Reading: Acts 17:18-20
(Advanced Track: Jeremiah 1-3)
18 He also had a debate with some of the
Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his
resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange
ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some
foreign gods.” 19 Then they took him
to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,”
they said. 20 “You
are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.”
Application:
When we tell others the Good News about Jesus and his
resurrection, we can expect to get a number of different reactions. Paul did.
Some people called him a babbler.
Some called his message strange.
Some misunderstood and thought he was talking about foreign gods.
Maybe you have had a similar experience. You may have shared your faith with others
and been treated like a babbler or looked at like you are strange. Don’t be discouraged. There is another type of response that we
will sometimes get.
Amidst the people calling Paul a babbler of strange ideas, there
were some who said, “Tell us more.”
There were some who were intrigued and wanted to hear more about Jesus
and his resurrection. This lead to more faith
conversations and to some faith decisions.
We never know where people are at in their faith journey. They may be ready to hear. They may not.
We should not let our fear of how they will react deter us. We have Good News to share - Good News about a God who sent his son to conquer
sin and death and raise us to new life with Him. As followers of Jesus, our mission is to tell
the world about this Good News. You
never know, the person you talk with might just say, “I want to hear more about
that.” This may lead to more faith
discussions and even some faith decisions.
1) Tell someone the Good News about Jesus and His resurrection.
2) Pray that the people you speak with will be open to hearing
more.
3) Don’t be discouraged if you do not get a positive
response. You are in good company. Instead, keep sharing. There are people out there who are eager to
hear more about the Good News. You could help bring them into a relationship with their Savior.
Share your comments and ideas about how to apply this...
I must confess, I've babbled a few times. Uh....that may not characterize it exactly. Ok, I'm a chronic babbler. In fact, an older cousin recalled my continuous childhood chatter in a Facebook posting yesterday. I responded that I still haven't learn when to shut up. All kidding aside, I recognized long ago an inherent tendency to work through my ideas, sometimes in the course of normal conversation, requiring some self restraint to develop my thoughts before assaulting a friend or family member with my ramblings. Their response wasn't always positive.
ReplyDeleteI've experienced similar responses in my attempts to share my faith. So, I try to work it out on paper first, which usually helps.
Even when the message is clear and concise, a message sometimes doesn't get through. It can be discouraging. I believe that we have different tolerance levels allowing some to walk deep into the wilderness while confining some within a safer environment among friends and fellow believers.
I've ventured deep into the wilderness at times, feeling somewhat empowered by the Holy Spirit, but I wasn't ready. It was discouraging, and it was clear that I'd ventured too far. In my case, I found myself among a group of fellow creatives, but they were very different in their beliefs, many regarding Christians with scorn and ridicule. I wasn't attending church regularly at that time and it was emotionally and spiritually exhausting. In retrospect, I realize that I needed to charge my batteries in Christian fellowship. I needed a lifeline back to God.
It's also discouraging, no heartbreaking, when someone very close rejects the saving grace of Jesus Christ. As most of us know, the closer we are to someone, the more difficult it is at times to communicate an important message. Familiarity breeds contempt. Patience and prayer have been helpful to me during these times. I don't know if I've made a difference, but I trust that God will work on my behalf.
It's hard to imagine Paul walking into Athens, pointing to their unknown God and saying, "I know Him." That's courage. That's a level of faith that few people can imagine.