Pentecost: Rejoice in the Lord -- A Message for May 24, 2026

 

This morning, in honor of Pentecost Sunday, we read the Pentecost story from the Acts of the Apostles. Today, we celebrate the birth of the Christian Church – when Jesus’ disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit of God and were able to assume leadership in the forming Christian church – out of the Jewish religion a new faith was born. 

Listen to the Pentecost story as we read from the book of the Acts, chapter 2, verses one through twenty-one:

The Scripture Lesson Acts 2:1-21; Philippians 4:4-7

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.

7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?

8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome

11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.

15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!

16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.

20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Amen.

And, we have a second reading this morning….over the past few weeks, we have heard from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians. This morning, we turn to chapter 4 and read verses four through seven:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Here ends this reading of the Word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us pray…

The Message Pentecost: Rejoice in the Lord

Let’s start with an origin myth….

In the days after the world was created, all the people spoke one language. They settled around the Fertile Crescent, in the land that now is part of Iraq. The people began growing things instead of foraging for all of their food. They domesticated animals instead of hunting for their meat. They made cheese, beer and wine. They started to build buildings – not just little huts for dwelling places but strong buildings made of bricks. They started to construct Zigguart’s – spiral towers to reach the heavens.

The Bible tells us a story about how God responded to the people’s building projects – in Genesis 11, it is written that God came down from heaven to check out the grandest, tallest tower….the people were in the midst of building the Zigguart to end all Ziggurats. God was concerned that with the people speaking the same language, and building such grand buildings, that they would soon become too powerful – too proud – too dangerous.

So, God confused their language – they couldn’t understand each other anymore. And, instead of staying in one place and not being able to talk to each other, the people moved away – they scattered across the land. And, they developed different languages and cultures – a diverse tapestry of people spread across the earth.  

The people of the earth were no longer one people – they had different religions, different cultures, different languages, and different laws. 

In the time that we now call the First Century AD, God had had enough. God was tired of people being separated. Instead of a beautiful tapestry of unique people and places, the people endured terrible calamities. Empires fought wars against other empires. People were enslaved and forced to endure inhuman mistreatment. Most of the people were oppressed by wealthy elites who cared more about enriching themselves and enjoying themselves than they cared about their human subjects. Natural disasters struck, and instead of helping each other, the people turned on one another.

God had had enough…. God sent Jesus to earth to teach us that God loves us, God forgives us, and God welcomes all people into the fold – into the family of God. We are called by God to work together to manifest peace and work together to heal our broken world.

After Jesus ascended to Heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit of God, the breath of God, to fill each of us. We are no longer just human beings – a little bit of God is in each of us. That bit of God is the spark we have to encourage us to work on God’s behalf to do good.

On the first Pentecost day, as a sign of the change God wants us to make, God undid the Tower of Babel event. Instead of using different languages and cultures and religions to create separation among the people of the earth, God used the presence of God’s Holy Spirit to teach God’s followers new languages. The spark of God in each person, and the newfound linguistic gifts in Jesus’ followers, enabled God’s vision of a new world, the Good News of Jesus Christ to spread across the globe.

And, when the Holy Spirit came to God’s followers on that first Pentecost day, it didn’t come as a still, small voice….it didn’t subtly enter the room – the Holy Spirit knocked the doors off of their hinges, burst into the room where the Disciples were hiding out, leaped into their bodies so that it looked like a flame appeared over their heads, and shouted out of their mouths in ecstatic new languages. It was inclusive, diverse, and loud. Philippians 4 picks up this same vibe: “Rejoice the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Christian joy is contagious and communal.

This story reminds us, the people in this room (and the people watching on-line) that the story of Pentecost is the opposite of the Tower of Babel. God doesn’t wipe out cultural differences. God doesn’t wipe out language differences. God speaks through them. The Church is best when it is a tapestry of different voices singing the same song…when we work together and yet embrace our unique gifts and contributions and quirky-ness. 

Today is a momentous day in Crystal’s life. Today she has decided for herself to commit to following Jesus and to live life as part of the Christian community. In becoming “officially” one of us, I want to remind you, Crystal, that we value you. We care about you and your unique gifts. The people of this church look forward to supporting you, Crystal, as you mature and grow up and do things that bring you joy. We know there will be many challenges as well, and we will walk alongside you as you face them and overcome them. God has created you as a unique, original, special person – you don’t have to look or sound or act like the people who are sitting around you in order to be a “Good Christian.” Your job, as St. Paul writes in the letter to the Philippians, is to let your “gentleness be evident to all” as you live out your faith.

Today, we remember that God’s Holy Spirit is here with us, working to break down barriers and divisions among us so that we can all contribute to a beautiful tapestry that reflects God’s love to the world. Let us use our differences and unique voices to share God’s love with each other and with the people of our world. Amen. 

The Christ Hymn -- A Message for May 17, 2026

  This Sunday, we are once again reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippian Christians. 

Last week, we focused on Paul’s introductory sentences. He expressed his greetings and goodwill to the Philippian church He then described his present imprisonment as less of a punishment and more of an opportunity – apparently, the guards and officials who he met with were all becoming Christians because of Paul’s persuasive evangelism. He encouraged the Philippians to be brave in sharing their faith with others.

This morning, we turn to a portion of the same letter often called “The Christ Hymn.” 

Listen to the reading of Paul’s words as we turn to the Letter to the Philippians, chapter two, verses one through thirteen:

The Scripture Lesson Philippians 2:1-13 

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 

then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 

not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

 

Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 

for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us pray….

The Message The Christ Hymn

People have a tendency to disagree with each other. Even little children, despite having innocent and sweet dispositions, will sometimes engage in battles with each other – snatching toys from one another’s hands, biting, hitting, tattle-telling, and temper-tandrums….it starts early.

Because disagreements are so second nature to us, we have developed many processes to treat-people fairly and for people to feel like their opinions matter. Historians can describe ancient attempts at representative governments and democracies – initially, free, male citizens were granted a say in how their governments were ordered. Even our own country initially thought it could best be governed by free, male, White, landowning citizens…. the rest of us have gradually been granted a say in the decisions of our government, or at least who should represent us in our government. 

In churches, we have a variety of ways to organize ourselves.  Some churches are organized on an episcopal model; these churches are governed by bishops who oversee the churches and appoint the pastors. The bishops meet at councils to decide church policies and establish doctrine.

Other churches are organized on a presbyterian model; these churches are governed by a board of elected elders and the minister of the church. This board makes decisions on behalf of the church, and is accountable to a multi-church decision making body.

The third main type of church organization is the congregation model. Each church is self-governing and decisions are made by all of the members of the church. The churches may participate in a network of other churches, but that network has no hierarchical authority over local churches.

Our church, Trinity Christian UCC, seems to be a combination of both the presbyterian model and the congregational model – perhaps we take the best of both models and meld them together. We are congregational in that our congregation is self-governing – we all vote on our budget, we all vote to hire our ministers, we all vote on important matters for our church. We participate in a loose confederation of UCC churches, but no one can tell us how to run our local congregation or what doctrine our members must accept. On the other hand, our congregation also elects a board – our consistory – that conducts business on behalf of the congregation in-between our whale church meetings, which is a little presbyterian with a small p.

Some churches, like the Quakers, decide everything by consensus. They follow the most extreme version of the congregational organizational model  – they don’t vote, they just talk out issues until everyone agrees… 

In all of the church governance models, the Quakers may be the best at applying what Paul wrote about in the portion of the letter to the Philippians we read today – He wanted the people of the Philippian congregation to “ being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind..” and to “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. “

Paul wanted the people of the Philippian church to become one in spirit and one in mind….no more disagreements…loving in all ways…perfectly unified.

Paul encouraged the church to be like-minded because he was hearing reports that the people were bickering. So, perhaps in an order-correction, Paul wanted them to be loving and fully agreeable in all things….to be of one accord.

Paul was imploring the people of Philippi’s church to be idealistically “perfectly in agreement” about all things.

If only people (and churches) would work this way — perhaps then we would fully embody the Kingdom of God on earth.

Paul established unity as a goal, an ideal – a good ideal, but perhaps a tad optimistic – or a tad impossible. 

Group harmony and cohesion is something we all have to work on. In my years as a pastor, I have heard many tales of church failings – congregations who fight because they can’t agree on carpet color or what temperature the thermostat should be set at during worship…churches who erupt into disagreements about when the pre-service music should start or if we can remove an artificial plant that Aunt Mabel donated to sit atop the piano 40 years ago…. It can get ugly.

In 1627, during the 30 years war, Lutheran theologian

Rupertus Meldenius published a tract concerning the need for Christian unity. In it, he wrote this famous motto: “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials LIberty, In All Things Charity.” In all things charity…church folks must lead with “love” in our dealings with each other, accept differences about non-important things, and work together to be united in the most essential elements of our shared faith.

Why have Christians worried about how to live together well for almost 2000 years? Why does it matter if Bertha’s family leaves the church because they don’t like the flavor of the coffee during fellowship hour? We can do much more together than we can do alone. We are stronger as a body than we are as individuals. Jesus called a team of disciples to work along with him, not rugged individualistic lone rangers. 

The church has been called by God to be God’s witness to the world. This is more important now than ever before, because more and more people in our country and our community are ignorant about Christianity. People hear a lot of odd things about Christians – they know Christians in some states are demanding the 10 Commandments be placed on classroom walls – they know President Trump has said negative things about the Catholic Pope – they know Christians were boycotting Target – they hear these random headlines about Christianity but they may not know why these things have happened…and they may have no context to understand how diverse Christians are about their political views and social views.  

We want people to know that God loves them, we love them, and we are called to work together to repair our broken world. If we are busy duking it out over whether or not to have a television screen in our sanctuary, or what kind of anthem the choir should sing, or what brand of weed-eater the Property committee should buy – if we are busy worrying about trivial things, we won’t have time or energy to share the message of the Gospel – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

So, my friends, let us live out the message of Paul, and work to  be like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. And, let us do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. 

Let us be living examples of the Gospel-message, and love God and everyone we meet. Amen. 

Partnership in the Gospel -- A Message for May 10, 2026

  Over the past few weeks, our scriptural focus has been on St. Paul and his missionary journeys. Paul started out as a religious Jewish man who hated Christianity. But, Jesus intervened in Paul’s life and afterwards, he became one of the greatest evangelists and promoters of Christianity the world has ever known. 

Paul’s evangelistic efforts did not make him popular in all circles. He was repeatedly imprisoned for upsetting the religious authorities in the towns where he travelled. This morning, we will read the opening of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi. He wrote this letter from prison.

In the years before Paul penned this letter, he travelled to Philippi and met people and inspired them to follow Jesus. Together, they started the church at Philippi. Paul’s letter was written to encourage them to continue practicing their shared faith – at the time, people were starting to become worried that they would end up imprisoned like Paul….or worse!

Listen now as I read the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter one verses one through 18:

Scripture Philippians 1:1-18a

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God every time I remember you. 

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 

because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 

God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 

so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  

filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 

As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 

And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 

The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 

The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us pray…

Message Partnership in the Gospel

I recently read a book written by two Iranian Christian women, Marziyeh Amirzadeh and Maryam Rostampour. The two women wrote about their experiences before they left Iran and became refugees in the United States. Before they left their homeland, the women were imprisoned. In Iran, it is not illegal to be Christian…but it is illegal for people who are Muslim to convert to another religion. The two women were imprisoned and received death sentences as punishment because they were considered “converts” to Christianity….

While the women were in prison, they knew little of what was happening outside the prison….they didn’t know that Christians throughout the world, and groups like Amnesty International, were fighting for their release from prison. The two women thought they would probably be killed because of their faith.

So, they didn’t shut up about it. They thought they were going to die anyway, so they might as well tell the other prisoners, and the guards, and the judicial officials why they chose to believe in Jesus Christ….why they believed in our faith.

They told stories they had read in the Bible. They prayed with people and for people. They reassured other prisoners that God didn’t reject them despite unsavory past histories. They sang hymns and Christian songs. They worked to bring a word of hope to a dark and dreary place.

In the portion of Paul’s letter we read this morning, it sounds like Paul also worked to spread our faith even when he was in prison. He was surprisingly positive about his situation – He said:

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 

As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 

And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

So, not only was Paul talking about his faith to his guards and the others he was imprisoned alongside, they were also becoming believers. And, people who were formerly afraid to proclaim the Good News, were “daring all the more” to share their Christian faith.

There is a quotation attributed to Winston Churchill that says: “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” I agree. The imprisoned Iranian women had a good attitude about their imprisonment – they saw it as an opportunity to share their faith. Paul’s words reflect that he had a positive attitude about his imprisonment – he took advantage of his situation to share his faith.

I hope that none of us find ourselves trapped in an actual prison. But, we all will experience times in our lives when we deal with limitations that we didn’t plan for or expect – illnesses, changed relationships, losing jobs, retirement, moving – all of us will experience times in our lives that we didn’t choose or expect or plan for….And, when these limitations or setbacks arise, it is important for us to work to discover the opportunities that they offer.

Paul was committed to evangelism – he told everyone about our faith. He rejoiced when “ …Christ is preached.” He didn’t let his imprisonment depress him or destroy his will or quiet him down. Paul’s encouraging words to the church at Philippi are still important to us almost 2000 years after they were penned. We may not have control over the things we experience – accidents happen, we age, our bodies don’t always work the way we expect – but, we have control over how we react to those unexpected things. If we work to see the silver-linings in the midst of the clouds that surround us, we are mentally and emotionally better off into the future.

Paul wanted all followers of Jesus to be inspired to share their faith – we shouldn’t let our fear of rejection stop us….we shouldn’t let peer pressure stop us…we shouldn’t let disappointment stop us….we shouldn’t even let persecution stop us. 

Our lives are changed for the better because we believe in our Savior Jesus Christ. Our lives are changed for the better because we know, and believe, God loves us and forgives us. Our lives are changed for the better because we are connected to the community of faithful believers, the church, and we are here to support each other through our lives’ ups and downs, times of joy and times of sorrow. 

Let us work to see each setback as an opportunity…and let us take every opportunity to share the Good News with others. 

Amen.

Paul's Sermon at Athens -- A Message for May 3, 2026

 

Friends, in the season between Easter and Pentecost, we are focusing on St. Paul’s conversion to Christianity and some of the stops of his missionary journeys. 

When Jesus interrupted Paul’s life and called upon Paul to become his follower, Jesus told Ananias that “This man (Paul)  is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.”

Soon after his conversion, Paul began to preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He travelled throughout the Roman world on three major missionary journeys….many to places that were largely populated by Gentiles.

Today, we turn to Paul’s time in the city of Athens – the intellectual and spiritual capital of the ancient Greek civilization and one of the most prominent cities of the Roman Empire.

Listen now to the word of God as it is found in the Acts of the Apostles’ Chapter 17, verses sixteen through thirty-four:

Scripture Acts 17:16-31

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 

So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 

A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 

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? 

You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 

(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 

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. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

“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 human hands. 

And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

“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.

 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 

 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 everyone by raising him from the dead.”

 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 

At that, Paul left the Council. 

Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others. 

Amen.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us pray…..

Message Paul’s Sermon at Athens

 

In the first century, the city of Athens was an intellectual powerhouse – imagine Harvard and Oxford and Yale all in one city. Intellectuals everywhere – and people who loved discussing and debating big ideas. 

Athens is named after the Ancient Greek Goddess Athena – the goddess of wisdom, warfare and handicraft.  The Parthenon on the Acropolis of Athens is dedicated to Athena. The city’s population was very religious – in addition to worshipping Athena, they also worshipped many of the Greek gods and goddesses and their Roman equivalents. The people believed the world belonged to the gods, and people are essentially trespassing on the gods' planet. They needed to leave offerings and gifts for the gods in appreciation for them allowing the people to dwell on the earth and live our lives. And, they believed if we don’t give gifts to the gods, they will punish the people.

The people of Athens wanted to cover all of their bases, so there were shrines set up for all of the gods they knew about and they left open the possibility there were other gods to discover….hence the shrine to the “unknown” god. The shrine was for gods they didn’t know, and also for when they weren’t sure which of the known gods they needed to leave an offering for – again, they wanted to cover all of their bases.

The governing council of Athens was called the Areopagus. The council was named after the Hill of Ares – the hill where they met which is on the side of the hill the Parthenon sits upon. Ares was the Greek god of war….you may have heard about Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill – Mars is the Roman equivalent of Ares. Paul delivered his sermon to the council of Athens – the Aeropagus.

Paul’s sermon is a wonderful example of meeting people “where they were at.” He referenced how religious the people of Athens were. He quoted Greek philosophers they would have known. He was very positive in his remarks about the people of Athens.

Then, Paul suggested the unknown god they already had shrines for was our God. And he explained Jesus was God’s son—the messiah– who came to earth to redeem all people. He told them Jesus resurrected from the dead. And, then Paul invited the people of Athens to become followers of Jesus and embrace Christianity.

The people who heard Paul’s sermon, and heard about Jesus’ resurrection, had three different types of responses to his words. One group of people dismissed Paul – they didn’t believe him and they thought Jesus’ resurrection was a ridiculous idea. One group of people were curious – they wanted Paul to tell them more about Christianity and our beliefs and philosophy. And, the third group of people became Christians – they began to believe in Jesus and became part of the growing Christian church in Athens.

Paul could see, as he walked around Athens, that people were seeking connection to God – they were spiritual searchers. They wanted to feel a closeness to the divine. But, Paul realized they were searching in all the wrong places – they put their trust in the Greek or Roman pantheon of gods instead of connecting to the real God. 

We also live in a place and a time in which people are seeking a connection with the divine.  But, other people may put their trust in the things of this world instead of God….we personally know people who have almost a religious devotion to the stock-market or technology or their preferred political party – we know people who are fascinated with the British royal family or influencers or their favorite movie stars. We can walk around like Paul walked around Athens and see people are searching in all the wrong places.

We can take inspiration from Paul’s approach. We must work to meet people where they are at – appreciate the positive things they are doing – take a sincere interest in what they care about – and then offer them a relatable explanation of why we believe in God. People want to hear why we know our relationship with Jesus makes a difference in our lives. They want to hear that we have been helped and supported through our life’s challenges and joys by both our God and the church. People want to know that our faith makes a positive difference in our lives.

People need to hear from Christians the reasons why we feel our faith helps us. They need to hear from us.

And, we hope that people will be curious and want to hear more. We pray they will also take on this faith for themselves – the world is full of people who are searching in all the wrong places, and having a relationship with God will make all of the difference for them.

Let us be brave – let’s meet people where they are at and tell them the Good News of Jesus Christ. Amen.