What is it that defines us? What gives us our identity and marks us out from others? Well, all sorts of things of course. Including our names and our titles. Mrs, Miss, Dr, Rev – they tell us something about who we are. But titles can sometimes cause problems. I recently took out a new contract with a phone company; the man took my full name then asked for my title. 'Rev' I said. He hesitated and made an entry. When my documents arrived in the post they were addressed to 'Other Andrew Williams'! Then I opened it and read the welcome letter: “Hello Other Williams”! I'm not Mr so I must be 'other'. Any title will do if you're not sure of it.
That was the problem with the Athenians. Have another look at that reading from Acts 17. Paul is addressing the Philosophers of the city, both The Epicureans and the Stoics. He finds an altar dedicated 'To an unknown God'. Not unusual, there were several shrines dedicated to an unknown God. The Epicureans listening to Paul believed that if the gods existed they were distant and fairly irrelevant for human beings. They would have been surprised to hear God spoken of as 'not far from each one of us.' The Stoics thought of the divine as the principle of rationality, The Logos. They would have been surprised to hear God described as having life and breath, indeed having lived as a human being. In other words, Paul was saying: you know there IS a god, but don't know his title. I am here to name Him for you. I can tell you his title: The Lord of Heaven and earth'; and I can tell you his character: The God who made the world and everything in it, the One who gives life and breath to all things. It is in Him that we live and move and have our being. At this point his hearers were drawn in. 'Fascinating Paul. Tell us more. We like hearing new ideas'. OK, well this Lord of Heaven and earth has come from heaven to earth, lived among us, was killed, raised from death and now has the title Lord and Judge of all. Hold on a minute Paul, this is getting personal. We like hearing new ideas, but this talk of repentance and judgement and rising from the dead, this is getting disturbing. We'll hear you again some other time.
Some DID respond but most rejected Paul's message. How tragic. Paul was making known to them the god they didn't know. He was giving Him a name and a title. But they didn't WANT to know Him. And it's tragic because it is IN this God, the true God, that they could find their true identity. Identity as a forgiven, fully-embraced child of God. And the way to find this identity is by turning round, repenting and receiving His Grace. You cannot know THIS God by holding Him at arms length. He is not known by the mind alone.
This is where we need to turn to the Gospel. John 14. Jesus knows he is about to leave his disciples, but tells them that they will see him again. By that, he means that their eyes will be opened, because the Holy Spirit will be at work. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. He will open their eyes to the truth of Jesus and the title of Jesus. This is a spiritual seeing and knowing. 'You will know that I am in my Father.' Knowing the identity of Jesus, that his title is LORD, is a heart-knowing, not as the Philosophers in Athens were familiar with, just a mind thing. Once the Holy Spirit reveals the truth of Jesus to a person it changes a person; it is not possible to remain the same. If you’re not sure if you have had that inner revelation, that deep knowing, maybe consider asking the Holy Spirit to bring that truth to your heart. Approaching Pentecost, as we are, is a good time to ask. But be prepared to change, to repent as Paul puts it. And once a person knows who Christ is, they will know who they are, for it will define their identity.
If all that sound like theologising let's earth it. I have been touched recently by the stories of two young followers of Christ. I’d like to tell you about one of them, Ruth. Ruth is a young woman we know, who gave up a secure job in the NHS to go and serve as a nurse in Sudan. I have been profoundly moved by her newsletters and want to give you a flavour of what she writes. I’ve asked Jennie to read it. As you listen, keep in mind that question of identity, that knowing who we are and what we’re called to comes from knowing that Jesus is Lord, and making him our Lord. “…”
“…fraction of Gods heart for his people and this world.”
Ruth has done what Paul invited the Athenians to do. She named the Lord of Heaven and Earth as her Lord, she gave Him not just the title but the position that goes with it; she allowed Him to be Lord. She knows who He is and she knows who she is. And inspiring as that is, I know it’s not my calling. I am not Ruth, that’s not my name! I cannot do what Ruth is doing. But I can ask God, the Lord, MY Lord, what He asks of me. And so can you.
Let us pray… Some space to reflect…
Lord, reveal Your name… and ours. Amen.
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