Good morning everyone, have Acts 17 open in front of you, this is where we're going to be today.
And here's what I want to do as I start, I want to tell you about my good friend called Gordon.
Gordon is a pastor in another part of the city.
Gordon and his family just live around the corner from us in Libertin.
Gordon's a really good friend and here's why I love Gordon, I love his passion for Jesus.
And here's what he started doing on Tuesday afternoons over the last couple of months.
He gets on a bus at Libertin, jumps on it, he pays the fare and he makes his way all the way down to Edinburgh University campus.
And here's what he's doing, he's talking to people.
So no agenda really, he's just talking to people.
He's lovingly interested in what is going on in people's lives.
So he asks them, tell me about some of the biggest problems that you're facing in your life right now.
What are they?
Tell me about some of your biggest fears.
It's amazing, he was telling me the other day what's coming back.
I'm sure it won't surprise you.
Mental health concerns, the pain of loneliness, the worries about the cost of living.
Am I going to be able to finish this degree?
What comes after it?
But here's what he does.
He concludes every single conversation with this question.
He says, would you consider yourself a religious or a spiritual person?
So he's telling me the other day, he's spoken to 25 students over the last couple of months.
Which I think is pretty good going actually, 25 students.
Question for you, how many of them do you think identified as Christian?
None of them.
I wonder how that strikes you this morning.
Maybe it's something you identify with.
Maybe you're here and you would say, that's exactly where I'm at.
I just want you to know you're so welcome here.
I love that you're here.
Or maybe you listen to it and it causes you to despair.
Here's my reaction to it.
I heard Gordon say it and immediately I'm asking the question in my mind.
I wonder if it's the one that hit you.
That when it comes to reaching people in our city, for whom Jesus just isn't even on the radar.
Can Christianity cut it?
In the book of Acts, last week, do you remember where we were?
Here, flick back to the first half of 17.
We can kind of get our heads around the fact that the gospel, the message of Jesus,
made a big splash in a place like Thessalonica.
I can kind of get your head around that one, okay?
Because verse 2 of chapter 17, come with me.
What do these people know?
What do these people have?
What do these people know inside out?
What do these people devote themselves to?
Do you see the words?
Scriptures.
The Scriptures.
This is what the people in Thessalonica have.
So if you like, the religious kindling was already there for Paul to kind of use it and
place it and pray that the Holy Spirit would take it and get the Jesus fire started, yeah?
But Athens, this is a different ballgame completely.
This is the intellectual capital of the world we're talking about here.
This is the place where culture is shaped, just to throw some names at you.
This is Plato.
This is Aristotle.
This is Socrates.
All these years later, we've even heard of these guys.
This is Athens.
This is where the leading thinkers of the day all come together to do their thing.
And I think somebody rightly compared the Athens then, everything that it represented,
to the Oxford and Cambridge of today.
I think that's a pretty good comparison if you're trying to get your head around it.
So can Christianity cut it in a place like Athens?
The message of Jesus, the gospel, will it run out of gas?
Has the gospel made its match?
Here's why whoever you are here today, whatever you think about this God,
whatever that survey would find you, I want you to listen to what this passage is telling you.
It's telling you that nothing is going to stop the Spirit of God doing the work of God
as he takes the Word of God, where we read about the Son of God,
and he applies it to the hearts of people all over the world despite their background.
This should give us confidence, I take it today, that the gospel works.
And it's because of who this God is,
and it's because of who you and I are as human beings.
Here's what I loved being reminded of this week.
Ready for this?
One truth to carry with us through this.
Everyone's a worshiper.
Everyone's worshipping something.
What was that Bob Dylan song?
We have a certain era.
You've got to serve somebody.
Right?
Maybe the Lord, maybe the devil, but you've got to serve somebody.
Everyone's worshipping something.
So there's that inbuilt desire,
one that's hardwired into the DNA of every single human being
that longs to find something to live for.
You see, in Athens, hardly anybody's heard of Jesus,
and yet the local comics in the day used to joke about the fact that it was a city
where it was more likely that you were going to bump into a god than you were to a man.
These gods, or as the passage says, to get into it, it says idols.
Now, what's an idol?
Try not to think miniature Buddha.
Get it way bigger.
Way bigger.
What's an idol?
It's something that I'm ploughing myself into
because I'm convinced that that is the thing
that will in turn provide me
with satisfaction and meaning and pleasure in my life.
It's an idol.
You've got to see before it's a physical thing.
It's a heart thing.
There was a female American tennis player years ago called Chris Avert.
She was one of the greatest singles players the women's game has ever seen.
She gave a fascinating interview towards the end of her career.
A journalist asks her,
how are you feeling about retirement?
And she said she was petrified.
Why?
And this was her line.
Because tennis makes me feel like I'm somebody.
Isn't it fascinating?
Tennis makes me feel like I'm somebody.
You take the word tennis out,
insert in it whatever you will.
Is that not what we're all longing for?
Is that not the thing we're all searching for,
that we're pursuing?
Is it not why people in our city
are throwing money at cars?
Is it not why people in our city
are queuing outside the Apple store
to get the latest iPhone?
If you get caught up in that trap,
when it comes out,
got an iPhone myself,
nothing wrong with an iPhone.
Is it not why people plow themselves
into showing themselves in the best light
on social media?
Is it not why the house market
in our city right now is bonkers?
Because people are throwing money at things,
thinking if only I get that,
then that will provide me with the lifestyle
that I want to get the things
that I need in my life.
Is it not why the magazines at WH Smiths
are full of celebrity magazines?
Because we want to know
what that life is like.
Is it not why the magazines
are also full of self-help and image?
Is it not why we still talk about
this thing called midlife crisis?
Because people hit post 45,
having run hard at life for a season,
and get to a point,
they think to themselves,
when the monotony of it kicks in,
that they stop and say,
what on earth is my life all about?
Edinburgh's full of idols.
Our hearts are full of idols.
Everyone's a worshipper.
The question is not if we're worshipping.
The question is what we're worshipping.
I love C.S. Lewis.
This is the most over-quoted thing
I've ever heard,
but I tell you it
because I think he gets it
bang on the money.
Here's what he says about human beings.
And I love C.S. Lewis
because he just makes observations
about human beings
that we know are true.
He said this,
we are half-hearted creatures,
fooling about with drink and sex
and ambition when infinite joy
is offered us.
Like an ignorant child
who wants to go on
making mud pies in the slum
because he cannot imagine
what is meant by the offer
of a holiday at the sea,
we are far too easily pleased.
What he's saying is that
we were made in the image of God.
We were made to know him.
We were made to enjoy him forever.
But what's happened is
the sin in each of our hearts
has bent us in on ourselves
so that we take the good things
that God gives us
and we make them God things.
The tragedy of humanity
is that we prefer to worship
the created
rather than the creator.
And that's idolatry.
Athens is a city full of gods
because its people's hearts
are full of idols.
And so here goes Paul
into this city
with the message of Jesus.
Really quickly Paul,
Luke tells us
four things happen to Paul
when he hits Athens.
We'll run through these
really quickly, okay?
Here's number one.
His heart breaks.
Verse 16.
He's waiting for Silas and Timothy
to come from Thessalonica.
You see?
And he goes sightseeing.
So verse 16.
Luke wants us to know
what's going on in Paul's heart.
Are you going to come with me
and see the words here?
He wasn't impressed.
Do you see the words?
He was distressed.
Because the praise
that God alone deserves,
the people of Athens
are taking it
and they're giving it
to something else.
The word distressed,
it's almost like,
it's like a jealous yearning for.
Remember,
Paul's grown up steeped
in the scriptures.
God has consistently said
all the way through
the Old Testament,
I will not give my glory
to another.
You will have no other God
before me.
I will be number one
in your life.
Long to be number one
in your life.
And you can imagine Paul
then he's with each
passing idol
saying to himself,
God alone should get
that praise.
the God alone
who has made you
so that you would
give him that praise
and you would enjoy
him forever.
You see the idolatry
that's going on in Athens,
it breaks Paul's heart.
And you've got to understand
it brings God's judgment.
And so the question
I think we've got to ask ourselves
as we respond to this
is do our hearts
feel the same?
Do our hearts long
that the people of our world
lovingly
would take their eyes
off their idols
and give praise to God
alone that he deserves?
You've got to say
who's Paul emulating here?
Where's he got this from?
He's got it from
the Lord Jesus.
You know, I love it
when reading the Sporn
in Mark chapter 10
where the rich young ruler
comes to Jesus.
What must I do?
He says,
I've kept the commands
and Jesus says,
sell all that you have
and give it to the poor
and the young man
walks away empty.
Why?
Because he had tons of stuff.
And I love it there.
Why did Jesus speak to him?
Why did Jesus tease out
the idol in his life?
Because he loved them.
I love it.
And then the same Jesus
would sit on the cusp
of the city
and would say,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
how often I would have
gathered you like a hen
gathers her chicks
but you would not come.
His heart breaks
for the idolatry
in people's hearts.
And that's why he goes
to the cross.
This is the gospel.
Jesus, the perfect worshiper,
goes to the cross
to die the death
and to take the punishment
that idolaters
like you and me deserve.
He takes our hell.
He dies
and he takes it
on himself
by grace alone.
His heart breaks
and I take it
that's what's going on
here with Paul.
His heart breaks.
His heart is distressed
for what's going on
in people's lives.
His heart breaks
and his eyes look.
Number two,
where does he go?
Verse 17.
He goes to the synagogue
and he goes
to the marketplace.
You see?
So what's he going
in search of?
He's going in search
of people.
Verse 17.
He reasoned.
He spoke.
Presumably he listened.
What's he doing?
I think he's just
listening for clues
as to what makes people think.
What are they doing?
What do they value?
Where are they?
What are they believing?
How are they living?
He's spending time
with people
so much so
that he can
get up in front
of the Areopagus
which I guess
in this day
is like a mashup
between a debating chamber,
a high court,
and a university
teaching department.
And he can say
verse 22, 23.
People 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.
Do you see what he's doing?
He's saying
I walked around,
I listened,
I looked.
He talked,
he observed,
he engaged.
Do you know what I love?
I love how ordinary
that is.
It's not like
he's enrolled
in night classes
at the Athenian college.
Would you teach me
how the locals think?
He's not got one
of those tapes
listening to how
the locals speak,
has he?
He doesn't bring
his PhD game
to the floor.
He just spent time
with people.
You know,
comedians today
they always talk
about observational comedy.
I take it
this passage
challenges us
and calls us
to be observational evangelists.
You know,
I was spending time
with people.
I was spending time
lovingly listening
to where people are at,
what's going on.
You know,
I've got a friend
called Pete
who lives in Glasgow.
He's a fellow pastor
and also a parent.
He was telling me
the other day
what he does
to help him
get good at this
is he just blocks out
in his calendar
8.30 to 9.30
every Monday to Friday
blocks it out.
Do you know why?
School run time.
He says,
I make time,
we get there early
so we can spend time
with the parents.
I want to know them.
I want to listen
and when I've dropped
the kids off
I give myself
a good half an hour
just to be available
for people
if they want to talk.
Are you walking
that route?
I'll come that route
with you.
Just speaks to them.
Take it,
that's the heart
behind
our evangelism cards.
Just writing names
down of people.
Who can we
care and serve
this week?
Who can we invite
to come and see?
Who can we
go and get to know
and go and tell?
This is about people.
Long to hear
people,
what makes them tick.
Do you know
a wonderful way
of doing it
is you're going
to work tomorrow
listing what
makes people tick?
What did you do
at the weekend?
Wonderful opportunity.
I always find it
on a Friday
what do people ask you?
What are you doing
at the weekend?
On Monday
what do they ask you?
What did you do
at the weekend?
Two wonderful
opportunities.
You miss the boat
on a Friday
get in on a Monday.
Telling people
what you did.
Listening to people
what they did.
What's going on
in their lives.
But do you see
how Paul looks?
He looks.
And number three
his mind thinks.
How can I connect
these people
with the Bible story?
He's got a grasp
of a biblical
world view.
You know I love
how he convinced
this morning
that the world
the Bible describes
as the world
that you're living in.
Are you convinced
that the biblical
world view
is the best?
It makes sense
of life.
That God
by his grace
has opened our eyes
to see it.
I was thinking
this week
but for the grace
of God
what are the things
that I would be
pursuing in my life?
By his grace
he's opened my eyes
to see that this
Bible story
this world
that I'm living in
he helps me
understand it.
The world
that the Bible
describes
I'm convinced
that it
makes sense
of the world
in which you
and I live
every day.
And so what he does
is he takes Athens
and he tries to
connect them
into the biblical
world view.
Do you see
it's in
verse 23
he spots
an idol
with a line
on the front
to an unknown
God.
This is what he
quotes.
I take it
what's going on
here
the Athenians
are just
spreading their
bets.
They set up
an idol
to a random
God
just in case
they've
accidentally
missed one
out
and they
offend
them.
Your hearts
are so full
of idols
says Paul
that you
worship a
God
you don't
even know.
And here's
his end.
How much
more then
should you
worship the
God of the
Bible
the creator
of the
world
who has
made himself
known?
And I
take it
this is the
whole point
of what
Paul does
here is
he just
talks about
the God
who has
made himself
known.
And it's
such an
important point
that we
understand
what he's
doing.
You know
one of the
toys that's
been passed
down through
our children
is Mr.
Potato Head.
Remember him?
Mr.
Potato Head
a classic
timeless toy.
Why it's so
much fun?
It's Mrs.
Potato Head
as well
isn't it
now?
You can
make Mr.
Potato Head
look however
you want him
to look
can't you?
Take his
nose out
put it
where his
arms should
be.
Mustache
on or
off.
Angry
eyes or
normal eyes.
You can
make Mr.
Potato Head
look however
you want
him to
look.
But you
can't do
that with
God.
It's like a
WhatsApp chat
isn't it?
Where you
can see but
you cannot
comment.
You cannot
make it
fit to
your own
image.
God has
made himself
known.
Right?
He's revealed
himself in
creation.
He's revealed
himself in
his words.
He's written
because we're
made in his
image.
Our
consciences.
What we
understand to
be right and
wrong.
Again it
comes from
the fact that
God has
made himself
known and
he's revealed
himself supremely
in the person
of Jesus.
If you hear
today and you
wonder what is
this God?
Who is this
God?
What is he
like?
You look at
Jesus Christ.
He's the
image of the
invisible God.
What Paul
does in
verse 23 is
he connects
Athens to
Genesis.
You spend
your time
trying to
make a
home for
your God
so that
they can
live in
your world.
But let me
tell you about
the God of
the Bible who
made you and
you're living in
his world.
You spend
your time
making your
own gods,
making gods
in your
image.
But let me
tell you about
the God of
the Bible who
made you and
made you in
his image.
That yes, I
was reading a
stat this week
that if the
chemical elements
of your body
were lumped
together and
sold you
wouldn't have
enough money
to buy two
flat whites.
But make no
mistake that
you're matter
that matters.
Why?
Because you're
made wonderfully
and beautifully
in the image of
God.
And it's why
it's so important
isn't it when we
look at stuff
that's going on
in America that
will probably
come here that
we understand
that from the
moment of
conception every
life matters.
Every life
matters.
And you can't
help but not
get involved in
that.
That every life
whoever you are
has value,
has dignity,
has worth.
Not because you
earned it.
Because this God
made you in his
image.
Paul is saying
the very breath
that you breathe,
God who created
all things,
gave you that
breath.
The very food
that you eat,
God who makes
all things and
sustains all
things,
he's given you
life.
You see what
he's saying?
It's what
scientists today,
I take it they
observe when they
call what's going
on in the world,
they call it
fine tuning.
And as a result,
because you're
made in God's
image, you're
accountable to
him.
You see,
he even quotes
some of their
own poets to
help them see
that deep down
you all know
this to be true.
Something in you
that clicks with
what I'm saying.
But you see
what he's doing?
He taps into
what they are
doing and he
unearths their
inconsistencies and
he lovingly and
logically connects
them to the
Bible story.
So simple and
yet so brave to
do it.
You know,
comedian Frank
Skinner, who
from what I can
tell has got some
kind of belief in
God.
I love this story.
He was debating
with a friend of
his who refused to
believe that God
created the world.
So the two of them
are going back,
back and forth and
his friend said,
we're getting
nowhere with this,
listen, do you
fancy a cuppa?
So his friend goes
away and puts the
kettle on, turns
around and gets
back into the saddle
of the conversation
and they chat some
more and all of a
sudden they hear
the kettle, it
pings and his
friend comes out
with the line, I
better go and see
to that cup of
tea because that
cup of tea won't
make itself, will
it?
To which Frank
Skinner simply
said, why not?
You know, there's a
simple logic to what
Paul is doing here.
He's taken something
unknown, something
people haven't quite
thought about and
he's just bringing
out the simplicity
of it.
his mind thinks
and then lastly,
his number four,
his mouth speaks.
You see verse 18,
Paul's taken to the
Areopagus and you
see how he's been
taken there by the
people who heard him
speak in the
marketplace.
I was thinking
about this week,
this wasn't part of
the script, this
wasn't part of the
plan, this wasn't
the diary that Paul
would end up getting
this opportunity to
speak and yet to
see how God is
sovereign over every
single incident.
Becky Manley
Pippert in her
wonderful book,
Out of the Salt
Shaker and Into
the World, she
calls these kind of
things the divine
appointments, love
that, as if to say
there is no such
thing as chance.
Every single person
that we come across
in our lives is
somebody who God
has ordained would
be there and it
changes how you
think about your
life, doesn't it,
what you do.
Paul preaches the
cross, I take it
Luke's focus here
is on the
resurrection because
that's the thing
that brought the
sneers, you see
verse 32, quite
literally they
burst out laughing,
that's what that
sneering word means,
they burst out
laughing.
Who is this
babbler?
The image there,
I think the word
is of a little
pigeon going around
just picking up
little seeds,
different seeds and
trying to cobble it
together in its
mouth, that's what
they're saying of
Paul, he's just
picking up threads
and nonsense and
trying to patch it
together and make
something.
The Greeks thought
that any notion of
an afterlife was
laughable, but what
does it prove?
It proves the
resurrection that
this Jesus, we
will all need to
give account to
him for how we've
lived before him
and God has raised
this Jesus and
seated him in the
place of all
authority and one
day he will return
and I want you to
hear those words
and perfect justice
will be done when
this King Jesus
returns.
Perfect justice.
We've seen in the
world this week,
haven't we?
Soldiers being
caught and the
only reason they
were caught is
because we happen
to see it on the
CCTV.
Makes you think,
doesn't it, what on
earth is going on in
the world right now
in that part of the
world that we will
never see and no
one will know about
except those who've
been murdered.
But this God sees,
he sees everything
and one day perfect
justice will be done
by King Jesus.
The fact that he
has not come yet is
nothing to do with
his incompetence as
we thought about a
few weeks ago, it's
to do with his
mercy.
He longs for people
who are lost in
idolatry to come to
know him.
People sneer,
others mull, we
want to hear you
again in this, I
take it that's what
that means.
People think there
might be something
in this, can I
rethink it through?
Let me just say we
flagged this book
last week and it
really hit with a
lot of people which
is wonderful and I
bought 25 copies
that are out the
front, just grab
your own, put a
little donation in
if you want, it's
just called Are
You 100% Sure You
Want to Be an
Agnostic?
And it's a
wonderful little
book that just
takes you through
some questions.
If you're in this
category of mulling,
we might want to
hear you again on
this, is there
something in this
Christianity business
will really help you
think through some
big questions you
might have.
But as we draw
this to a close,
do you see how
other people join?
verse 33, people
believed.
Have a look at the
two people who Luke
specifically mentions at
verse 34.
And again, nothing is,
no name is wasted
here.
Don't just skip over
the names, think about
what's going on, right?
The two people,
Damaris.
So Luke's dignifying
her by mentioning her
name.
Again, what we saw
about the counter-cultural
nature of the gospel,
because Athens in
particular, a woman's
role was to serve her
husband and her home,
whereas the man, I
take it, was expected
the boys will be boys.
And Luke is saying,
Jesus rescued Damaris,
and I'm honouring her
by telling you about
her response of faith.
But talking to which,
who's the other guy?
Dionysus.
This guy who was named
after the Greek god of
wine and revelry.
And maybe he lived
right up to that name,
we don't know.
Maybe he was caught up
in the worship of those
gods, thinking that
those things would
fulfil and satisfy him.
Because that's essentially
what an Epicurean is,
if you're wondering
about that.
What's life about?
It's about squeezing
as much pleasure as you
can out of it.
Right?
I take it as what
young people today
call YOLO, right?
You only live once.
I've got to squeeze
as much pleasure
out of life as I can,
possibly, because time
is short.
God, I've heard that
one before, people
living for that.
But his story, I take it
as he comes to believe,
is that of Psalm 4.
That God, you filled
my heart with greater
joy than when
their grain and
new wine abode.
There is a greater
pleasure in
Dionysus' life.
But more importantly,
do you see what
he's part of?
And Luke wants us
to see this.
What is he part of?
He's part of the
Areopagus.
Can Christianity
cut it?
The Dionysus says,
yes it can.
I've heard no message
like the risen Jesus.
You know, just as we
close, let me take you
back to my mate
Gordon.
Remember him?
He's doing his thing
down Edinburgh
Uni campus on a
Tuesday afternoon.
Spoken to 25 people.
And he has spoken
to 25 people.
One said, no sorry,
none said they were
Christian.
Question, I've given
away the answer.
How many people do
you think said they
were atheist?
One.
Now in my day when I
was at university,
that would have been
at least double digits
there.
But one person said
they were.
Which means that the
other 24 he told me
said they were open,
curious or agnostic.
Is that not
interesting?
Is that not
interesting that all
these years later,
when you ask people
what their lives are
all about, what they
believe, what they're
doing, that people
still go, I don't
know.
I don't know.
Friends, what an
opportunity we have
right now to display
the countercultural
nature of who our
God is.
Because what does
Paul do?
He says to people who
said that they worship
an unknown God.
He says, let me
declare to you the
God who's made
himself known.
Everyone's a
worshipper.
the question is,
what are you
worshipping?
Just close with
this lovely line
from Richard
Chevenot Trench.
An Anglican
Archbishop from
way back in the
day said this,
none but God
can satisfy the
longings of an
immortal soul
that as the heart
was made for him
so only he
can fill it.
So let us just
be quiet then,
just as we close
and sing our
song and then
we'll spend time
together.
I take it as God's
word has gone
forth.
His spirit will be
taking it and
moving amongst us.
So why don't we
just be quiet and
now is a wonderful
opportunity to think
about the things
we've been speaking
about this morning.
Where do you stand
before this God?
And then I'll pray.
And so Father,
I pray particularly
this morning for
those who would
not know you.
Oh Father,
I pray that by
your spirit as
your word goes
forth today that
you would make
yourself known.
That as the old
hymn says,
flowers unfold,
hearts unfold like
flowers before you
responding to the
sun of day.
Lord, would you
shine on hearts
today and open
blind eyes and
unblock deaf ears
to understand who
you are.
Just thank you for
your word,
Heavenly Father.
give us confidence
today that wherever
we are in the world,
whoever we're
rubbing shoulders
with, that your
gospel is sufficient
and your word is
true.
And Father, I pray
that you would help
us to compassionately
love the people of
our city, in our
offices, in our
universities, in our
homes, in our
streets, in our
communities.
Father, would you
help us display the
compassion of Christ.
Christ.
So Father, I pray
that you would be
with us as we
finish this morning,
as we spend time
together.
Lord, would you
glorify yourself.
We pray these things
in Jesus' worthy
name.
Amen.