Blessed Restlessness: Acts 17:22-34 - Sixth Sunday after Easter

²²Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. ²³For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. ²⁴The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, ²⁵nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. ²⁶From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, ²⁷so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. ²⁸For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said,
 ‘For we too are his offspring.’
 ‘For we too are his offspring.’²⁹Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. ³⁰While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (NRSV)

FS_evening reflection by Virginia State Parks.  Creative commons image on flickr

I haven’t forgotten the night I quit my high school youth group.

I hadn’t been there for a while because the high school musical season had just ended, where I played in the pit orchestra.  One of my peers asked me where I’d been, and I told her.  Then she proceeded to say that I must care more about the band than I do about Jesus.  In that second, I was struck with guilt and anger—and given the unpleasantness of both, I decided I was done with youth group.  And I remained super-involved in music through high school and right up into college.  You could say I was “religious” about it. 

And I thought about that not too long ago when I had a conversation with a man who hadn’t been to church in decades, who said, “I practice my religion in a fishing boat.”  It would be very easy to condemn him for that—wrongfully, might I add…

Just consider the apostle Paul’s missionary journey in Athens.  There, Paul is preaching in a place called the Areopagus, where philosophers and intellectuals would gather to debate truth and wisdom.  It was the hub of Greek thought and culture.  Paul was taken there by those who heard his teachings about Jesus and resurrection—who wanted to know more.

At this point, Paul had seen idols everywhere in the city.  He also sees an altar that had been dedicated “to an unknown god.”  But notice how Paul doesn’t rebuke or condemn these people.  He doesn’t warn them to clean up their act and pray to God that they won’t go to hell for all their idols.  Instead, he says, “I see how religious you are in every way…”

He recognizes that they are spiritually curious—and hungry—for a divine presence they had not yet found.  Paul’s message was that Jesus was right there—ready to be known and loved. 

Personally, I’m encouraged by this story, and here’s why: Our society has pushed God to the margins.  There are so many options to satisfy your deepest longings.  You have everything from professional sports to little league; music to making money; more places to go shopping than any other nation in the developed world; restaurants to satisfy every taste; technologies to socialize and be entertained; and the 24-hour cable news cycle to constantly be in the know. 

You can tune in to talk shows like Oprah and Dr. Oz that provide a continuous flow of new ideas and methods to be healthy and happy.  Churches even promote themselves the solution to your every problems.

Sadly, some will seek to satisfy their longings in drugs, alcohol, and other pursuits that are toxic to human health and relationships. 

Conventional wisdom would suggest that these are all idols and false gods—and yes, they can be.  But in a more definite sense, these are signs that spiritual hunger is real. 

In every one of you, there’s an emptiness, a restlessness, an anxiousness that won’t go away.  But Jesus is present in those longings—ready to be known and loved.  The challenge, however, is in seeking him…

Paul is right to say that sometimes you must “grope” for God.  Unfortunately, that word has come to mean inappropriately touching someone else; but it also can mean struggling to find.  We all do that.  It’s just part of the Christian experience.  You’re going to seek God through certain means and certain experiences, and come up empty.  But not always.

So when you get that urge to do something—or buy something—recognize it for what it is: spiritual hunger.  Take it to the Lord in prayer. 

God may take you fishing—and make it a time of listening and praying.  Perhaps, instead of going shopping, you’ll give something away.  If you need to rest, pray for God to give it to you.  If you’re turning to things that are potentially harmful to your health and relationships, know that Jesus wants to free you from the burdens dragging you down and refresh your soul in ways nothing else can do.  If you’re ready to say “I’m done” being a Christian, remember that Jesus is never done with you!

You come to church to encounter Jesus in Word, Sacrament, and each other.  But Jesus doesn’t just feed spiritual hunger on Sundays—but also during the week, out there in the world, living life. 

Already, you know that Jesus is present in people’s grief.  So we have GriefShare.  You know that Jesus cares about people in need.  So we open the clothing closet.  You have questions about God and the Bible—so we have Bible study.

If we believe things are taking people away from church, how can we meet others in those things and see them as opportunities for evangelism?  In Christ, fishing, athletics, music, outdoor recreation—and practically anything else can be transformed into a ministry!  Passions and struggles are perfect grounds for Christian discipleship!

When you’re restless, anxious, and exhausted—know that the voice of Jesus is calling you.  Jesus wants to be the one who will satisfy your deepest longings with his forgiveness and his love.