ACTS 17:32-34
	(Reading: Acts 17:16-34)

	The Sower's Seed is Shown

Congregation of Jesus Christ...

	Paul's speech has finished.
		The presentation of the case for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ he has delivered as God's servant, the apostle personally appointed by Christ to the Gentiles.
			It was none other than Christ's Spirit Himself who had given Paul precisely the right words to say. 
				Those were the words we heard from Paul as he began with the introduction which drew the audience in, then the gradual and steadily increasing exposition of Christian doctrines - from God's Lordship, man's creation by God, man's relation to God, and God's judgment of man - with the conclusion's crescendo of the call to recognise these things through the resurrection of Christ.

	And, now, how would that same Spirit use these words in the hearts of this Athenian audience?
		Which way would Christ move in this particular part of extending His Church?
			And what is there for us to learn about the response of such a secular audience to the Christian message?

	Dear friends, as with any gospel presentation, there has to be a response.
		In fact, the text tells us about three responses; three reactions that highlight the kind of response the gospel message has been receiving ever since.
			These three responses are... 
	1stly - THERE ARE THOSE WHO CAN'T BELIEVE... 
		2ndly - THERE ARE THOSE WHO WON'T BELIEVE... 
			and, 3rdly - THERE ARE THOSE WHO MUST BELIEVE.

	But before we consider each of those responses let's understand just how decisively Paul has spoken against the religions and institutions of Athens.
		Some commentators have expressed surprise that Paul managed to get out Athens alive - let alone quite healthy - as this message from almost any one else would have seen that person executed!
			It was for a similar speech that Socrates had been actually condemned and put to death, great philosopher though he then was.

	So what was the culpable offence? 
		For which crime should he have been killed - by their law?

	Well, in verse 18, we heard the concern about advocating foreign gods.
		And verse 19 told of how Paul's teaching brought him before the Aeropagus court. 

			This was the public body responsible for the control of any new religions - a kind of a licensing authority. 
				He was brought there to make sure that he fitted in with the whole plethora of different gods already in Athens.

	That was something, of course, Christianity could never do. 
		In the words of the founder of this faith, who was none other than God's Son, Jesus Christ, "I am the way and the truth and the life." (John 14:6) 			
		This faith of the Bible is inherently anti-thetical against all other religions - we cannot dialogue or compromise or co-operate with other faiths - there is only one true faith!	
			It's this message which Paul concludes with so strongly in his sermon here.

	The trouble is that if Paul hasn't already upset the Aeropagus with rubbishing all the existing religions by preaching about the one true God - the God who is way beyond anything they have - he has surely blown it by ending with speaking of Christ's resurrection.
		You see, most of them would have agreed with him if he had spoken about the immortality of the individual soul. 			But, as for resurrection, they shared the sentiments of the god Apollo, expressed on the occasion when that very court of the Aeropagus was founded by the city's patron goddess Athene.
				Their legend passed down that Apollo said then, "Once a man dies and the earth drinks up his blood, there is no resurrection."

	Paul was so close to losing his head!
 		His only saving grace to a number of them was the ridiculousness of his words.
			Notice, in verse 32, "...some of them sneered...".

	Just to say that word, "sneer", conveys the feeling in itself.
		It's an openly derisive comment; it's a clear put down, an ironical, sarcastic expression.
			Apart from being totally ignored altogether it's the closest you get to being utterly dismissed. 
				It's really saying, "You're a joke!", or, "You must be some kind of nutcase!"

	Congregation, this is the first response...THERE ARE THOSE WHO CAN'T BELIEVE.
		That seems a harsh thing to say, doesn't it?
			How could we say that about anyone at all?
				Who are we to judge?
	Well, that's the thing here - we are not judging.
		It's their own hearts which are condemning them; the hearts which show they have absolutely no time for anything spiritual whatsoever.

			They're only into life for what they can get out of it now; the mindless party ragers who don't care about hangovers, overdoses, or an overnight stay in a prison cell.

	But these Epicureans aren't only found in those extreme situations; they can also be living ordinary kinds of lives.
		Those people who dismiss any kind of reference to the religious with statements like that in verse 18 - "What is this babbler trying to say?" - are only too pleased to have further evidence that any religion is just nonsense.
			They'll even use another religious tradition to do that.
				Just as long as they can have an excuse.
	And for the Epicureans then, if the Greek god Orpheus, who had the power to attract the wild animals and the woods where they made their lair, couldn't yet recover his lost Eurydice, they wouldn't believe this Jewish man either.
		Not that they were going to, anyway, for the Epicurean belief is such that its got no time for belief.

	If you like, we may compare this to the parable Jesus told about the sower who went out to sow.
		And do you remember, boys and girls, what happened to the seed he first scattered?
			Luke, the author of Acts, wrote about it in his gospel, chapter 8.
				He said there about the sower, "As he was scattering the seed, some fell on the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up." (v5)

	We've seen it congregation.
		Perhaps we have already experienced even among our own family and friends.
			It has happened that those brought up in Christ's Church, raised in the covenantal community, never accepted that in their own hearts.
	And when they begin to live that way - the way of the seed that doesn't take root - they can turn quite viciously against everything they've ever been taught to respect as part of a Christian family!
		There's nothing to hold them, for God's Word hasn't been able to take root in them. 

	This is one possible response to the preaching of the gospel.
		Some will sneer.
			 However, verse 32 goes on, "...but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."

	Here is the Stoic position.
		This is more thoughtful, for these are religious folk.
			Perhaps we could call them the "new agers" of their time, because they inherently knew there was something else.

	It has also been suggested that this group politely excused themselves by saying that they would hear him on this subject some other time.
		And they could be both - they are religious and yet won't go through with what they say.
			It's more a pious wish.
	I mean, it's interesting.
		But beyond that, it just fades away.

	To go back to Jesus' parable, which seed do you think this one is, boys and girls?
		It sounds like the seed which grew up a little bit - there seemed to be something there - but that's it!
			As Luke describe it, "Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture." (v6)

	THERE ARE THOSE WHO WON'T BELIEVE.
		There is a future aspect to this.
			It's not an immediate thing, but could take time to work out.

	However long it takes, though, it still won't work out.
		You see, at heart, these are people who put things off.
			"Tomorrow" is actually the most dangerous word in the English language.

	There is a kind of parable about three apprentice devils who were coming to earth to train.
		It is a story in the vein of C.S.Lewis and his "Screwtape Letters."
			And the story goes that these junior devils were telling Satan what they proposed to do.

	One said, "I will tell people there is no God."
		Satan said, "That won't work because in their heart of hearts they know there is a God."

	The second said, "I will tell me there's no hell."
		Satan said, "That won't do because people have their regrets and their remorse and they have already experienced their own punishment."

	The third said, "I will tell people there's no hurry."
		"Go," said Satan, "and you will ruin people by the million."

	Congregation, the old and deceitful devil knows that tomorrow never comes, and if people don't decide now to them salvation is gone!
		And the Stoics easily say, and make it sound very spiritual, that they'll talk again.
			But it's just talk!
	A talk that we actually hear a lot of in the church.
		For of these first two response, this is more likely to be found in our church community.

			Because since our lives look religious, we can put off in our hearts the real decision we have to make for Christ.
	Jesus, in the parable of the wheat and tares, shows us that because it's sometimes so hard to tell the difference between the believing and unbelieving in the church, that it can only come out in the final wash.
		But you know, don't you?
			You know now in your heart whether you're putting off Christ's claim or not!
	And I'm pleading with you to believe now.
		Not tomorrow, after you've thought about it; not next week when you can get into the mood for it; not next year when you might feel old enough to make a decision; not either when you think it will please your folks the most - now!

	I think that's why Paul isn't going to hang around.
		You could be waiting for all eternity before those ones really want to hear the Gospel.
			The apostle has got more work to do; he has proclaimed the gospel here; he needs to go elsewhere too.

	And what do we find?
		"A few men became followers of Paul and believed."
			This phrase can almost be literally translated, "They stuck to him."
 	That's the work of the Holy Spirit.
		No persuasive, luring, and dulcet tones here.
			As Paul explained to the Corinthians, "I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's 
power." (1 Cor.2:3ff)
	This is the third point...
		THERE ARE THOSE WHO MUST BELIEVE!

	So, boys and girls, getting back to the parable of Jesus about the sower scattering seed, which bit are we talking about now?
		Are these the seeds which fell among thorns - thorns which grew up with them and choked the plants?
			"Of course not!", you say.

	You'll want to tell me that this is where Luke says that, "Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than what was sown." (Luke 8v8)
		Man - what a difference!
			That could only be God's power which does that!
				No marketing system, even the most popular religious version, can match that!
	Two of those converted are even named by Paul.
		Whether to specifically prove his case, or because they did become believers, and later they probably became leading members in that church.

	Whatever the reason, I love the way Paul names them.

		You see, they're live human beings, people with souls, those in the same desperately lost place where we were!
			But the Good Shepherd has called them - by name.
				That's how much He knows you and how much He loves you!

	Whether it's a man, or a woman; or a boy or a girl; a young adult; those people have their names on God's great roll call.
		"A few men..." verse 34 says.
			But what people they are; and how mightily won't they be used for Christ's kingdom.

	On this Sunday we meet some more subjects of King Jesus - citizen's of the heavenly country!
		Brand new ones that day!
			And yet they had always been in God's plan from time immemorial.
				The same plan which sweeps through the ages and has caught us too in Christ's saving work.
					 
	Now, let's take a look back at verse 16.
		The apostle is deeply distressed to see a city so full of idols.
			Athens is still full of idols.
	But in amongst the darkness there is now a light.
		A lamp has been lit that, though Satan will try so hard to put out, will keep shining until the great day of Christ's return - the Day when His Light will so shine in this world that all will bow before Him - whether they believed or not.
			For they all have heard the gospel.
	Even in the heart of Athens, the very centre for man's wisdom, the place of secular philosophy, the apostle has just preached Christ.
		He’s told them what Jesus has done.
			He's told them who's really won.	
				Amen.

PRAYER:
	Let's pray...O Lord Jesus Christ,
		How we rejoice that we have heard Your Gospel.
			We have been told about Your suffering, death, rising and reigning right now from heaven itself.
	O Jesus, by Your Spirit, please rule in our hearts today.
		Make us extend Your Kingdom in ourselves, our families, Your Church, and throughout this world; the world which is so very pagan.
			A world which just like Athens of old needs the Light of Life to shine.
	Shine, Jesus, shine, light up this heart of mine!
		Amen.

HYMN:

	With hymn 354 let's stand and respond to God's Word, in 

song...

OFFERINGS:

	In 2nd Corinthians 2 Paul paints this vivid picture of what 

we are: "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal 

procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the 

fragrance of the knowledge of him." (v14)

	Let's also do this now with the giving of our gifts...

OFFERTORY PRAYER:		[DEACON]

BENEDICTION:

	Congregation, we stand now to receive the Lord’s parting 

blessing, after which we sing No. 231...

		"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

			and the love of God the Father

				and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

					be with you all, 

						Amen.”

DOXOLOGY:

		[231]