What do Athens Greece, Chicago Illinois, a wide open flower of Telstar Iris, and an unexpected gift of a beautiful lily bouquet have in common?
Blue Lake Presbyterian | 5-21-2017
Good morning,
It is great to be here in Blue Lake on this beautiful Morning
Today’s sermon title “A passion for souls” based on Acts 17:22-31
People ask me, what do you do? I am a flower farmer, and we are specialized in growing flowers from bulbs, such as Tulips, Iris and Lilies. We purchase bulbs from countries like: Holland, France, New Zealand and Chile. Just like oil from around the world is traded in US dollars, bulbs are mostly traded in Euros.
This currency, created in 1999, by the European Union is used throughout Europe, including a country called Greece. The exchange rate reached an all-time high by July 2008 of 160 dollar cent for one euro, in turn making the cost of our bulbs, very high.
Greece with a population of less than 11 million people, and an economy the size of the state of Kentucky ($195 billion) made the news in October 2008. A national debt crisis in Greece, rattled financial markets, shook the foundation of the European Union, and the euro tumbled.
Looking back in time, Greece has had a significant influence on history of the World. It is the place where the Olympics originated in 776 BC. Philosophy as we know it today has its roots in Greece.
At one point, during the reign of Alexander the Great in 330 BC, the Greek empire stretched from Macedonia to the north, Egypt to the south and bordering India to the east.
By 60 AD the Roman Empire was in control of the Greek territory, but Athens was still the center of the stoic philosophers, the Areopagus was the council of elders of the city, they met at, what is referred to as “Mars Hill” near the Acropolis. This is what brings us to today’s scripture reading in Acts 17:22-31 as we go on a journey to Athens Greece, it can be found on page……
22Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. 23For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them, an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 25nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals, life and breath and all things. 26From one ancestor he made all nations, to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence, and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 27so that they would search for God and perhaps reach out for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.
28For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too, are his offspring.’ 29Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. 30While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere, to repent, 31because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness, by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Friends, the New Testament covers 138,000 words, but nearly a quarter, 33,000 words are from the13 letters of Paul. His letters are among the most searched texts in the entire bible. The website biblestudytools.com lists the 25 most popular bible searches on their website, 9 of them are from the letters of Paul.
Paul’s sermons on the other hand, are less recognized. The book of Acts recorded seven of them; one in a Synagogue in Syria. Two are personal autobiographies before a crowd in Jerusalem, and before King Agrippa. Two are brief dialogues with individuals. And two of them are open-air sermons to Gentiles, one in Lystra Turkey, and the one in Athens we just read.
What brought Paul to Athens?…… His passion for souls started after his conversion on the road to Damascus, after he lost sight for three days. Paul was a Pharisee, a member of the ruling class, in Philippians 3, he describes his Jewish heritage: from the Tribe of Benjamin, a ‘Hebrew of the Hebrews.
But his conversion was like a switch that was turned on, in Acts 9:17 we read: Ananias laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me, so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
From that point forward Paul became one of the most fervent evangelists, with a passion for souls. He set out on four missionary journeys to reach any one willing to listen. The first journey took him through Syria into Turkey. His second journey led him to Greece, to cities like Thessalonica, Philippi and Corinth.
Paul considered Greece a fertile ground to reach hungry souls, spreading the good news of the Gospel, first and foremost to the Jews, living in those countries and to the gentiles. The bible tells us in Acts, that the Jewish leaders became jealous and chased him out of Thessalonica and then from the town of Berea, but a group of believers rescued Paul and took him as far away as Athens.
In the weeks leading up to MD, we ship countless truckloads of flowers from the farm, to delight and amaze mothers across America. The team in our company did a superb job to make this happen, and the days were long, typically from 5 am to 8pm. A few weeks ago driving to the farm shortly after 4.30, I listened to a program called “Today in the word”
The speaker was Luis Palau, he talked about Dwight Moody, the great evangelist of late 1800’s, his name is memorialized in places like: Moody radio, Moody church and the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Dwight Moody had a passion for souls.
Luis Palau shared a story that every time Moody finished a sermon a few old ladies would come up to him and say, Mr Moody you preached a good sermon, but we are praying that you get the power. Each Sunday they would come to him again: good sermon, but we are praying that you get the power. Moody was getting slightly annoyed by these repeated comments of those two ladies.
But in the fall of 1871, Moody was in New York City ready to take the boat to England, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, their prayers were answered; the power of God fell upon him as he walked up the street and he hurried off to the house of a friend and asked that he might have a room by himself, and he stayed alone for hours; and the Holy Spirit came upon him, filling his soul with overwhelming joy.
Moody was never the same after that moment, like a switch was turned on, he started preaching with more authority, more people came to Christ, he had more love for people, a passion for souls.
He went on to England for what was to be, the first of many evangelistic campaigns there. People came from all over London to hear him. The evangelist went on to live another 28 years, according to Christianity.com DL Moody is believed have led, an estimated million people to Christ.
A passion for souls was the credo for Paul. As he walked through this ancient town of Greece, he is shocked what he sees, but he addresses the crowd, by flattering them, at first. I see you are very religious, but folks, let me tell you, you are missing the essence of what it is, you believe in.
Paul’s message leads the audience to the truth of God, as the maker of heaven and earth, and he concludes with: now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because in the end we will all be judged, the reel of our life will be reviewed. Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead, want all men to be saved.
Paul tells it with such conviction and passion. Why?……. because Paul knows the truth, because he encountered Christ. Knowing the truth brings forth in Paul, a deep rooted conviction and urge to share the Good News, with as many folks that are open to receive the message.
He is effective because he is filled with the spirit. The truth of the Gospel and the power of spirit, bring in him the innate desire to help others come to Christ, a desire that became Paul’s mission in life.
He was a tent maker, but he dedicated his whole being to spreading the message. Nothing seems to face him, he is shipwrecked, three times beaten with rods, once stoned (stoned with stones not the other type) and left for dead, and he finds himself in prison several times.
It is Paul’s sense of purpose, his sense of meaning in life that drives him, no matter what adversity he faces. Because he knows Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that there is no salvation without Jesus Christ. That knowledge is the core of his passion for souls.
Let’s me illustrate with an example how knowledge drives passion. We grow an Iris variety called Telstar; this variety is unique because it completely opens. There are other Iris varieties in the market that are easier to grow, but they do not open as well, the flower comes about half way and then shrivels up. Those varieties are the mean reason for the negative perception that Iris doesn’t last and will not open.
We have grown Telstar for 30 years, and I know and that Telstar will guarantee to open. I get very passionate talking about this because I have seen the disappointment with the other Iris and want to tell the story of the great attributes of Telstar, and how it provides a better experience for the consumer.
Paul spoke with passion, because had encountered the Lord at his conversion and he was filled with the power. He had a passion to spread the message of Jesus Christ to hungry souls. And while in prison he continued reaching to believers in Philippi, Corinth, Thessalonica and Rome.
Paul wrote in Romans 1:14 to Greeks and non-Greeks, wise and ignorant, I owe a debt to preach to every person. I am not ashamed of The Gospel, because it is the power of God for the life of all, who believe in it.
Paul had the amazing ability to reach people with his sound reasoning and making a profound case for Christ. After he spoke in Athens, some walked away, but others followed him. Greece became one of the early strongholds of Christianity, of the early church. Today 92% of the population in Greece are believers in Christ,
The bible says in Luke 19:10 Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, but after his 3 year ministry he told his disciples in Acts 1:8 now it is up to you, you will be my witnesses, you will be my ambassadors, you will be my the carriers of the message of salvation to a world that desperately needs to hear it. The Holy Spirit will give you help and power.
With a passion for souls, every single one counts, just like the bulbs we plant, to grow flowers. Along the way we lose some bulbs before they grow in to a flower. Some we lose to a disease called Fusarium, and the entire bulb rots away.
Other times bulbs get bruised and damaged and develop a disease called gray mold or Penicilium. Or during transport in the ocean container some bulbs already started rooting and the roots dry up or get damaged.
While planting, bulbs fall on the floor and are lost, some are planted sideways, or even worse, upside down. While growing in the cooler, occasionally sprouts grow too tall and get damaged coming into the greenhouse.
With picking some flowers are accidentally broken by the flower pickers. Throughout the growing process the flower farmer tries to ensure that no flowers are lost, he tries to save as many as he can.
So it is with our Lord and Savior, who wants all man to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
Bible says in 2 peter3:9 no one should perish
Friends, there is a hunger among people; they are looking without knowing they are looking for something, a hunger of souls.
In Acts 13:47 the Lord commanded saying, I have set you to be the light for the gentiles so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.
DL Moody once said: How many of you are willing to reject Jesus Christ and sign a letter with these words: to the King of Heaven, today one of your followers brought me the message of eternal life, but hereby I reject the offer, I despise the gift and I turn my back on you.
Friday night, I went through the neighborhood here in Blue Lake and left some bunches of lilies with a sermon flyer at porches and front doors.
At 11.20 pm, I received an email saying…..I found a large bunch of lilies on my porch Friday night. Obviously, they are meant for someone else who may have lived here before. If that is the case, I will leave them outside, so you can come and get them on Saturday.
My response was: these lilies are for you. They are a gift. Enjoy them.
It is like that with the message of Jesus Christ, and the promise of eternal life, it is a gift, and it is free.
But just like with that bunch of lilies, we have a choice: put them in a vase of water and we will cherish them, and be filled with joy, but on the other hand, if we do not, they will dry up and wither and die.
Ask Jesus to come into your life as your Lord and Savior.
Then the fire of God starts burning inside, we begin to love our neighbors, we begin to do good, the Holy Spirit starts to live inside of us.
Friends, let our hearts by filled with joy, with fire, and conviction that Jesus is Lord, and God raised him from the dead.
And the light will shine, upon us.
Thank you,
Amen
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