“Reaching Outsiders” (Part One)

Paul’s Attitude

Lynn Anderson points out in his book The Jesus Touch, how different the style of preaching in Acts 2 is from that in Acts 17. In Acts 2, Peter is the speaker on the Day of Pentecost, and he preaches to “insiders.” His Jewish audience is familiar with the Old Testament and with Jesus of Nazareth. So he fills his message with the words of Scripture. Paul’s style is much different in Athens. These were pagan idol worshipers—“outsiders”!

Which style is more effective in the 21st century? In the last 50 years, there has been a major shift. Church attendance has declined and our culture is more Athens-like. So how do we connect people to Jesus? Today, we’ll take a look at Paul’s attitude toward his audience.

He was provoked to evangelism. The last time Paul was provoked, it led to a disagreement with Barnabas (Acts 15:39). This time, he was deeply moved in his spirit to see needy Athenians come to Christ (17:16).

He dealt with idolatry (v.16). Athens was “a city obsessed with idols.” Paul felt compelled to speak to these outsiders about “the one whom you worship without knowing” (v.23)—the one true God.

Timothy Keller writes about the idols of our day. On the flyleaf of his book Counterfeit Gods, we read: “Success, money, true love, and the life you’ve always wanted. Many of us placed our faith in these things, believing they held the key to happiness. The recent economic meltdown has cast a harsh new light on these pursuits. In a matter of months, fortunes, marriages, careers, and a secure retirement have disappeared for millions of people. No wonder so many of us feel lost, alone, disenchanted, and resentful. But the truth is that we made counterfeit gods of these good things—gods that can’t give us what we really need.”

He was not discouraged by skeptics. Every day, Paul was in the marketplace talking with the Gentiles. The intellectuals of his day called him a “babbler” (v.18). The Greek word is translated “seed picker,” an extreme insult to Paul. It conveyed the idea of someone with a very limited intellect. Yet these insults did not stop Paul from preaching, nor should it stop us!

Next time we’ll talk about Paul’s approach.