WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:02.060 Acts chapter 17 is where we're going to be together. 00:00:02.900 --> 00:00:06.360 And this particular section, we're in the second half of Acts 17. 00:00:06.360 --> 00:00:13.880 And this section is a rather unique section and a little different in how Paul engages on his second missionary journey than really 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:15.680 other places that he's visited. 00:00:15.680 --> 00:00:21.910 Because Athens is such a unique place for which he is representing the Lord in this community. 00:00:22.060 --> 00:00:28.880 If you remember, part of the reason Paul finds himself in Athens is because of the persecution he experienced along the way. 00:00:28.880 --> 00:00:36.000 On his second missionary journey, when he went from Philippi to Berea to Thessalonica, he kept getting beat and 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.270 thrown in prison and run out of town in different places. 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:45.160 And he finds himself in Athens, and his heart is really for the church, as he saw established in the previous towns that he was in. 00:00:45.220 --> 00:00:49.920 But while he was in Athens, the Lord used this moment to really open his eyes to the needs here. 00:00:50.660 --> 00:00:55.480 And God utilizes him for the for representing the Lord in this particular city. 00:00:55.540 --> 00:01:02.660 Now, when you study the this particular town of Athens or city of Athens, One of the things that you might note historically is 00:01:02.660 --> 00:01:09.680 this was the capital of the Greek Empire, and it was very influential throughout society. 00:01:09.880 --> 00:01:16.040 And in the fourth and fifth century BC, it hit its pinnacle in history. 00:01:16.260 --> 00:01:18.060 And then it was conquered by the Romans. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:25.440 And by the time you get to Paul's day and age, when you're dealing with the first century AD, this is the apostle Paul 00:01:25.440 --> 00:01:29.100 is at a city that's really just a shadow of its former self. 00:01:29.180 --> 00:01:34.860 It's still influential, but the population of the city is now decreased to some estimate, around 5000 people. 00:01:35.340 --> 00:01:42.800 But even though the population had radically decreased and it was the capital of the Greek empire, it's no longer the capital of 00:01:42.800 --> 00:01:44.840 the Roman Empire, but. 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:47.050 Or it never was the capital of the Roman Empire that was in Rome. 00:01:48.060 --> 00:01:55.180 The city was still influential because it was considered the academic city of the society. 00:01:55.260 --> 00:02:01.460 So when you when you look at early Athens, you discover this is where Socrates is from. 00:02:01.460 --> 00:02:03.140 This is where Plato was from. 00:02:03.140 --> 00:02:06.360 This was the city that Aristotle adopted. 00:02:06.620 --> 00:02:13.500 And many people compare this town to taking all the Ivy League schools of today and wrapping them all up into one. 00:02:13.820 --> 00:02:17.600 And that would be Athens and its academic influence in this world. 00:02:18.420 --> 00:02:25.520 Now, hearing all that and thinking about the Apostle Paul ministering here, and maybe you might imagine yourself like, what would you do if 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:28.200 you were to minister in a city like that? 00:02:28.320 --> 00:02:31.700 For some of us, we might find that rather intimidating to think. 00:02:31.700 --> 00:02:38.620 Man, historically, there's been so many giants of philosophy that have come through here and I'm just little old me like I am. 00:02:38.820 --> 00:02:39.410 I am no Socrates. 00:02:39.980 --> 00:02:41.820 I am no Plato or Aristotle. 00:02:41.820 --> 00:02:45.920 What kind of difference could I make in a in a place like this? 00:02:45.920 --> 00:02:53.120 And maybe even when you think about representing Jesus in this world, that the way life is going, you might find 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:58.840 yourself a bit intimidated and thinking, as a Christ follower, God has called you to be a salt and light in this earth. 00:02:58.960 --> 00:02:59.080 What? 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:01.600 What can God do through little old you? 00:03:01.600 --> 00:03:05.940 You know, making a difference in life around you as you honor Christ through your life. 00:03:05.940 --> 00:03:08.510 I mean, what is it God can use you for? 00:03:08.900 --> 00:03:16.060 And one of the things that I really love about the Apostle Paul, as he went around from town to town doing ministry, is he found himself regularly 00:03:16.060 --> 00:03:19.580 challenged in his authority and presence. 00:03:19.580 --> 00:03:26.940 If you read a, for example, a book like First or Second Corinthians the letters to the Corinthians, Paul often 00:03:26.940 --> 00:03:30.780 is writing about those who are challenging him and as an apostle. 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:38.800 And in fact, there were these people that had moved into the Corinthian church that looked to the apostle Paul and maligned him. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:39.580 He's an apostle. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:40.640 Please. 00:03:40.660 --> 00:03:42.320 You know, he lives a terrible life. 00:03:42.320 --> 00:03:47.540 He's abused and he's ridiculed and they're like, don't you know, don't listen to the Apostle Paul. 00:03:47.620 --> 00:03:49.240 We're super apostles. 00:03:49.380 --> 00:03:56.960 When you read the letter to the Corinthians, you'll see Paul referring to these super apostles who try to usurp his position and their authority. 00:03:57.600 --> 00:04:04.960 And it's interesting when Paul engages them that rather than try to go tit for tat back and forth over who's better, Paul 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:07.400 doesn't and he doesn't bite on it at all. 00:04:08.040 --> 00:04:14.980 Rather, rather than coming forth with his strength, he embraces his weakness and he encourages us to do the same. 00:04:15.740 --> 00:04:22.640 Because Christianity is not about impressing people with who you are, but finding that people are impressed with the greatness of who God is. 00:04:23.180 --> 00:04:25.400 As we just highlight him or honor him with our lives. 00:04:25.480 --> 00:04:32.790 I can even tell you this morning, like the thing that compels me to get in front of a group of people and just share about the Lord is not. 00:04:32.840 --> 00:04:34.400 Man, I sure hope they like me. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:36.360 I sure hope they think I'm great. 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:39.360 You know, like, if you think I'm great, I guess that's okay. 00:04:39.440 --> 00:04:42.080 I don't, I don't, I don't really care one way or the other in that sense. 00:04:42.180 --> 00:04:44.110 Like, I'm not here to win a popularity contest. 00:04:44.500 --> 00:04:50.880 I think it's a terrible thing to kind of shape your ideas and values in this world by people who are in this, in this world to win popularity contests. 00:04:51.140 --> 00:04:57.640 Let me just say, if you develop your theology from movie stars and politicians, there's a problem, right? 00:04:57.640 --> 00:04:59.560 Because they're just there to please masses. 00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:06.580 And when you live that kind of life, you just kind of go with whatever the popular people, want or the masses want you to do because 00:05:06.580 --> 00:05:07.900 you're trying to win a popularity contest. 00:05:08.980 --> 00:05:11.470 Like, that's a terrible way to determine what's true. 00:05:11.700 --> 00:05:17.340 And when it comes to the apostle Paul, rather than fight back and say, oh, you refer to yourself as super apostles. 00:05:17.420 --> 00:05:18.740 Look how great I am. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:22.400 Paul rather leans into his weakness, and he does the same for us. 00:05:22.420 --> 00:05:28.400 He actually refers to us in Scripture as jars of clay, and in referring to us that way. 00:05:28.400 --> 00:05:32.270 He's saying you're just a common vessel and it doesn't mean you are an impressive. 00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:37.700 You are impressive because you're made in the image of God, but your impressiveness doesn't come from you. 00:05:38.420 --> 00:05:39.970 It was divinely given to you by your creator. 00:05:41.500 --> 00:05:46.690 And so Paul encourages us not not to impress people with the greatness of who we are because we're just jars of clay. 00:05:47.140 --> 00:05:53.250 But the content in which we're possessed by and the Lord himself, who fills us up with him. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:57.900 And so and so Paul is he's teaching us how to engage a world like this. 00:05:57.960 --> 00:06:03.060 And so we think about, the Athens and all the great minds that have gone through Athens. 00:06:03.100 --> 00:06:05.310 And we might be intimidated in ourselves. 00:06:05.660 --> 00:06:12.180 Well, the problem with that is that we're looking too much at ourselves and not in the greatness of who God is. 00:06:13.340 --> 00:06:17.180 And when we think as people today, how do we engage a world like this? 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:19.360 How do we even make a difference to the Lord? 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:24.760 We can learn from how Paul engages Athens in this particular moment. 00:06:25.720 --> 00:06:30.040 In fact, let me give you point number one, and we'll talk about this together as we look at these three points. 00:06:30.340 --> 00:06:31.520 Number one is going to deal with your heart. 00:06:32.580 --> 00:06:34.170 Number two is going to deal with your hands. 00:06:34.540 --> 00:06:35.910 And last of all, we're going to deal with your message. 00:06:36.840 --> 00:06:39.090 So it's going to go your heart, your hands and your message. 00:06:39.580 --> 00:06:42.680 But number one is this compassion for the lost. 00:06:44.460 --> 00:06:51.520 If you really want to make a difference in this world, it's got to start with really a broken heart for the needs in this world that we 00:06:51.520 --> 00:06:58.600 would see this world as the Lord sees this world and the way that we desire to care for one another and to 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:00.990 care for those around us because of what Christ has done. 00:07:01.280 --> 00:07:02.520 And you see this with Paul here. 00:07:02.520 --> 00:07:05.300 He's gone on this missionary journey from town to town. 00:07:05.300 --> 00:07:06.090 He's gone through. 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:08.350 He's experienced persecution and hardship. 00:07:08.440 --> 00:07:13.180 His mind is thinking about all those that he has left as he's had to flee city after city. 00:07:13.340 --> 00:07:18.540 He even left some of his friends behind to minister in those cities, even though he had to flee. 00:07:18.920 --> 00:07:20.300 And his mind is on that. 00:07:20.300 --> 00:07:20.360 But. 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:25.480 But then, as he's coming to Athens, the Lord uses this to open his heart for the people there. 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:32.580 And it says now, while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city was full of 00:07:32.580 --> 00:07:33.180 idols. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:41.540 So here Paul comes in this city, and it's saying, and really an emotional sense, but also in a logical sense, his heart 00:07:41.540 --> 00:07:43.550 is stirred for the brokenness. 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:45.240 It really is a word for sharpened. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:48.180 He becomes fixed on this. 00:07:48.440 --> 00:07:55.460 And just seeing that the gospel need for where he is, and I would say the same is true for you if you want to make 00:07:55.460 --> 00:07:56.860 a difference in this world. 00:07:57.540 --> 00:08:04.720 It starts with just looking outside of your problems, looking outside of yourself to see how the Lord might use you 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:10.500 in the hearts of people around you as you become aware of the gospel need in life. 00:08:10.500 --> 00:08:17.800 And when I think about where we are as a group of people, I think regularly say this, I think the best place on the planet 00:08:17.800 --> 00:08:24.550 to minister for the Lord is in Utah, one, because it's beautiful, but also because of the need here, especially even in Utah County. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:31.520 We live in a county of 800,000 people, and we have about one biblical church for every 25,000 people. 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:34.299 And that's a lot of people to reach. 00:08:34.820 --> 00:08:37.030 And we just open your eyes to the need. 00:08:37.100 --> 00:08:40.440 You just think of the privilege and the gift that it is to honor the Lord. 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:48.820 And I got to tell you, even though there is a need certainly when you compare the rest of the United States, I think there's a larger 00:08:48.820 --> 00:08:51.470 need here than in other places in that sense. 00:08:51.800 --> 00:08:59.680 But it shouldn't really matter to us where we are in this world, that when our hearts have been truly impacted by God, then 00:08:59.680 --> 00:09:02.220 are our hearts aligned with him? 00:09:02.220 --> 00:09:04.070 We're going to look at this world the way that he does. 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:11.660 And so rather, rather than just simply thinking, well, I've got to do something because the need is great, even if, even if the need would be judged as, 00:09:11.700 --> 00:09:18.940 not as significant as other places of the world, it still shouldn't dictate what you do as a believer, because that doesn't that doesn't 00:09:18.940 --> 00:09:22.040 come from people, that comes from God. 00:09:22.560 --> 00:09:29.620 And one of the best ways, I think, that we can carry that burden with the heart of the Lord for people around 00:09:29.620 --> 00:09:33.660 us is to never lose sight of the grace of God in our own life. 00:09:34.620 --> 00:09:41.660 You know, when you read about the Apostle Paul in scriptures, you find he regularly reflects on how the grace of God transformed 00:09:41.660 --> 00:09:42.220 him. 00:09:42.580 --> 00:09:43.780 He never got over that. 00:09:44.420 --> 00:09:51.580 I mean, you think about what Paul's life was before his conversion, after his conversion, the most religious man on the planet given over so 00:09:51.580 --> 00:09:58.660 zealously to his religion, he felt justified in murdering and imprisoning Christians to validate 00:09:58.660 --> 00:10:05.820 his position, and all of a sudden he radically meets the Lord who graciously forgives him, gives him a relationship with 00:10:05.820 --> 00:10:07.400 him and a future and a hope. 00:10:08.300 --> 00:10:10.680 And that transformed the Apostle Paul. 00:10:11.920 --> 00:10:18.990 And he never got over how God made such an impact in his own life, and that forgiveness and freedom that only he could bring, 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:21.360 that he desired for other people to experience that too. 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:25.340 Because Paul knew if God could radically change my life, he can radically change anyone's life. 00:10:26.300 --> 00:10:33.440 And so for you, if you really want to see God minister in brokenness, one of the best things you could do 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:36.370 is reflect on what God's done for you. 00:10:37.020 --> 00:10:38.640 Especially in terms of Scripture. 00:10:38.660 --> 00:10:40.460 So let me let me just toss out some verses to you. 00:10:40.460 --> 00:10:47.840 These aren't in your notes, but if you want your heart to be stirred with affection in Christ and to care for people around you, some of the best passages 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:52.960 of the Bible to read would be Ephesians chapter two, first ten verses of Ephesians. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:57.860 Paul talks about who we are apart from Christ and who we are because of Christ. 00:10:57.860 --> 00:11:00.380 It's nothing that we did but what God has done for us. 00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:07.530 God didn't owe us anything, yet he still pursued us to the point he gave his life for us, that we could have freedom in him. 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:13.380 Same is true for Titus, chapter three, verse six, verses of Titus chapter three. 00:11:13.980 --> 00:11:20.320 He talks about who we are apart from Lord, who we are because of him, or the end of Romans chapter seven and Romans chapter eight. 00:11:21.380 --> 00:11:28.600 And the whole point of those passages are really about getting your eyes off yourself and looking at the greatness of who God is, 00:11:28.680 --> 00:11:33.360 and looking what God desires to do in the hearts of people so that you can participate in that with him. 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:37.960 And so, as Paul is looking at this city, this is what he's thinking about. 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:43.200 And if you specifically just reflect on Athens, Athens, you can even go visit today. 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:47.190 I have never been to Athens, so I'm going to tell you stuff that I've just studied and learned. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:49.240 I thought about today. 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:52.980 We should we should start a fund called Send a Pastor to Greece. 00:11:53.520 --> 00:11:58.020 And if you feel just so bad for me because I've never been, we will take those donations. 00:11:58.100 --> 00:11:58.700 I'm just kidding. 00:11:58.940 --> 00:12:00.000 I would not that feels terrible. 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:00.980 I would never do that. 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:08.360 But you see this beautiful picture of Athens and at the top of this mountain, that's kind of cut off flat. 00:12:08.520 --> 00:12:09.850 That's the Acropolis. 00:12:10.200 --> 00:12:13.920 And this is where worship took place in the city of Athens. 00:12:13.920 --> 00:12:15.620 This was considered the heart of Athens. 00:12:15.620 --> 00:12:18.430 And they had temples dedicated to their gods. 00:12:18.440 --> 00:12:22.480 And the one predominant temple that still stands there is known as the Parthenon. 00:12:22.580 --> 00:12:25.640 And this is where they worship the goddess Athena. 00:12:26.260 --> 00:12:27.900 And it was considered the goddess of wisdom. 00:12:28.680 --> 00:12:33.400 And so it was a representation of Athens being such a wise academic place. 00:12:33.400 --> 00:12:36.980 And they would worship that goddess there in that Parthenon. 00:12:36.980 --> 00:12:40.320 And so this was, this was the heart of Athens. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:48.360 But in behind the heart of Athens was this place called the Areopagus, and this was considered the mind of 00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:48.880 Athens. 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:55.260 This is where the philosophers would go, and they would debate their theology and share this with one another. 00:12:55.440 --> 00:13:02.800 And what happened at the Areopagus in the mind of the people, if it was accepted or didn't get transferred to the heart of the Acropolis, 00:13:03.220 --> 00:13:05.070 or people would engage it in worship. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:12.340 So here you have these two places represented in the mind and the heart of Athens taking place. 00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:15.720 And this is this is where the Apostle Paul is going to minister. 00:13:16.280 --> 00:13:19.960 And as he's ministering, it says something interesting here about him. 00:13:19.960 --> 00:13:27.320 It says in verse 17, so he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:29.240 those who happen to be there. 00:13:29.920 --> 00:13:36.040 And so Paul was looking for places of influence, and I love the approach that he's carrying in these moments. 00:13:36.920 --> 00:13:41.000 Rather than speak down to people rather than angry, yell at people. 00:13:42.260 --> 00:13:49.400 It's simply just telling us he's meeting people where they are, and he's explaining to them why the biblical Jesus is so important to 00:13:49.400 --> 00:13:50.080 their life. 00:13:50.160 --> 00:13:57.650 He's reasoning with them, and this is critical for us to think about in terms of how we represent the Lord in our lives. 00:13:58.620 --> 00:14:00.680 You know, it's beautiful to have the truth. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:04.460 And sometimes we can come so zealous with that truth that we know has transformed us. 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:09.320 Then, rather than speak to the hearts of people, we can run right over the hearts and trying to make our point. 00:14:10.300 --> 00:14:17.600 But we understand that the purpose of the truth that God has given us is to share it with others, that they might find their lives transformed 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:18.240 too. 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:25.240 And our ability to reason in the Lord with others comes out of growing in your own relationship with the Lord. 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:32.980 And in that growth, becoming confident in who you are, because the confidence in who you are really will help you dictate 00:14:32.980 --> 00:14:35.050 how you share with others. 00:14:35.380 --> 00:14:42.680 Because sometimes in our sharing, it's almost like we're trying to share with people as if to get them to validate us. 00:14:42.980 --> 00:14:48.150 Like, I need you to tell me how important I am by embracing what I'm saying and validate what I'm saying. 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:55.800 And I want you to know that as a body of believers, even though it's critical for us to share truth with others, we're 00:14:55.800 --> 00:15:02.550 not looking for other people to tell us how important we are and try to validate our message. 00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:10.780 Rather, as believers, we should already be confident in the identity we carry in Christ so that regardless of how people react to us, it's 00:15:10.780 --> 00:15:17.940 not going to force me to try to have to react to it like, to where the emotion of their response and how they might, 00:15:17.940 --> 00:15:21.720 may or may not receive me because I already know who I am. 00:15:22.780 --> 00:15:25.180 And that's been declared in my identity, in Jesus. 00:15:25.940 --> 00:15:30.040 And so I'm not here to prove anything to you, in and of myself. 00:15:31.100 --> 00:15:33.370 But I do want you to see the greatness of who God is. 00:15:34.400 --> 00:15:41.480 Now, what you choose to do with that is up to you, but it's so important that you discover who you are 00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:44.720 in light of who Christ is and what he's done for you. 00:15:45.220 --> 00:15:48.020 Because there's nothing more freeing to the soul than Jesus. 00:15:49.340 --> 00:15:54.350 I hope as a church, we understand that we've embraced that as people. 00:15:54.420 --> 00:15:56.660 And even if you're here this morning, you don't know Jesus. 00:15:57.660 --> 00:16:02.920 I think based on who Jesus is, it would be foolish not to come to him. 00:16:03.680 --> 00:16:05.050 And so the apostle Paul, here he is. 00:16:05.280 --> 00:16:07.460 He's reasoning with the people. 00:16:07.800 --> 00:16:11.260 And as he's doing this, it tells us something interesting. 00:16:11.540 --> 00:16:14.490 In verse 18 it says some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. 00:16:15.340 --> 00:16:19.980 So there's some people of different beliefs, people Paul's talking to Epicureans and Stoics. 00:16:19.980 --> 00:16:22.140 They tend to have a kind of polarizing beliefs. 00:16:22.280 --> 00:16:26.420 One believed God kind of created everything, set it in motion, and sort of disappeared from the scene. 00:16:26.680 --> 00:16:27.790 And they're left to their own devices. 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:32.740 The other ones believe more pantheistic life, that God is in everything. 00:16:32.900 --> 00:16:34.860 But here he is speaking these two different groups of people. 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:35.960 And here's what they say. 00:16:36.700 --> 00:16:39.540 Some said, what does this babbler wish to say? 00:16:39.740 --> 00:16:45.300 And others said he seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities because he was preaching Jesus in the resurrection. 00:16:46.140 --> 00:16:50.310 Now, in no context I want you to know, is what they're saying a compliment? 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:55.610 Like I can't think of any moment where if someone looks at you and says you're a babbler, that you would say thank you. 00:16:55.680 --> 00:16:59.020 You know, thank you for just describing me this way. 00:16:59.220 --> 00:17:06.260 But I do want you to note, in the first century, this is even exceptionally more of an insult than what we would even read here in 00:17:06.260 --> 00:17:06.710 English. 00:17:07.800 --> 00:17:14.859 This idea of babbler literally means they're describing Paul like a scavenger bird who's just kind of going around hoping 00:17:14.859 --> 00:17:17.300 to find something that's worth clinging to. 00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:24.540 And what they're saying is this, Paul, you're just out here saying things and you're just tossing out thoughts, hoping that we'll just grab to something like some sort of random 00:17:24.540 --> 00:17:28.410 bird, hoping to luck into some some food of fortune. 00:17:28.840 --> 00:17:36.100 And so they're just describing Paul as just tossing some things out and maybe one thing will stick with the crowd and that's what he's going 00:17:36.100 --> 00:17:37.140 to hold on to. 00:17:37.380 --> 00:17:40.080 And so they're referring to him as babbler and the other one with foreign divinities. 00:17:40.420 --> 00:17:45.320 They're certainly acknowledging Paul's exposing them to something that's different than what they've heard. 00:17:45.760 --> 00:17:52.940 But this term foreign divinities is especially particular to Athens because this was the charge that 00:17:52.940 --> 00:17:59.940 Athens actually brought against Socrates, and eventually killed Socrates because of it. 00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:04.750 Socrates was teaching new ideas to the people of Athens. 00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:12.150 They didn't want to embrace that idea to the point that they led a charge against Socrates, and he was found guilty, 00:18:12.580 --> 00:18:15.640 and they forced him to drink poison that led to his death. 00:18:16.620 --> 00:18:21.320 And the charge against Socrates was that he was he was teaching foreign divinities. 00:18:22.660 --> 00:18:29.240 So what they're saying about Paul in this, in this moment is not something to take lightly, because the same is true for you. 00:18:30.580 --> 00:18:37.010 This becomes critical for you to become confident in who you are and your identity in Jesus, rather than fight back against people. 00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:38.100 Right? 00:18:38.100 --> 00:18:40.500 You embrace the weakness like Paul and Corinthians. 00:18:41.260 --> 00:18:44.040 I'm just I'm I'm just a vessel, a jar of clay. 00:18:45.160 --> 00:18:50.480 But I've come to understand the greatness of who God is and understanding the greatness of who God is and what he's done for me. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:57.640 It's helped me better understand who I am because there's been no greater price paid for me, no greater love someone's ever done for 00:18:57.640 --> 00:18:58.800 me than what Jesus has done. 00:18:59.900 --> 00:19:06.940 And so, regardless of what you choose to do or not do, regardless of what you choose to say or not say about me, it doesn't determine who I am 00:19:07.700 --> 00:19:08.860 because I already know who I am. 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:15.180 And so I don't have to react to your thoughts to me, but rather I get to respond in my identity, in Christ. 00:19:16.220 --> 00:19:18.340 And so Paul is sharing this. 00:19:18.340 --> 00:19:25.360 And one of the reasons I think this is critical for you is maybe, maybe you've come to Jesus and in your family you're a 00:19:25.360 --> 00:19:25.870 bit of an anomaly. 00:19:27.600 --> 00:19:34.600 And as you've come to know the Lord, you've thought about or maybe even taken opportunity to share that with others and perhaps 00:19:34.600 --> 00:19:39.840 get this, they may not have reacted or responded the way that you had wanted them to. 00:19:40.840 --> 00:19:47.940 And for some of us, it might look like this, that you come to know Jesus, and the next time that you might have been at a family gathering or with some friends, you decided to 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:49.740 share that with them. 00:19:50.020 --> 00:19:53.600 And they didn't appreciate that the way that you thought they should have. 00:19:54.340 --> 00:20:01.930 In fact, maybe they said some words that you didn't like, and those initial words cut you deeply. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:09.840 And let me just let me just anytime someone has big news in their lives and they share that with others, sometimes we 00:20:09.840 --> 00:20:16.840 put a lot of weight on how people might initially react, and sometimes people 00:20:16.840 --> 00:20:18.720 are great at reacting off the cuff. 00:20:20.060 --> 00:20:24.960 But for most people, I find that they typically need a little bit of time to think about it. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:33.540 And when they do that, you find as they process through that and how they might choose to respond moving forward, that there's been some 00:20:33.540 --> 00:20:39.380 time to really think through what you're saying in order to start to own it themselves. 00:20:39.840 --> 00:20:42.760 It's not just an off the cuff response, but they're starting to process this. 00:20:43.340 --> 00:20:46.050 And this is what happens exactly in the life of the apostle Paul. 00:20:46.520 --> 00:20:53.810 Now, it doesn't mean reactions are always still going to be good, but I think it's important to remember that sometimes when you become a believer, 00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:57.500 you have time to think about that, to process through that and embrace it. 00:20:57.600 --> 00:21:00.800 When you share it with someone else, they're just hearing it for the first time. 00:21:01.800 --> 00:21:06.330 And so sometimes they need a little bit of time to think about why would my friend do that, and what is it they found so important. 00:21:06.460 --> 00:21:09.100 And the challenge of that will cause them to dig in. 00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:15.400 And for Paul, even though he might have had these initial comments made about him, it says this in verse 19. 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:22.980 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, that you are presenting. 00:21:22.980 --> 00:21:26.140 For you bring some strange things to our ears. 00:21:26.180 --> 00:21:28.890 We wish to know, therefore what these things mean. 00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:34.560 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. 00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:41.930 So here they are, given the Apostle Paul opportunity, and I'm glad Paul didn't react and say, you think I'm a babbler? 00:21:42.020 --> 00:21:43.490 Let me tell you what I think about you. 00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:44.420 Right like that. 00:21:44.580 --> 00:21:47.480 That would have killed opportunity to further share with others. 00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:54.220 Now I know in a room like this, maybe sometimes we haven't been the best representation, but that's. 00:21:54.360 --> 00:21:56.080 Let's just talk about what do we do with that? 00:21:56.120 --> 00:21:58.340 Because point number two leads us into that. 00:21:58.360 --> 00:22:05.640 And number two is this we want to have a connection without compromise, a connection without compromise. 00:22:05.640 --> 00:22:10.200 And this is saying to you, we need to look for ways to build bridges, not burn them. 00:22:11.340 --> 00:22:18.780 When we talk about a connection without compromise, we're saying that we already we recognize that the world believes different than the Lord. 00:22:19.860 --> 00:22:27.040 And when I'm building a connection, it's not to compromise on what I believe, but it's really to give opportunity to share that 00:22:27.040 --> 00:22:28.090 with someone else. 00:22:28.440 --> 00:22:34.280 Just because I'm being kind to another person doesn't mean I agree with everything that person agrees with. 00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:37.180 Somewhere in our culture, we lost sight of that. 00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:42.780 We think in order to love someone or be loved by someone, you have to agree with everything that they agree with. 00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:44.420 And that's just simply not true. 00:22:45.260 --> 00:22:53.020 And more than anything, that's what our society needs is a is a body of believers that moves in this world to say, I disagree and 00:22:53.020 --> 00:22:56.060 I love you, and here's why. 00:22:56.500 --> 00:22:57.480 It's because of Jesus. 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:02.970 I don't need you to agree with me, to validate me because I already know who I am in Christ. 00:23:03.840 --> 00:23:06.240 And I think it's important that you understand who you are in Christ. 00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:13.630 And one of the best ways for you to know that is to see how I reflect the love of God in your life, regardless of how you choose to respond. 00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:18.980 And so we get the privilege to build bridges to represent the Lord. 00:23:18.980 --> 00:23:26.520 I mean, it's exactly what Jesus did for us and how he pursued us and gave his life for us, even though we were enemies of God and 00:23:26.520 --> 00:23:27.640 walking in sin. 00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:29.300 And so the Apostle Paul does this. 00:23:29.300 --> 00:23:30.400 Let me give you one word for it. 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:31.720 He's contextualizing. 00:23:33.120 --> 00:23:37.780 He's looking for ways in Athens to take the gospel and help people connect with it. 00:23:37.880 --> 00:23:39.130 And you see this in the next verse. 00:23:39.320 --> 00:23:46.660 It says, so Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said, Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:49.820 Some people debate, did Paul mean this as a compliment or not? 00:23:49.840 --> 00:23:50.410 They're not sure. 00:23:51.020 --> 00:23:52.460 I just think it's a statement. 00:23:52.460 --> 00:23:53.460 He's acknowledging it. 00:23:53.940 --> 00:24:00.980 And then he says in verse 23, for as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with the 00:24:00.980 --> 00:24:02.920 inscription to the unknown God. 00:24:03.020 --> 00:24:04.860 What therefore you worship as unknown? 00:24:04.860 --> 00:24:05.960 This I will proclaim to you. 00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:14.600 And so Paul is saying, look, there is a connection here that I can make with the biblical Jesus, and I want to build that bridge with you and taking 00:24:14.600 --> 00:24:16.980 time to get to know about your culture a little bit. 00:24:17.520 --> 00:24:17.660 Right? 00:24:17.660 --> 00:24:20.640 You don't have to know everything about a culture, every detail. 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:22.460 Someone believes in order to connect to them. 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:30.380 But it is important to take time to get to know them and how they think and what shapes them, because you can better share with 00:24:30.380 --> 00:24:31.230 them in that way. 00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:34.620 And so he refers to it as the unknown God he's contextualizing. 00:24:35.660 --> 00:24:37.020 And one of the ways he's contextualizing. 00:24:38.020 --> 00:24:40.900 I'll give you another big boy, big girl word here. 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:44.850 He's using presupposition presuppositions. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:52.180 It means he's looking for a way people are acknowledging the existence of a true the true God, 00:24:52.820 --> 00:24:54.860 but not fully embracing him. 00:24:55.740 --> 00:25:00.430 And by saying what therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 00:25:00.500 --> 00:25:03.460 What Paul is doing is he's putting his finger on presuppositions. 00:25:04.600 --> 00:25:08.980 What presuppositions do you carry that align with who God is? 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:14.640 Although you may not acknowledge God, and you can do this with every worldview on the planet. 00:25:15.860 --> 00:25:18.320 Even atheism like that. 00:25:18.380 --> 00:25:21.070 People would claim atheism maybe is not a religion. 00:25:22.040 --> 00:25:25.140 But I want you to know, atheism is very much a religion. 00:25:25.300 --> 00:25:29.260 It's a it's a system of beliefs that dictate what people do. 00:25:29.260 --> 00:25:35.240 In fact, there was a book written by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek that was called I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. 00:25:35.580 --> 00:25:41.890 And they talk about in order to hold that worldview, why you actually have to have more faith to believe that than than it would take to be a Christian. 00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:49.440 It's interesting read, but they walk through the logic of that it is impossible for someone who might claim 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:56.460 atheism to not borrow from a Christian worldview, or have presuppositions that align with a 00:25:56.460 --> 00:25:59.700 Christian worldview, even though they claim to be atheists. 00:26:00.140 --> 00:26:03.230 Which means it's inconsistent with atheism. 00:26:03.900 --> 00:26:11.400 And so what Paul is doing, and what we as believers learn to do, is how can we just put our finger on those presuppositions 00:26:11.400 --> 00:26:13.300 to help people think through that? 00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:20.720 So in terms of atheism, we would say things like you know, certainly how does something come from nothing. 00:26:20.860 --> 00:26:21.100 Right. 00:26:21.160 --> 00:26:24.690 Because you have to have time, space and matter, which gets into a little bit of heady thinking. 00:26:25.120 --> 00:26:26.850 I'm going to move past that for time's sake. 00:26:26.980 --> 00:26:28.600 But how does something come from nothing. 00:26:28.700 --> 00:26:33.100 But even more than that, how does that something work with logic and order? 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:40.400 Because when you look at a world that operates in logic and order, that intelligent design suggests an intelligent designer. 00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:44.780 So even though we might claim atheism, there is no God. 00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:52.300 We, those that might hold that worldview would wake up every day expecting that tomorrow will be like today with consistency 00:26:52.300 --> 00:26:54.400 and order and logic. 00:26:54.740 --> 00:27:00.160 Will operate our whole life expecting that two plus two will always equal four. 00:27:01.080 --> 00:27:08.320 But if this world just randomly comes into existence, there's no reason any of it should logically interconnect or make 00:27:08.320 --> 00:27:09.320 sense. 00:27:09.480 --> 00:27:11.900 And if you just you take a step further than that. 00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:19.880 And from an atheistic worldview, what you typically find with people is they demand that there would be purpose and 00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:22.580 meaning and morality. 00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:27.280 They'll even usurp things like universal morality on people. 00:27:27.280 --> 00:27:34.500 And the question is, how can there be a universal moral law in which we would be governed by unless there be a moral 00:27:34.500 --> 00:27:35.550 law giver? 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:40.660 How can your life even have value or ultimate meaning unless there be someone who created it? 00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:43.880 And why would you long to want to live for more? 00:27:44.840 --> 00:27:49.520 Lest there be more in how God has designed the world. 00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:57.420 I mean, when you think about how atheism plays itself out and you try to determine the worth of humanity, at best 00:27:57.420 --> 00:28:02.120 a human being is nothing more than a commodity, right? 00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:07.900 And thinking from an atheistic worldview, there's nothing really more special about you than a rock outside. 00:28:08.340 --> 00:28:14.730 It just so happens that rock fizzed one way and you fizzed another way, and this is what you evolved into. 00:28:15.420 --> 00:28:17.990 But there's no universal worth of a human being. 00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:21.780 The best value that can be placed on you is simply determined by your performance. 00:28:23.380 --> 00:28:27.080 But we know in a Christian worldview that's not true, right? 00:28:27.080 --> 00:28:30.680 That the worth of who you are was determined by your creator who made you in his image. 00:28:31.340 --> 00:28:31.520 And. 00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:38.840 And when it comes to moral law that we long to see justice in this world, that because of the 00:28:38.840 --> 00:28:45.880 image of God in us, at best, someone from an atheistic worldview can just simply suggest to you that you 00:28:45.880 --> 00:28:52.980 should do something because they think it would be right, but they can't determine a moral ought for all of life because there's no moral law 00:28:52.980 --> 00:28:53.580 giver. 00:28:54.500 --> 00:29:01.620 And so the apostle Paul, he's going through and he's reasoning with the people of Athens and all 00:29:01.620 --> 00:29:04.260 that God is and what he's done for us. 00:29:04.300 --> 00:29:06.480 So we can think, think through the importance of him. 00:29:06.540 --> 00:29:11.150 In fact, I would even argue that some people that this is what has led them to Christ. 00:29:11.160 --> 00:29:12.040 People like C.S. 00:29:12.040 --> 00:29:19.080 Lewis, who decided he that life had to be made for more because within him he was looking for good to triumph over 00:29:19.080 --> 00:29:19.740 evil. 00:29:19.740 --> 00:29:26.900 And why would he decide that unless there be a moral law giver to put that within him or this lady I on Hershey Alley 00:29:26.900 --> 00:29:32.520 was known just a few years ago as the leading female atheist in the world. 00:29:33.100 --> 00:29:34.730 She grew up as a muslim in Somalia. 00:29:34.900 --> 00:29:35.810 She lived in a few other countries. 00:29:36.420 --> 00:29:39.290 She eventually became a citizen of the Netherlands in the United States. 00:29:40.620 --> 00:29:46.330 And what she found is her worldview was broken and didn't provide the answer she was looking for. 00:29:47.320 --> 00:29:54.580 And ultimately, she discovered in Christianity, and she writes about her conversion in an essay in 2023 called 00:29:54.580 --> 00:29:56.240 Why I'm Now a Christian. 00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:57.230 But this is what she said. 00:29:57.940 --> 00:30:02.670 Atheism failed to answer a simple question what is the meaning and purpose of life? 00:30:03.540 --> 00:30:03.940 Christianity. 00:30:04.040 --> 00:30:06.520 Christianity answered that question for me. 00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:08.760 I mean, it's a great essay that she writes. 00:30:08.820 --> 00:30:13.120 There's much more than just that quote in there that's portant to see. 00:30:13.120 --> 00:30:20.260 But, when we're talking about reasoning with people, it's just simply looking for the presuppositions, even someone from a religious 00:30:20.260 --> 00:30:24.560 background that might have a belief about Jesus, like just having a conversation. 00:30:24.860 --> 00:30:26.440 What is it you think about Jesus? 00:30:26.980 --> 00:30:27.260 Tell me. 00:30:27.500 --> 00:30:32.190 Tell me your belief about Jesus and taking the opportunity to point them to the Lord. 00:30:32.600 --> 00:30:32.700 So. 00:30:33.220 --> 00:30:35.280 So we want a compassion for the lost. 00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:39.070 We want to be able to connect with them without compromising. 00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:44.820 Not not to pick fights, but to help people wrestle through who God is. 00:30:44.820 --> 00:30:52.100 And I think when we start to engage people, typically what you find is that usually people start off with an intellectual 00:30:52.100 --> 00:30:52.720 reason. 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:55.730 I'm not a I'm not a Christian because, well, I'm too intelligent. 00:30:57.400 --> 00:31:04.800 But as you begin to converse with him, you begin, you start to realize that their problem isn't so much intelligence as it is actually more emotionally driven, 00:31:06.040 --> 00:31:10.720 that there's been woundedness in their life, and there's this perception of who God is in light of that. 00:31:11.760 --> 00:31:17.720 And so because of that, they just reject the arbitrary of idea of who they think God might be. 00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:26.100 And what you discover often when you engage people who may not embrace Jesus or may not embrace the Lord, is that the picture that they have 00:31:26.100 --> 00:31:26.600 of God? 00:31:27.500 --> 00:31:31.350 Honestly, if that's what you thought about God as a Christian, you wouldn't follow that God either. 00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:39.480 But you get to opportunity to dialog with him over it, not because you're trying to win an argument, but because you understand the importance of 00:31:39.480 --> 00:31:43.340 who you are in light of who God is, and you want them to find that freedom, too. 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:49.540 So last point I need to zip through this is this conviction through truth. 00:31:51.180 --> 00:31:53.200 Conviction through truth. 00:31:54.200 --> 00:31:55.990 And this is what Paul does as he shares. 00:31:56.060 --> 00:31:56.820 It's brilliant. 00:31:57.540 --> 00:32:02.500 I don't I'm not going to have time to go through all this, but I do want to just kind of summarize it for you so you can see it. 00:32:02.500 --> 00:32:04.200 And if you want to read it later, you can. 00:32:05.080 --> 00:32:09.740 But one of the things Paul does in this passage is he starts with an idea of the greatness of who God is. 00:32:10.700 --> 00:32:17.780 He paints this picture of a God that is far greater than the gods of Athens, because the gods of Athens are simply glorified human 00:32:17.780 --> 00:32:18.420 beings. 00:32:18.420 --> 00:32:21.780 I mean, they're barely deities and their capability in comparison to God. 00:32:22.660 --> 00:32:29.900 But he wants them to understand that God is a sovereign God, ruler of all things, can't be contained in a temple, isn't served by human hands because God 00:32:29.900 --> 00:32:30.600 doesn't lack. 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:36.810 Even this morning, I hope that you realize God's not up in heaven being like, oh, they better show up to church today. 00:32:37.400 --> 00:32:41.140 Gosh, if they don't tell me how important I am, I don't know what I'm going to do. 00:32:41.620 --> 00:32:44.960 That's an inadequate guide that can't really satisfy or fulfill you. 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:49.300 There's a gross understanding, and we do this as human beings. 00:32:49.300 --> 00:32:54.330 Our tendency is to tear God down and elevate ourselves. 00:32:55.280 --> 00:32:58.820 And the reason we do that is because we trust ourselves more than we trust the Lord. 00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:05.880 It becomes critical for us to understand not only the greatness of God, but also the grace of God. 00:33:06.060 --> 00:33:12.390 Because if God is a sovereign being over all things, but he's not compassionate, then you should look out right. 00:33:12.700 --> 00:33:14.380 Like, there's worry there. 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:15.880 But you do need a sovereign God. 00:33:16.860 --> 00:33:22.190 You do need a God who is capable, a God who can bring joy in the midst of brokenness. 00:33:22.520 --> 00:33:25.360 A God who can deliver ultimate hope because he is in charge. 00:33:26.320 --> 00:33:30.820 And this is where Paul starts in verse 24, all the way down to verse 29. 00:33:30.860 --> 00:33:33.520 He shares a God this way, a God who rules. 00:33:33.520 --> 00:33:40.700 And then in verse 29 he says, this being, then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, 00:33:40.820 --> 00:33:44.040 an image formed by the art and the imagination of man. 00:33:44.280 --> 00:33:49.560 Paul starting to say this with us look, not only is there a great God, but you belong to him. 00:33:50.380 --> 00:33:56.240 And so we don't want to subjugate him just to created things, but understand him, the creator, as creator of all things. 00:33:57.040 --> 00:34:04.080 And then he goes from the this greatness of God, and he shares with us in verse 30 the importance of a 00:34:04.080 --> 00:34:04.940 personal God. 00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:07.940 He says in verse 30, the times of ignorance God overlooked. 00:34:08.840 --> 00:34:15.940 But now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness 00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:18.580 by a man whom he has appointed. 00:34:19.100 --> 00:34:23.159 And of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. 00:34:24.520 --> 00:34:31.580 So not only does he talk about this great God and his sovereignty, he also talks about a personal God who comes near and he begins to share about 00:34:31.580 --> 00:34:33.600 the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. 00:34:34.600 --> 00:34:35.639 A God who cares for you. 00:34:36.600 --> 00:34:38.360 A God who wants to meet you where you are. 00:34:39.120 --> 00:34:45.699 A God who gave everything for you that you could find forgiveness and freedom in him, a personal God. 00:34:46.739 --> 00:34:53.620 It's important for the Epicureans to understand that God's just not distant, but he desires to be made known in your life. 00:34:54.420 --> 00:35:01.520 And as Paul shares all this, one of the things I think is unique in this passage, verse 32 and on it tells 00:35:01.520 --> 00:35:08.560 us that they interrupt Paul, meaning Paul starts to talk about the resurrection, but he doesn't get to deal with the details of the 00:35:08.560 --> 00:35:08.960 resurrection. 00:35:09.300 --> 00:35:09.500 Why? 00:35:09.560 --> 00:35:11.560 It's significant because the people shut him down. 00:35:12.600 --> 00:35:19.940 Not everyone's going to embrace what you say about Jesus, but it doesn't stop us from sharing about Jesus, because our 00:35:19.940 --> 00:35:27.260 goal in our lives is to glorify a God who gave everything for us, and just taking the opportunity to share it with others is communicating a compassion 00:35:27.260 --> 00:35:28.900 and a love for Christ. 00:35:28.900 --> 00:35:34.840 Because the compassion and love Jesus has for you think about making a difference in this world. 00:35:34.840 --> 00:35:41.880 It's not about just trying to convince people, because if the goal of our life is just simply about convincing people we're going 00:35:41.880 --> 00:35:42.180 to. 00:35:42.380 --> 00:35:46.360 We're going to live a life of a lot of disappointment, because there are a lot of people that just don't want to be convinced. 00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:55.900 But when the goal of your life is to honor the Lord, to rest in him, to make him known, it 00:35:55.900 --> 00:36:02.340 gives us a place, regardless of what people do or don't do, in what we say, just to honor Jesus as we move along. 00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:06.080 And in so doing, we realize as people it's not up to us. 00:36:06.080 --> 00:36:07.880 It's not about me impressing people with who I am. 00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:10.060 It's not about me having to wear the weight of the world. 00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:14.400 It's about introducing the world to the one who wore that weight for them on the cross. 00:36:15.540 --> 00:36:16.600 And you close with this. 00:36:16.600 --> 00:36:24.120 But in the first five centuries of Christianity, one of the most influential people out of the early disciples, 00:36:24.140 --> 00:36:26.050 and Jesus would be a man by the name of Augustine. 00:36:26.440 --> 00:36:29.690 And Augustine grew up believing in a false religion. 00:36:30.140 --> 00:36:31.970 His mother was actually Manicheism. 00:36:32.660 --> 00:36:34.390 His mother was a devout believer. 00:36:35.240 --> 00:36:39.060 And Augustine followed a different faith, but his mother never gave up on him. 00:36:40.240 --> 00:36:41.780 She prayed for him constantly. 00:36:42.220 --> 00:36:45.630 In fact, one of the ministers in her area was a man by the name of Ambrose. 00:36:45.880 --> 00:36:50.680 One day he came upon Monica just kneeling in prayer for her son and weeping. 00:36:51.520 --> 00:36:54.880 And Ambrose, I don't know, was completely aware of exactly who she was praying for. 00:36:54.960 --> 00:37:01.320 He just looked at her and said, the tears of who you're praying for, their salvation shall not be wasted before the Lord. 00:37:03.020 --> 00:37:10.140 And guys, can I just say the same for you when you carry the heart of God in this world for others, the 00:37:10.140 --> 00:37:14.240 beauty of it is that you're carrying the heart of God for people in this world. 00:37:15.300 --> 00:37:17.190 It may be that some of them come to know the Christ. 00:37:17.600 --> 00:37:22.680 It may be that some refuse to know Christ, but in your life you're honoring Christ. 00:37:23.780 --> 00:37:26.700 And in so doing, Jesus blesses that. 00:37:26.700 --> 00:37:27.600 Jesus sees that.