The Point Of Contact, Part 2 (Of 2)

 

First we considered the Philippian jailer whose conversion was experiential. Then we looked at the Ethiopian eunuch whose conversion was from that of Judaism to Christianity. He had in embryo the truth of the gospel but needed deeper understanding to enter into truth. Now we look at the worldly intellectuals Paul confronted in Athens.

When the apostle entered Athens he noted the city was “given over to idols,” Acts 17:16. In verse 23 we learn that there was even an altar to the unknown god. Athens was a hotbed of religious pluralism. More than that, humanistic philosophy resided there as well. The Epicureans were followers of one Epicuras (341-270 B.C.) who taught pleasure through experience rather than the pursuit of what is true. The Stoics were disciples of Zeno (336-264 B.C.), something of a pantheist that taught that the world was ordered by reason, and man should surrender to the divine will expressed in this order. Note, however, Zeno hardly meant the Judeo-Christian God in his expression of the divine, but something more akin to Hinduism’s Brahman.

 

Paul entered this melting pot of human religion and philosophy, a veritable shopping mart of religious preference and debated not only in the synagogue with the Rabbis, but with said philosophers in the market, being labeled a “babbler, NKJV” or “idle babbler, NASB” which is a reference to “one who makes his living picking up scraps,” Acts 17:18. The point of contact Paul made when he had his moment to speak on Mars’ Hill was the shared enthusiasm the Athenians had with their displays of piety. Paul commended them on expressing their religious devotion before reasoning with them, beginning from a shared point (the existence of the divine) to a foreign point (the actual nature of the divine), even making reference from their own poets’ deduction that mankind is created from the agency of the divine, Acts 17:28. Paul led them to God’s expression of salvation and judgment by appointing a Man who, representing humanity, would both redeem the just and condemn the lost, demonstrating how the Athenian gods and man-made philosophy are insufficient to explain human origin and the divine nature. The result? Some mocked, some straddled the fence, and others believed, Acts 17:32, 34.

 

What is our take away? The point of contact must be something personal, mutual, relational, and understandable. Paul, Silas, Philip, etc., addressed the needs of the lost with the utmost humility and compassion. They became all things to all men, in order to save some. Even in that Scripture, there seems to be a perfect awareness that failure will result from some attempts to reach the lost. They would save some, as we just noted at Athens. Not everyone will believe for a variety of reasons or excuses. But if we are to bring the gospel to the lost we must first understand how to approach our audience. What is the point of contact? Prayerfully and with humility we must understand where the human need for salvation manifests in someone’s life and meet him there.

 

For the jailer whose life revolved around judgment and imprisonment he needed an earthquake, some disturbance that reached within his insulated sphere of activity to make him look outward and upward. Such moments of conversion might be the most direct. Paul and Silas did not wax philosophic with the man. They were straight forward in proclaiming the jailer’s need for Christ.

 

For the eunuch Philip needed a more theological approach. The man was versed in Scripture and was already entrenched in Jewish worship, which exposed him to Yahweh and prophetic Scripture. Philip needed a deft and patient mind to guide the seeker in a sort of connect-the-dots as the evangelist demonstrated that the Old Testament led to Jesus.

 

For the men of Athens Paul was an ecumenical genius. He observed, took into account the extremely diverse nature of his crowd, and began at a very broad starting point: the search for meaning in life, which led humanity to consider the nature of the divine. Pulling numerous threads together into a single line, Paul expertly led the narrative from philosophy, pantheism, or polytheism to Jesus, the image of the invisible God, the Creator of all life. He revealed that the purpose mankind chased after could be found in Him.

 

As we presently dwell in what could appropriately be termed a global Athens today, it is imperative to know with whom we speak, what their worldview is, and what convictions they hold it with. We may preach Christ, but a proper point of contact needs to be established so a meaningful exchange can take place between parties, with mutual respect and care for the values of whomever it is we are preaching to. When next we are ready to speak to the lost, relying on the Holy Spirit’s leading and wisdom, consider this person not an enemy, a target or a fool; they are a human being made in God’s image, someone for whom Christ our Lord died. His blood was shed for them, and we have been sent out to proclaim that reconciliation is attainable to those who truly desire it. Christ opened the narrow door that leads to God. With His power and by His grace, let each of us thoughtfully consider what fit words we must employ to reach unbelievers for the sake of the gospel.