The Divine Crash

So, I am finally moved and after a week of craziness with Verizon (that will probably become a blog post) I am back online.  You can listen to this Sunday’s sermon after the break or click here and launch iTunes.  The was my first sermon at my new appointment, as a result I knew that I always have 20% who love what I say, 20% who hate it and 60% who will decide based on what I say.

We read from Acts and the events of Paul in Athens.

Paul is distressed at what he is seeing so he starts talking in the Synagogue and in the Marketplace.

Paul is distressed at all the idols and so he speaks.  He does not form a book-club, boycott, or picket line, he starts talking about Jesus.

As a result of talking about Jesus the people start calling Paul a Babbler.

When you talk about the resurrection of Jesus people will call you a Babbler.

The Greek word for Babbler means seed spreader and in the religious context was a derogatory term for people who would pick up random religious ideas and try to pass them off as important.

Paul had one message: Jesus.  Yet he had two methods.  When he talked to Jews in the synagogue he quoted the Bible.  When he talks to people in the market place he quotes their philosophers.

For Paul the message is what matters, not the method.  If you get caught up in the method you are missing the message.

Paul was talking to Stoics and Epicureans.

Stoics believed that God was some Amorphous blob in the sky that we couldn’t know but our goal was self discipline to put our self in line with this God.

Stoic philosophy is alive and well in star wars. A movie that is all about self discipline and bringing our body in line to be a master.

We still see this when we hear people say “The fates brought us together” or “I feel the positive energy right now.”

Epicureans believed that this was the only life a person got, when a person died that was the end. As such, they believed in doing whatever made them feel good at this moment.

We still see this today in commercials that say “Just do it” or “this feels good so I don’t care how much debt it costs me.”

Paul was talking to people we can identify with today.

When people call you a Babbler, let it be because of Jesus.

When people call you a Babbler because of Jesus you need to come together with other babblers and share a meal and remind yourselves about why you babble.  This is called communion.

Sermon Audio

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