Was Paul’s visit and witness in Athens a failure? He tried to meet
the locals where they were in their spiritual journey. And when all
was said and done, “Some scoffed, but others said ‘We will hear you
again about this.’” Finally, this week’s focal text says “Some of
them joined him and became believers” (v. 34).
Even if there had been no new believers, I think Paul’s witness in
Athens has to be considered a success, not by the numbers of new
believers, but by Paul’s faithfulness in witnessing. We are tempted
to soften our witness in order to get more people on board. Perhaps a
better measure of our spiritual success would be the fullness of truth
that we tell.
In the Bible now open on my desk, there are headings over each account of Paul. I just happened to notice something about Paul’s journeys. On just four pages, these headings put Paul in seven different settings: Prison, Thessalonica, Boroea, Athens, Corinth, Antioch, and Ephesus. Then, I looked further and saw the different kinds of people and places where Paul showed up: prisoners in prison, Jews in synagogues, Christians in Jewish community, public marketplace, individual believer, gathered church, new believers.
The title given this week’s lesson has described the way Paul went
about his ministry: Making Connections. I think of all the places I
went last week and wonder how my way of connecting made witness for
Jesus Christ: dartball, church fellowship supper, supermarket, clergy
meeting, food pantry for homeless, Zoom meeting on racism,
conversation with repair man, Sunday School class, worship service,
entertaining house guests, car dealer,...You get the idea!
How Paul went about his witness varied from situation to situation.
Here are some examples from the Book of Acts. Praying and singing
hymns (16:25). Words of encouragement (16:40). Explaining the
Scripture (17:2). Time with friends (17:10). Left after dialogue
(17:33). Secular work (18:3). Changed his looks (18:18). Turned
down invitation (18:20). And that is just for examples!
How does my life (maybe more than my words) witness in the places I
go?
What Someone Else Has Said:
In When the Church Woke (Cascade Books),
William B. Lawrence says: “The promised future arrives through present
discipleship.”
Prayer:
As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Dear Lord,
this week my life will take me to many different places and among many
different people. Help me to give a witness with my life...”
