Spring Harvest 2009 (5)

I remember at one time there was a suggestion that Paul tried a different evangelistic strategy in Athens that failed. The preferred, and more effective strategy, called power evangelism, was the strategy to which Paul returned after the failure of Athens.

Today, in our final Bible Reading, we heard a different story. We heard the story of a Pharisee who found himself stranded in Athens while he waited for his travelling companions. During his stay he walked around the city with a sense of disgust at what he saw. Idolatry was everywhere. But something changes.

By the time Paul addresses the areopagus he has begun to see things differently. The people that once disgusted him now matter to him because he’d found the key to unlocking their culture and knew that they mattered to God. “Men of Athens,” says Paul, “I can see that you are very religious.” He doesn’t say, “I see that you are very idolatrous.” Paul doesn’t judge them, he recognises God at work among them. It would be equivalent to you and I going to a psychic fair and saying, “I can see that you are very spiritual.” Not a thing I think we’d find easy to do.

Now that doesn’t mean he doesn’t challenge them, it doesn’t mean that we dilute the challenge or message of the cross. But it does mean that we draw back from judgement and move towards grace.

Paul listened to the culture and was probably amazed at what he heard. I wonder what we might hear if we listened more carefully to the cultures around us.

By the end of his speech, Paul has shared their story, he’s shared the story of Jesus and he’s shared the hope that comes through the message.

I've found the Bible Readings challenging and interesting once again. They are, for me, the highlight of the week.