Mission to the Unreached: Part 1 - 230410

SPEAKER B HELLO, I'M ROD BUTLER. WELCOME TO LET GOD SPEAK. ACCORDING TO FRONTLINE MISSION AGENCIES, THERE ARE OVER 170 PEOPLE GROUPS IN THE WORLD. ABOUT 40% OF THEM ARE CONSIDERED TO BE UNREACHED BY THE GOSPEL. THAT MEANS THAT CHRISTIANS FROM OUTSIDE THEIR CULTURE HAVE TO REACH THEM. CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES AND LANGUAGES IS ALWAYS CHALLENGING. STAY. STAY WITH US AS WE DISCUSS HOW THE APOSTLE PAUL ADAPTED HIS APPROACH, PRESENTING THE GOSPEL TO PEOPLE WITH VASTLY DIFFERENT WORLDVIEWS. ON OUR PANEL TODAY, WE HAVE KYLIE FISHER AND KATE SIMPSON. WELCOME, KYLIE. SPEAKER C THANK YOU. SPEAKER B WELCOME, KATE. SPEAKER C THANK YOU. SPEAKER B BEFORE WE START OUR DISCUSSION TODAY, LET'S BOW FOR PRAYER. GRACIOUS FATHER, WE ARE COMMISSIONED TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD AND WE THANK YOU THAT THE BIBLE GIVES US AN EXAMPLE. IN ACTS 17 OF HOW PAUL REACHED THE ATHENIANS. WE ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE US AND GIVE US AND OUR VIEWERS WISDOM. AS WE DISCUSS PAUL'S APPROACH, WE ASK IN JESUS NAME, AMEN. WE ARE CALLED TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE EITHER NOTHING OR VERY LITTLE IN COMMON WITH OUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND VALUES. THIS CAN BE DAUNTING, PARTICULARLY IF THEY ARE HOSTILE TO CHRISTIANITY. SO THEN HOW DO WE APPROACH THIS CHALLENGE? THE APOSTLE PAUL IS A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR US TO STUDY. PAUL ADAPTED HIS APPROACH TO CONNECT WITH HIS LISTENERS. I JUST WANT TO READ NOW A BIT OF PAUL'S BACKGROUND, SO WE GET THE FLAVOUR OF WHO PAUL WAS. I'M GOING TO BE READING FROM PHILIPPIANS, CHAPTER THREE AND VERSES THREE TO SIX. FOR WE ARE THE CIRCUMCISION WHICH WORSHIP GOD IN THE SPIRIT AND REJOICE IN CHRIST JESUS AND HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH, THOUGH I MIGHT ALSO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH IF ANY OTHER MAN THINKETH THAT HE HATH WHEREOF HE MIGHT TRUST IN THE FLESH, I MORE. NOW, IT'S A LOT OF WORDS BASICALLY SAYING THAT PAUL COULD BE PUTTING HIS FAITH IN THE FLESH, BUT HE DOESN'T. AND VERSE FIVE SAYS, CIRCUMCISE THE 8TH DAY OF THE STOCK OF ISRAEL, OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN AND HEBREW OF THE HEBREWS AS TOUCHING THE LAW, A PHARISEE CONCERNING ZEAL, PERSECUTING THE CHURCH TOUCHING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH IS IN THE LAW BLAMELESS. PAUL WOULD BE BEST DESCRIBED AS A TRUE BLUE JEW, AND IF ANYONE WAS QUALIFIED TO REACH THE JEWS, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE APOSTLE PAUL. BUT GOD GAVE PAUL A DIFFERENT MISSION FOR HIS EVANGELISM. WHAT WAS THAT, KYLIE? SPEAKER C YEAH, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING HOW GOD DOESN'T ALWAYS GIVE US THE JOB THAT WE WOULD CHOOSE FOR OURSELVES. SO, YES, OFTEN HE GIVES US A DIFFERENT JOB THAT WE MIGHT FIND MORE CHALLENGING. AND AS YOU WERE READING THERE, PAUL WAS PERSECUTING THE JEWS, PERSECUTING, SORRY, THE CHRISTIANS, BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THAT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH WAS CONTRARY TO THE JEWISH FAITH. AND WHEN HE WAS ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS, SUDDENLY HE SAW THAT BRIGHT LIGHT. HE WAS CONVERTED, HE WAS BLIND FOR THREE DAYS. AND THEN GOD APPEARED IN A VISION TO A MAN CALLED ANANIAS AND TOLD HIM TO GO TO PAUL AND SAY THAT PAUL WOULD RECEIVE HIS SIGHT AGAIN. AND ANANIAS SAID, GOD, IS THIS WHAT YOU REALLY WANT ME TO DO? THIS MAN'S BEEN PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS. BUT THIS IS WHAT GOD SAID TO HIM IN ACTS CHAPTER NINE AND VERSE 15. BUT THE LORD SAID UNTO HIM, GO THY WAY, FOR HE IS A CHOSEN VESSEL UNTO ME TO BEAR MY NAME BEFORE THE GENTILES AND KINGS AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. SO THAT WAS GOD'S MISSION FOR PAUL. HE WAS SPECIALLY CHOSEN TO BE THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES. AND WE'VE ALSO GOT ANOTHER VERSE THAT WE CAN READ ABOUT THAT ACTS CHAPTER 13 AND VERSE 47. FOR SO HAS THE LORD COMMANDED US, SAYING, I HAVE SET THEE TO BE A LIGHT OF THE GENTILES, THAT THOU SHOULDST BE FOR SALVATION UNTO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. SO THAT WAS THE MISSION THAT GOD GAVE TO PAUL, AND HE FAITHFULLY FULFILLED THAT MISSION FOR 30 YEARS. ABOUT 30 YEARS, YEAH. SPEAKER B IT'S INTERESTING THAT EVEN THOUGH GOD GAVE HIM A SPECIAL MISSION TO THE GENTILES, IT DIDN'T STOP HIM ALSO PREACHING TO THE JEWS, DID IT, KATE? SPEAKER A NO, IT DIDN'T. WE SEE THAT IN VERSE 20 OF ACTS CHAPTER NINE. I'M JUST GOING TO READ THAT HERE. IT SAYS, AND STRAIGHTWAY HE PREACHED CHRIST IN THE SYNAGOGUES THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD. SO THIS IS IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS CONVERSION THAT KYLIE WAS JUST TELLING US ABOUT, AND HE'S RIGHT HERE IN THE SYNAGOGUES PREACHING TO THE JEWS. BECAUSE THE JEWS WERE STEEPED IN THE LAW, THEY WERE VERY MUCH FULLY IMMERSED IN IT. THAT WAS THEIR LIFE AND BREATH. THAT WAS EVERYTHING THEY THOUGHT ABOUT AND SPOKE ABOUT, REALLY. AND SO PAUL'S APPROACH WAS TO SHOW THEM FROM THE SCRIPTURES THAT CHRIST WAS THE MESSIAH AND BASICALLY HE MET THEM WHERE THEY WERE AT AND HE OFFERED AN ALTERNATIVE INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THEY WERE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH. SPEAKER B OKAY, WELL, LOOK, LET'S TURN NOW TO ACTS CHAPTER 17. IN ACTS CHAPTER 17, WE FIND THAT PAUL IS ACTUALLY IN GREECE, AND HE'S ON ONE OF HIS MISSIONARY JOURNEYS. SO, KYLIE, HOW DID HE GET TO GREECE? GIVE US THE BACKGROUND TO THAT STORY. SPEAKER C YEAH, SO HE WENT ON THIS HE'D ALREADY BEEN ON ONE MISSIONARY JOURNEY WITH BARNABAS, BUT THEN ON THE SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY, HE WAS WITH ANOTHER MAN, SILAS, AND THEY ALSO PICKED UP TIMOTHY ALONG THE WAY. AND SO THEN HE ACTUALLY CAME FIRST TO THESSALONICA. AND THAT'S IN ACTS CHAPTER 17, VERSES ONE AND TWO, WHEN THEY'D PASSED THROUGH AMPHIPOLIS AND APOLLONIA, THEY CAME TO THESSALONICA, WHERE WAS A SYNAGOGUE OF THE JEWS. AND PAUL, AS HIS MANNER WAS, WENT IN UNTO THEM, AND THREE SABBATH DAYS REASONED WITH THEM OUT OF THE SCRIPTURES. SO WE SEE HIM THERE WITNESSING AGAIN TO THE JEWS, BUT THEY DIDN'T ALL LIKE THE THINGS THAT HE SAID, AND TROUBLE AROSE, AND SO HE HAD TO FLEE ACTUALLY FROM THERE. AND HE WENT TO ATHENS, AND TIMOTHY AND SILAS WERE TO FOLLOW HIM. THEN IN VERSES 16 AND 17 OF ACTS, CHAPTER 17 WHILE PAUL WAITED FOR THEM THAT'S SILAS AND TIMOTHY AT ATHENS, HIS SPIRIT WAS STIRRED IN HIM WHEN HE SAW THE CITY WHOLLY GIVEN TO IDOLATRY. THEREFORE DISPUTED HE IN THE SYNAGOGUE WITH THE JEWS AND WITH THE DEVOUT PERSONS, AND IN THE MARKET DAILY WITH THEM THAT MET WITH HIM. SO HE WAS TRYING TO REACH BOTH JEWS AND GENTILES. SPEAKER B NOW, IT'S INTERESTING, YOU MENTIONED HIS MINISTRY IS AROUND 30 YEARS. AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN ACT 17, HE'S, WHAT, BEEN OUT IN MINISTRY FOR ABOUT, WHAT, 15 YEARS, I THINK IT IS. SO YOU WOULD THINK AT THIS POINT IN TIME, HE'S LEARNED A FEW THINGS ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THE NON JEWS OR THE GENTILES. SPEAKER C YEAH. SPEAKER B YOU MENTIONED ALSO THAT HE WAS IN THE MARKET. NOW, THAT WORD MARKET'S, INTERESTING. COULD YOU SORT OF GIVE US A BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THAT, KATE? SPEAKER A YEAH, SURE. SO MARKET IS THE WORD AGORA IN GREEK, AND IT MEANS A PLACE WHERE THE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE ASSEMBLED FOR LIKE, PUBLIC DEBATING ELECTIONS, TRIALS, BUYING AND SELLING BUSINESS, KNOW ALL THEIR KIND OF SOCIAL THINGS. IT WAS THE SOCIAL CENTRE OF THE CITY, REALLY. AND PAUL, WHEN HE WAS SPENDING TIME HERE, HE WAS OBSERVING THE CULTURE. IT WAS KIND OF JUST HANGING OUT WITH THEM, OBSERVING HOW THEY DID THINGS. AND HE WOULD HAVE BEEN HEARING THE PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR GREEK PHILOSOPHERS ALSO DEBATING, BECAUSE THIS WAS A PLACE THEY WOULD COME AND HAVE THEIR DISCUSSIONS AND HE WOULD HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO ALL OF THAT AND PICKING UP, WHAT DO THEY THINK ABOUT THIS AND WHAT DO THEY THINK ABOUT THAT? AND WE'LL READ A VERSE IN ONE CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER ONE, VERSE 22. IT SAID, FOR THE JEWS REQUIRE A SIGN AND THE GREEKS SEEK AFTER WISDOM. SO THE GREEKS, THEY WERE PLACING A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON SEEKING WISDOM. AND PAUL WAS LISTENING TO ALL OF THIS IN THIS MARKETPLACE, THE SOCIAL CENTRE OF THE CITY. SPEAKER B SO PAUL WAS SORT OF CONNECTING WHAT DID HE HAVE WHICH HE COULD OFFER TO ENHANCE THEIR WISDOM? SPEAKER A YES. SPEAKER B OKAY, I'LL READ VERSE 18, BECAUSE VERSE 18 CARRIES A STORY FORWARD. IT SAYS, THEN CERTAIN PHILOSOPHERS OF THE EPICUREANS AND THE STOICS ENCOUNTERED HIM. AND SOME SAID, WHAT WILL THIS BABBLER SAY? OTHER SOME, HE SEEMED TO BE A SET OF FORTH OF STRANGE GODS BECAUSE HE PREACHED UNTO THEM JESUS AND THE RESURRECTION. NOW, IT'S INTERESTING, HE HUNG OUT THERE TO SEE THEIR CULTURE, TO SORT OF SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING, WHAT WAS MAKING THEM TICK. BUT HE ALSO WAS PREACHING, WASN'T IT'S? ALSO, WE KNOW THAT PAUL COULD SPEAK GREEK, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT IF EVER YOU WANT TO CONNECT WITH A FOREIGN CULTURE, IF YOU LEARN TO SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE, EVEN IF THEY KNOW YOU'RE SPEAKING IT BADLY, THEY WARM TO YOU BECAUSE YOU CAN LEAST SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE. SO HE COULD SPEAK GREEK AND ALSO HE WAS PREACHING JESUS AND THIS WAS FOREIGN TO THEIR EARS. THEY CALLED HIM A BABBLER. AND IN VERSE 19 IT TALKS ABOUT THEY THEN DECIDED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE TO TAKE HIM TO ARIOPAGUS. SO KYLIE WHAT'S? ARIOPAGUS? SPEAKER C YEAH. SO VERSE 19, THEY TOOK HIM AND BROUGHT HIM TO ARIOPAGUS, SAYING, MAY WE KNOW WHAT THIS NEW DOCTRINE IS? AND ACTUALLY, I'VE GOT A MARGINAL NOTE FOR THAT IN MY BIBLE WHICH SAYS IT WAS THE COURT OF THE ARIOPAGITES. SO IT'S ACTUALLY A KIND OF A PLACE, IT WASN'T LIKE A LAW COURT IN THE SENSE THAT PAUL WAS GOING TO BE TRIED AND PUT ON TRIAL, WHICH HE WAS SORT OF OBVIOUSLY LATER IN HIS LIFE. BUT THIS WAS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WENT, IT WAS ACTUALLY ON MARS HILL. AND THEY ACTUALLY WENT THERE TO HEAR SOME NEW AND STRANGE THING TALKS ABOUT THAT. IN VERSE 21, ALL THE ATHENIANS AND STRANGERS WHICH WERE THERE SPENT THEIR TIME IN NOTHING ELSE BUT EITHER TO TELL OR TO HEAR SOME NEW THING. SO IT WAS A NEW PLACE AND IT WAS KIND OF, I GUESS, A BIT MORE OF A PRESTIGIOUS PLACE WHERE PAUL COULD PRESENT THE IDEAS THAT HE'D STARTED TO TALK ABOUT IN THE MARKETPLACE. SPEAKER B YES, IT'S INTERESTING. IT CALLS IT ARIOPOCUS. NOW, ARES WAS THE GREEK GOD OF WAR. THE EQUIVALENT WAS MARS AND THEY CALLED IT MARS HILL BECAUSE THE GREEK GOD OF WAR WAS MARS. SORRY, THE GREEK GOD OF WAR WAS ARIUS, BUT THE ROMAN GOD WAS MARS. THEY CALLED IT MARS HILL AND ARES WAS THE SON OF ZEUS AND HERA, WHICH WERE THE KING AND QUEEN OF THE GODS. SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT GOD, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PLACE. AND WE'VE GOT A PICTURE OF THE SCENE HERE. PAUL IS TAKEN TO THIS PLACE WHERE I GUESS THE PRESTIGIOUS OF SOCIETY ARE HANGING OUT AND HE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY OF TALKING ABOUT THE GOSPEL, PRESENTING THE GOSPEL. THEY KNOW NOTHING OF JESUS. SO HOW HE DOES THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING, THE GENIUS OF PAUL IN CONNECTING WHAT WAS HIS TACTIC? HOW DID HE DO THIS? SPEAKER A KATE TACTIC? WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION AS WELL ON THE SUBJECT OF NOTES, MY BIBLE SAYS IT WAS THE HIGHEST COURT IN ATHENS, THIS PLACE THAT HE WAS AT. SO VERY PRESTIGIOUS PLACE. QUITE AN OPPORTUNITY PAUL HAS HERE. AND WE'LL READ VERSE 22 AND 23 STILL IN ACTS CHAPTER 17. THEN PAUL STOOD IN THE MIDST OF MARS HILL AND SAID, YE MEN OF ATHENS, I PERCEIVE THAT IN ALL THINGS YE ARE TOO SUPERSTITIOUS. FOR AS I PASSED BY AND BEHELD YOUR DEVOTIONS, I FOUND AN ALTAR WITH THIS INSCRIPTION. TO THE UNKNOWN GOD WHOM THEREFORE YE IGNORANTLY WORSHIP HIM, DECLARE I UNTO YOU. SO PAUL, HE'S GOT THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY. HE CONNECTS WITH HIS LISTENERS BY COMMENDING THEM. SO SUPERSTITIOUS, THAT WORD, IT MEANS MORE RELIGIOUS. SO HE WAS COMMENDING THEIR RELIGION, THEIR SPIRITUALITY. HE DIDN'T LAUNCH STRAIGHT INTO THE GOSPEL AS SOME EXPERT ON IT, BUT HE FOUND AN AREA THAT HAD SOME COMMON GROUND AND HE SHOWED THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THE PEOPLE AND HE CARED FOR THEM BY COMPLIMENTING SOMETHING THAT HE COULD FIND, OR FAMILIAR GROUND. SPEAKER B HE WAS TRYING TO FIND THAT COMMON POINT WHERE HE COULD GET A RAPPORT, A CONNECTION, AS YOU SAY. SO HOW DOES HE MAKE THAT CONNECTION TO WITNESS FOR GOD? WHAT DO YOU THINK, KYLIE? SPEAKER C YEAH, SO HE COMMENTS ON THE INSCRIPTION, THAT INSCRIPTION TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. AND SO, YEAH, RATHER THAN JUST TRASHING THEIR IDEAS OF SPIRITUALITY, INSTEAD HE SORT OF COMMENDS THEM AND SAYS, YEAH, THIS IS REALLY GREAT. AND THAT'S THE BRIDGE THAT HE USES TO BUILD. THAT'S THE WAY THAT HE BUILDS THE BRIDGE TO THEM. HE SAYS, WHOM THEREFORE, YE IGNORANTLY, WORSHIP HIM, DECLARE I UNTO YOU. SO HE CONNECTS WHAT HE'S GOING TO SAY WITH WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING. SPEAKER B YEAH. AND IT'S INTERESTING TOO, THAT TO THE UNKNOWN GOD, THE GREEKS WORSHIP HUNDREDS. SOME PEOPLE SAY THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF GODS, SO YOU COULD UNDERSTAND THE MINDSET. WELL, THERE'S SO MANY. AND MAYBE I BETTER HAVE AN UNKNOWN GOD STATUE OUT THERE, JUST IN CASE I MISS ONE. AND AS YOU SAY, HE CONNECTS WITH THAT THE FACT THAT THEY'RE SPIRITUAL. BUT SPIRITUAL IN A PAGAN SENSE, I GUESS, OR MAYBE NOT PAGAN, BUT SPIRITUAL IN THE SENSE THEY'RE WORSHIPPING FALSE GODS. ONCE HE'S GOT THEIR ATTENTION, HOW DOES HE TURN THAT ATTENTION TO THE GOSPEL? HOW DOES HE DO THAT? SPEAKER A LET'S KEEP READING. SO WE'VE GOT VERSE 24 AND 25 NOW, WHICH I'LL READ HERE IN ACTS 17. GOD THAT MADE THE WORLD AND ALL THINGS THEREIN, SEEING THAT HE IS LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, DWELLETH NOT IN TEMPLES MADE WITH HANDS, NEITHER IS WORSHIPPED WITH MEN'S HANDS, AS THOUGH HE NEEDED ANYTHING, SEEING HE GIVETH TO ALL LIFE AND BREATH AND ALL THINGS. SO TO UNDERSTAND THESE VERSES, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND A BIT OF THE CULTURE. SO THESE ARE THE GREEKS. THEY'RE STEEPED IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY. THEY'RE GODS. THEY WERE UNPREDICTABLE, SELF CENTRED. SO PAUL'S WORDS HERE WERE VERY INTRIGUING TO THEM. HE'S PRESENTING A COMPLETELY OPPOSITE IDEA OF WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT. THIS IS THE IDEA OF A CREATOR GOD WHO DOESN'T LIVE IN A TEMPLE. IT SAYS HERE, HE NEEDS NOTHING FROM HUMANS. HE GIVES LIFE AND SUPPLIES HUMAN NEEDS. AND THE PEOPLE OF ARIOPAGUS, AS THEY LISTENED TO THESE WORDS, THEY WOULD HAVE TAKEN LITTLE BABY STEPS TOWARD THIS GOD OF LOVE JUST BY HEARING THESE WORDS AND ENTERTAINING THE IDEA. SPEAKER B MOST OF THE GREEK GODS WERE EXPLOITATIVE AND PUNITIVE TOWARDS MANKIND AND THEY WERE HAVING FIGHTS AMONGST THEMSELVES. IF YOU LOOK AT GREEK MYTHOLOGY, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFERENT. AND YOU COULD SORT OF SEE HOW A CARING GOD WOULD REALLY BE SOMETHING, A REVELATION FOR THEM. OF COURSE, PAUL TAPS IN THAT. LET'S KEEP READING. WE'RE GOING TO READ VERSES 26 AND 27 OF ACTS 17 AND SAYS VERSE 26. AND HATH MADE OF ONE BLOOD, ALL NATIONS OF MEN FOUGHT TO DWELL ON ALL THE FACE OF THE EARTH AND HATH DETERMINED THE TIMES BEFORE APPOINTED AND THE BOUNDS OF THEIR HABITATION, THAT THEY SHOULD SEEK THE LORD, IF HAPPILY, THEY MIGHT FEEL AFTER HIM AND FIND HIM, THOUGH HE BE NOT FAR FROM EVERY ONE OF US. WHY DOES PAUL DWELL ON THIS POINT THAT WE'RE ALL FROM ONE SOURCE, THAT ALL MANKIND IS OF ONE SOURCE AND ONE BLOOD? WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS, KYLIE? SPEAKER C YEAH, SO I THINK ROMANS ONE AND VERSE 14 GIVES US SOME INSIGHT ON THAT. SO ROMANS ONE AND VERSE 14 SAYS, I AM DEBTOR BOTH TO THE GREEKS AND TO THE BARBARIANS, BOTH TO THE WISE AND TO THE UNWISE. SO HERE ROMANS OBVIOUSLY BEING A LETTER WRITTEN BY PAUL, BUT HE TALKS ABOUT THE GREEKS AND THE BARBARIANS. SO THE ATHENIANS ACTUALLY HAD A BIT OF A SUPERIORITY COMPLEX AND THEY CONSIDERED THAT IF YOU KNOW A GREEK, THEY CALLED OTHER PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T BARBARIANS. AND SO, YEAH, THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE BETTER THAN OTHER PEOPLE. BUT PAUL, BY USING THEIR OWN POETS, SORT OF KNOW, WE'RE ALL OF ONE BLOOD. GOD IS OUR CREATOR. HE'S CREATED ALL TO BE, YOU KNOW, A SUPERIORITY COMPLEX. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST THE OPPOSITE ATTITUDE TO CHRISTIANITY, WHICH CALLS US TO HUMILITY AND SERVICE. SPEAKER B YEAH, INDEED. QUESTION FOR YOU, KATE. HE'S CONNECTED WITH HIS AUDIENCE, BUT HE NOW TAKES IT FURTHER. HOW DOES HE DO THAT? SPEAKER A LET'S SEE THAT IN VERSE 28 HERE. FOR IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING AS CERTAIN ALSO OF YOUR OWN POETS HAVE SAID, FOR WE ARE ALSO HIS OFFSPRING. SO PAUL IS SAYING THAT THIS UNKNOWN GOD, HE'S NOT JUST THE CREATOR WHO MADE EVERYTHING AND THEN DEPARTED AND DISAPPEARED. HE'S THE GOD WHO ACTIVELY SUSTAINS EVERYTHING AND CARES FOR HIS CREATION. ALL ACTIVITIES ARE SUSTAINED BY GOD. AND THE POINT HERE, FOR WE ARE ALSO HIS OFFSPRING. HE'S SHOWING THAT THIS IS A GOD WHO WANTS TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH US, AND HE'S A GOD THAT CAN BE KNOWN BY US. SPEAKER B YES, INDEED. AND IT MENTIONS THEIR POETS. WHAT IMPACT YOU MENTIONED POETS EARLIER, KYLIE. WHAT IMPACT DO YOU THINK PAUL MADE WITH HIS LISTENERS WHEN HE NOW STARTS REFERRING TO THEIR YEAH. SPEAKER C SO, AND AS KATE WAS READING EARLIER ON, THAT THE GREEKS SEEK AFTER WISDOM, SO THE FACT THAT PAUL ACTUALLY IS ACQUAINTED WITH THEIR POETS YEAH, TO ME, IF I WAS LISTENING TO THAT, I'D THINK, WELL, HE'S NOT JUST SOMEBODY THAT'S SOME IGNORANT JEWISH RABBI. HE CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS THESE OTHER PHILOSOPHIES. AND YET HE'S CHOSEN THIS PHILOSOPHY THAT HE'S TELLING US ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. HE'S CHOSEN THAT ABOVE THESE OTHER ONES. SO I THINK THAT THAT WOULD HAVE IMPRESSED THEM AND HELPED TO BUILD THAT BRIDGE AND THAT CONNECTION WITH THEM. SPEAKER B YEAH, SO HE'S GOT THIS BRIDGE NOW, IT WOULD HAVE IMPRESSED HIM BECAUSE THEY VALUED KNOWLEDGE VERY HIGHLY. THEY WOULD HAVE FIGURED OUT PAUL WAS A VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON. HE KNEW THEIR POETS. SO HE HAD THEIR ATTENTION. HOW DOES HE NOW CONNECT TO THE GOSPEL? SPEAKER A THIS IS WHERE IT GETS FUN. SO WE'LL READ VERSE 29 TO 31. NOW, FOR AS MUCH THEN AS WE ARE THE OFFSPRING OF GOD, WE OUGHT NOT TO THINK THAT THE GODHEAD IS LIKE UNTO GOLD OR SILVER OR STONE GRAVEN BY ART AND MAN'S DEVICE. AND THE TIMES OF THIS IGNORANCE, GOD WINK, GOD WINKED AT, BUT NOW COMMANDETH ALL MEN EVERYWHERE TO REPENT BECAUSE HE HATH APPOINTED A DAY IN THE WHICH HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS BY THAT MAN WHOM HE HATH ORDAINED, WHEREOF HE HATH GIVEN ASSURANCE UNTO ALL MEN IN THAT HE HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD. SO HE HAD THEIR ATTENTION. HE'D MADE HIS POINT ABOUT GOD BEING PERSONAL, ABOUT GOD BEING ABLE TO BE KNOWN. AND THEN HE TOLD THEM ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS AND HOW HE'D BEEN RESURRECTED AND HOW HIS RESURRECTION GIVES US HOPE. AND SO THIS HOPE THAT WE HAVE IN JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS RESURRECTION, THAT WAS THE THEME. AND THIS WAS THE POINT THAT HE WAS NOW BRINGING ACROSS TO HIS LISTENERS. SPEAKER B SO ALL THESE LISTENERS WHO VALUE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE, THEY'VE NOW JUST HEARD THE RESURRECTION. HOW DO THEY REACT TO THAT? KYLIE, WHAT'S YOUR VIEW ON THAT? SPEAKER C YEAH, SO LET'S HAVE A LOOK IN ACTS CHAPTER AGAIN, ACTS CHAPTER 17 AND VERSES 32 TO 34. WHEN THEY HEARD OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, SOME MOCKED AND OTHERS SAID, WE WILL HEAR THEE AGAIN OF THIS MATTER. SO PAUL DEPARTED FROM AMONG THEM HOWBEIT CERTAIN MEN CLAVE UNTO HIM AND BELIEVED AMONG THE WHICH WAS DIONYSIUS, THE ARIOPAGITE, AND A WOMAN NAMED DAMARIS, AND OTHERS WITH THEM. SO WE CAN SEE THAT THERE WAS A RANGE OF REACTIONS THERE. SO SOME OF THEM MOCKED. THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST A RIDICULOUS KNOW BECAUSE THEY ALL BELIEVED IN THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. SO THIS IDEA ABOUT SOMEONE BEING RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD JUST WAS COMPLETE NONSENSE TO THEM. BUT OTHERS SAID THEY WANTED TO HEAR MORE, AND THERE WERE SOME THAT DID BELIEVE. BUT THE KEY POINT IS THAT THEY ALL NOW HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN INTELLIGENT DECISION BECAUSE THEY'D LISTENED TO WHAT PAUL SAID. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY THE KEY POINT. SPEAKER B AND FROM THAT WE CAN ALSO PICK UP FROM OURSELVES THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN WE'RE GIVING THE GOSPEL, NOT TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY IF PEOPLE HEAR WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY, BUT THEN SAY, NO, NOT FOR ME. NO THANKS. PAUL HAS GONE OUT OF HIS WAY HERE TO FIND A CONNECTION, WHICH HE'S DONE, AND HE'S IN THE HIGHEST SORT OF COURT OR AUDIENCE IN THE LAND. HE'S MADE HIS CONNECTION, HE'S GIVEN HIS, I GUESS, HIS PITCH, WHICH IS THE GOSPEL AND THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. AND SOME DID AND SOME DIDN'T. SOME DID ACCEPT AND SOME DIDN'T. I JUST WONDER WHETHER PAUL WOULD HAVE BEEN HOW PAUL WOULD HAVE FELT WITH THOSE THAT DIDN'T. THE POINT HERE IS THAT THEY ALL MADE A DECISION BASED ON AN INFORMED SET OF INFORMATION. IT WASN'T THAT THEY MADE A DECISION. THEY WEREN'T TOLD THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH AND THEY SAID THAT SOME SAID THEY DIDN'T. SO FROM PAUL'S EXAMPLE, HOW DO WE APPROACH THIS? LET'S SORT OF TAKE A STEP BACK NOW. WE'VE JUST READ WHAT PAUL'S DONE AND HE'S HAD SOME SUCCESS HERE. HOW DO WE THEN APPLY THAT TO US TODAY? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO OUT INTO COMMUNITY, WE MEET PEOPLE WHO SOME PEOPLE HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF. JESUS WOULDN'T HAVE A CLUE, AND YET WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM AND TO TAKE THE GOSPEL. WHAT'S SOME OF THE TAKEAWAYS THAT WE CAN GET FROM THIS? WHAT DO YOU THINK, KATE? SPEAKER A THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS TO GET PRETTY PRACTICAL. SO JUDGING, I MEAN, LEARNING FROM PAUL'S EXAMPLE, YOU START BY GETTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE, LEARNING ABOUT THEIR CULTURE, THEIR WORLDVIEW OF YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE. LIKE, WHAT DO THEY LIKE, WHAT DO THEY THINK, WHERE THEY HANG OUT, WHAT ARE THEIR BELIEFS ON THINGS REALLY GET TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW WOULD YOU DO THIS? WELL, PRETTY SIMPLE. YOU JUST PLACE YOURSELF WHERE THEY GO. THIS COULD BE SOCIAL MEDIA, IT COULD BE LIKE IN A CAFE ON THE BEACH, WHEREVER YOU'D GO WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND WHEREVER YOU WANT TO MEET THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT TO REACH OUT TO, EVEN THINGS LIKE SHOPPING CENTRES. ALL OF THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THE PEOPLE ARE LIKE THAT YOU'RE WANTING TO GET TO KNOW AND TO REACH. AND YEAH, YOU WANT TO RESEARCH THEIR BELIEFS AND CONCERNS, JUST FIND OUT WHAT ARE THEY THINKING, WHAT'S ON THEIR MIND. AND ONCE YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY THINK, THEN YOU CAN BETTER MEET THEIR NEEDS WITH THE GOSPEL, BECAUSE YOU REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEM OR THE ISSUE IS BEFORE YOU CAN OFFER A SOLUTION, BECAUSE OTHERWISE, HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR SOLUTION'S ACTUALLY APPROPRIATE FOR THE SITUATION? SO REALLY GET TO KNOW THEM FIRST. THAT'S LIKE THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL STEP THAT PAUL DEMONSTRATED. SPEAKER B SO, IN A SENSE, WE'RE IMMERSING OURSELVES INTO THE WORLD OF THE AUDIENCE THAT WE WANT TO SOMEHOW CONNECT WITH. SO ONCE WE'VE DONE THAT, WE DO SPEND TIME IN THE MARKETPLACE. AND LOOK, THESE DAYS, THE MARKETPLACE, I MEAN, THE MODERN GENERATION, THE MARKETPLACE IS SOCIAL MEDIA AND THAT'S HOW THEY'RE COMMUNICATING. IN MY DAY, IT WAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT ONCE YOU'VE WORKED OUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE CONNECTING AND MEETING, YOU'VE GOT TO IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THAT AND TRY AND FIND OUT HOW WE CAN DO THAT. SO ONCE WE'VE DONE THAT, WE'VE DONE OUR PREPARATION, WHAT DO WE DO THEN? SPEAKER C KYLIE YEAH, AND I THINK WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR TARGET AUDIENCE, WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO THESE PLACES TO JUST SORT OF ENGAGE IN SIN, BUT WE'RE DOING IT WITH THAT SPECIFIC PURPOSE, TO LOOK FOR THAT COMMON ELEMENT THAT WE CAN USE. AND ONCE WE'VE DONE THAT, THEN WE NEED TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT HOW AM I GOING TO MAKE A BRIDGE FROM THAT TO THE GOSPEL? SO, YEAH, MOVING SORT OF FROM THE KNOWN TO THE UNKNOWN AND ALSO, LIKE IT'S A RECOGNISED EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLE, ACTUALLY, AND ALSO TO FIND WAYS OF BUILDING THEIR TRUST. SO, YEAH, ONCE WE SORT OF REALISE WHAT THINGS THEY LIKE AND WHAT THINGS WE CAN IN GOOD CONSCIENCE JOIN IN WITH, THEN WE CAN USE THOSE SORTS OF THINGS TO BUILD TRUST, BUILD UP THAT RAPPORT AND THEN MAKE THE BRIDGE TO THE GOSPEL. SPEAKER B AND DO YOU THINK THIS DOING, OUR PREPARATION TO BUILD THESE BRIDGES, DOES THAT TAKE FIVE MINUTES? WHAT DO YOU THINK? NO, YOU'VE GOT TO PUT THE TIME IN, DON'T YOU? IT'S A COMMITMENT, IT'S A BIG COMMITMENT TO PUT THAT TIME IN. WHAT ELSE IS KEY HERE? THE STORY IN ACT 17 DOESN'T REALLY GO INTO THIS, BUT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TODAY. WHAT IS THE KEY TO ANY WITNESSING THAT WE DO? WHAT DO YOU THINK, KYLIE? SPEAKER C WHAT'S YOUR YES, I'D LIKE TO READ ONE, CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER TWO AND VERSE FOUR. HERE PAUL SAYS, MY SPEECH AND MY PREACHING WAS NOT WITH ENTICING WORDS OF MAN'S WISDOM, BUT IN DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT AND OF POWER. SO REALLY WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT? I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH PAUL SPOKE TO THE ATHENIANS, HE WAS QUOTING THEIR POETS AND ALL OF THIS SORT OF THING, BUT WE CAN DO ALL OF THAT. WE CAN DO ALL OF OUR HOMEWORK. BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO REALLY SEND THAT TRUTH HOME, IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. WE'RE NOT JUST LIKE A SALESMAN THAT'S SELLING SOME SECULAR PRODUCT. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT, IT'S NOT GOING TO REACH THE PERSON'S HEART. YEAH. SPEAKER A I'LL ADD TO THAT WITH A VERSE FROM ZECHARIAH, CHAPTER FOUR, VERSE SIX. IT SAYS, THEN HE ANSWERED AND SPAKE UNTO ME, SAYING, THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD UNTO ZERUBBABUL, SAYING, NOT BY MIGHT, NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS. WE REALLY NEED THIS POWER TO UNITE WITH US. AND PAUL'S AN EXCELLENT DEMONSTRATION OF THAT, JUST BRINGING IT BACK HOME. SPEAKER B YES, INDEED. AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT, IT'S ALL VERY GOOD TO SAY WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT, BUT WE HAVE TO, AT LEAST ON OUR HOMEWORK, THE INFORMATION'S GOT TO BE IN HERE. AND THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS THIS WAY OF BRINGING IT OUT IN THE RIGHT WAY. OUR WORDS CAN BE PUT INTO A WAY THAT THE LISTENERS CAN UNDERSTAND OR CAN ACCEPT. WITHOUT THAT HOLY SPIRIT, WE MAY SAY THINGS, WE MAY HAVE ALL THE KNOWLEDGE, BUT WE MAY SAY THINGS WHICH COMES OUT COMPLETELY WRONG OR OFFENSIVE OR RUDE OR CULTURALLY WRONG. THIS IS WHY IT'S KEY TO HAVE THAT ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GIVE US THOSE WORDS AND THAT APPROACH TO SPEAK THAT WORD IN SEASON, THE BIBLE SAYS. SPEAKER C YEAH. AND ALSO THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE. THAT'S THE FIRST ONE. AND IF YOU'RE REALLY INSPIRED BY LOVE, THEN YOU'VE GOT THE WORDS TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE AND THEY CAN TELL AS WELL THAT IT'S REALLY COMING FROM YOUR HEART. SPEAKER B AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN DO THIS CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE IN OTHER CULTURES, GOD'S GOT TO PUT ON YOUR HEART THE VALUE THAT HE PLACES ON A SOUL. WHEN WE HAVE THAT LOVE FOR SOULS THAT CHRIST HAVE, WE'LL WANT TO GO ACROSS THOSE CULTURAL DIVIDES TO TRY AND CONNECT WITH PEOPLE. WELL, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TIME FOR TODAY. THANK YOU, KATE. THANK YOU, KYLIE, FOR YOUR DISCUSSION. LOOK, ALL OF US ARE INFLUENCED AND LIMITED BY THE ASSUMPTIONS OF OUR CULTURES AND WORLDVIEWS. AND FOR US TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL TO THOSE WITH VASTLY DIFFERENT VIEWS, WE HAVE TO DO OUR HOMEWORK TO FIND THAT BRIDGE OF COMMON INTEREST SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS AND WIN THEIR FAVOUR. AND WE NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE, RESOURCEFUL AND OPEN MINDED IN REGARD TO NEW AND EVEN UNFAMILIAR APPROACHES TO GOD'S MISSION. THE KEY TO OUR WITNESSING IS TO ALWAYS ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE AND DIRECT US. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY ON LET GOD SPEAK. ALL PATH PROGRAMMES PLUS TEACHERS NOTES ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, 3ABNAUSTRALIA.ORG.AU. EMAIL US ON [email protected] AND JOIN US AGAIN NEXT TIME. AND GOD BLESS. SPEAKER A YOU. SPEAKER D You have been listening to Let God Speak, a production of Three ABN, Australia. Television. To catch up on past programs, please visit 3abnaustralia.org.au Call us in Australia on 024-973-3456 or email [email protected] We'd love to hear from you.