The episode of Paul's life when he visits Athens is often used to explore ideal ways of evangelising hostile peoples. Paul sees how the Athenians have an idol for every conceivable deity in the known world, and even one altar for gods they might not know about. It is this insecurity in the Athenians that Paul uses as an opening for his evangelism. However, I've not heard the passage applied so relevantly to my own life as Bishop Zac did this evening in Venue 1. He talked about idolatry in categories that I've not heard before. Where before I've thought of television, money and other concrete things, today Biahop Zac made me think about religion, safety, security and even myself. The point is that an idol is something I create and then worship. It could be anything - my family, my lifestyle, this blog even. When I say I've Jesus in me just as I am in Him, I may be speaking the truth, but not in equal measure. It's far more I'm in Jesus than the other way around - believing that Jesus can bed boxed up is one of those idols that individuals and even churches create for themselves. Interesting, powerful stuff. And it musts shows how little of God I really know.
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