Frightfully Mad
Acts 17:25-27
Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
My, Paul speaks of such a beautiful thing. It seems that none of these idols, altars, and philosophers will satisfy him. Neither is God pleased with such. Is it not wonderful to know that there is nothing you can do to bring the Lord near to you. So also, nothing you do will drive him away, save his own holiness. This begs the question. If you cannot worship him with your own designs, how then shall he be worshipped? A thirsty Gentile woman at the well in John 4:20 once asked a similar question of the Lord. He told her only of the Spirit and in his truth. Look with me here at the connection with the divine. Last time we saw our condition in Christ. But this is something entirely different altogether. See, all we have comes from him and to him returns whether that be life, breath, or all things. So then, worship is but an expression of our praise, a giving back as it were to the Lord. How can you give God back any less than what is already his: namely your life, breath, and those pesky "all things." Offering them should be no great hardship now. It seems you could hardly hope to keep them safe before. Much less have you the power to give them to yourself again. So, it seems Paul also has dedicated his life in the service of such a One as in 2 Corinthians 12:5-9. In the same he will glory for God has come through time and time again. Moreover, the apostle would be remiss indeed to glory either of or in himself. For you do not know of our dear apostle's struggles. It makes little sense to either you or I to watch him glory in his infirmities here. But how many of you know that when God is done, he will be shouting glory once more. At times when the wild animals gather and the storm clouds come, praise is the furthest thing from your minds. Even if you have nothing else, still there is breath in your body, the gift of life, and the hope of all things yet to come. The situation might be bad now; but hold on for better days are coming. It seems that glory awaits.
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Yet as much as Paul would glory in God's current provision, he felt such to also be foolish. In the light of some of the trials and tribulations you and I go through, this would be silly indeed. As Ecclesiastes 3:1 states and Paul so declares, there is a time and place for everything. For some the season of waiting is upon them. For others the long winter is here with its' hunger and cold. Still others are seeing the time of their scorching heat when all things planted seem to wither away. How many know ought of the harvest when all things sown are gathered with much increase. Glorying out of season makes about as much sense as mail ordering wolves in the middle of summer. Never had Paul been one to shy away from speaking the truth of the Gospel or his mind. Now though we begin to see something entirely new. He forbears not because God has done nothing for him. Rather, he does so out of respect for the situation. Here Paul quite admits himself to be a hot mess. Any who paid the slightest attention to him at all would doubtless have seen and heard this. Indeed, I have noted our esteemed apostle deteriorating the further he travels from Lydia and her house. He might not be rotting away right now; nonetheless our dear apostle is not well. The text calls this a "thorn in the flesh" or a "messenger of Satan." Maybe he misses home. Perhaps something else has gone on entirely. Some might even speculate about the madness creeping towards the edges of his sanity. How many of you know that even there, God will keep you. Notice the trial's effect was to keep Paul humble. So also, God deals with all mankind which fill the nations of this present world. He has given them their portion. Here we see their territory appointed and their times secured. For so are the people, the nations, and the world his. Their times and their bounds he firmly holds within his hand.
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Here we see the call of the gospel spelled out clearly like no other. For this cause God made the inhabitants of the world that they might worship him. More than that they were also created to seek him. My friends, it is humbling indeed to realize that the God of all creation wants to have a personal relationship with you. Just think of the people stumbling along knowing not God. Yet the Athenians know that someone unknown is out there. Paul calls them a feeling people. They trust only what they can sense with their physical bodies. But how many know God has made man to be more than that. You and I were meant to be more than so many beings blindly groping in the dark. Even now God is calling some finding people unto himself. Note here how the focus is upon the Lord. You know as well as I do that celebrities and famous people are all well and wonderful. Yet here our super-apostle is celebrated not; rather the message is and has always been about Jesus. How man is prone to get it twisted all so easily.
Now Paul is seeking to be delivered from this thing that troubles him. As to what this is, I can only speculate. Some think that it was his eyesight. But when you are bent over in prayer that your trouble might depart, that suggestion sounds rather laughable does it not. No, I will tell you what might depart. There are several burdens upon the apostle: namely his calling to the gospel, his chains for Christ's name, and his love for one Lydia. Perhaps it was only the love of God for her, who knows. What I do know is it held sufficient power to torment and to trouble him. For therein lies a prayer thrice repeated. Yet the answer remained the same. For simply it was this; God's grace remained sufficient for whatever Paul had to go through. His strength also is perfected when he was at his weakest. See, Paul might be feeling mighty low here. Such is a conundrum which has baffled the ages. It seems some of the weakest men have held the most power. Even so Paul admits to being given power, strength, and rest from on high. At such times of low places, glorying makes little sense at all. But therein we find the provision of God.