4/10/10 Acts 17
Resurrection? Ha Ha
(Ac 17:32)32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.”
During Paul’s missionary journeys to the west He encountered the Greeks and their philosophy. Here in chapter 17, Luke records three more cities Paul traveled to, Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. In each city Paul begins initially addressing those Jews and God fearing Greeks in the synagogues. In Athens he goes to the people in the market places and begins to speak to them about Jesus Christ. One essential for the good news is the preaching of the resurrection (1 Cor 15:13-14). Paul stresses the resurrection of Jesus in each place that he goes, because it is essential to the Christian faith.
For the Greek mind the idea of a resurrection is a most laughable and preposterous idea, because Greeks predominately taught that the physical universe was bad, while the spiritual domain was good. This idea of a distinction between spirit and matter is termed dualism. There would have been various thoughts in Athens in regards to the spirit and body, but for the most part after death they did not believe them to be united ever again. They were either non-existence or the spirit was finally liberated from the body forever. So when Paul preached that Jesus had risen from the dead this was a very strange and new teaching.
A Christian cannot be faithful in proclaiming the gospel without a mention of the resurrection. We are less than a week removed from Easter; the great and glorious day that we celebrate Jesus is risen from the dead. In fact each Sunday is a resurrection Sunday, this is the precise reason that we worship on Sunday. All four gospels indicate that Jesus was raised on the first day of the week. In Acts 20 we read that a group of believers assemble to break bread in Troas and then in 1 Corinthians 16 Paul instructs the church to set aside funds for him on the first day of the week. The early church fathers writings confirm that the church continued to meet on the first day of the week. So as we watch Paul he initially goes to the synagogues on the Sabbath, but as the church grows we find him going to the church on the first day of the week Sunday.
The resurrection is no laughing matter, it is absolutely essential to what it means to be a Christian.
Prayer: Father, to you belongs all power and authority and you alone were able at the appointed time raise Jesus from dead which gives proof to all men. Thank you for the resurrection. As I proclaim the good news to others, may I always be faithful regarding the resurrection. Even though men and women may sneer and laugh at this truth, may I be faithful to love them and teach them about you and your divine plan of redemption for humankind and all creation. I attribute to you worth untold, images and idols made by human hands fail miserably in their attempt to replace or represent you. You are holy, God Almighty and the earth is filled with your glory. I worship you, in Jesus name. Amen.