Mass Confusion

Below is the daily Bible reading I am doing for the West Side Church. Please feel free to follow along.

I am thoroughly convinced that we are living in a time very similar to the days of the early church. While technology is completely different, lifestyles have drastically changed, and our society has largely been shaped by Judeo-Christian teachings, the two worlds are very similar. Why do I say that? I think today’s reading (Acts 14) gives us some insight into that.

In the first century there was confusion about who to worship. The Greeks had their gods they worshiped … Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Poseidon, Zeus, etc. … The Romans had their gods they worshiped … Neptune, Pluto, Quirinus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, etc. … and the Jews had their God they worshiped. The Romans were ok with the people worshiping any of the god’s they chose as long as they worshiped Caesar as a god.

We see the mass confusion when Paul heals a crippled man. The people see this miracle and want to bestow an offering to Paul and Barnabas because they believe he is a god. The Greeks and the Romans are readily willing to add another god to their already large roster of gods. They see Paul and Barnabas in this way.

The reason I say that the world today is very similar is for two reasons. Sin is very rampant in our world today as it was in the first century. Secondly, we live in a society that is very confused about which gods to worship. There are many religions out there pulling for people acceptance. People do not know which god to serve, let alone even having a true idea who God really is.

That is where you must come in. You who are in Christ know who God is. It is your responsibility to take that knowledge and share it with all who will listen.