2. REPRESENTING CHRIST IN A PLURALISTIC WORLD Acts 17

3. What is pluralism?  Old pluralism = people have the right to believe what they want and to practice their religion  New pluralism = must not only respect people’s beliefs, but ALSO affirm that all beliefs are equally valid…

4. The New Pluralism… Video - The Worship of Po

5. Big Idea Transformational churches intentionally represent Christ in a pluralistic world.

7. In a Thessalonian Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

8. In a Thessalonian Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. Audience = religious people who gave credibility to the Bible (OT)

9. In a Thessalonian Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

10. In a Thessalonian Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. Common Ground = respect for the Bible (OT)

11. In a Thessalonian Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. Interactive Dialogue to help them understand WHY to believe in Christ

12. In a Thessalonian Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. Clear Proclamation to help them understand WHAT to believe

13. In a Thessalonian Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. Personal Persuasion to help them understand HOW TO RESPOND

14. In a Thessalonian Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

15. In a Thessalonican Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. “As in Pisidian Antioch and Philippi, it is the God- fearing Gentiles who are the key. They are more receptive than the Jews and the pagan Gentiles. On the one hand they seem to have been more spiritually open to the message of grace than were the Jews. On the other hand, their belief in the God of the Bible made them more open to calls to surrender and obedience than were the pagans. Therefore, the moral, Bible-believing Gentiles were the strategic key to church planting for Paul. Why? First, because they were, humanly speaking, “easier” to share the faith with than others, and second, because they had extensive personal relationships and connections to both believing Jews and pagan Gentiles.” (Tim Keller)

16. In a Thessalonian Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

17. In a Thessalonican Synagogue Acts 17:1-5  1 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. 4 Some 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. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. “The Jews were accustomed to seeing themselves as having a privileged position due to their faithfulness to the law and their history. The gospel, however “levels” and brings everyone into the kingdom on an equal footing. We must be careful not to think that 1st century Jews were unique in this! Throughout history, the most moral and respectable and community “pillars” have had a) a high regard for religion in general, but b) a deep distaste for the gospel of grace.” (Tim Keller)

19. In Pluralistic Athens Acts 17:16-21  16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 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. 18 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."

20. In Pluralistic Athens They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 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.)

21. Audience in Athens  Jews & God-fearers in the synagogue  “Average” people in the marketplace  Cultural & intellectual elites  Epicureans – everything due to chance; no judgment; pursue pleasure  Stoics – god is in everything; world determined by fate; resign selves to own duty & fate  Areopagus – council of greatest philosophers of the day…opinion leaders of society

22. Paul’s method with “unchurched” Athenians Established Common Ground  Acts 17:22-23  22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.  Complimented their curiosity  Took something from their world to use as a bridge  Highlighted their void

23. Paul’s method with “unchurched” Athenians Clarified what God is really like  Vs. 24 - "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.” He is Creator He is Master He is Untameable  Vs. 25 – “And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” He is not needy…He is the GREAT GIVER

24. Paul’s method with “unchurched” Athenians Clarified what God is really like  Vs. 26-27 – “26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” He is Sovereign He desires relationship with each of us (but wants us to seek Him) He is very near to us

25. Paul’s method with “unchurched” Athenians Dissected & exposed their belief system  Vs. 28 – “'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'” Even your own authority sources point to this  Vs. 29 – “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 man's design and skill.” It is ignorant & foolish to think that you can create a god

26. Paul’s method with “unchurched” Athenians Called them to respond  Vs. 30 – “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” You need to be done with this foolishness (REPENT!) Jesus is your Judge…you are not His judge  Vs. 31 – “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”

27. Does the New Pluralism really stand up to reality? Video – The Validity of Beliefs

28. Conclusions & Applications  Our city is full of people who need to be rescued from falsehood.  Are you prepared to dialogue with people?  Do we really care?  Are you trying to make your own god?  Do you see the shallowness of the new pluralistic fad?  Are you following the God who is really there?