The Sixth Sunday of Easter - May 3, 2026
The M3 (Monday Morning Mail)
Be Like Paul
Yesterday’s reading from Acts 17 provided another opportunity to consider and emulate the first Christians, as they confess Christ in a hostile culture. We are called to give a reason for the hope that is in us—confess Christ—in 1 Peter 3:15. Like the Apostle Paul, we face a hostile culture. So, it is helpful to look closely at how Paul confesses Christ. He does six things. First, his spirit within him is provoked by all the idols; he pays attention to his cultural surroundings and engages with them. He cares enough about those outside of Christ that it bothers him. Second, he acknowledge their worldview. To be sure, he does more than acknowledge it, but he understands it well. Luke simply records Paul’s recognition of how the Athenians understand the world. Yet, in order to converse meaningfully with people, Paul would surely have to understand how the Athenians comprehend the world. Third, he straightforwardly identities the problem: idolatry in the form of worshipping unknown gods. Though the gods of the Greek pantheon are not worshipped by many in the twenty-first century, false gods still exist. Martin Luther says a god is that in which you put your trust. Fourth, he then recounts how the Biblical worldview is different, asserting YHWH as the creator of all things who gives all things. This Biblical Creator-creature relationship contrasts directly with the shaky relationship one would have with an unknown god. YHWH creates from one man all people and puts them in their places—again the personal connection between YHWH and the people he makes contrasts with the gods who are unknown. So, sixth, the Apostle Paul calls people YHWH’s offspring, driving home the point that YHWH cares for people like a parent does for children—invoking how Jesus teaches his disciples to pray: “Our Father, who are in heaven… . Finally, Paul boldly confesses the main point: all things will be judged in righteousness “…by a man whom he [YHWH] has appointed…”—namely Jesus. While “judged” seems like law, here it functions as gospel. To judge in righteousness means to make all that is wrong right. Only Jesus does this, when he makes the heavens and earth new at his second advent. He does it out of his love for his creation.