Sunday School Lesson
(Continued from Page 2)
from us. Judgment on man's
conduct will be made by One
who knows our weaknesses,
namely, by Jesus, whom God
raised from the dead.
This last idea was too m>ich
for the Athenians. Neither Stoics
nor Epicureans expected a life
alter death, and for a man to
be ralssed from the dead seemed
beyond all reason. Most of Paul's
hMrers ridiculed him.
According to Acts, Paul was
not entirely without converts,
however. One man and one wo
man are mentioned by name,
"and others with them." But so
far as we know, Paul organized
no church in Athens.
Was the sermon on Mars Hill
a success or a failure? As far as
I literary composition is concern
' ed, the sermon is a masterpiece.
But only a few persons were
convinced. Perhaps the audience
was at fault. These Athenians
wanted to talk, but they did not
want to act. They did not want
| their lives to be changed.
i Apparently, Paul considered
! the Athenian mission a failure.
Later, he wrote to the Corinthi
ans, "When I came to you breth- ?
ren, I did not come proclaiming
to you the testimony of God in
lofty words or wisdom. For I
decided to know nothing among
you except Jesus Christ and him
crucified." In the same letter he
commented that the cross is
folly to Greeks and that not
many wise men are called.
Many persons think these re
marks reflect his experience in
Athens. He had come to realize
that Christian faith is not a phi
losophy and that a gospel of
judgment, repentance, forgiv
ness, and new life would have
little appeal to the rich and
powerful of the world.
I We face a challenge not unlike
Paul's in Athens. We too speak
to people for whom convention
al religious language has no
meaning. How do we preach re
! pentance to persons who regard
| ideas of right and wrong as
I outmoded Puritanism? The idea
I of judgment is rejected by '.hose
i who feel they are not like other
j men. The Ressurection seems
' to hold no hope for persons who
believe that "when you're dead,
I you're dead."
If we wish, we can stay in our
churches and talk to ourselves.
But If we desire to reach a lost
generation with God's redemp
tive love, we must go where
people are.
The Gospel and Vested Interests
Acts 19 tells o f Paul's ministry
in Ephesus, where he founded
one of his greatest churches.
The whole story is fascinating,
but In this lesson we are con
cerned only with the business
community's reaction to the new
faith.
The worship of Diana (or Ar
( Continued on Pag* 8)
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