Father, I would pray for Your guiding hand as we come together this evening. Direct my thoughts in a way that would bring glory to Your name. Amen.
Acts 17:16-23 (<<click here to read the passage)
Growing up many of us knew someone that we would have labeled as a smarty-pants. The term was used to describe a know-it-all, a smart-alack, a show-off. Someone who is described as a smarty-pants…is annoying to engage with and difficult to be around. A smarty-pants has to always be right, and always tries to force others to acknowledge that he is right.*
Soon after the Apostle Paul and his companions began to have a good, positive impact among those in Berea, problematic Jews from Thessalonica came to Berea to stir up trouble, and the believers there sent Paul the Athens, leaving Silas and Timothy to wrap things up.
Paul was certainly no dummy but landing in Athens, he found himself amongst men who would have been considered some of the most learned of his day. Luke the author of Acts inserted a note that states, (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.) v21 NLT
And because of this, some were put off by what he was saying but others were intrigued and invited him to speak before the big guns of the city’s philosophers at a place called the Areopagus. v22 NIV
After he arrived in Athens, Paul found himself deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. v16 NLT and as he found himself with this great opportunity before him, he addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about. vs22-23 NLT
The Life Application Study Bible’s note on verse 23 states,
Paul explained the one true God to these educated men of Athens; although these men were, in general, very religious, they did not know God. Today we have a “Christian” society, but to most people, God is still unknown. We need to proclaim who he is and make clear what he did for everyone through his Son, Jesus Christ. We cannot assume that even religious people around us truly know Jesus or understand the importance of faith in him.
There may be “Christians” all around us, but how many are so in name only. In reality, church attendance and supporting those churches with money and energy – even saying they believe in Jesus – don’t add up to a hill of beans if those actions and beliefs are not accompanied by a relationship with Him.
The smarty-pants in Athens (and maybe even some we know personally) may have thought they were always right, and always tried to force others to acknowledge that they were right, but they cannot escape having to accept or deny the reality of who Jesus was…and is still today.
May our heart’s goal be to patiently, lovingly point out the importance of personally knowing Jesus. And may we diligently strive to be a living example of what it means to do so. Lord Jesus, help us. Amen.
*Grammarist: Smarty-pants and smarty-boots
June 9th, 2022, Thurs, 9:04 pm
