Songs In The Night

“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ – Acts 17:28

Atheists & Deists

As you are well aware, we live in an age that is rapidly becoming more intolerant of the claims of Christianity.  More and more, people are wearing the mantle of atheist or deist.  And if they are not so bold to do so in word; many will make their allegiance in practice.  While the ardent atheist is all too willing to yell from the rooftop that there is no god, the practical atheist proclaims so with his actions.  The deist, by way of contrast, believes in god, but one that is limited.  Their god set things in motion and then stepped out of the way.  Whether in word or in deed, the deist makes no allowance for an intimate and supernatural god.  In his quest to be accountable to no one the atheist reveals his foolishness.  In his attempt to confine God to the realm of the rational alone, the deist reveals his ignorance.  Our “living, moving, and being” refutes them both.

Paul & Truth

In Acts chapter seventeen we see how differently people respond to the Truth of the Gospel.  The chapter begins with Paul in the city of Thessalonica.  While there Paul preached in the Synagogue for three consecutive Sabbath days.  During this time Paul shared with them the necessity of the Messiah’s suffering and the hope of His resurrection.  The preaching of the Gospel was blessed as quite a few Greeks believed.  But the belief of the Greeks was immediately met by the envy of the Jews.  Envy that birthed a mob that chased Paul to Berea.

In Berea, Paul followed his custom and went to the Jewish synagogue where he again preached the Good News to his audience.  The Berean Jews are credited with being more open-minded than the Thessalonians, and many of them, after examining the scriptures, believed, as did a number of Greeks.  But once again, the light of belief caused envy to take flight from the shadows.  The jealous Jews of Thessalonica brought their disturbance to Berea, again causing Paul to depart.

Intelligence & Ignorance

From Berea, Paul was carried away to Athens.  Although past it’s “political” prime, Athens was still a cultural “giant”, boasting such philosophers as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and Zeno.  But the city boasted not only great minds but talented hands as well, being filled with the skillful works of great architects as evidenced in the plentiful temples and numerous sculptures.  But unfortunately, Athens’ great minds and gifted hands led her down a path of ignorance and idolatry as evidenced by her famous altar(s) to the unknown god.  An altar Paul decided to use as a platform to introduce the True God.

Although Paul’s argument was directed at the Epicureans and Stoics of the day, his message is relevant for all doubters today.  Paul wanted to make the unknown known.  He wanted to see the “religious” enter into a relationship with the Divine.  He wanted his audience to realize they were the created not the creators.  He wanted them to find the One for whom they were “feeling their way toward”.  In the midst of a city known for its philosophers and debaters, the humble Paul is able to share what he knows from experience and revelation.  Paul was intimately acquainted with a supernatural God!!  Sorry, atheists and deists.

God & Creation

With all eyes on him, Paul begins by telling his audience that the true God, is a God of creation.  Creating not only the heavens and the earth but mankind as well.  As His creation, we are dependent upon God and not vice versa.  Paul tells his audience that, “God gives to everyone life, breath, and all things.”  From one person, God has populated the world.  But God did not restrict Himself “merely” to creating, not at all.  God also rules His creation.  It is God who has set the boundaries of the nations and set their appointed times.  While we divulge so much of our time and energy to the realm of the theoretical, God determines the epochs of history.  But God is not defined only by His power and His providence.  On the contrary, God is also a God of intimacy.

While creation points to the awesome power of God; His rule over the nations of the world and the epochs of history give us a glimpse of His magnitude.  But the divine “spark” He has placed within us reveals His love.  When God created us, His purpose was that we might worship Him.  Paul tells us in verse 27 that the reason God created man was so that man would seek God.  And contrary to what the deists claim, God is not far removed.  To the contrary, Paul specifically states that He is not far from us.  No.  Rather, Paul assures us that, “In him we live and move and have our being”.

God & Life

Have you ever stopped to consider your complete dependence on the Great I Am?  No disrespect to the great minds and gifted hands of the world, but they are no match for God.  While we can enjoy the writings of a gifted author, the paintings of a gifted artist, and the speeches of a great speaker, none of these have given us “life, breath, and all things.”  While their talents may add a level of enjoyment to our earthly existence, we do not “live and move and have our being” in them.  I do not look to Dickens for meaning in life.  I do not turn to Rembrandt when I am suffering.  And I have never looked to Lincoln for the salvation of my soul.  Like the rest of us, these men were created by God.  Their lives and their breath were gifts from God.  Everything they accomplished was because of the mercy of God.  In Him, they lived and moved and had their beings, same as you and I.  And the same as the Apostle Paul.

Despite his brilliant mind and natural leadership abilities, Paul recognized the utter meaninglessness of any of his talents or possessions once he met the resurrected Christ.  After his famous conversion, Paul has no delusions regarding his autonomy.  He recognized his utter dependency on his Savior and proclaimed to know nothing except “Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).  The perfect response to the Truth of the Gospel.

God & You

As Paul concluded his delivery to his audience in Athens, he warned them of the necessity to repent.  And soon.  God can only overlook ignorance for a season.  Just as God populated the world from one person, He will judge the world through a Man whom He has appointed.  One whom He has raised from the dead.  The One in whom we live, move and have our being is ultimately our final judge.  Which brings us back to the Gospel.

The verse we are looking at today is a quote from the Cretan poet Epimenides, written about the Greek god Zeus.  Much like he did with the altar to an unknown god, Paul used this familiar phrase as a platform from which to present the Gospel.  After all, Zeus was no god.  Zeus never conquered death.  He never had offspring.  He never gave life to anyone or anything because he never had life to give.  The Greeks may have had great philosophers, but Paul had what they needed.  Truth.  And he shared it with them.

What is your response to the Gospel?  Despite your profession of faith, do you wear the mantle of a practical atheist or deist?  Carefully consider your spiritual “life and health”.

We are God’s offspring.  He has given us life, breath, and all things.  In Him, and in Him alone do we live, and move, and have our being.  And we will for all of eternity.  That is the Good news of the Gospel.  That is what we should be telling the world.  In words and in deeds.  Those robed in righteousness should wear no other mantle.