. And we pray for your help in this this morning. In Jesus' name. Amen.

well, I think you all have heard of Albert Einstein, responsible for E equals MC2 or MC squared, is it? See, when they introduce letters into maths, it gets a bit confusing.

but Albert Einstein was one of the greatest scientists, one of the most brilliant minds that the world has ever known.

He's also famous for writing what has become known as the God Letter.

You might have seen it on some of the news channels.

It went on sale this week on eBay and the bidding started at $3 million if you're interested in buying his letter.

Well, in the letter he wrote this.

The word God is for me nothing more than an expression and product of human weaknesses.

The Bible, a collection of honourable but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish.

No interpretation, no matter how subtle, can for me change this.

A great mind expressing his views on God.

Now, I think that reflects the general mind of people living in Ireland today.

We've come of age, we've graduated from childish thinking.

We've moved on from God.

We've no reason for God.

We've learned to live without God.

But that's actually nothing new.

Because this was the culture that Paul found himself in when he went to Athens.

Athens was the intellectual capital of the Roman Empire.

It was the place where all the big universities were.

It was home to great philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.

It was the gathering place for the great minds and thinkers to hang out.

Verse 21.

All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.

I think that has to be one of the best descriptions of university and college life, doesn't it?

Spending their time doing nothing but drinking coffee and talking.

Spending their time doing nothing but thinking about the way, if you're in university, you can get me back afterwards.

But for all of their thinking and for all of their talking, it seems that they just had no place for God.

They were living their life without any reference to God.

He was simply pushed out of the box.

so while Paul was in Athens waiting for his team to come there'd been persecution in Thessalonica

so he had to leave there and go down to Athens and as he's waiting for his team to join him

he begins to engage with these great thinkers to talk with them debate with them discuss with them

and there's three things that we're going to look at this morning just to kind of

keep it all together the first is this how we replace God the reason for God and our response

to God so three things how we replace God the reason we need God and then our response to this God

so first of all how we replace God look at verse 16 while Paul was waiting for them in Athens he was

greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols literally everywhere you looked every corner

that you turned there was an idol representing a certain God they had sex gods they had war gods

they had money gods they had work gods they had every kind of God and with every God there was an idol

and we're told there that Paul was greatly distressed it means he was he was really angry

he was bubbling up inside he wasn't temper like he didn't go around smashing them

but he was deeply upset inside himself that the people of this great city had replaced God

with their own gods and isn't that exactly what we have in Ireland today

we don't just remove God we replace him with something else or someone else

there's a book it's a collection of essays called no gods but God and one of the authors

Richard keys he writes this and I think it just sums it up so clearly he says when we cease

to worship God we do not worship nothing we worship anything we do not just eliminate God in other

words we don't just push God out of out of the way we don't just close them outside the door

he says we erect God's substitutes in his place and these God's substitutes are what we call idols

and it seems the whole city had not only removed God but they had replaced God with something else

we see this in verse 18 there were a group of epicurean and stoic philosophers who began to dispute with Paul

now epicureans were people who believed that there were gods who kind of maybe started the world but

they were kind of a way out there they were just remote and and took no interest in the world or interest in

people's affairs a little bit like people today then there were the stoics they were people who believed

that the world was controlled by the gods but they were impersonal and you couldn't relate to them

and so they entered into this debate this discussion with Paul and some of them asked what is this babbler

trying to say they thought Paul was a little bit uneducated what kind of degree does he have to be

talking to us others remarked he seems to be advocating foreign gods he's got another one it's not just

we've got a few here he's bringing another god along they said this because Paul was preaching the good

news about Jesus and the resurrection you see these great thinkers with these brilliant minds being able

to grasp great big issues had not only removed Jesus Christ from their thinking but they had replaced Christ

with a whole lot of ideologies we might call it intellectual idols it was simply their human attempt to try and

explain life the world the universe without any kind of reference to God whatsoever

somebody like Richard Dawkins or any of his atheist followers would fit into that category

and I don't think that the people of our land today are any different and we're no different

and you might say well Johnny I haven't got any idol if you go and look in my garden you might kind of

find a little gnome or something like that but that's about it I don't have a carved or or sculpted image

in my garden or in my house but we've all got idols again the author Richard Keyes he explains it like this

he says an idol can be a physical object it could be your car it could be a property your home a person

your spouse or one of your children it could be an activity sport or some other hobby it could be a role

an institution it could be an institution it could be the church a hope an image an idea a pleasure

or a hero anything can substitute for God

now none of these things that I've mentioned are wrong but when they become more important to you

than God then they become an idol because you're making it as important as God

so instead of looking to God for meaning and purpose

well we look to our own little idols the things that are important to us

we look to things like friends and family hoping that in them they'll satisfy us

maybe if I could get a wife or a husband or a boyfriend or a girlfriend if I could have that

then I'll be satisfied

or maybe we work to we look to work and leisure and if I can get that degree if I can get that

qualification if I can have that job if I can have that salary if I can have those things

then my life will be fulfilled and it seems like we stuff our lives with idols with God's substitutes

longing for peace longing for happiness longing for joy if only we could get that then I will be okay

you see for all of our clever thinking and talking we've not just removed God

we've just replaced God with something else or someone else

but you know what when we replace God with with something else

it's it's something counterfeit it's it's not the real thing

it's always going to fail you it's never going to deliver what it promises you

because it can't because it's not God it's a replacement it's instead of

look at verse 22

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and he said

men of Athens I see that in every way you are very religious

now I'm sure some of these great philosophers and thinkers were a bit put out by

that you wouldn't want to describe yourself as being religious religious is a dirty word

nobody wants to be thought of religious nobody wants to be called a holy Joe anymore

because we've moved on we've grown up we've we've moved away from childish thinking

we've we've managed to live life without God we don't need him anymore

but you know what we actually are all religious

and the reason is is because we all worship something

look at what Paul says in verse 23

he says 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

now what you worship is something unknown I'm going to proclaim to you

now people might be moving on in their thinking in our land

and people might stop worshipping God as we would say

they might stop going to church

they might read their Bible

they might think the value of praying anymore

they kind of have left all of that behind

but actually people continue to be very religious

they still worship other things

to worship something

simply means to give your life to something

in the hope

that our emptiness will be fulfilled

and our longings will be satisfied

we're all worshippers

we are all religious people

it's just we worship different things

but being fulfilled and being satisfied

these are only things that God can provide

when we worship him

so first of all Paul kind of sets out his stall

and he shows us how we have all replaced God

with something else or someone else

and now he shows us the reason for God

he shows us who God is

and why we actually need God

we can't afford to replace him

three things

first God is the creator of all life

verse 24

the God who made the world and everything in it

is the Lord of heaven and earth

and does not live in temples built by hands

now

to say that in a university setting

to talk that way to your friends

to say that God created the world

whoa

people just can't handle that anymore

God

don't be so silly

don't talk like that

and they simply want to remove God

out of the equation

well let's go down that route for a minute

let's remove God

from the equation of how the world came to be

and what are we left with?

I'll tell you what we're left with

chance

we're a random collection of atoms

that came from nowhere

and somehow all came together

and then exploded into this life giving force

all by itself

and the end product

which is all these multiple forms of life

all over the place

in all their wonderful design

and everything else

are just here

but they're under nobody's control

it all just happens

it's all an accident

it's all random

that means you and I are all accidents

we've come from nowhere

and we're going nowhere

but just open our eyes

and our ears

look at the delicate beauty

that there is

from the smallest flower

to the intricate design

and order

of our huge universe

and the galaxy

it all points to a creator

to somebody who's in control

even scientists are beginning

to step over

and they're beginning to say

yes there is

an intelligent designer

they mightn't say it's God

but there is intelligent design

and look what it says

at the end of verse 24

and God does not live

in temples built by hands

God the creator

can't be man managed

or downsized

so that we can put him

into a little box

or fit him into

into some little cupboard

and shut the door

when we don't need him

when it comes to thinking

about how the world came to be

let's shove God away

to one side

we can't do that

he is our creator

and he controls

the world

in which we live

we can't remove God

we need God

otherwise life is just chance

it's random

it's an accident

the second thing he says

is that God is

the centre

of all life

or we might say

the source

of all life

verse 25

and he is not served

by human hands

as if he needed anything

because he himself

gives all people

life and breath

and everything else

God is at the very centre

he sustains

and he maintains

all of life

he is the source

of life

and again

if you're to talk to people

they just can't handle that

people don't like

to think

that somehow

God is

the giver of life

and at the centre

of life

and they want to

replace God

and kind of move him

out of the picture

well again

let's do that

for a minute

let's replace God

and well

who are we going

to put instead

into the centre

well let's put ourselves

into the centre

and what do we get

when we're at the centre

of life

we get disorder

and chaos

let me give an example

the way the planets

are set out

the sun

in our solar system

is at the centre

of our universe

and the planets

all the planets

they all orbit

the sun

the sun is here

and all the planets

orbit the sun

that's what gives us

the seasons

that's what keeps

everything the way it is

and keeps everything

in order

now let's just change

that order around

a little bit

let's take the sun out

and let's put the earth

into the middle

and let everything else

revolve around

well what would happen

you don't have to be

a scientist to know

that everything

would just fall apart

well that's what happens

when we put ourselves

at the centre

when we move

the sun

s-o-n

out of the centre

and put ourselves

into the middle

we get chaos

and disorder

but look at who

this God is

the end of verse 25

it says that he gives

all people

life

and breath

and everything else

God sustains us

in every way

not just physically

but also morally

God is at the centre

of our life

without him

we do not exist

and without him

we descend

into chaos

and disorder

we can't replace

God

we need God

the third thing

then

verse 26

is that God

is the purpose

of all of life

he gives us meaning

verse 26

from one man

this is Adam

he made

every nation

of people

that they should

inhabit the whole earth

and here for me

something so exciting

he determined

the time set for them

he determined

when each person

was going to be born

and if that doesn't

blow your minds away

look at the rest of it

and he determined

the exact places

where they should live

when you were born

and which nation

you would be born into

and which country

you were going to live

you see what happens

when people

remove God

out of this

they say

no we don't want

the God

who kind of controls

thing

and God

who determines

my life

and tells me

what happened

and what's going

to happen

let us be the

master of our

destiny

let us be the

ones who decide

what happens

well I'll tell you

what happens

when we do that

emptiness

remember what we

said

without God

we've come from

nowhere

we're going

nowhere

and such a view

just leaves

all of life

empty of purpose

and meaning

we've just

arrived here

and we're going

nowhere

but

verse 26

he has

determined

the time

set for us

and the exact

places

where we should

live

that means

our whole

life

has meaning

and purpose

that means

our whole

life

is in

control

and that

purpose

look at

verse 27

God did

this

so that

people

would

seek

him

and perhaps

reach out

and find

him

though he

is not

far from

each one

of us

God

has designed

and ordered

our life

and our

world

in such

a way

that we

would reach

out to the

God who

gives us

purpose

verse 28

for in

him

we live

and move

and have

our being

we were

made

to be in

relationship

with this

creator

life

giving

God

this is

where we

find our

meaning

and our

purpose

and the

good news

is at the

end of

verse 28

he's not

far from

each one

of us

he came

in the

person

of his

son

Jesus

Christ

he's

there

you see

we can't

reject

God

we can't

push him

out of

the equation

we need

God

we can't

replace him

because if we

are to remove

God

if we are to

replace him

if we are to

reject him

then we lose

everything

verse 29

therefore

since we are

God's offspring

we should not

think that the

divine being

is like gold

or silver

or stone

an image

made by man's

design

and skill

now isn't

it absolutely

crazy

it's daft

of us to

think that

our idols

will give

us

what only

God can

give us

it's ridiculous

to think that

we would look

to something

that we would

set up as

being God

over and

above our

creator

God

we're living

a lie

if we think

our God

replacements

are going to

satisfy us

and fill us

the gods

that we make

they can't

give us

life

they don't

control

life

they will

only destroy

our life

so Paul

he sets

out

he says

look

we've all

replaced

God

with

something

else

or

someone

else

but let

me show

you now

who God

is

the creator

of life

the centre

of life

the purpose

of all

life

we can't

do without

him

we need

him

so third

what is our

response

to this

God

what are we

to do

well verse

30

in the past

God

overlooked

such

ignorance

but now

he commands

all people

everywhere

to repent

repentance

is not

just saying

sorry

we can all

say sorry

and just

carry on

but it's

much more

than that

repentance

is also

about

replacement

when you

think

repentance

think

replacement

it means

turning away

from our

idols

and turning

to

the living

Jesus

something we

do

every day

it's not

just something

we do

just to

become a

Christian

we have

to repent

every day

it means

removing

our God

substitutes

it means

removing

our idols

the things

that we

trust

the things

that we

build our

lives on

the things

that we

look to

for meaning

and purpose

we

turn away

from them

and we

replace

them

with the

living

Jesus

who alone

can fill

us and

satisfy us

we make

him

the centre

of our

lives

and please

note

this is not

an optional

extra

verse 30

see what it

says

he commands

all people

everywhere

to repent

it's a

command

it's not

if you

would like

to

an absolute

and radical

call

to change

our lives

to reorientate

our lives

to make

Jesus

central

that means

that Jesus

becomes more

valuable to

you than

any relationship

that you are

in or could

wish for

it means

that Jesus

is more

precious to

you than

any desire

or any

other dream

that you

might have

rather than

worship

something else

or someone

else

we are to

worship

the risen

Jesus

Christ

and the

reason we

are to

repent

look at

verse 31

is because

God promises

to judge

the world

verse 31

for he

has set

a day

when he

will judge

the world

with justice

by the

man he

has appointed

who's that

man

well he

has given

proof of

this to

all people

by raising

him from

the dead

it's Jesus

Christ

and this

is not

fantasy

this is

reality

God

has set

a day

just as

the children's

referendum

is going to

take place

on Saturday

the 11th

of November

2012

the day

has been

set

the referendum

is going

to happen

so God

has set

a day

in his

diary

and this

is not

just for a

few people

it's for

everyone

look at what

it says

verse 31

God will

judge

the world

no race

or religion

will be

excluded

all people

will face

the judgment

no one

is going

to be

excused

go back

to the

beginning

of verse

30

it says

in the

past

God

overlooked

such

ignorance

God in

his mercy

did not

give us

what we

deserve

but now

that he's

told us

that his

judgment

is coming

now that

Jesus

has risen

from the

dead

now that

he's

given us

proof

there's

no more

excuses

the world

needs

to repent

you see

removing

God

replacing

God

is not

just a

way of

life

it's not

just another

option

that we

can take

it's an

act of

serious

rebellion

it is

rejecting

God's

good and

loving rule

over our

lives

it's

resisting

his

kind

and

generous

care

over our

world

and God

looks down

on him

and he

says I'm

not going

to allow

you to

remove me

and to

replace me

forever

I'm not

going to

allow the

disorder

and the

chaos

to continue

I will

not be

treated

as second

best

I will

not be

pushed

out

it's

my world

and you

are my

people

and I

will come

and judge

and so

we all

need to

repent

and replace

our idols

our God

substitutes

with the

risen

Jesus

he is the

only one

who can

fulfill our

deepest

longings

he is the

only one

who can

forgive us

when we

fail

so he

sets it

out very

clearly

these are

the gods

that we

replace

we remove

God out

and we

set up

our own

gods

but look

at who

God is

the creator

of life

the sustainer

the giver

of all life

he gives

us purpose

we can't

afford to

leave him

out

and what's

our response

to this

we need

to repent

to remove

the things

that we

hold so

dearly

and put

Jesus

the risen

Jesus

at the

very centre

of our

lives

well let's

do that

now

in the

quietness

as we

pray

let's

just make

this

a personal

time of

confession

of repentance

turning away

from

what we

see is

important

and making

Jesus

the very

centre

of our

lives

let's

just do

that now

in the

quietness

so

there

if

you

can

say

only

to

just do

and

like

a

better

so

to

can

and

it

so

and

it

especially

you

and

you

and

you

a

the

every

very

day