May 2, 2024

Devotional for May 2, 2024

Scripture: Acts 17:16-17 – “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.”

What it means

This was smack dab in the middle of a sermon series by the Apostle Paul in Thessalonica where he was spending three Sabbath days reasoning to the church that Jesus was the Messiah and that He had to suffer and rise from the dead – Christianity 101 for you and I today, but pretty much hot off the presses back then.  He encountered opposition at times – the verses right before this indicate that there were some “bad characters” who infiltrated the crowds of his sermons and were starting riots – not good.  Paul went on from there to Berea, and unfortunately, the problem children got wind of his arrival in Berea and followed him there, continuing to cause problems for Paul, which caused him to change his travel itinerary once again and he headed for the coast near Athens.  While he was there, he was “greatly distressed” to find that the city was chock full of idols.  Paul began to reason with the people there and preach his message of Jesus and His ministry.

What it means to me

When we discuss the topic of idols, most of us think about golden calves, totem poles, voodoo dolls – a physical manifestation of some other “god”.  Most of us today don’t resort to such a worship practice, but perhaps still indulge in idol worship in other ways – a favorite sports team, a hobby, a career…basically anything that threatens to take the place of God on His Throne in our lives.  It can be slippery, and not easy to recognize when that occurs in our lives, but we can take some good advice from Paul and keep our eyes on Jesus and what He accomplished for us 2,000 years ago on the cross.  The message is that simple, but it is the best news that we could ever receive – even better than anything that The Vols might accomplish on the sports field

Love you guys, see you on Sunday!

In Christ,

Brian