Sermon 14th May 2023 – 6th Sunday of Easter
Text: Acts 17:22-31 – The
Unknown God revealed
There is a well-known
understanding that history has a tendency to repeat itself. It might be in the
area of fashion or music tastes. But what we see happening in the time of Paul
in our first reading has unmistakable characteristics of history repeating
itself today in regards to peoples’ understanding of or rather a lack of
understanding of God. What Paul sees is a society not dissimilar to our own. Don’t
we often hear that people are spiritual but not religious? Well, that’s what we
seem to be seeing here. Don’t we hear of a disillusionment towards
institutionalized religion and churches?
Here in our first reading we
have Paul, in Athens, standing in front of the Areopagus saying, “Athenians, I
see how extremely religious you are in every way. He went through the city and
looked carefully at the objects of their worship and found among them an altar
with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god’ Isn’t that the challenge before us
today? An “unknown god” rather than a rejection of God. Admittedly, yes there
are many who reject the belief in God completely, but, I believe that there is
a significant and perhaps growing search for truth and meaning in life. As
people become more and more disillusioned with life many are seeking a “higher
power” to give them hope of there being more to life.
You might disagree with me but
if this is the case, if there is an openness to a spiritual awakening then how
do we connect people with the One True God as Jesus said last week: I am the
Way, the Truth and the Life – no one comes to the Father except through me. Well,
first of all, we need to understand that this is not something we can do on our
own. There is the need to have the Holy Spirit enable us: Jesus said, ”If you
love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will
give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth,
whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You
know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
Luther gives the same
explanation in his Small Catechism: I believe that I cannot by my own reason or
strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit
has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept
me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and
sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ
in the one true faith. Remember Peter. When he bravely and boldly declared to
Jesus – even if everyone else abandons you, I NEVER WILL.
Peter was speaking on his own
strength. And that’s why Jesus said to his disciples to not rush into witness
their faith: Jesus said: repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be
preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses
of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay
in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” And notice
the change in this frightened Peter once he had been clothed with the Holy
Spirit: The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to
be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in
this name, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined
to make us guilty of Jesus’ blood.” Peter and the other apostles replied: “We
must obey God rather than human beings!
What a difference from the one
who denied Jesus 3 times now denying to keep silence. The difference – the Holy
Spirit given at Pentecost. So we must pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit to
empower everything we do as we GO into the world to witness.
The 2nd thing we need to learn
is that we cannot argue someone to faith. You’ve probably seen the street
preachers accusing people of their sins on the way to work or just going about
their daily lives. You’ve probably had a knock on the door and it’s either the
Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses. I’m not saying anything bad about them but it’s
not always that effective unless you just so happen to catch a person who is at
that time looking for something.
Peter gives much better
advice: In your hearts revere Christ as Lord and always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that YOU have.
But do this with gentleness and respect.
So, 3 things Peter highlights.
First, you revere Christ in
your heart. Build up your faith – pray – read your Bibles – worship. Show your
faith in all that you do every day in the way you treat others, not just at
Church.
Secondly, as they say in the
Boy Scouts – be prepared. Someone may see that your life is different.
As Jesus said before he was
arrested – love one another as I have loved you and by this everyone will know
that you’re my disciples. Be prepared that someone may ask you about the hope
you have. Aren’t you worried about climate change – the wars in the world – the
economic collapse. Or if you’re going through a tough time with your health
they might ask you – aren’t you afraid of dying. As Peter said - Do not fear
what they fear. Here is your opportunity to share your faith and explain how
you’ve handed everything over to God who created you – who created everything
that exists. That’s what Paul did in Athens at the Areopagus – He found among
them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’
Paul then replied: What
therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything
in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by
human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything,
since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. Notice
Paul starts with Creation.
And thirdly Peter says: Do
this with gentleness and respect. Don’t make them fell worse than they may
already be feeling. Don’t come in with God’s Law if it’s God’s Gospel they need
to hear. Now, it may not work.
You may get rejected. You may
get ridiculed. But, again, remember what Peter says: But even if you do suffer
for doing what is right, you are blessed. It’s not easy witnessing your faith
and there may be an occasion where you need to preach a word of warning to
someone as Paul did: God commands all people everywhere to repent, because he
has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a
man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising
him from the dead.”
But again, as Peter says – do
this with gentleness and respect.
Friends, we have a great
opportunity before us and possibly the ground has never been richer. There will
be rocks and thorns and Satan against us but remember the parable of the sower
– he kept sowing despite the harsh elements and some of those seeds fell on
fertile ground producing a great harvest. And remember what Jesus said – the
harvest is plentiful – the workers are few – therefore pray the Lord of the
harvest to send out laborers into His harvest which is you and me wherever God
sends us. But do this with gentleness and respect.
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