Sermon Series: Misconceptions About Christianity 

It's Not Rational or Intelligent 

Acts 17:16-34 

CBC, Bishop-11/2/03

In a nutshell: God is more than just a philosophy; He is active; and He judges according to His standards, not human standards. These are reasonable and intelligent things that we can understand. So, how do we respond?

I. Introduction

I don't know about you, but one of the biggest misconceptions I've encountered over the years about Christianity is that it's not a thinking person's religion. In other words, it's not rational or intelligent. Some people feel you have to be about one sandwich short of a picnic to believe that …God would become a man, …by being born of a virgin, then …after dying a horrible death, …would rise again from the dead, then …after rising from the dead, to ascend into heaven on a cloud.

But is that really so far fetched? You see, the Scripture that we're going to be looking at this morning would refute that. Paul, who was one of the most brilliant ethnic scholars of his day, come into contact with some other intellectuals on their home turf, at the city of Athens. And while he met with them, he laid down an intellectual defense of God that impacted them tremendously. So, if you have your Bibles, I'm going to ask that you turn to Acts 17 where that incident is recorded.

Now, as we get into answering this misconception about Christianity-of it not being rational or intelligent-let's start by looking at three different facts about God that Paul gives to these men of Athens.

II. 3 Facts About God

A. God is more than just a philosophy. (vv. 16-21)

The first fact is that God is more than just a philosophy. He builds his case in verses 16-21.

Acts 17:16-21 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

1. Difference between God and philosophy

When Paul talked to these men in Athens, he made it a point to distinguish God… from the idols and philosophies that were prevalent and evident throughout the city. In essence he told them that God is not just another deaf and mute idol made of metal, wood, or stone. God is beyond human comprehension.

You see, the people of the city of Athens viewed themselves, as living in the intellectual center of the world-much in the same way that New Yorkers view themselves in our culture today. The people of Athens were the ones who set the trends in dress, in customs and in modern thought. And as this section shows, they were always looking for new ideas.

Do you know what I find interesting? I find interesting that the people of Athens were very similar to people in our culture today. The people of Athens believed that it didn't really matter what you believed as long as it seemed right to you. Because to the people of Athens, all religions were nothing more than interesting philosophies.

And the philosophies that most of them held, centered around human beings and their abilities. Today we call that humanism. And Athenians, like many humanistic intellectuals today, felt that a person needed to look only to themselves to find the highest good. In other words, human beings are like gods. They are the captains of their fate.

2. God's view of humanistic philosophy

But look at what God says about humanistic philosophies:

Colossians 2:8 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Notice the phrase in this verse that reads, "which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of the world rather than on Christ." The problem with most philosophies back in the first century and today in the 21st century, is that they don't depend on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Instead, they depend on principles of this world and human tradition.

Friends, when we use our human selves as the standard for what's good and bad, right and wrong, truth and non-truth, we run into a whole lot of trouble. That isn't rational! Because if there's no standard outside of our individual human intellects, then we've opened ourselves up to a lot of chance for error.

Illustration: It reminds me of the story of a female traveler, who was between flights at an airport. She decided to go to a vending machine, where she bought a small package of Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies. Then she sat down and began reading her newspaper.

Gradually, she became aware of a rustling noise. From behind her paper, she was flabbergasted to see a neatly dressed man helping himself to her cookies. Not wanting to make a scene, she leaned over and took a cookie from the opened bag, herself.

A minute or two passed, and then came more rustling. The man was helping himself to another cookie! Then it happened a third time. Well, the woman was so angry she didn't dare allow herself to say anything. Then, as if to add insult to injury, the man broke the last cookie in two, pushed half across to her, and ate the other half and left. The lady was furious! Just then her flight was called, and the woman opened her purse to get her ticket, and to her shock and embarrassment, there she found her pack of unopened cookies!

The problem with humans is that we can think ourselves to be so right, and yet we can be so wrong in what we think we know!

But God is different from a philosophy. He is more than a thought in a human brain. He is a heavenly "being", He is real, and He is a personality who cannot or will not be ignored. Because at the end of all things, every single person who has ever lived will eventually have to face Him and answer to Him for the outcome of their lives. God is real. He is so much more than a philosophy that's contrived in the human brain.

B. God is active (vv. 22-28)

The second fact about God appears in what Paul said in verses 22-28

Acts 17:22-28 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

So, not only is God real and more than just another human philosophy, Paul explains here that God has been active in the affairs of human beings from the beginning of time. God is active!

Paul says, -He created the heavens and the earth, -and places people where He wills. -He exists outside His creation -and He cannot be contained by it. -He made every nation, tribe and people group that inhabits the earth…, -And He did it from just one man.

And why did He do it? Look at verse 27, again…

Acts 17:27 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Unlike the gods of the Greeks and Romans, who really had no use for man except to use human beings as their toys, the God of creation is actively involved in our lives, hoping that we will reach out to Him. God is near to any who wants to find Him. Look at this verse from…

Jeremiah 29:13 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Friends, this is vitally important for each one of us to understand-even though God is greater than all of creation, He wants to be known by you as a person. He wants to be actively involved in your life on its most intimate level: -Only God-not a philosophy-can offer you forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Him forever. -Only the Divine Creator of the universe can offer you a personal relationship with the Divine Creator of the universe. -No one else can offer to touch you at the deepest level of your being and bring healing from heartache and despair. -And no one else has the ability offer you the unconditional love we all crave.

God is active and He wants to be active in every human being's life…including yours. .

C. God judges according to His standards, not human standards.

Then look at the third fact that Paul points out about God. It's found in verses 29-31.

Acts 17:29-31 29 "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone-an image made by man's design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

The third fact is that God judges according to His standards, not human standards.

It just makes sense. Since God created human beings, He has the right to decide how to deal with each and everyone of us, whether it's on earth or when we face the hereafter. This passage tells us that God will set the day of judgment, and the man He appoints (which we know to be Jesus) will be the judge. In other words, the standard for justice and judgment will be Jesus.

Now, keep in mind that… Jesus is all-holy. He is all-loving. He is perfect in every way. In fact, He is the only sinless person to have ever walked the earth. And if He is the standard, friends, we are in a heap of trouble. Because we cannot possibly live up to that standard because we all are sinners already-it's too late to change that!

Now, by itself, that's not very good news, because when we're measured against perfection, we are left wanting…big time.

But there is good news! You see, Jesus is more than just the standard we have to live up to in order to gain eternal life in heaven. He is also the way into heaven.

We remembered that fact during the Lord's Supper this morning. Jesus provided the forgiveness and pardon for our sins, so we could stand blameless before God. God, knowing we could never get to heaven on our own, provided the way in, at the cost of His own Son, Jesus.

During the time in the upper room, just before Jesus was arrested and tried, He proclaimed…

John 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

The immediate outcry from philosophers down through the centuries has been, "You can't say that! There should be many ways to God…, if there even is a God."

Not so, friends! -Remember who the Creator is - God. -Then remember who the creation is - us. Can the clay complain to the potter that the potter didn't do his job right? The Creator makes the rules. The creation belongs to Him and He deals with it as He sees fit.

Before you think that sounds harsh, let me fill you in on something: Outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ where He is the forgiver of our sin and leader of our life, our sin condemns us.

But I know what some of you are thinking, "Come on, Tom! It's not like I've cheated on my wife or killed anybody!"

Oh yeah? -Have you ever looked at a woman with eyes that should be reserved for your wife? Jesus says that's adultery. -Have you ever called in sick to work, when you weren't really sick? Scripture says you are a liar. Illustration: Maybe you've heard the story of the minister who called in sick on a Sunday morning because he felt he needed a round of golf instead. While he heads out to the golf course, the angels come to God and ask Him why He is not punishing the minister. God just tells them, "Just be patient."

The minister has a fantastic round-6 birdies and all the rest pars. Then on the last hole, he gets his first-ever hole-in-one. The angels are beside themselves. "How could you let him have a hole-in-one when he is being so disobedient?"

The Lord quietly said, "Who's he going to tell?"

But I'm not done yet… -Have you ever hated someone? Scripture says that makes you are a murderer. Still not convinced? -James tells us that if we know the good we are supposed to do and don't do it, that is sin. Question: How many times have you not done something you knew you should have done?

Friends, if we were hauled in front of a judge for all the sins we have committed, he would toss us in jail and throw away the key. We would be punished for the rest of our existence. Justice would demand it. And justice demands eternal punishment for our sins.

But God doesn't stop at justice. He continues on to mercy, and then to grace. Justice demands punishment. So, God sent His Son to take the punishment for us. His perfect sacrifice makes it possible for us to appear before God, the holy judge, not as a shameless criminal, but as a squeaky-clean, completely forgive, and totally righteous child of God.

God will judge according to His standard, not men's. And He has provided the way to meet that standard. God is more than just a philosophy. He is real, and He is active. And He will judge according to His standards, not anyone else's.

III. Conclusion

Well how can we apply all this? I see three different responses that are possible. And each one is displayed in the 3 different responses of the Athenians who listened to Paul.

A. Rejection

The first response was…Rejection.

Look at verse 32…

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered,

The attitude was that this was just a bunch of hogwash that a thinking man couldn't possibly accept. So, they chose to reject it.

My prayer is that you don't do that. It is a huge intellectual mistake, that will have eternal consequences. You see, unless you start thinking rationally here, there will come a time when it will be too late. You see, there will be plenty of second guessing after you die, but there will be no second chance.

But if you have rejected God's offer in Jesus in the past, the good news is you have another opportunity this morning to change that. Don't leave here today holding God at arm's length.

B. Tell Me More

The second point of application is found in a second response that was in the crowd of Athenians that day. Look at the second part of verse 32…

Acts 17:32b 32b …but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."

The second response is "Tell me more."

That's a pretty good option. If you are not yet ready to embrace the claims of Jesus as your Savior, but want more info, then we have several places where you can get the information you want.

1. One is by going to the "Tell Me More" table in the back of this room. There we have two different books available for free, that will give you the answers to the questions you still have-The Case for Christ and More Than a Carpenter.

2. Second, you can visit our web site and visit our Frequently Asked Questions about Christianity" page. We have the address printed on cards at the "Tell Me More" table. Just ask for it.

3. The third place where you can get information is right here (point to self). If you have a question, simply ask me. I will be happy to drop whatever I'm doing to show you God's answer to your question from His Word.

C. Act on it

But there's a third response. And this one's the best. Look at verse 34…

Acts 17:34 34 A few men 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.

Some were convinced that what Paul said was true, and they acted on it. They decided that this Jesus was really God's Messiah, and that He held the keys to heaven.

Friend, if that's what you would like to do this morning, you will have the opportunity in just a moment. I want to invite you to make Jesus Christ the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life. You do that by asking His forgiveness for your sins, believing He died for you, and that He rose from the grave.

It is a huge misconception if you think Christianity isn't rational or intelligent. Christianity involves facts, logic and truth. There's nothing irrational about that. But what is irrational and what is not intelligent is to deny your sin and think there will never be consequences for how you've lived your life.

The Good News is that, according to the Bible, all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Not only is that Good News, it is the very best news any human being could ever hear.

We're going to pray right now. And if you want to have Jesus become the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life, I'm going to ask that you pray along with me in the quietness of your heart right now.

Prayer: Jesus I know I am a sinner and I need your forgiveness. I believe that when you died on the cross and rose from the dead, You did those things for me. I accept the exchange of my sin for your righteousness. And from this day on, I want to follow you as the leader of my life.