While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
Jesus told a parable about a farmer sowing seed (Matthew 13). Some seed falls on rocky places, some among thorns and some on fertile ground. This chapter, which reviews events from Paul's second journey, demonstrates that he, the first foreign missionary, encounters all these responses in quick succession.
In Thessalonica Paul's visit sparks a riot. The next town, Berea, proves far more receptive. After studying the Scriptures to test Paul's message, many believe, both Jews and non-Jews. Yet agitators from Thessalonica soon stir up trouble there as well, for Paul is often trailed by hostile opponents seeking to disrupt his work.
In the sophisticated university city of Athens, Paul faces perhaps his most daunting missionary challenge. This renowned city of philosophers subjects each new thinker to a grueling intellectual ordeal. Local philosophers, full of scorn for Paul, haul him before the Aeropagus, a philosophical council that oversees religion and morals.
Confident that the new faith can compete in the marketplace of ideas, Paul stands before the skeptical audience and, in a burst of eloquence, delivers an extraordinary speech to a gathering of philosophers and thinkers. Apparently, he meets with little success, and the results trouble him.
Paul gains few converts among the elite Athenians, but he next travels to the city of Corinth and founds a church remarkable for its ethnic diversity. Some scholars believe that the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians describe the after effects of his experience in Athens.
Reflection:
I think I'm getting a little better, but I still find it difficult to evangelize and share the gospel with family and friends. In some regards, it's easy to share my faith with friends from church, but out in the workforce and with other circles of friends, the challenge can be at times daunting. My own insecurity probably comes into play, but it's no doubt one of my weaknesses that I need to overcome.
1 comment:
I am inspired by the way Paul meets everyone at their level of spiritual understanding and brings our Creator and Redeemer to their world. He once again brings a select few into the believing family and they use their lives to bring others along. We need to work patiently and steadily with our family, friends, and co-workers. They have to be ready and open to the message. We have to be ready to give the reason for faith. I am encouraged by Paul; he was the best at delivering the message and he was rejected by many. I guess my efforts will only bring the results that God has in mind on His time schedule.
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