Sermons for the Month
Our Known God Is Near
DATE: May 1st, 2005
SERVICE: Sixth Sunday of Easter
TEXT: Acts 17:22-31, John 14:15-21
“To all of you Saints here this morning, grace
and peace to you from God our Father, from His Son, Jesus Christ and His
Holy Spirit. AMEN
We are introduced to an old friend of humanity in today's first lesson; it's none other than the "unknown god" and, surprisingly, there is a story explaining how this earth-bound deity was born.
You'll recall that Paul discovered this god when he was in Athens. It seems that he was waiting to be joined by Silas and Timothy and was more or less "hanging out" in the city, visiting its sights and attractions. While he did preach in the synagogue on the Sabbath, as was his custom, during the week he spoke to the philosophers and whoever else would listen in the market place.
He was struck by the fact that this great city - a cultural and intellectual center of the world - was filled with idols and noticed especially the altar to an unknown god. As it turns out, this god had been around for quite awhile.
In about the sixth century BC the city of Athens was being destroyed by a plague for which there was no explanation. It was assumed that this disaster was the result of one of the city's gods having been offended, but since there were hundreds of gods, it was difficult to figure out how to appease the right one.
When efforts to discover the offended god failed, an outside consultant was called in; he proclaimed that it was none of the known gods in Athens that had been slighted, but some, as yet, unknown god. In order to discover where the god was residing he came up this plan.
A flock of choice sheep were kept from eating for a number of days, so that they were hungry. Then they were let loose on a very succulent pasture, allowed to eat their fill. The "expert" watched the sheep carefully and, amazingly, there were several who did not eat even though they must have been hungry and had food readily available. Instead, they were lying down. So, in the spots where they lay, altars were erected and the sheep were sacrificed to the unknown god. Supposedly, the plague began to subside. (1)
It's an interesting tale, but here's the thing that particularly captures my attention about that story. It describes people who faced an unresolved problem so they created something to worship that provided temporary relief. When the challenge they faced subsided that god faded into the background with all the others.
Their lives were still empty so that, centuries later, when Paul showed up they were willing to listen to him not because he was so captivating but because he offered a new possibility. Athens was always looking for something new. As one writer says, "they were always 'window shopping' in the marketplace of truth, but never buying." In that environment Paul claimed that the existence of the altar to the unknown god testified to the inadequacy of their religion. (2) They could not seem to get enough gods.
Now, I ask you, does that have a familiar ring to it? Don't we live in a world where people face unresolved problems so they create something to worship that provides temporary relief. Perhaps people are stressed, or overwhelmed by uncertainty, or feel empty inside, or are angry or bored with life. So, they find something to focus on, to worship, to provide a momentary answer. But then, when the challenge subsides, that god fades into the background until the something new comes along.
These false gods can be anything that we trust in, make a priority, value, turn to for relief other than the One True God. They include extreme gods, like nuclear weapons that provide an illusion or safety. Or, they can be those things that make our lives easier (supposedly), like advances in communication. (Does anyone you know seem to worship their cell phone or the internet?) They can be the gods of the body - exercise programs, diet fads and wrinkle removers that sound good but usually are never enough. There are the false gods we are most familiar with - money, possessions, other people, drugs and alcohol. Some false gods wear a spiritual mask, like new age religions or even misinterpretations of our own faith.
The false, unknown, unnamed gods are anything that we turn to and depend upon to meet our unmet needs that is not God. The search for gods is on-going, but in the end, surrounded by abandoned altars, we are like the people of Athens - still looking, still unfulfilled and still overwhelmed by self-doubt or suppressed fear.
The irony is, of course, that all along God is here. God is not trying to hide. It's true that people may close their eyes to God's nature and character, but is revealed in creation, in Jesus and, for those who believe in Jesus, in the Holy Spirit within us.
The 16th verse of John 14 is one of the most hope-filled passages in scripture. Jesus says to his followers, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever."
The Greek word that we translate Advocate has a depth of meaning that's hard to grasp in English. This is the one who pleads our case, who testifies on our behalf, who gives comfort, counsel or strength. The literal meaning is "someone called in" to help another in a time of distress or doubt, particularly as the followers of Jesus face a hostile world.
And, the phrase "be with" also has a meaning that's difficult to capture. It implies a deep, ongoing relationship, a dwelling within us, not just for brief periods of time, but forever.
There's a story about people who were translating the New Testament into the Karre language in equatorial Africa. They were having difficulty coming up with a word to translate Advocate.
Then, they noticed porters walking in a line along a path, each carrying a heavy burden - except for one person. That one person was carrying nothing. When they asked why, they learned that the one carrying no burden was expected to help anyone who became too exhausted to carry his own burden. They called that person, "The one who falls down beside us." And that's the word the translators used for the Holy Spirit, the Advocate - the one who falls down beside us.
I tell you all that to make it clear that God is not unknown to us. There is no reason to create something to worship that provides temporary relief; the Advocate dwells within us as someone called in to help.
However, there are many people around us who are caught in the futile cycle of the unknown gods. At our Synod Assembly yesterday we learned that 43 percent of the people in the United States are not members of any religious group. And, of the 57 percent who are members, two-thirds of them do not attend regularly. Those are fairly startling figures, and the fact is that we have something to offer them.
When I was in traveling in March with my Peer Study Group we visited a placed called Mars Hill Church. It name is, no doubt, a reference to this story in the book of Acts. Mars Hill is the Latin name for the place where Paul spoke to the people of Athens. When this ministry began less than 10 years ago the goal was to focus on the most unchurched group of people - those between the ages of 18-25 - in the most unchurched location in America - Seattle.
They began to challenge the unknown gods of youth, and to offer instead God, the Creator; Jesus, the Savior and the Holy Spirit, the Advocate. It's amazing what has happened. Now 1800 people attend worship every weekend, most of them under age 25.
While I do not agree with some of their preaching and teaching, I certainly have to say that Mars Hill Church has become a place where altars to unknown gods are being torn down.
That's our task too. First we must destroy those altars in our own lives, and base our hope in the One True God, the God within each of us. Only then, we will have something to offer those around us who are seeking at the altars of unknown gods. We will be able to invite them to realize that, as Paul announced, the known God is not far from each one of us.(1)Don Richardson, Eternity in Their Hearts (Ventura, California: Venture Books, Revised Edition, 1984), pp. 9-25.
(2) Deffinbaugh, Bob, "The Apostle in Athens, Preaching to Philosophers", Trustworthy Bible Study Resources, www.bible.org., pgs. 5-6.
AMEN