A Provoked Spirit

 "While Paul was waiting in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols." -Acts 17:16

While Paul was dropped off in Athens and waiting for his co-laborer in the ministry Silas and his son in the faith Timothy, Paul walked the great ancient city of Athens. The hub of Greek culture, the beauty of ancient temples such as the Parthenon which, by Paul's time of arrival, was already four centuries old. Athens was a city teeming with spirituality and thinking. Paul discussed truth with a variety of thinkers in the marketplace only to be viewed as a collector of little spiritual tidbits ("babbler") and a teacher of strange gods.

The bold apostle to the Gentiles stood up on Mars Hill and doesn't waste a moment. The incredibly diverse, deep thinking, yet highly suspicious throng of diverse peoples listen to Paul consider their various religions and spiritualities toward the shrine dedicated to a god unknown, a god the Athenians pay homage to out of ignorance. Paul tells them the mystery of the ages: God created all things, He is Judge, and He alone is Savior.

What led Paul to preach so boldly in front of this intimidating crowd? Paul saw the overwhelming abundance of idols in Athens and his spirit was troubled to act.

America is not a land and a singular people without religion. It is a land teeming with both major metropolises and a great diversity of religions and spiritualities. They are a suspicious people which can intimidate the church of Jesus Christ into silence. If you are silent, dear saint, I ask you to consider having your spirit provoked.

Paul didn't wait for Silas and Timothy to tell them of his Athenian tour. Paul's visit to Athens didn't go like this: "Guys, look at this city. They are so lost and sinful. These people are hopeless fools. They really need to change. They need Jesus!" Then silently tour the city until moving on. No, Paul's spirit wasn't provoked to simply diagnose the Athenians and ignore the people. His provoked spirit spoke!

Go ahead and take in the sights of America. What do you see? Does the idols of our land disturb your heart? Does the lack of worship of the beautiful Christ in your neighborhood provoke your spirit? Can you be bothered to pray for the deliverance of those wicked, idol worshipers around you? Can you be troubled to reason with them, dine with them, invite them to small group or even church? 

Recall our Savior's words in Luke 10: "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest." Pray for laborers to enter the great field of the Lord's harvest of salvation! So, they prayed. Then Jesus said, "Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." Basically, Jesus said, "Good news guys! Your prayer has been heard by the Lord of the harvest for more workers and is now answered! It's you guys! Go into field of intimidating teems of people who will mock you and hurt you!"

I confess to you, and I am certain I'm not alone, dear reader. I am too stubborn to go without a provoked spirit. So pray. Pray, "Lord, provoke my spirit! Bother me! Trouble me! Send me into Your field!" For those ignorant fools do not know that they are spiritual and religious but ungodly, that Christ died at the right time for the ungodly. The One, True Creator of the universe is a "strange deity" in their eyes. 

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:14-16)

The gospel makes your feet beautifully sent as lambs among wolves to save sinners through Christ. Go, and go boldly with provoked spirit and enter the Lord's field for harvest. "For faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). Pray, then go and preach Christ and Him crucified, dear lowly saint. 

Heavenly Father, I confess my spirit is all too comfortable with the idols in the land, homes, and hearts of those around me. I confess my heart is not troubled enough to be bothered by them. Be gracious to me and provoke my spirit, o Lord. Open my lips, give me the words to say, and open their ears to the rich treasures of the word of Christ. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Gratitude is God's Will for You

 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” -I Thessalonians 5:18

What is God’s will for our local church family? Our plans may become complex webs of what we would like to see in our church. Yet, those are our own plans. What is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus? God’s will for us is not something we plan and inform God of, but rather what God desires and reveals to us.

Paul and Silas preached the good news of Christ throughout Thessalonica in Acts 17, which formed a local church that drew the attention of Rome as Jewish and Gentile converts to Christ hailed the divisive political statement, “Jesus is Lord.” Paul and Silas fled town; however, despite persecution and Paul and Silas’ absence, the church flourished. The Apostle Paul now tells the saints at Thessalonica that Christians can always be full of thanksgiving to God. This command came to a church who needed Paul’s beautiful message of Christ and the church’s glorious future hope while remaining faithful through persecution.

Paul challenges continued growth in this thriving church with this command: give thanks in all circumstances. First, you dear Christian are individually to be thankful to God at all times. “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips” (Psalm 34:1). Be thankful even if you are in exile like Daniel who gave thanks to God in private prayer three times a day (Daniel 6:10). Being thankful to God in all circumstances in our personal prayer life keeps the heart from stiffening or bitterness. In a word, the Lord keeps us humble.

God is good to remind us not only who we are as undeserving sinners, but who He is as gracious, loving, faithful Savior. O, to be reminded of His goodness and tender kindness toward me refreshes my heart prone to grow weary and stimulates a growing gratefulness to God! Such constant thanksgiving encourages my soul to maintain a peaceful, joyful posture toward both my labors and my love for His church.

Second, we as a church family are to be thankful in all circumstances together. “Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:18-21).

The church in Thessalonica was a persecuted church; yet, God’s will for them in Christ Jesus was to display His greatness in receiving all things, both hardship or sunny days, freedom or imprisonment, prosperity or poverty professing God’s goodness with a cheerful heart ready to praise God for it all! A thankful church stands as a lighthouse beacon piercing the dark fog displaying God’s goodness to a dark and confused world.

The world may wonder what power fills the hearts of the church gathered to sing of God’s grace each and every Sunday full of gratitude in every circumstance. This joy and peace the world does not know remains forever elusive in the darkness, but what a warm ray of sunshine is our Savior’s mercy to us His bride the church! What a true blessing to each of our hearts and homes as God fills us with His mercies in Christ Jesus with the tremendous sound of a grateful church!

Heavenly Father, strengthen our weak hearts with gratitude. Increase our love for one another to encourage our thanksgiving in every circumstance that we may with cheerful hearts sing together the praises of our gracious God. In the name of our Savior Jesus Christ who is mighty and given full authority in heaven and on earth. Amen.