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The Unknown God Thanks for the harmonica," little Joshua said to his uncle. "It's the best present I ever got." "That's great," the uncle responded. "Do you know how to play it yet?" "Oh, I don't play it," the little boy said. "My mom gives me a dollar not to play it during the day, and my dad gives me five dollars a week not to play it at night." I suppose someone should tell Joshua that the harmonica is intended to be a music-maker, and not a money-maker. After all, only practice makes perfect, or at least that is what we've been hearing for weeks from the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Held every four years, these modern games were inaugurated in 1896 right there in Athens, but they are but a modified version of the original Olympian Games, dating back to 776BC. The location of these ancient games, Mount Olympus, was believed to be the residence of many of the Greek gods, and the competitions were to honor them—especially the chief of the gods, Zeus. Their motivation, however, was not entirely altruistic—they were honored with wreaths of olive leaves, celebrated by the poets, and they often lived the rest of their lives at the public's expense. Amazing—it's really not that different today! Gold, silver, and bronze medals, as well as tons of accolades, and scads of advertising endorsements—in other words, money and pride! Paul, the apostle, was very much aware of the ancient games, and used them to compare the diligence, perseverance, and motivations of the athletes with what true Christianity should be about, and how, very often, the church is put to shame by the world's devotion to its gods (see 1 Cor. 9:24-27; Hebrews 12:1-2; and 2 Tim. 4:6-8). If a runner can give his all in honor of a mythological god, surely those today who enter into a relationship with the one and only true God, the Lord Jesus Christ, can be poured out as well—not for money or ego, but for the beautiful harmony of living in His will right now—sweet music in the ears of the Lord! To further illustrate this, turn to Acts 17 to see what happened the day Paul visited Athens. Verse 16 tells us, "…his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry." In the Greek, the original language of the New Testament, it means that Paul was indignant and grief-stricken over an entire city lost and in need of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, Athens was not a great center for politics or even commerce, but it was a center for intellectualism. In fact, men from Rome would come there for their university training. In other words, it was a city of "know-it-alls." And when Paul debated with the Jews of the city, both in the synagogue and in the market place, "…certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection." (vs. 18) Who were these people? Well, Epicurus, born in 341 BC, believed that the Greek gods existed, but he didn't really give them much honor. Pleasure, he suggested, should be the motivating force in people's lives. In fact, he taught that a very tranquil life was the ultimate goal—total freedom from pain, trouble, and fear…especially, the fear of death. Many churches have fallen into this trap, embracing today's psychology, "Christian" or otherwise. The premise? The love of self, and therefore, the blame for problems falls on others. David Wilkerson, of Times Square Church, rightly criticizes this "counseling" trend in modern preaching. He recently wrote, "The majority of sermons today focus on meeting people's needs, rather than on the victorious life we have in Christ. Preachers are offering three steps to surviving another day, a how-to plan for merely getting by." The Stoics, on the other hand, suggested that "God" is the world's soul, and that "it" dwells in all things, including all people. This lie has been believed by many denominations, and not so subtly in the New Age movement—the western remake of Hinduism. Ironic, isn't it? They are calling Paul the babbler. In the Greek, it refers to a crow as he picks up seed—picking up scraps of undigested knowledge. They were confused about this one who preached of Jesus and resurrection. Why? Some have suggested that the confusion rests in the Greek words for Jesus and resurrection—"Iesous" and "Anastasis," sounding in their ears something like "Zeus," the ruler of the celestial realm, and "Athena," the goddess of wisdom. But it goes far deeper than that. It all sounded strange to them, "for all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing." (vs. 21) It is the same today, as multitudes run here or there for a "new word" from the Lord, when they haven't even bothered to get to know the One who has been speaking since before the beginning of time. A.W. Tozer, in thinking on this, once wrote, "Can I explain a time when there was only God--no matter, no law, no motion, no relation or space, no time and no beings, only God? Can I explain how God could have chosen us before the creation of the world? Can I explain the eternal nature of God, the uncreated Being?" Furthermore, how can we, such "know-it-alls," even know such a God, especially in such an Athenian city as our modern day society? It's a good question! When they brought Paul to the Areopagus, the Hill of Mars and the location of the highest court of the land, he laid it out for them: "Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him I declare unto you." (vss. 22b,23) The Greek word here for "superstitious" is a very interesting one— "deisidaimonesteros"—and a looooong one. The "deos", refers to being far too fearful, faithless, and timid, while "daimon" points to allowing oneself to be influenced by demonic activity. Hence, their worshipping at this altar, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD, was not just a way to cover their bases. Not at all—Paul specifically states that the God, whom they don't know, is the one true God of the Bible. This God had made everything, and yet they didn't know Him. He had brought all people to live together on the same planet for a purpose, and they didn’t get it. The one true God had sent His only Son to take away all sin, and the demonic power of that sin to control people, but they didn't comprehend it. Do we? So, since many then and many now don't know who He is, the life-transforming call went out to all—"…seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring." (vss. 27,28) The Athenian poets had actually spoken the truth, but they didn’t know it! So, Paul explained it—this "offspring" of God makes it possible for them, and us, to be children of God, as well. In other words, its about time to be fed up with the ignorance bit—repent, "because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead." (vs. 31) That's right! All men! Praise God—now they could not honestly claim God to be unknown, for, through the Cross of Calvary, He had made Himself available to everyone! Oh, sure, some derided Paul and mocked the message of the power of the resurrected life, just like they do today—not wanting to hear that the true Gospel, empowered by the Holy Spirit, transforms hearts and lives right now—not just in Heaven. But some didn't gripe—in fact, they said, "We will hear thee again of this matter." (vs. 32b) Praise God—even when Paul left Athens, some went with him, including Dionysius the Areopagite, whose name, in the Greek, means "reveler," and, a woman by the name of Damaris, meaning "to tame, and to be gentle." The one true God became very well known to them as He conformed them into His image. No longer would they revel in the world and its ways, but now in God. No longer would they be timid and fearful, worshipping fear itself, but now God Himself would be their beautiful music. Some have suggested that Paul was an utter failure in his race against Satan that day in Athens, for there was no church established in that "know-it-all" city. But that shows just how little some "know-it-alls" really know—salvation came into the hearts of those who repented, and that is the ultimate victory—that is Church! Copyright (c)
2005 Christ Our Rock Bible Church. |
