It was an awesome 10-day mission. I hope you followed some of the journeying of the crew of NASA’s Artemis II. They went deeper into space than anyone else in history.
Personally, I appreciate the achievements that can unite Americans. This achievement was nothing short of stunning. I’ll quote Commander Reid Wiseman: “We’ve circled it completely, and we forgot how beautiful it is to look down on Earth.”
As these brave heroes came near to the dark side of the moon, a voice from Houston’s Mission Control Center was heard: “This really beautiful view of a crescent moon and a crescent Earth … how great Thou art.”
For various reasons, I was impressed by each and every member of the four-person crew, but Victor Glover – the pilot – stands out.
CBS News reported this quote from an Easter interview with Glover: “When I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us, who were created, you have this amazing place, this spaceship. You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth. But you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe, in the cosmos. I think as we go into Easter Sunday thinking about all the cultures all around the world, whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same … And that we got to get through this together.”
Mr. Glover’s line of reasoning reminds me of the Apostle Paul when he was given the opportunity to address the Areopagus (Acts 17:24-27): “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.”
The Areopagus was a very influential gathering. It wielded extensive authority over the civil and religious life of Athens. In such a critical setting, Paul knew that his every word had to count. He understood that his tone must be respectful, and that he must present the truth about God in a manner that could be embraced by Greek intellectuals. In the next few verses, Paul goes on to quote their own authors. For example, and this appears to come from a “hymn to Zeus” penned by Epimenides of Crete (c. 600 B.C.): “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). It’s a brilliant approach! Paul labored to find common ground with pagan philosophers in order to reach the people around him with the gospel of Christ.
Are you and I willing to find common ground with the people around us? It really matters. Especially now, when even a casual conversation has the potential to start a firestorm.
Athens was a lot like America. There were idols on every corner. The public debate was nonstop. The tone could be very deafening and disrespectful.
If you’ll allow me, I’ll offer a few observations from both Paul and the Artemis pilot …
1. We have to walk the streets and know the people. If we’re going to share Christ effectively, we can’t live in a bubble. It’s obvious from Scripture that Paul was very familiar with the unbelieving culture surrounding him. I think the same must be true of Victor Glover. When it comes to unbelievers, we must observe their world – pointing out what is good and true – before sharing ours.
2. We have to love the people to whom we’re called. Love involves risk. Love involves patience. Love involves humbling ourselves. Love involves facing lots of rejection. If we stand out as ambassadors for Christ, we’ll be mocked. But notice that, in Acts 17, though some mocked, others were willing to keep the important spiritual conversation alive.
3. We have to seek common ground in the humanity which we share. Ask lots of questions. Give people a chance to talk – and even unload. Let them tell you about their hard times. You may be the only one willing to listen. Enter into their world with a sincere desire to find common interests and concerns. Those conversational springboards are there – we just have to find them.
4. We have to use the obvious brokenness of Earth to tell people why our anchor is Jesus. Notice that Paul spoke nothing but the truth – but he did not mock. He was bold in his proclamation but gentle in his delivery. A lot of people are turned off by any “religious” talk today. We must accept that fact and make the most of it. It makes us desperate for the help of the Holy Spirit! We don’t convict anybody – that’s the Spirit’s job.
I heard another quote from Mr. Glover that I really appreciate: “As we continue to unlock the mystery of the cosmos, I’d like to remind you of one of the important mysteries there on Earth, and that’s love. Christ said in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all that you are … and He also, being a great teacher, said the second is equal to it. And that is to love your neighbor as yourself.”
I’m fully aware that the world has tried desperately to highjack the word “love” – nothing could be more obvious. Many have attempted to redefine love – aka “Love is Love” – and take its meaning far away from the One who defines love (the One who is love). But all people – remember, they’re all God’s image bearers – have an innate hunger to be loved and to love. As followers of Christ, we must capitalize on that. It’s central to our humanness. It may well be that your gracious conversation about genuine love is the conversation that unlocks the spiritual door to someone’s heart.
I’m so glad that God has raised up someone in the public eye to speak boldly of His amazing love: the love which God has for us, and the love which we should have for Him and for others. After all, Love has come chasing after us in Jesus.
It’s a great time to be alive!
If you’ll allow me, I’ll tell the rest of Mission Control’s story …
“O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed.
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in –
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!”
Pastor Charles
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