Wellspring UMC; Sixth Sunday in Easter; April 27, 2008: “God Known Among the Unknown”:

-Romans 1: 14-17; Acts 17: 22-31

Whether we see it or not, we live in Athens. This is really the story of any city, any place, and the call any follower of Jesus Christ is given to engage with the community or nation and witness to this odd and somewhat irritating perspective of following Jesus Christ. It is a story in which we see modeled true evangelism, true relationship building, and dare I say, true caring as Jesus cares. Yet how often do we dare step out on a limb as Paul did and get to know the needs of those around us, then proclaim unequivocally the power of Christ’s death and resurrection for them?

I don’t know about you, but this is a humbling story for me. It’s not one I really like to pick up and read, because it reminds me how little I live my life as Paul did. It reminds me how few times I actually get out of the walls of the church, figuratively and literally, and try to understand those to whom Christ invites us to get to know and love. It reminds me that there is a whole world out there in which God resides, and yet posted all over the place are a plethora of gods and idols which go unnamed – Hummers and palatial homes, what we hoard in our wallets and what we teach in our classrooms, in every nook and cranny of society idols are alive and well, and most, including us, bow to other gods. It was not just the Athenians who lifted up monuments “to the unknown gods.”

As I read through this story this week, there were two things that kept coming out at me. First, that we are called to get out of our own little worlds and engage in the world around us. Did you notice what Paul did? When he entered Athens he didn’t just sit in his hotel room and watch TV waiting for Silas and Timothy to show up. Instead he got out and looked around, and in doing so made some pretty astute observations. He noticed the idols, but in doing so didn’t condemn, rather reflected upon the meaning of those idols, then realized they were seeking something bigger and more profound then they were...they were seeking God.

We are creatures of habit who often live life with blinders on. Add to that the busyness of our lives and the numerous obligations and demands that society places upon us and we place upon ourselves, and it is easy to get caught up in our stuff and never seek to understand those outside our circle of friends, colleagues, or neighbors.

On Friday I was blessed to do the invocation for the dedication of the Villages of Williamsburg Place, housing for those going through addiction treatment at Williamsburg Place. Many of those gathered were the movers and shakers of the community, and I was embarrassed to realize how few people I actually knew. And yet, these are the Areopagites of Williamsburg – those who are leading the discussions, directing the growth, and influencing how this community will live into the future. I’ve not spent time trying to find out who they are, what they need, or what they might be seeking, and my guess is that, though many of you might know some of those in attendance, if not for your jobs or some community connection, you probably wouldn’t have any interaction with them either. And yet, Paul gives us the example of one who was bold enough to go into the culture and try to understand them.

The second thing that kept coming to me as I read this passage was that he understood well that God is the God of everything, and in seeing this, it opened his eyes to see that these were a deeply spiritual people who had not yet named that which is the Truth of life. Instead of naming the One God, they named aspects of God’s work among them, then they personified and idolized those aspects of divine truth, attributing each aspect to a god, rather than recognizing that God is the giver of those attributes and everything else.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, believed that we should read everything we can get our hands on. His rationale for such belief was that God is the God of everything, and in interacting with writings, God is revealed. Whether it is the writing of the early church fathers or mothers or political rantings, Wesley believed that all are creatures of God, and as such God’s life, love, and teaching will be revealed in the reading.

Bishop Will Willimon wrote a book entitled “Reading with Deeper Eyes,” based upon this Wesleyan belief, and in it he wrote commentary on classic and contemporary literature. He read the works through eyes of faith and opened up a whole new perspective on what have been classical interpretations of important literary works, thus revealing God to those who might not see.

Of course such thinking moves beyond literature. It permeates all we know and are. It invites us to look for God at work, not just through the church but in the world. It invites us to read the newspaper or think about politics with the “Christ filter” in place. It moves us to respond to the ornery neighbor or the comments in the Last Word in a different way. It forces us to even look at ourselves and our own lives in light of the grace and working of God, reminding us that we are not gods ourselves, nor are our material possessions, nor is suffering or low self-esteem or climbing the corporate ladder. No, God is the “be all” who is in all, which is why Paul says to those at the Areopagus that God is the one “in whom we live and move and have our being.”

So what do we take away from this story? First, that the invitation is given for us to take some risks, step outside our comfort zones, maybe simply get out and look around. Look for the Truth of who is really around us, what’s really going on in our community, and what idols are placed before God. Then as we do, we look for God, listen to God, and follow where God leads. Sure, like with Paul, some may laugh or scoff at us, but there are some who will say, “I want to hear more, I want to know more. There are some who will be convinced and follow.”

This is our invitation, and in fact this is a mandate and opportunity, for the world needs us to reveal that this God of ours, the God of resurrection, hope, and new life, is the God known among and in the midst of the unknown. Thanks be to God. Amen.