Sunday 14 May 2023

May 14: Acts 17:22-31

Key Verse: Acts 17:29
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 human design and skill.

Devotion:
I find it interesting to see the different ways in which stories are told in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Some are told as if they happened many years ago and brief outlines are told whilst others, like this seem to be a recollection which is as vivid as the day it happened. Paul was speaking to the people of Athens at the Areopagus, a meeting place for the leaders – whether it was the rocky outcrop we know today or just a prominent meeting place, we can’t speculate.

His declaration of the people being very religious is one which is as valid today as it was then. Many people tend to stick to the religious events, ceremonies and objects rather than pursuing a personal relationship with Christ. Paul was trying to get people to leave their worldly views of religion behind and be closer to God. He picked on one inscription on an altar he saw which was to the “unknown god” because that no longer made sense to him. He knew God to be real just as Christ was real. He knew there was no missing or unknown gods who were anything other than what people thought up from their own imaginations.

But when we stand up and break down people’s beliefs, we need to remain firmly footed in the truth otherwise we will fall flat on our faces and everything we try to say from that point on will be as if we were flat on our faces already.

Stand firm in Christ and remember to base everything you say on what you have learned from your bible or from people you know who are firmly footed in Christ. Paul knew he would be able to continue talking about Christ for as long as the people would be willing to listen. He had learned so much from the Holy Spirit and continued to share those beliefs with everyone he met.

Points to Ponder:
What do you like telling people about?

Will you try to base what you say on the truth?