The Best Idea

August 31

(Acts 17:19-21 NIV) “Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? {20} You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." {21} (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)”

(1 Timothy 6:20 NIV) “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, {21} which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.”

(Mark 12:28-30 NIV) ““One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” {29} “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. {30} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

(Romans 10:8-10 NIV) ““The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: {9} That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. {10} For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Paul was brought before the Areopagus, a group who spent all their time listening to and talking about the latest ideas. They thought Paul’s ideas were strange and wanted to hear more. They were trying to intellectualize the faith. Many today try to do the same thing. As long as Jesus remains just in the mind, and never moves into the heart and soul, we can keep Him at a safe distance. As long as Jesus is just a good idea, He does not threaten our lifestyle and we don’t have to change. Other ideas and philosophies are just as valid for managing our lives. Thus we hear people say, “Jesus is fine if He works for you -- just don’t push your religion on me. I have my own ideas about God -- my own personal religion. Believe whatever you want.” But Jesus didn’t come to be just a good idea. Jesus came as God’s best idea! Believe in your heart. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

Babble On Believers

August 30

(Acts 17:18 NIV) ““A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods. They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.””

(1 Corinthians 1:20-25 NIV) “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? {21} For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. {22} Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, {23} but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, {24} but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. {25} For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”

(Colossians 2:8 NIV) “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

Paul proved that reasoning can work in evangelism, but no method is fool proof where man has both free will and pride. Some believed -- others debated Paul. When we share Jesus and His resurrection, we can expect opposition. In Athens, it was philosophers. Genuine and wannabe philosophers of today will usually attack us in one of two ways. First, there is the “put down”. They called Paul a “babbler”. Today it may be “bible thumper”, “narrow minded”, “holy roller”, or a dozen other slanderous titles designed to make you feel stupid, out of touch, or ashamed. Second, the supposed philosopher will try to convince you that you are advocating foreign gods. They’ll say stuff like, “I believe in God, but you’ve gone too far with this Jesus in your heart stuff. Don’t get carried away with that wacko foreign thinking.” Christian, do not listen to the philosophers of this age. Babble on! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Reasonably Opposing Idolatry

August 29

(Acts 17:17 NIV) “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.”

(Acts 17:1-4 NIV) ““When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. {2} As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, {3} explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said. 4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God–fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.””

(Isaiah 1:18-21 NIV) ““Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. {19} If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; {20} but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. {21} See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her -- but now murderers!””

When Paul saw the rampant idolatry in Athens, he didn’t just wring his hands, or complain to his Bible study group about how the world was going to hell in a hand basket. Armed with truth, he initiated a battle with them on two fronts. He reasoned with them in the synagogue (for us, that is the church), and he reasoned with them in the marketplace (for us, that is where we work and shop). He didn’t rant, rave, and shout about people burning in hell. He wasn’t hostile or condemning. Scripture says he reasoned with them. He told them of a God who could be known… a God who created all things… a God who could not be captured in an idol made of gold, stone, or wood. He spoke about judgment, repentance, and a man who rose from the dead. He had their attention. Paul shows us that we can reasonably oppose idolatry and that when we do, the hearts of some will be changed. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Idolatry Run Amok

August 28

(Acts 17:16 NIV) “While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.”

(1 John 5:21 NIV) “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”

(Exodus 20:2-5 NIV) “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. {3} You shall have no other gods before me. {4} You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. {5} You shall not bow down to them or worship them…”

Paul went to Athens, a very cosmopolitan and sophisticated city, full of highly educated and intelligent people. But Paul saw something that disturbed his spirit. This modern metropolis was filled with idols. The many shrines and altars there betrayed a polytheistic culture. These people were very religious. They had a shrine for every god except the true God. Paul was highly educated and certainly knew of Athens before he was saved. But now he came with new eyes… eyes opened by the Holy Spirit, and what he saw was idolatry run amok. And if our eyes are open, we can see the same thing today. We live in a polytheistic culture where individual choice reigns supreme. Our idols may not look the same as those in Athens, but they are numerous and powerful, and we bow down to them and worship them in various ways. Ask God to give you eyes to see the idols in your life. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day