Former president Ronald Reagan once had an aunt who took him to a cobbler for a pair of new shoes. The cobbler asked young Reagan, “Do you want square toes or round toes?” Unable to decide, Reagan didn’t answer, so the cobbler gave him a few days. Several days later the cobbler saw Reagan on the street and asked him again what kind of toes he wanted on his shoes. Reagan still couldn’t decide, so the shoemaker replied, “Well, come by in a couple of days. Your shoes will be ready.”

When the future president did so, he found one square-toed and one round-toed shoe! “This will teach you to never let people make decisions for you,” the cobbler said to his indecisive customer. “I learned right then and there,” Reagan said later, “if you don’t make your own decisions, someone else will.”

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! Wouldn’t it be nice if the most difficult decision we ever had to make was whether to get square toed or round toed shoes? Unfortunately, most of us already know that life is filled with more difficult decisions. We have to make decisions about family situations, career choices, business dilemmas, health care options, and financial matters. Many of these decisions can be overwhelming; we are afraid we might make the wrong decision. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had someone to always tell us what the right decision is in every situation?

Well, we do! This morning’s text is about gaining God’s wisdom and following his will for our lives and ministries. Luke breaks this story into two scenes. First, he uses the example of Paul to teach us about following God’s will. Secondly, he uses the example of Apollos to teach us how to gain God’s wisdom. I hope that these two scenes will help us with the decisions we need to make!

1.) Following God’s Will in Life and Ministry (18-23)
As Paul faced opposition, abuse, and persecution in Corinth, his human instinct would have been to leave the city and find refuge elsewhere, but Jesus appeared to him in a vision and commanded him to stay and continue to preach the gospel. Jesus fulfilled his promise by using Gallio, the Proconsul of Achaia, to protect him from the Jews who sought to destroy him. So, in verse 18, Luke reiterates the fact that Paul followed God’s will by staying in Corinth “for some time”. Back in verse 11 he already told us that Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, thus following God’s will for his life and ministry.

Sometime after winter Paul discerns that God wants him to make a journey back to his home church in Antioch which was in the region of Syria. Before he sails west he shaves his head in fulfillment of a vow he made to God. Luke doesn’t tell us what the vow was or why he made it, but it probably had something to do with his thankfulness to God for preserving his life.

It was common for Jews to make vows to God and they signify its fulfillment by shaving the hair from their heads. It is similar to how some sports teams today will enter rituals of letting their facial hair grow until they either lose or win it all. During my senior year a number of guys on my football team made a vow to not wash our practice clothes until we lost a game. We went undefeated! This still isn’t as nasty as other things I’ve heard. I know of a certain girls’ hockey team that didn’t shave their legs for the whole playoffs. Now that is gross!

Once Paul shaved his head, he, Priscilla, and Aquila boarded a ship and crossed the Aegean Sea heading west. They stopped in Ephesus where Paul preached at the synagogue. In spite of the Ephesians’ pleas, he didn’t stay long because he knew that God wanted him to continue on. He left Priscilla and Aquila behind to carry on the work of building the church in Ephesus while he followed the Lord’s leading for his life. But before he left, he made a promise that highlights his commitment to be in the center of God’s will. In verse 21 he says, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Paul based his plans on God’s will, not his own will. Since God wanted him in Antioch, he continued west and stopped in Caesarea, greeted the church in Jerusalem, and finally arrived at Antioch. He stayed in Antioch for about 9 months before he followed God’s will for a third missionary journey that would take him back to Ephesus.

As we see in Corinth, Paul was willing to stay in one place for awhile and as we see in Ephesus, he is willing to move on quickly. Luke presents us with all of these geographical details to show us that Paul’s plans and travels were always based on God’s will. Humanly speaking it would have made more sense for him to have fled Corinth quickly and to stay in Ephesus for awhile, but God’s will was different. His decisions weren’t based on pragmatism or his own intellect or desires, but he sought to be in the center of God’s will for his life and ministry.

We can all learn a lot from Paul’s example here. I dare say that most of us make decisions for our lives based on our will, not God’s. Think about it! How do most of us make decisions? We base them on our personal desires, preferences, goals, or intuitions. We may sit down and compare pros and cones, ask a friend for advice, or maybe even flip a coin, but how often do we really seek God’s will?

As Americans we are taught that our lives are our own and that we can be or do whatever we want to be or do. We believe that we create our own destinies! We think we can carve out our own path in life as if everything depended upon us. Do you ever think about how arrogant and selfish this is? When we make decisions solely based on our own desires and preferences, we certainly aren’t paying much attention to God’s will!

Question 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism helps us to remember that our lives don’t belong to ourselves. It states: What is thy only comfort in life and death? Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.

When we realize that our lives are not our own and that they belong to God, it changes our whole outlook on who we are and what we do. Instead of asking questions like: “Where and when do I want to go to college? What kind of career do I want? Who do I want to marry? How many kids do I want to have? Where do I want to live? How should I spend my time and money? Where and when do I want to retire?” we will change the “I” to “God”. Instead the questions will sound like this: “Where and when does God want me to go to college? What kind of career does God want me to have ? Who does God want me to marry? How many kids does God want me to have? Where does God want me to live? How does God want me to spend my time and money? Where and when does God want me to retire?”

Do you see the difference? Where Paul went and what he did and how long he stayed all depended upon God’s will, not his own. H knew his life wasn’t his own. How about us? I’m not saying that we throw our desires, preferences, and goals out the window; Paul didn’t. He wanted to go back to Ephesus, but he said, “if it’s God’s will”. God is calling all of us to a life and ministry according to his will! Are we paying attention?

2) Gaining God’s Wisdom for Life and Ministry (24-28)
In verse 24 Luke interjects one of his patented “meanwhile” stories. As Paul was making his way back to Antioch, Luke gives us a glimpse of what was taking place in Ephesus. He introduces us to a man named Apollos and shows us how he gained God’s knowledge for life and ministry. The first thing that Luke tells us is that he was a Jew from Alexandria which was in Egypt. The name Apollos literally means “a well-learned man.” He was well-educated and eloquent in speech. Not only was Alexandria the second largest city in the Roman Empire, but it was one of the major intellectual centers of the ancient world. It boasted the world’s finest university and largest library which contained over a half a million books and scrolls.

Apollos had a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures and had been instructed in the way of the Lord. This meant that he was familiar with God’s plan of salvation in the Old Testament and someone had told him about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was a powerful preacher and he taught accurately, but Luke tells us that he only knew about the baptism of John; that is, he knew about John’s baptism but he did not know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit that took place on Pentecost.

Therefore, Apollos was preaching an accurate but incomplete gospel. He simply did not know about the coming of the Holy Spirit and all that God had done through the apostles and the spiritual power they received. So Priscilla and Aquila invited him to their home and explained to him the way of the Lord more adequately. Apollos gained God’s knowledge through Priscilla and Aquila.

Later on, Apollos felt called to go and preach the gospel in Achaia. The church in Ephesus concurred and encouraged him to do so; they even wrote him a letter of recommendation to give to the believers there. When he arrived in Achaia, the church welcomed him with open arms and greatly appreciated his ministry. Armed with a more complete knowledge of the gospel, he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Just like Paul following God’s will in the preceding verses, we can learn a lot about gaining the God’s wisdom for life and ministry from the example of Apollos. We gain God’s wisdom for life and ministry in the same ways he did: through the Scriptures and through God’s servants.

Let’s think about the Scriptures for a minute. The Bible that we hold in our hands at this very moment are God’s self-revelation to his people. Through these books, stories, laws, poems, and letters we learn about God’s nature and character. We learn about his great love for people and how he has rescued us from our sins. He shows us the way to have peace and joy in this life and in the life to come. He has given us the knowledge to have the best life possible, but most people ignore it.

They say things like, “The Bible is too long and too hard to understand, I’ll figure life out on my own.” Others say, “Well, the Bible is filled with fun stories for children, but they are not really true.” The Bible is true, every word of it! And it is not too long or too difficult to understand if we take the time to study it. God has revealed himself to us through this book and we are so blessed to have our own copies of it, but so few take advantage of it.

A man in Kansas City was severely injured in an explosion. The victim’s face was badly disfigured, and he lost his eyesight as well as both hands. He was just a new Christian, and one of his greatest disappointments was that he could no longer read the Bible. Then he heard about a lady in England who read braille with her lips. Hoping to do the same, he sent for some books of the Bible in braille. Much to his dismay, however, he discovered that the nerve endings in his lips had been destroyed by the explosion.

One day, as he brought one of the braille pages to his lips, his tongue happened to touch a few of the raised characters and he could feel them. Like a flash he thought, I can read the Bible using my tongue. Once he acquired the skill, the man “read” through the entire Bible four times.

How much do we really want to know God? Do we really believe that God is ultimately wise and knows the best way to live? Apollos did! The man in Kansas City did! If we really want to know God and live the best life possible, we would spend some time reading his word. This man read it four times with his tongue; most of us have never even read it with our eyes!

Let’s also think about acquiring God’s wisdom through God’s servants. Just as Apollos learned more about God, the gospel, life, and ministry from Pricilla and Aquila, we can learn from the servants God places in our lives. No one knows everything there is to know about God, the Bible, life, and ministry. We can all learn valuable information from other people.

I believe that primary reason why God has called me to Franklin is to help the people in our church and community to come to faith in Jesus Christ and to grow in their relationship with him. Every week I work hard to prepare a sermon that will help us know God a little better. I spend time counseling, visiting, and praying with people so that they will have a clearer understanding of who God is and what he wants them to do.

But I certainly don’t know everything there is to know about God. That is why I continue to read and study the Bible. That is why I continue to pursue theological education meet together with other pastors once a week and meet with my mentor, Peter Anderson, once a month. Peter has been a pastor for over thirty years and knows a lot more about God and ministry than I do. He helps me gain God’s wisdom for my life and ministry.

Who has God placed in your life to help you gain God’s wisdom? Sure, I’m here, but who else? Are we utilizing the people and resources God has given us? When you have to make an important decision, who do you talk to? God uses his servants to help us gain his wisdom!

God’s wisdom and will are indispensable for our life and ministry. When we pay attention to then, we will have guidance for every decision we need to make. So, let me conclude with two questions: Are you seeking God’s will? And what are you doing to gain his wisdom?

This passage tells us about Paul’s ministry in the city of Corinth. It was the third largest city in the Roman Empire and was one of the most important commercial centers in the Mediterranean world. It was also famous for its immorality. The temple of Aphrodite employed over 1,000 male and female prostitutes. Corinth, maybe more than any other city Paul had visited, needed to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is probably why he stayed here for a year and a half.

It is interesting to note that out of a year and a half in Corinth, Luke only dedicated 17 verses to Paul’s ministry there. He could have told us so much, but he chose to limit his story by highlighting three things Paul did to build his ministry. By choosing to show us these things, Luke uses Paul’s actions to present a model for all future churches to conduct their ministry. So, here is a model for our church and individual ministries!

1.) Intentional Teamwork in Ministry (1-5a)
Upon Paul’s arrival in Corinth he was blessed with the acquaintance of Aquila and Pricilla, a Jewish couple who had just been kicked out of Rome along with all of the other Jews. We don’t know if they were already Christians or not, but most scholars believe they were because Paul immediately went to live with them right away. Like Paul, they were “tentmakers”; that is, their trade was making leather goods. They immediately joined forces and became business partners and colleagues in ministry. Paul’s partnership with Aquila and Pricilla allowed him to maximize his time preaching in the synagogue while still being able to earn enough money to provide for his basic needs. Without this new partnership and intentional teamwork, he wouldn’t have been able to preach as often and his overall ministry would have been hindered; their partnership allowed him to preach “every” Sabbath.

We see Paul’s model of intentional teamwork again in verse 5a when Silas and Timothy arrived on the scene from Macedonia. They immediately resumed their roles of doing “behind the scenes” and “follow up” ministry. They were not in the spotlight preaching, but they did all of the other things that were necessary for their ministry to be successful. As a result of their teamwork, Paul was able to “devote himself exclusively” to the task of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If Silas and Timothy hadn’t come along to serve in the ministry, Paul’s preaching wouldn’t have been as effective, fewer people would have heard the gospel, and the whole ministry would have suffered. We have seen this principle of teamwork the whole way through the book of Acts and Luke highlights it for us again here. This text shows us that in Christ’s church, every member is a minister!

It is true! Every member is a minister! We don’t all have the same gifts, talents, abilities, or interests, but we are all called to serve the Lord with the particular abilities he has given us. We don’t all perform the same roles, but there is a role for every one of us to play in the church. Some have the gifts and calling for the more visible roles of preaching, teaching, and leading worship. Others are more suited for the behind the scenes work of cleaning the church, cutting the grass, repairing the building, setting up tables, playing with children, preparing and serving communion, flipping hamburgers, brewing coffee, and so many other things.

A few weeks ago I watched the high school students at MVU put on a wonderful performance of “The Sound of Music.” As I was watching, I couldn’t help but think about all of the work that goes into a production like that. For most of the performance we only see the students who sing and dance in lead and supporting roles, but have you ever thought about the people who do all the behind the scenes work to make the whole show a success. There are people who build the set, make the costumes, apply the make-up, perform the music, print the programs, and sell the tickets. Then there are is the stage crew and director who are literally behind the scenes who perform crucial roles.

The cast and crew all worked together as a team and the production was a wonderful success. It is exactly the same in the church. When every member remembers that they are a minister, the whole ministry is more successful. We should never have the attitude that ministry is only for a few select people or say “That’s what we pay our pastor for!” Ministry is teamwork!

So, what are your gifts and talents? Are you using them for the Lord? Have you joined our cast? If you haven’t, I extend a warm invitation to join the dynamic drama of what God is doing in and through our church. Paul had Silas, Timothy, Aquila, and Pricilla; we all have each other!

2.) Centrality of Gospel Preaching in Ministry (5b-8)
In addition to the importance of teamwork, Luke also highlights the centrality of gospel preaching in Paul’s model of ministry. In verse 5b he uses two terms to make this point explicit. When Silas and Timothy arrived, Paul “devoted” himself “exclusively” to the task of preaching the gospel. It was the driving force behind everything he did. He testified to the fact that Jesus was the promised Messiah who died on the cross and was resurrected on the third day. He tried to persuade both Jews and Greeks that Jesus was the Son of God who offers forgiveness for sin and everlasting life. Without a doubt, gospel preaching was the centerpiece his overall ministry.

As usual, there was a mixed response to Paul’s preaching. In verse 6 Luke tells us that the Jews opposed and abused him. They flat out rejected him and his message, so in a symbolic gesture, he shakes the dust off his clothes in protest to their hard hearts and blasphemous attitudes. He proclaims to them that he fulfilled his responsibility to God by telling them about the Jesus and the way to eternal life, and now they would have to suffer the consequences of their own actions—their “blood would be on their own heads.” He wasn’t going to waste any more of his time kicking a dead horse; instead he would concentrate his evangelistic efforts on the Gentiles.

On the other hand, there were some who responded positively to the gospel message, put their faith in Jesus Christ, and became Christians. Luke mentions two people by name: Tatius Justus, a God-fearer who lived next door to the synagogue, and Crispus, a synagogue ruler who comes to faith with his whole household. These, along with many others in Corinth, were baptized into the faith and formed the first Christian church in that city. Regardless of the response he received, the preaching of the gospel was central in Paul’s model of ministry.

In a recent issue of Glass Window, a contributor recalls that several years ago, The British Weekly published this provocative letter: It seems ministers feel their sermons are very important and spend a great deal of time preparing them. I have been attending church quite regularly for 30 years and I have probably heard 3,000 of them. To my consternation, I discovered I cannot remember a single sermon. I wonder if a minister’s time might be more profitable spent on something else?

For weeks a storm of editorial responses ensued. . . finally ended by this letter: I have been married for 30 years. During that time I have eaten 32,850 meals–mostly my wife’s cooking. Suddenly I have discovered I cannot remember the menu of a single meal. And yet . . . I have the distinct impression that without them, I would have starved to death long ago.

Just as gospel preaching was central to Paul’s ministry, it should be the centerpiece of the church’s ministry today. Without the preaching of the gospel, the sinner cannot know that there is forgiveness and the hope of everlasting life. Without the preaching of the gospel, the seeker cannot be introduced to the living God who created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. Without the preaching of the gospel, the Christian may forget what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross and backslide into the old life.

So many churches and Christians today have given up on preaching. They have abandoned the verbal proclamation of God’s word for other forms and methods of ministering to people. Like the letter in the British Weekly, many are saying “What good is preaching or hearing sermons? It seems like such a waste of time! It seems so foolish!” Well, in a way, it is foolish. Listen to what Paul said about preaching in a letter he wrote to the Corinthian church a few years after he left there: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 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? 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. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” (I Corinthians 1:18-25)

Regardless of the response, preaching is the God-ordained central method of getting his message out and across. It has been this way from the beginning and it is still true today. So, even though other ministries are important, may the preaching of the gospel always be central to our church’s ministry!

3.) Perseverance through Persecution in Ministry (9-17)
The third part of Paul’s model for ministry that Luke highlights for us is perseverance amidst persecution. Sure, some people were putting their faith in Jesus as a result of Paul’s preaching and the team’s ministry, but others rejected it and were personally abusive towards Paul. As they increasingly made life more difficult for Paul through persecution, he certainly would have become more scared and discouraged. He probably even considered leaving this ministry and moving on to another city that was more receptive to him and his message.

Then one night the Lord Jesus himself spoke to Paul in a vision. He told him not to be afraid and to keep on preaching the gospel. Jesus gave him the assurance of his divine presence and protection through his many servants in Corinth. In essence, Jesus tells him to persevere amidst persecution, and he would be alright in the end. In response to this vision, Paul decides to stay in Corinth and teach the Word of God for another year and a half in spite of the persecution he faced.

Luke finishes this section with a story of how Jesus made good on his promise to protect Paul from danger in Corinth. The Jews brought Paul before Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia, who acted as mayor of Corinth and the governor of the whole region. They charged Paul with “persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.” The reason for this charge was to show that Christianity was not truly Jewish and therefore could not be included under Rome’s religious protection for Judaism.

Jesus’ supernatural protection is seen in the fact that Paul didn’t even have to speak a single word in his own defense. Gallio immediately and miraculously dismissed the case on the grounds that he had no interest in getting involved in what he considered a Jewish theological squabble. So, Paul was instantly released and returned to his ministry of preaching. In their frustration, they took their anger out on Sosthenes, one of their own synagogue rulers. Unfortunately, Gallio did not intervene to stop the beating.

If Gallio had pronounced an unfavorable judgment on Paul, the progress of Christianity could have suffered many more difficulties over the next few decades than it actually did. As long as Paul persevered amidst persecution, the gospel continued to go forth!

Saint John Chysostrom (347-407), an early church father and considered by many to be the greatest preacher in the history of the Christian Church, is a wonderful example of perseverance amidst persecution in ministry. For many years he served as a priest in his hometown of Antioch where he gained a reputation for holy living, compassion for the poor, and as a powerful preacher of the Word of God. Against his will, this popularity eventually led to his appointment as archbishop of Constantinople, the second highest position in the church after the Pope.

He used this prestigious pulpit to thunder against wealth, licentiousness, and the other sins and vices that ruled the day. His sharp tongue and deep commitment to biblical truth won many converts, but it also created a lot of enemies. His greatest enemy was probably the Empress Eudoxia, who conspired to have John exiled after he preached a sermon that condemned her extravagance in erecting a silver statue to herself and compared her to the evil queen Jezebel.

The very night he was sent away Constantinople experienced a massive earthquake which she took for a sign of God’s anger and immediately be called for John’s return and reinstatement. This proved to be short lived though. John’s fiery sermons angered her again and earned him a second exile. He later died from sickness as he was being transported from one place of exile to another. Before he died, he proved his knowledge of the Bible and his spirit of perseverance amidst persecution in ministry in a letter he sent to a friend. Listen as John Chysostrom writes: When I was driven from the city, I felt no anxiety, but said to myself, if the empress wishes to banish me, let her do so: the earth is the Lord’s. If she wants me to be sawn in two, I have Isaiah for an example. If she wants to drown me in the ocean, I have Jonah for an example. If I am to be thrown into the fire, the three men in the furnace suffered the same. If cast before wild beasts, I remember Daniel in the lion’s den. If she wants me to be stoned, I have before me Stephen, the first martyr. If she demands my head, let her do so; John the Baptist shines before me. Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked shall I leave this world. Paul reminds me, “If I still pleased men, I would not be the servant of Christ.”

The reality is that if we are going to be faithful to Jesus Christ and his ministry, we will face persecution. People will oppose us and sometimes abuse us. They may even try to exile or execute us! But we serve a supernatural God who can protect not only our bodies, but also our souls. It is comforting to know that nothing can happen to us which God has not allowed. Even when he does allow us to experience harm and pain, he holds us in his strong arms. So, whenever people oppose us, laugh at us, make fun of us, or even threaten us because we proclaim the name of Jesus Christ, hang in there! Persevere to the end! God will bless our ministry and reward our faithfulness!

Atheist Penn Jillette is one half of Penn and Teller, a duo that has been headlining Vegas shows for years with comedy and the art of illusion. Penn has never been shy about his disbelief in God, often writing about his conviction in articles and best-selling books. Yet in an on-line video blog that can be found on YouTube, Penn shares a story about the time a gracious Christian businessman gave him a Bible as a gift. Penn goes on to use the story as an opportunity to point out that Christians who don’t evangelize must really hate people. Here’s the direct quote from his video blog:

I’ve always said, you know, that I don’t respect people who do not proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think that, uh, well, it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward—and atheists who think that people shouldn’t proselytize, [saying] “Just leave me alone and keep your religion to yourself”—uh, how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize them? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? I mean, if I believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming to hit you, and you didn’t believe it, and that truck was bearing down on you, there’s a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.

Wow! How ironic is that: an atheist pounding Christians for not sharing their faith? He is exactly right! If we aren’t willing to share our faith with people, we mustn’t really love them.

This is the situation in which Paul found himself in Athens. As he walked through the city and saw all of the idols, his love for the people compelled him to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. It wasn’t an easy task! Athens was a completely pagan culture, but he was willing to minister to the people by telling them the truth about God. Let’s see how he does it!

Distress over Idols and Pagan Philosophies (16-23)
Athens was the famous capital city of the Greek Empire which had ruled the world for four hundred years. It was one of the most prominent cities in the whole ancient world. By Paul’s day the Greeks had been overrun by the Romans and Athens had lost much of its political influence. In spite of this, it retained its profound reputation for possessing the highest culture in the world. The city was adorned with magnificent architecture, spectacular sculpture, exceptional literature, outstanding oratory, and brilliant philosophy. Athens was the home of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and Zeno, the father of Stoicism. The city’s cultural heritage was simply staggering.

Regardless of the magnitude of Athens’ cultural achievements, the apostle Paul was not impressed. He considered these buildings pagan temples and the statues of the gods and goddesses worthless idols. The stood as abominations to the one true living God of the universe. As Paul walked throughout the city, he was distressed by what he saw. The Greek word translated here as “distressed” also carries the connotation of “irritated”, “upset”, and “angry.” He was distressed about the idols because of his love for the people’s souls. He knew that this city desperately needed to here the gospel of Jesus Christ.

At this, he decided that he could not wait any longer for Silas and Timothy to join him and he launched his ministry by preaching in the local Jewish synagogue and to whoever came through the marketplace. Historically, the marketplace was where people gathered to discuss moral issues. Among a forest of idols erected to Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Hercules, and Hermes, he continued day after day to proclaim the good news about Jesus’ death and resurrection to anyone who was willing to listen.

While he was preaching in the marketplace, a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to argue with him. Epicureanism was founded by Epicurus, who was indifferent toward the gods and taught that pleasure is the highest end in life. They were like modern deistic or agnostic secularists who have no need or time for God. Stoicism was founded by Zeno, who did pay attention to the pantheon of gods and taught that ultimate peace could be achieved by rational thinking, self-sufficiency, moral obedience, and living in harmony with nature. Both of these pagan philosophies are attempts to bring some kind of meaning to life. Since Jesus and the idea of resurrection did not fit into their belief systems, they cast Paul off as a foolish babbler who was promoting a foreign god who they had never heard of before.

So, the philosophers take Paul to the Areopagus which means “hill of Ares” (the Greek god of war to meet with the city council. This was the usual place where people from Athens and foreigners met to discuss new ideas. They were curious to see what this new religious fad might be. Paul takes the opportunity to stand among them, critique their religion, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. He acknowledges that they are very religious people, but hey worshipped God’s they do not know. He is about to tell them about a God they can know!

I don’t know about you, but I completely empathize with Paul’s distress over this vast array of idols and pagan philosophies. We are in the same situation in American today. Our culture has been overrun with worthless idols and pagan philosophies. There are many challenges ministering in a pagan environment.

Now I don’t know of a single person today who worships a statue of Zeus or Hercules, but I do know people who put their trust in other religious trinkets and superstitions. Just last week I was visiting with a man who has been diagnosed with cancer. He confessed to me that he is religious, but he hadn’t been to church in almost 20 years. Then he showed me the hundreds of angel figurines he has stationed all around his home. He has put his trust in worthless idols carved out of wood and plastic. He worships all right, but he doesn’t worship the one true God.

Even still, the idols that most Americans worship are not carved religious images. The biggest idols in American society today are money, sex, possessions, work, fame, and television. Now it is interesting to note that there is nothing inherently wrong with any of these things, but when they are treated like gods, they are idols. For instance, everyone needs money to survive; but when our whole lives revolve around making or protecting our money, it becomes an idol. A recession is always a helpful indicator of whether or not we worship money. If you spend time worrying about money, it is probably an idol!

Moreover, possessions aren’t necessarily wrong, but when they consume our lives they become idols. I know many people who work themselves to death so they can retain their possessions, and they feel like they have to keep accumulating more things to be happy. It is no wonder so many Americans are buried in credit card debt. I have heard people say, “I would like to give to the church or charity, but I have a mortgage and a car payment.” We are a very religious country; the problem is that our religion is consumerism!

Also, I am amazed at how Epicurean and Stoic philosophies still thrive in America today. Many people believe that there is no afterlife; when we die, our bodies are buried, that’s it. So if this life is it, we may as well experience as much pleasure as we can. I see this philosophy posted on bumper stickers that bear the phrase “Life is short! Play hard!” This means that we should have as much fun as we can before we die.

I also hear this philosophy in most of the pop music that is played over the airwaves. A few years ago chick rocker Sheryl Crow had a hit song called “If It Make You Happy.” The chorus goes like this:

If it makes you happy
It can’t be that bad
If it makes you happy
Then why the hell are you so sad

Seriously, just ask someone what is their goal in life. I guarantee at least 7 out of 10 will say, “My goal in life is just to be happy!”

How about us? What is our goal in life? If the apostle Paul walked through the streets of our lives, what kind of pagan philosophies would he hear and what kind of idols would he see? Anything that is more important to us than God is an idol. What do we put our trust in? Are we distressed by the ramped idolatry and prospering pagan philosophies in America today?

Declaration of the One True God (24-31)
As Paul stands up and preaches to the Areopagus, he describes in detail the one true God whom they could know. He presents five doctrines that reveal the nature and work of the true God. He begins with the doctrine of creation. In verse 24 he affirms that the one true God is the creator of the world and everything in it. He is the Lord of heaven and earth and he neither lives in temples built by human hands nor is served by human hands as if he needed anything. God created humans; humans did not create God. Humans need him for everything; he doesn’t need humans for anything. He is the source of all of life.

Likewise, the doctrine of God’s sovereignty flows from the doctrine of creation. Since God is the creator of everything, it makes sense that he reigns supreme and is in control of everything. In verse 26 Paul says that God made the nations and “determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.” God is sovereign; therefore, humans should seek a relationship with him. He is not far away! Paul even goes on to quote one of the Greek’s own poets to help them understand sovereignty. Humans can only “live, move, and have their being” because of God’s creation and sovereignty.

Thirdly, Paul highlights the doctrine of repentance. In previous generations God had overlooked ignorance about himself, but now that he has revealed his plan of redemption through his son Jesus, he is holding everyone accountable. He calls all people to repentance. This is means to turn away from worthless idols, false religions and philosophies, and sinful lifestyles, and to embrace the one true God.

Paul presents the forth doctrine in the form of a warning. The one true God is a God of justice and judgment, and he has set a day for his son to come back and execute judgment on the world. This is the consequence for refusing to repent!

And finally, Paul concludes his sermon on the one true God with the doctrine of resurrection. This is God’s attestation to all people and universal proof of God’s call to Jesus to be judge. Jesus, who was crucified, dead, and buried, rose victorious on the third day and will one day return to the earth.

Paul’s sermon was a powerful summary of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He used these doctrines to introduce the one true God of the universe to a pagan culture. Now they had enough information to make a decision. Would they repent or reject?

As we think about Paul’s presentation of the one true God, I would just like to ask us a few questions about these doctrines: Do you believe that God is the creator of the world and everything in it? Do you believe that God is completely sovereign and in control of your life? Have you renounced your idols and repented from your sins? Do you believe that Jesus is coming back someday to judge the earth? Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins and rose from the dead to give you eternal life? And finally, do you have a relationship with the one true God?

Decisions about the Gospel (32-34)
The council and crowd at the Areopagus had just heard Paul’s sermon on the one true God and had a basic introduction to the Christian faith. Verses 32-34 show the three different responses he received (or decisions they made). I want to summarize the decisions in three words: denial, delay, and disciple.

First, many denied Paul’s message! When he mentioned that God resurrected his son from the dead, they sneered and stopped listening to him. Greeks did not believe in resurrection. They were convinced that once you die, that is it! This hopeless pagan belief is exhibited in Greek mythology when the god Apollo says, “When the dust has soaked up the blood of man, once he has died, there is no resurrection.” This group decided to hang on to their cultural belief and denied the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The second response to Paul’s sermon was delay. Whereas most of the people in the Areopagus denied the gospel, the text says that there were some others who wanted to hear him again on this subject. They neither accepted nor rejected his message, but they kept an open mind until they find out more about this God.

And finally, there were a few in the crowd who, in spite of their pagan predisposition, decided to become disciples. They were persuaded by Paul’s message about the one true God, repented of their sins, put their faith in Jesus Christ, and became committed followers of Christianity. Luke specifically mentions a woman named Damaris and a man named Dionysius. As a member of the Areopagus council he would have had significant social standing. Church tradition credits him as later becoming the bishop of Athens.

It is disappointing to see so many deny the gospel and so few become disciples, but such is the case when ministering in a pagan culture. Like in Paul’s day, today it seems like the majority of people in America and around the world want to hold onto their cultural beliefs, superstitions, idols, and pagan philosophies rather than becoming disciples of Jesus Christ. But God has called us to be faithful in being his witnesses to the ends of the earth. We can expect most people to deny our message, but we shouldn’t let this discourage us. Let us continue to share the message of Jesus Christ in our homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. You never know when someone just might respond positively and become a true disciple.

And for us who are sitting here this morning, what is your decision? Have you been denying Jesus? Have you been delaying Jesus? Or have you really become a disciple of Jesus?

Philosopher Emile Cailliet was born in a small French village near the end of the 19th century. His early education was committed to naturalism, leaving no room for God or supernatural intervention in human affairs. But his naturalistically inspirited studies in philosophy proved of little help during his front-line experiences as a lad of 20 in World War I. Confronted with the horrors of war, he asked:

What use is ill-kept, ancient philosophic banter, when your own buddy—at the time speaking to you of his mother—dies standing in front of you, a bullet in his chest. Was there a meaning to it all? A person can endure anything if only it appears meaningful…. I, too, felt—not with my reason, but with my whole being—that I was naked and, war or no war, destined to perish miserably when the hour came.

One night a bullet found Cailliet, too. An American field ambulance crew saved his life, and after a nine-month hospital stay, he was discharged and resumed his graduate studies. But he had to admit that the books no longer seemed like the same books, nor was his motivation the same. Reading at length in philosophy and literature, he found himself probing in depth for meaning. He testifies:

During long night watches in the foxholes I had in a strange way been longing—I must say it, however strange it may sound—for a book that would understand me. But I knew of no such book. Now I would in secret prepare one for my own private use. And so, as I went on reading for my courses, I would file passages that would speak to my condition, then carefully copy them in a leather-bound pocket book I would always carry with me. The quotations, which I numbered in red ink for easier reference, would lead me as it were from fear and anguish, through a variety of intervening stages, to supreme utterances of release and jubilation.

At last, the day came when he put the finishing touches on, as he said it, “the book that would understand me.” He describes a beautiful, sunny day in which he sat under a tree and opened his precious anthology. As he read, however, he was overcome by a growing disappointment. Instead of speaking to his condition as he expected, the passages only reminded him of their context—of the circumstances of his labor over their selection. Then, Cailliet says, he knew that the whole undertaking would not work, simply because it was of his own making. It carried no strength of persuasion. In a dejected mood, he put the little book back into his pocket.

On that same day, Cailliet’s wife had come into the possession of a Bible by extraordinary circumstances. Emile had always been adamant that religion would be taboo in their home, and at the age of 23 had never even seen a Bible. But at the end of that disappointing day, when she apologetically tried to explain how she had providentially (as he would later realize!) picked up a copy of the Bible, he was eager to see it. He describes what happened next:

I literally grabbed the book and rushed to my study with it. I opened it and “chanced” upon the Beatitudes. I read and read and read—now aloud with an indescribable warmth surging within…. I could not find words to express my awe and wonder. And suddenly the realization dawned upon me: This was the Book that would understand me! I needed it so much, yet, unaware, I had attempted to write my own—in vain. I continued to read deeply into the night, mostly from the Gospels. And lo and behold, as I looked through them, the one of whom they spoke, the one who spoke and acted in them, became alive in me.

This story illustrates the power of the Bible in the lives of people. Throughout the centuries and in modern times there are millions of people who have discovered the same truth as Emile Cailliet—the Bible is a book that understands us. It is a supernatural book that was written by a supernatural God and it transforms the lives of those who read and study it.

This is precisely what happened to the people of Berea in this morning’s text. They heard Paul preach the Word of God and then they examined the Scriptures on their own to see if what he said was true. Their study confirmed Paul’s message, they put their faith in Jesus Christ, and their lives were transformed forever.

Since there are only a handful of passages in the Bible that directly speak to the importance of examining the Scriptures for ourselves, I am disciplining myself to avoid some of the other lessons in these verses and focus solely on this one. For instance, I am tempted to discuss the importance of having a heterogeneous church. That is a church that is made up of people of different genders, ethnicities, and social and economic backgrounds. This principle is certainly reflected in the Berean church.

Likewise, I am tempted to discuss the importance of follow up ministry. After the mob stirred up trouble in Berea and Paul escaped to the coast, he left Silas and Timothy behind to encourage and strengthen the Berean believers. Paul knew that follow up ministry is absolutely essential for the survival of the church. This is still true today!

But I am going to resist the temptation to preach about these wonderful principles. Instead, I want to talk about the importance of reading and studying the Scriptures for ourselves. So, let’s take a look at the text!

After the missionaries escaped the mob in Philippi they fled forty-five miles southwest to the city of Berea. Berea was a terraced town that sat on a high slope overlooking the Haliacmon River. It was called an “out of the way” town because it was off the main road that passed through Macedonia.

When the missionaries entered Berea, according to their ordinary custom, they began their ministry at the local Jewish synagogue. They continued to preach the good news that Jesus was the Messiah and that he died on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins and was resurrected from the dead to offer eternal life to those who would put their faith in him. Now Luke tells us that these Bereans were of more “noble character” than the Thessalonians. The Greek word “eugenes” can also be translated as “receptive” or “open-minded”.

Their overall response to the gospel was much more positive than the Thessalonians. They proved it by their eagerness to hear and understand the word of God and to diligently examine the Scriptures on their own to see if what they were saying was true. So, on one hand, they listened to Paul’s message with great enthusiasm, intrigue, and zeal; on the other hand, they maintained a healthy skepticism until they had a chance to search the Scriptures on their own and evaluate the validity of their message. Luke, in essence, says that the Bereans were better than the Thessalonians because they were more open-minded toward Paul’s message. He seems to be saying that if recipients of the gospel can put religious, political, and social prejudice out of the way for a bit, they will understand how logical, historical, and wonderful the message about Jesus really is.

So, when the Bereans compared Paul’s preaching to their own understanding of the Bible (Old Testament), they were convinced that his message was true (Jesus really was the Messiah who died and rose again and was the only way to eternal life) and put their faith in Jesus Christ. It wasn’t just the Berean Jews, but many Greek men ad women responded positively to the gospel as well. As in Philippi and Thessalonica, Luke mentions that many prominent Greek women trusted in Christ. Again, this is to highlight the fact that the gospel crosses ethnic, social, economic, and gender boundaries. A large number of the Berean population became Christians and their lives were transformed.

Luke proclaims that the Bereans had noble character because they were eager to receive Paul’s message and they compared it against their own examination of the Scriptures. Our Christian character is also partially determined by our eagerness to hear God’s Word and examine the Scriptures on our own. Now I will be the first one to admit that I am not the best preacher in the world, but what is our level of eagerness when we hear God’s Word proclaimed? Do we come to God’s Word with the attitude “What am I going to learn about God, life, or ministry today?” or do we sit through church staring at our watches saying, “How much longer?”

Even apart from church there are many opportunities to hear God’s Word. We can listen to the Word on the radio, watch it on TV, or take advantage of thousands of different internet and printed resources. Are we utilizing any of these? Really, how eager are we to hear God’s Word and be transformed by its message?

Likewise, these Bereans showed their noble character by examining the Scriptures for themselves to see if what Paul said was true. The nobleness of our character is also partially determined by our willingness to study the Scriptures on our own. Probably the greatest lesson that we learn from the Bereans is “When it comes to the Bible, never trust an explanation without an examination!”

So, whether it is me, some other preacher, a scholar from the History Channel, a college professor, or anyone else, never trust their explanation without examining the text yourself. There are many false teachers out there who are deliberately distorting God’s Word and manipulating people for their own selfish purposes. And even respected preachers who have pure motives can make mistakes!

When I was in college I spent some time preaching in Choctaw Indian churches in Oklahoma. One evening I preached a sermon and got a biblical fact wrong. Later that night a friend took me aside and pointed it out to me. My intentions were pure, but my research was not thorough enough. It was a minor mistake that probably no one else noticed, but I appreciated his willingness to check what I said and hold me accountable. He showed his noble character by searching the Scriptures for himself.

It is my job to study diligently to make sure what I preach is true. It is your job to examine the Scriptures on your own to make sure what I am saying is true. If I make a mistake, I expect all of you to hold me accountable. This is one of the reasons why I insist on having you all open you’re Bibles, read, and follow along with me throughout the sermon. If you don’t follow along there is no way for you to evaluate if what I am saying is accurate.

A few years ago some friends of ours from Gordon-Conwell Seminary came to spend a weekend with us. After attending both of our Franklin churches that day, at lunch he commented about how impressed he was that everyone opened their Bibles and followed along with the sermon. Then he said, “That is awesome! I wish the people at my church did that.”

Let us continue to model ourselves after the Bereans! When we are in church, let us continue to open our Bible’s, read the text, follow along with the sermon, and hold me accountable to preaching the truth! When we are not in church, let us read the Bible before we leave for work in the morning or before we go to bed at night! Let us read whole books and study short passages. When you are struggling with specific problems, use the topical index in the back of the Bible to find verses that speak to those problems. Regardless of how or when you do it, get in the Word—it has power to transform your life. And remember, when it comes to the Bible, never trust an explanation without an examination.

These statistics are a little dated and I would guess they are even lower now, but they are still worth hearing:
• 12 percent of all American adults read the Bible every day of the week
• 52 percent do not read it at all. Another 33 percent read the Scriptures at least once during a typical week.
• More blacks (70 percent) read the Bible than Hispanics (49 percent) and whites (42 percent). More women (50 percent) read it than men (39 percent).
• The South can retain its label as the Bible belt: 56 percent of southern adults read the Bible at least weekly. On the other end of the spectrum is the Northeast, where only 30 percent do.

Do you think these statistics are accurate? Where do you fit in them?

In an interview, Billy Graham was asked this question: “If you had to live your life over again, what would you do differently?” His answer: “One of my great regrets is that I have not studied enough. I wish I had studied more and preached less. People have pressured me into speaking to groups when I should have been studying and preparing. Donald Barnhouse said that if he knew the Lord was coming in three years, he would spend two of them studying and one preaching. I’m trying to make it up”

My guess is that most of us have a lot of making up to do! So, let’s get to it!

Dr. George Sweeting tells of an incident in the early 1920s when Communist leader Nikolai Bukharin was sent from Moscow to Kiev to address an anti-God rally. For an hour he abused and ridiculed the Christian faith until it seemed as if the whole structure of belief was in ruins. Then questions were invited. An Orthodox church priest rose and asked to speak. He turned, faced the people, and gave the Easter greeting, “He is risen!” Instantly the assembly rose to its feet and the reply came back loud and clear, “He is risen indeed!”

We have a similar situation in this morning’s text. Paul and Silas entered a hostile environment to proclaim the Easter message “He is risen!” They give a straight-forward presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but are met with mixed results. Let’s see what happens!

A Straight-forward Presentation of the Gospel (1-3)

After Paul and Silas left Philippi, they traveled southwest on the ancient Roman road called the Egnation Way passing through the cities of Amphipolis and Appollonia until they reached Thessalonica, the capital and most prominent city in Macedonia. According to Paul’s usual pattern of ministry, on the first Saturday he was there he entered the local synagogue and told the people about Jesus. The synagogue was primarily comprised of Jews, but there was also a fair number of Greeks, including some prominent Greek women.

There are four main verbs that Luke uses to describe how Paul presented the gospel. He “reasoned” with them from the Scriptures, “explained”, “proved”, and “proclaimed” the message of the gospel. These four verbs show us that Paul worked hard to clearly communicate the story of Jesus. He used the Scriptures and his own story of how this resurrected Jesus changed his life. His presentation was straight-forward; he did not cover up the fact that he wanted to persuade them to put their faith in Jesus. He did not try to coerce or manipulate them into following Jesus; he simply entered into an honest discussion and shared his message with them.

The content of the message was very simple: Jesus is the Messiah who had to suffer and rise from the dead. Implicit in this statement is that Jesus is the promised Messiah who had been foretold by the Old Testament prophets. He had to die to provide forgiveness for sin and he had to be resurrected to prove his power over death. His resurrection proves that he is the only way to eternal life. Indeed, Paul’s presentation of the gospel is about as straightforward as it can get.

Since today is Easter Sunday, the day that we set aside to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I want to do exactly what Paul and Silas did in Thessalonica: Give a straight-forward presentation of the gospel! It goes like this: God created the heavens and the earth and everything in the earth, and called it all good. He also created the first man and woman and told them to rule over and enjoy the creation. He only gave them one prohibition: not to eat from the tree in the center of the garden. But they disobeyed and caused sin to enter the world.

This sinful nature has been passed down to every human being. We have all sinned against God. Since God is eternally holy and just, he has to judge sin with eternal damnation. That is right; it only takes one sin for us to deserve eternal punishment in hell. This is the bad news!

The good news is that in addition to God being holy and just, he is also gracious, compassionate, and merciful. So, he developed a plan for his own Son to become a human and live on the earth. And though he was perfect and sinless, he was crucified on a wooden cross to atone for the sins of the world. He laid in a cold tomb for three days. Then early in the morning on the first day of the week he was resurrected and walked right out of the tomb. He conquered sin and death and offers salvation to anyone who would dare to put their faith in him and become his follower. He is the Messiah who fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament and died and rose again.

This is the gospel that Paul and Silas proclaimed to the Thessalonians! This is the same gospel that I proclaim to you today! The only difference between them and us is that they had never heard this message before. Most of us have heard it over and over again. So many people come to church on Easter every year and respond by saying, “Yeah, it is the same old story that I heard last year.” We all should be saying, “This is the most incredible story I have ever heard. I can be saved from death and hell! I can experience perfect peace and joy when I die because of what Jesus has done for me.”

This is what we should say, but what will we say? This is as simple and straight-forward as I know how to be. How will you respond today?

A Mixed Response to the Gospel (4-9)

1.) Acceptance of the Gospel (4)
The first response to the gospel we see in this text is acceptance. We don’t know exactly how many, but it appears that a fair number of Jews and Gentiles reacted positively to Paul’s message, were convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, and responded by accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. There was also a fairly high number of prominent and influential women who accepted the gospel and became Christians. Macedonian women had a well-earned reputation for an independent and enterprising spirit. This shows that the gospel was accepted by people from diverse ethnic, social, and gender backgrounds. By all accounts many people believed that Jesus died and rose again and became followers.

2.) Rejection of the Gospel (5-9)
Even as some accepted the gospel, there were others who rejected it. The Jews, a term used to describe the majority of Jews in the city, did not believe Paul’s message about Jesus and they were angry and jealous that so many people believed his message and converted to Christianity. Their jealousy was so intense that it drove them to round up a mob from the marketplace. This group of evil lowlifes stirred up a whole crowd to oppose Paul and Silas and their message.

The mob went to Jason’s house, the place where the missionaries had been staying, to drag them before the magistrates and falsely accuse them of disturbing the peace, but by the time they got there, the missionaries had escaped. When they couldn’t find the missionaries, they took out their anger on the next best person. They took Jason and some of the other new Christians to the city officials and charge them with hosting these missionaries who “have caused trouble all over the world”. The mob not only claimed that the missionaries aroused seditious and revolutionary activity but that they also claimed allegiance to a king other than Caesar, which was illegal in the Roman Empire.

The charge was only partly correct. They were proclaiming another King, but Jesus was a different kind of King who ruled a different kind of kingdom. This was a spiritual kingdom that was not limited to geographical boundaries. This did not literally break the law, but any mention of another king would raise serious suspicion. It did not help that this Jesus, whom they called King, had been executed for sedition by the sentence of a Roman judge.

On hearing these charges, the city officials were thrown into turmoil and they made Jason and the others post bond before they let them go. This forced Jason and the others to be responsible for seeing that there was no more trouble, and this meant that the missionaries would have to leave the city and not return. So, later on that night the Thessalonian believers helped the missionaries safely escape to Berea. All of this because a group of people rejected Paul’s message about Jesus Christ.

Throughout Jesus’ own life, he received a mixed response. He was accepted by some and rejected by others. When he preached in the villages of Galilee and in Jerusalem, many people put their faith in him and became his followers, but many others said his teachings were too hard and they rejected him. Eleven of the men he chose to be his disciples accepted him, but one rejected and betrayed him. When Jesus was hanging on the cross between two thieves, one accepted him and found an immediate home in heaven; the other flat out rejected and cursed him. One of the soldiers who nailed him to the cross accepted him when he uttered, “Truly, this was the Son of God,” while the others rejected him with their silence.

Over the past two-thousand years of history, Jesus has been accepted by some and rejected by others. As we read about Paul’s missionary journeys in the book of Acts, we notice that in every city he preaches his message is always received with mixed results. As the gospel spread through the Roman Empire, some people accepted it while others rejected it. This can be said of virtually era of history since Jesus rose from the dead.

Just like the citizens of Thessalonica in this text and millions of people throughout history, when we are confronted with the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are forced to make a decision. We have to decide: Is he the Messiah? Did he really live a sinless life? Were his miracles genuine? Are his teachings true? We have to decide: Did he really rise from the dead? Is he really the only way to heaven, as he claims? And most of all, am I going to put my faith in him and become his follower? Do I accept him or reject him?

Here we are, Easter Sunday 2009! I have explained this biblical text and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ in the clearest most straight-forward way I know. It is no secret that my desire is for everyone to put their faith in Jesus and follow him. I want everyone to experience the same forgiveness, redemption, hope, and joy that I and so many others have found in Jesus. If you would like to know more about Jesus or want someone to help you make that step of faith, I want you to know that I am always available to get together with you. It would be an honor and privilege to do that with you! If you haven’t already, it is my sincere hope that Easter Sunday 2009 will be the day that you respond to the gospel by making a commitment to the risen Christ.

And as I have already mentioned, when we are confronted with the gospel, we are forced to make a decision. Will I accept him or reject him? The choice is yours! How will you respond?