Change and Growth ~ Acts 17:21-35 ~ Sixth Sunday after Easter
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| Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
And boy, did the public respond… Many of these little-known authors would be
skyrocketed to the bestseller lists.
Some, like Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil would go on to lasting fame. Others would fade back into obscurity. One author’s autobiography was found to have
been fabricated[i]…
But don’t we all want to learn or experience something
that’s going to change your life for the better, whether we’re Christians or
not?
In our first reading for today, the Apostle Paul comes upon
a group of intellectuals in the Greek city of Athens. The Bible tells us that the people there “would
spend their time in nothing else than telling or listening to something new.” Paul, for his part, was quite intrigued by
what he was seeing. He remarks that the
city is very religious—as evidenced by all the idols. Paul’s most curious observation was an altar
inscribed with the words “to an unknown god.”
What we see here (and what Paul realizes) is that there is a
tremendous appetite for truth among the people.
They are in search of a god that they have not yet found…
What Paul proclaims is that the God they’ve been seeking is
already living among them. God lives and
acts in order to be in relationship with human beings. God does not dwell in articles of wood, gold,
silver or stone. God dwells in human
existence. Paul then proclaims that all
persons will be raised from the dead, either to live eternally in God or become
subject to judgment.
In the end, some come to faith in Christ—and some
don’t. Paul presented them with a
completely different understanding of God than what they had come to believe
was true. To some, Paul’s teaching about
the resurrection of the dead was downright ridiculous. To some, it was simply too outrageous to
believe that God cannot be embodied or contained in shrines or temples. In
other words, Paul’s God did not fit into their “god-box.” Yet we can be assured that those who listened
and believed were dramatically changed.
So how well do we know the living Christ? Do you “live and have your being” in him?
Even as we worship the risen Christ, we have a great deal in
common with these Greeks in that God still remains so much of an unknown to
us. We all hunger for the Divine, just
like they do—but who among us can say and testify that we are being radically
transformed by Jesus Christ? Who among
us experiences frustration and even anguish because God feels so much as a
stranger?
There are a number of reasons why God remains a stranger—and
why our lives feel so much the same as they’ve always been…
For starters, we do not always like what he has to say. We aren’t prepared for God’s Word to
challenge what we’ve always believed to be true. We’re not prepared for Jesus to challenge the
ways we live—and perhaps dramatically change everything. We’re expecting Jesus to confirm all our
long-held beliefs—and congratulate us on how faithfully we’re living our lives.
How easy it is that we keep Christ at a distance—and allow
for our lives to be controlled by our own aspirations; by the expectations
others place on us. How easy it is for fear
to take control of us. We’re not always
ready for Christ to challenge what we believe, or how we live; how we give, or
how we worship.
But Christ lives inside each us through faith. He has since the day of our baptism. He lives in the ministries of his church;
among our neighbors who need him most, and even among those who do not know him
at all.
So transformation is never a question of “if?” Only “how?”
Jesus is always going to be drawing you deeper and deeper
into the Christian faith—so be prepared to be spending more time praying and
studying the Word. Be prepared for God
to reveal truths to you that will challenge your long-held beliefs and
convictions. Be prepared for God to send
you into the world to proclaim the Gospel and serve others in ways that aren’t
comfortable for you. Be prepared for God
to bring changes to this church—in how we worship God and do ministry. This congregation must be intentional about
transformation; to cultivate the presence of the living Christ both within our
lives and within our community.
Furthermore, our hunger for peace and purposeful lives
should not drive us out into the pursuits and treasures of the world. We must instead surrender ourselves to the
loving hands of Christ who claims us as his own. We must give God the control of ourselves.
Change is probably one of the most terrifying words in the
English language—but we mustn’t fear the change Jesus brings. Change brings transformation. Change brings resurrection. God transforms us and draws us closer into
Christ by comforting us in our distress, challenging us to grow in faith and
mission, and then sending us by the Spirit’s power to the works of Christ.
[i] Wyatt, Edward. "Best-Selling Memoir Draws
Scrutiny." 10 January 2006. The New York Times online. Article. 20
May 2014.
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