Unveiling the Unknown God

My Personal Devotional Tuesday 2-10-15 (Home)   

Scripture reading:        Lev 13-14            Acts 17

S.  Acts 17:22-23  So Paul, standing before the Council, addressed them as follows: "Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious, for as I was walking along I saw your many altars. And one of them had this inscription on it — 'To The Unknown God.' You have been worshiping him without knowing who he is, and now I wish to tell you about him.  NLT

O.  In Philippi Paul and Silas had been beaten, imprisoned and kicked out of the city.  So they went south to Thessalonica where after a short time they had to flee for their lives.  They fled to Berea where again their enemies found them and this time Paul was escorted by new believers escaping to Athens while leaving Timothy and Silas behind.  It should be noted that in each of these cities they left behind a group of new believers.  

Now Paul is left alone in the great city of Athens waiting for his companions to arrive.  I might have waited for my reinforcements to arrive, but not Paul.  He tours through the market place and gathers people together to share Christ’s message.  He caused such a stir that the highly educated philosophers invited him to the famous Areopagus on Mars Hill to hear him out.

Paul starts his message right where these men are.  He kind of sneaks up on them.  He does not rail at them for their polytheism.  He says, “I see that you people are very religious.  And among your many gods, I noticed a monument with the inscription ‘To the Unknown God’.  

Let me tell you about Him.  You can’t carve a sculpture of this God, for He is the Creator of all things.  You can’t squeeze Him into one of your great marble temples.  He doesn’t need your stuff.  He made your stuff and gave it to you.   One of your own poets got it right when he wrote, ‘In Him we live and move and have our being.’”  

So far, so good.  At this point I am quite sure that even the most studious among them was impressed by the spiritual authority with which this stranger spoke.  But when Paul got to the resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead, some of them scoffed at him while others wanted to hear more.  And apparently the meeting broke up.  But some believed. 

A.  When Paul preached to the Jews he sometimes began with the familiar history of their past.  Now with the Athenians, he starts with their “unknown God.”  He is trying to “become all things to all men, in order to win some.” 1 Cor 9:22 

I have had occasion many times to speak in open parks and other public places in Latin America where most people consider themselves Roman Catholics.  Many of these people have been told that evangelicals do not honor the Virgin Mary, so if I have occasion in my message to mention the mother of Jesus, I am careful do so with honor.  I do not rail on them for their idolatry.  I preach Jesus… and oh, how I love to preach Jesus!  I try to lift Him up before them and often they are drawn to Him.  I have found that once these dear people come to Christ and begin to study the Bible for themselves, they become enamored with Jesus and leave behind their non-biblical practices of prayers to the many saints, etc.

P.  Oh Lord Jesus, just let me preach about You.  Your message of truth and love is enough.  May my message be Your humble birth, Your life of love spent for the lost and needy, Your supreme act of love on Mount Calvary, dying there for Your persecutors while they laugh and mock You at the foot of Your cross… and Your astounding, victorious resurrection.  Help me to preach it with my words, but not only with my words.  May my life show the world the true love of Jesus, my Savior, Who is calling them into His loving arms!  Amen.

Ralph