Acts 17:16-30

 

Our Outreach Pastor (who I have called our associate pastor or missions pastor before) preached this week and delivered a great sermon as usual. 

 

If a church is going to reach its community, then it must engage with people. That is what we are looking at in our final week of this series. 

 

A church who engages people where they are: 

  1. shows up (v. 16) … Paul has been through a lot. He could have given up and stopped his mission. But he sees a need in Athens and shows up, jumping into action. His love of God fuelled his love for people and that love is what spurred him to act. The people of Athens were worshiping many idols, and Paul just could not sit back and relax, watching them pave their own road away from God and towards Hell. The great commandment, to love God, is what should push us to carry out the great commission, to go and tell. For Paul, it did just that. He went to the people where they were and told them about the Gospel. 
  2. is aware (vv. 17-18) … Paul knew all about Athens and what the idols were. He would have conversations about the idols and philosophy and Jesus. Paul hadn’t planned to go to Athens, but God sent him and he engaged with the people. Before long, he had influenced enough people that they asked him to speak in front of the entire city. 
  3. builds bridges (vv. 22-23) … As he addressed the city, he was respectful to their beliefs and contextualized the Gospel. He made it understandable without diluting it. He used the Athenean culture to make the Gospel easier to comprehend without compromising the message. To be able to do this, it’s critical to understand what the idols are in the society being addressed. Money. Success. Sports. And many other good things can be idols. We can have it all and still feel miserable, unfulfilled. Why? Because the key part is missing. Jesus. 
  4. is prepared to share (vv. 19, 30) … Paul was asked to share more about his beliefs and he was ready to do so. He preaches a powerful sermon to the people of Athens. We aren’t Paul, and that’s ok. But if someone at work or at the BBQ or the football game asks you to tell them more about the Gospel, it is important to be ready. Paul received a mixed response and so will we. That’s ok. Be on the lookout for signs from the person you are talking to. Some will show signs that they aren’t ready to hear the message and if you don’t stop, you might burn that bridge and never get another chance. Others might show some hesitation and just need to go at a slow pace so they can process everything. Still others might show an eagerness to hear and learn more. Go! Go! Go! That is the greenlight to share as much as you can. 

 

Three things to remember when engaging people: 

  1. Immediate response does not determine success. … Fruit isn’t instant. Often it takes a long time to grow. 
  2. Don’t give up on those who are spiritually curious. …. Don’t shut out those who show any interest. Reach out to them and stay engaged. 
  3. Small beginnings can have lasting impact. … When we reach out to someone, we may not see the impact right away, but that conversation might plant a seed that grows and grows and leads to a much larger impact later on. 

 

For Further Study/Resources Used to Prepare This Message

  • Exalting Jesus in Acts by Tony Merida
  • NIV Commentary (Acts) by Ajith Fernando
  • Acts: The Church Afire by Kent Hughes
  • Acts: The Christian Standard Commentary by Patrick Schreiner
  • The Gospel-Driven Church by Jared C. Wilson