Feb | 19 | Of Seekers and Cynics

Key Word:- CONSIDER

Title:- Of Seekers and Cynics

Acts 2: 12,13 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

Diogenes of Sinope. You remember him of course! Acknowledging his debt to Antisthenes (c. 445-365 BC), he is nonetheless credited by some, with originating the Cynic way of life. He conveyed his Cynic philosophy by personal example rather than by any system of thought, in particular, in striving to destroy social conventions (including family life) and in the so doing, to therefore make a way of returning to a more “natural” life. To this end, Diogenes of Sinope lived as a vagabond pauper, sleeping in public buildings and begging for food. He also advocated shamelessness (performing harmless unconventional actions), outspokenness, and training in austerity. In other words, “Tell it how YOU feel it, tell it how YOU see it, without regard to any one else’s feelings or intentions.” This kind of cynicism is on the rise today both within the church and the world. It is an attitude that at the heart level, refuses to enter into the open investigation of other people's ideas and opinions.

Of course, we can see in our text for today that even in the first century when God the Holy Spirit arrived on the scene, there were cynics, shaking their heads, refusing to enter into open investigation of the extraordinary happenings and declarations which they were both seeing and hearing. Maybe they said, “Ignorant Galileans speaking in other languages? Ignorant Galileans proclaiming happiness and gladness, freedom and joy, ecstasy even! Yeah that’s it! They are all probably on ‘ecstasy’ , ‘E’ you know what I mean baby, you know, we don’t need to throw rocks at ‘em cause they’re already stoned! These Galileans are smashed! They are stinking! They’re just silly idiots full of new wine. Nah, let’s just ignore them.”

Do you see it? Do you feel it? The force of death in such a cynical and derided dismissiveness. Such a spirit of cynicism squashes consideration, flatens investigation, and kicks trying, testing, touching and tasting, right into touch! Be careful here folks, for cynicism, quite frankly, is for those who mock mysteries, mishandle messages and make their bed in hell.

‘Open and Aware’ people must question such sneering Cynicism and reject the death that comes with such a derisory dismissiveness, for ‘Open and Aware’ folks are in the end, seekers after truth, followers after grace, and eventual finders of Him who’s mouth is full of grace and full of truth. Be sure, Jesus manifests Himself in the most unusual of places and the most unusual of people, so my brothers and sisters, whilst rightly testing the fruit, don’t be such a cynic!

Listen: - Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Psalm 34:8

Pray: - Lord, help me continue my journey into You and deliver me today from the quick death and ignorant exclusiveness of dismissive cynicism, in Jesus name I pray Amen.