Acts 17

I want to spend one more day in Acts 17 before I go back to where I was in John. Yesterday I focused on how the last part of the chapter showed how effectively Paul shared the gospel. Today I want o look again and notice other things. Today I want to think a bit more about what Paul actually said to the people in Athens about God. I want to focus on verses 24 - 34:

24-29 "The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?

30-31 "God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead."

32-34 At the phrase "raising him from the dead," the listeners split: Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, "Let's do this again. We want to hear more." But that was it for the day, and Paul left. There were still others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with Paul—among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.

I always need to come back to who God is and Paul does a great job here. He starts out saying that it's God who made us, not the other way around. I know that he was saying this to the people in Athens because they had so many idols but for me, I need to remember this because the simple bottom line is that, since God made me He knows better than I. His ways are the best ways & I don't need to fuss about things.

He goes on to say that God "doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near." I'm so grateful.

Thank You Father that You are near. That You, the creator of the universe, choose to be near to me. Thank You so much. Help me remember to keep You in the drivers seat today.

The 30-31st verses are a call to action even to me today: " "God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead."

I can't just go along living like everyone else, my life must be God's way. Then Paul talks about the day when Jesus will judge us. I've always wondered how this judgment works for Christians. I went over to gotquestions.org to find out more on this topic. This is a website where people can ask bible questions and a group of bible trained volunteers look up the answers. The head of the site, S. Michael Houdmann, possesses a Master's degree in Christian Theology from Calvary Theological Seminary and a Bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies from Calvary Bible College. So I found the following at that site about "the judgment seat of Christ", or how Believers will be judged:

" Romans 14:10-12 says, “For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat…so then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” In the context of both Scriptures, it is clear that they are referring to Christians, not unbelievers. The Judgment Seat of Christ, therefore, involves believers giving an account of their lives to Christ. The Judgment Seat of Christ does not determine salvation; that was determined by Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf (1 John 2:2), and our faith in Him (John 3:16). All of our sins are forgiven and we will never be condemned for them (Romans 8:1). We should not look at the Judgment Seat of Christ as God judging our sins, but rather as God rewarding us for our lives. Yes, as the Scriptures say, we will have to give an account of our lives. Part of this is surely answering for the sins we committed. However, that is not going to be the primary focus of the Judgment Seat of Christ.

At the Judgment Seat of Christ, believers are rewarded based on how faithfully they served Christ (1 Corinthians 9:4-27; 2 Timothy 2:5). The things we will likely be judged on are how well we obeyed the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), how victorious we were over sin (Romans 6:1-4), how well we controlled our tongue (James 3:1-9), etc. The Bible speaks of believers receiving crowns for different things based on how faithfully they served Christ (1 Corinthians 9:4-27; 2 Timothy 2:5). The various crowns are described in 2 Timothy 2:5; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; and Revelation 2:10. James 1:12 is a good summary of how we should think about the Judgment Seat of Christ, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."

Well, don't I feel overwhelmed! I can't fathom me getting any crowns when there's saints who will be there who have done so much for Christ, and even those who have been martyred for His name. What have I done for Christ?

Then again, I've always believed that I'm supposed to take life as it comes and seize the opportunities that God has put in front of me. That each of us has different lives. I don't know.

Father God, if there's something different/more or just something specific that You want me to do - show me. Help me not to miss it and empower me to do what You want.