Title: Making God Known

Date: 2009-08-30

Reference: Acts 17: 22-31

For the past three months my sermons have been taken from the New Testament Book of Acts. I believe I could have kept on preaching from this exciting book for the next year. The period covered in the book of Acts is only about 40 years. But it was the most exciting time in the long history of the Christian Church.

During this Sermon Series we’ve pondered what a Spirit Filled Church looks like today and how a Spirit Filled Church does ministry today. I hope we’ve seen some similarities between the New Testament Church and our own congregation. Every church is composed of fallible human beings just as ours is. In the New Testament Church there were arguments, disagreements, and frustrations. People fussed over rules and doctrine. They were often short on money and volunteers. And yet they changed the world. The difference is always the Holy Spirit. When we depend on the Holy Spirit’s power, guidance, and comfort we too will shake the world. We must always try to recapture the excitement of the early church and depend on the energy source God has always provided the church which is His own Holy Spirit.

We have much work to do to reach our goal. We are a praying church. We have learned, as a congregation, to trust God and pray about all of our needs and direction. The leadership of our congregation seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all things. We are a congregation composed of persons of all ages just as the first church was. In many ways we look like a Spirit Filled Church Family. I believe our greatest challenge is this: “There are many who are not convinced that our best days are out in front of us. That we have a future.“ Too many look back to the good old days, rather than looking expectantly to the future God has promised. This too will change when we experience the power of the Spirit in our individual lives and as a congregation.

Reminds me of a teenager who had been to Summer Camp. While there she had a powerful encounter with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. She decided then and there to allow Jesus to be the absolute Lord of her life. At a family meal her father asked her about camp and what she did during the week. She replied: “I’ve decided to let Jesus run my life.” And then she asked: “Have you ever done that dad?” At first blush the father was angered and challenged. After all he had been a leader in the church for years. He was a church officer, Sunday School Teacher, a Board member, and community leader. But he had to admit he had never experienced the leadership of Christ over his life. He had long ago accepted Jesus as Savior. But to allow him to be Lord would mean praying about everything. relationships, decisions, expenditures, family. He had never done that. His daughter’s new found joy forced him to realize he was a very religious man who needed Christ. Sometime later he discovered the difference between knowing about Christ and actually knowing him as the Lord of Life. It’s never too late to move from religion to life. To do so means confronting the many idols in our world.

In today’s lesson the Apostle Paul arrived in the great city of Athens. He came not as a tourist but as a soul winner. Athens in that day was filled with many religious people who did not know God personally. The city was in decline but still a center of culture and education. The Greeks worshiped numerous gods and goddesses. In Greek Mythology, the gods acted more like selfish, ambitious human beings than gods.

For the person wanting to worship there were many gods to choose from. There was a proverb that said: “In Athens it’s easier to find a god than a man.” Paul saw the city was wholly given over to idolatry, and he knew the whole system was demonic. The gods worshiped by the people of Athens were unable to answer prayers or change lives. The Greeks were among the most religious people on earth but they did not know God. Sounds some like us. The Greeks were lofty people with lowly gods. They actually had a temple in which they annually sacrificed an ox to the god of flies.

Athens was dedicated to philosophy, telling, hearing, and arguing about new ideas. When we think of Greece we think of Socrates, Aristotle, and many others thinkers whose works are still read and studied today.

Paul always used whatever opportunity he found to share the Good News of Grace. It didn’t take long for the philosophers to hear about a new teacher and they came to hear what Paul had to say. Some ridiculed him and called him a babbler. A few were interested in what he had to say and he was invited to address the religious council.

In his message, Paul made reference to an altar he had seen, dedicated to an unknown god. Paul said: “I see that in every way you are religious.” They were so religious they had an altar to an unknown god just to make sure their bases were covered.

Paul told about the creator God who made the world and everything in it. The God who was involved in our lives and who provides for our needs. The God who is the source of every good and perfect gift. The Greek gods were distant beings who had no concern for the problems and needs of human beings. Paul said: “God is not far from any of us and is always concerned.” He taught them about grace.

There were three responses to Paul’s Sermon. Some laughed and mocked and did not take what he had to say seriously. Others were interested and wanted to her more and debate more. A small group accepted what Paul had to say and came to know the living God in a personal way. There comes a time when we should stop debating and simply believe.

As Paul walked through the city he saw a shrine on every corner, so many idols. This was painful for Paul. He remembered the Ten Commandments given by God. One said: “Do not worship any God but me. Do not make idols that look like anything in the sky or on the earth or in the ocean. Don’t bow down and worship such idols. I am the Lord your God and I demand all your love.”

Today most of us are not tempted to fall down and worship idols of stone, wood, or plaster. We have our idols none the less. Absolutely anything that comes between us and our relationship with God is an idol. Careers, money, possessions, honors, clothing, cars, jewelry, sports, hobbies, relationships can all become idols we worship. Whatever we are obsessed with becomes the God we love and serve. Even the love of the past can become an idol. Again, sometimes in the church we are so obsessed with what has already happened that we are not paying attention to what the Spirit is attempting to do today.

Like the ancient Greeks, we were created for so much more. I want you to know there is nothing wrong with money or possessions so long as they don’t possess us. I plan to have a lot more money before I die.



Money allows us to enjoy life and to purchase things for our families..food, clothing shelter, transportation, education, entertainment, and all other things needed by our families. Money is a wonderful servant but a terrible master. It was never meant to be worshiped. Money is given to us so we can share it and make a difference with it. Money was never meant to be our god. Power, possessions, prestige all make poor gods. If Paul were with us today he might well cautions us about our priorities about the many idols among us. He would surely speak to us of the unknown God who created us, who longs for a friendship with us, who provides for our needs, who No answers our prayers. No one of us has ever seen God. We don’t know what God looks like. We’re visual creatures and so many over the years have made idols to represent God. We want something we can touch, see, feel, relate to. I remember seeing workers at a temple in Singapore dusting the various gods. It is amazing how people will worship a god who needs dusting.

In the Old Testament we read how people will take a piece of wood and cut it in half. Part of it is burned for warmth and to cook food over. With the remaining half an idol is fashioned. And people will fall down and worship the wood and ask it to save them. Even religion can become an idol. When we begin to care so much for rules, regulations, and organization that we don’t have time for God we’ve made a serious mistake. In the church, it’s easy for the gospel to get lost. Between programming and administration the telling of the Good News can get lost. The church sets up idols and they keep us from truly experiencing God and sharing God’s message. Many of the great churches of the world have lost their way because the have forgotten their purpose.

Last month, in London, we walked past Westminster Cathedral. This majestic church was first erected in 1065 by Edward the Confessor. Now it’s little more than a museum that actually charges people to walk in the front door. Our church buildings, rituals, and possessions can easily become idols in our lives.

We’ve never seen God but God has provided for us to feel God. When we welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives we feel His power, comfort, and presence. When the Spirit comes and we are enjoying a relationship we have no need for the idols offered by this world