The Sneering Crowds

September 6

(Acts 17:32-34 NIV) “When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." {33} At that, Paul left the Council. {34} A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others."

(Luke 16:13-15 NIV) “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." {14} The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. {15} He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.”

(Luke 23:33-35 NIV) ““When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left. {34} Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. {35} The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.””

The Athenians had been accommodating many gods -- Paul called them to worship only one. Even today, many live with altars to unknown gods in their hearts. Jesus calls us to replace those gods with his Name -- the Name above all names. Christ wants us to know Him personally. Ask the Light of the world to illumine all of the shadowy idols that hinder your relationship with Him. Ask Him to reveal the Unknown God to you. Then, through your life and speech, share Jesus with your family, friends, and neighbors. Just remember… whenever and wherever the truth of Jesus is shared, some will believe, and some will sneer. Some will want to hear more, and some will try to shut you up. We are not called to win the world -- we are to witness to the world. Be faithful, patient, and persistent. Ignore the sneering crowds and look for those that God has called to new life. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Ignorance Is No Excuse

September 5

(Acts 17:30-31 NIV) “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. {31} For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

(Matthew 25:31-34, 41 NIV) ““When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. {32} All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. {33} He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. {34} "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world…. {41} Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.””

(Psalms 98:1-9 NIV) “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. {2} The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. {3} He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. {4} Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; {5} make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, {6} with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn-- shout for joy before the Lord, the King. {7} Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. {8} Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; {9} let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.”

As Paul wrapped up his message to the Athenians, he played his ace. The attributes that separate the Unknown God from the false gods are the incarnation and the resurrection. Unlike the many gods of Athens who had never lived in the first place, the Unknown God came to earth as a living, breathing man. He was crucified for our sins and died, but He rose from the dead and will come again to judge all people. The Unknown God is Jesus Christ the Lord. In His grace, God has overlooked much of our ignorance and rebellion. But today God commands all who hear these words to repent. Christ is coming to judge all people. He will separate the sheep from the goats. There will be no middle ground. There will only be the lost and the found, the forgiven and the unforgiven, the saved and the unsaved. Which group will you be in? There is still time to believe. Trust in Jesus! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Homemade Idolatry

September 4

(Acts 17:29 NIV) "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by man's design and skill.”

(Isaiah 2:7-9 NIV) "Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. {8} Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. {9} So man will be brought low and mankind humbled -- do not forgive them."

(Jeremiah 10:3-6 NIV) "For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. {4} They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. {5} Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good." {6} No one is like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power."

(Jonah 2:8-9 NIV) ""Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. {9} But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.""

Idolatry is nothing new. Mankind has been drawn toward idols since Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden. Whenever we place anything ahead of the interests of God, we have drifted into idolatry. Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many other prophets confronted it in their day, and when Paul got to Athens, he dealt with it there. Believers must continue to confront the idolatry in our world with God’s truth, and the place we should start is in our own lives. What are the idols that demand your time, attention, and money? What steals your affection and allegiance? What is it that holds you back from serving Jesus fully? Idols don’t have to be made of wood, stone, or gold -- they can be thoughts or activities that distance us from Jesus. Destroy them! Abandon them! Remove them from your homes and your lives. Worship the Living God! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

Perhaps

September 3

(Acts 17:27-28 NIV) “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. {28} 'For in him we live and move and have our being. 'As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'”

(Matthew 19:11 NIV) "Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given."

(Luke 13:23-24 NIV) "Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, {24} "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."

(Romans 11:13-14 NIV) "I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry {14} in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them."

 When we speak of Jesus in the way Paul did, God uses our words to win some. When we speak the truth in love, the Unknown God can become the known God. Some will realize that we “live and move and have our being” in Christ. Some will seek the Lord, and “perhaps reach out and find Him”. He is near… but don’t miss the word “perhaps”. Not all will accept God’s offer of grace. Even Jesus did not win everyone when He was here. He was the perfect Son of God, and yet many did not believe. All humanity has a free will. Every individual can choose to accept or reject Christ, and there will always be those who will refuse to believe. But we must not focus on the refusals. We must continue to be faithful in praying for the lost, reasoning with them, and lifting up our risen Lord Jesus. Our hope is that “perhaps” some will be saved. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day