Acts 17, The Gospel Travels Series

The Gospel Travels

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Introduction

The gospel changes lives wherever it goes and on Paul’s 2nd Missionary journey we see even more evidence of this; and More resistance to the Mission

Quick update on Paul’s travels since chapter 13:

- In Acts 9:16 Jesus told Ananias Paul would “suffer for my name”, and he does

Paul and his team did not encounter trouble everywhere they traveled, but when they did……rough.

- Many, many people accepted Christ as the Messiah. Churches were established and almost every village or city they went to.

- There was suffering on the 1st missionary journey and it gets worse on the 2nd.

- Stoned in in Lystra on the 1st J, yet returns on the 2nd without. Incident.

- In Philippi in Macedonia, Paul and Silas end up in prison for healing a woman—unfortunately her owners didn’t want her “healed” as they were making money on her ability to see things unknown.

- So they are beaten with rods, and put in jail; and the miraculous occurs—an earthquake cause the chains to release and the prison doors to open leading to the jailer and his family to become believers

- There was good success in the next city until the trouble making Jews showed up

- Silas and Timothy decided Paul needed a break and sent him to Athen

As he wandered the streets, waiting for Timothy and Silas to join him, he was “deeply troubled” by what he saw.

- 30,000 statues, 10,000 people.

- The gospel changes lives wherever it goes—

o "what am I supposed to do with this mess?”

Teaser

- Wonder what the ratio of people to idols is today?

- Ever wonder what idols people worship today?

Scripture: Let’s read Acts 17:16-34 (NLT): Paul in Athens

Lesson

Our reading today teaches us that we can proclaim the gospel even in a world filled with idols and competing philosophies.

I. Reaching People Where They Are (17:16-23)

Athens was still renowned for its politics, culture, polytheistic religion, and philosophy—it was the home of Socrates and Plato in the 4th century BCE. As Paul walked around the city, “his spirit was deeply troubled when he saw that the city was full of idols.”

- 10,000 residents and 30,000 public statues (Jack O Davis)

- JW, “….this city was a seminary of philosophers, who have ever been the pest of true religion.”

- Socrates had similar beliefs and was put to death for keeping them to himself; it’s quite likely the “Unknown God” statue was placed on his behalf.

Paul interacted with multiple groups of people in Athens.

First, with Jews and Gentiles in the synagogue.

People in the marketplace.

Third, Luke tells us in verse 18, “Some of the Epicurean (atheist, pleasure) and Stoic (believed in all God’s and emphasized discipline) philosophers also conversed with him.”

Paul came with a message about eternal life!

Let’s remember the editorial note that Luke made about the Athenians spending almost all their time talking about new ideas and Paul happens to have one.

They took him to a public forum (BEFORE THE COUNCIL) where speakers could present their ideas and philosophies.

- They said to Paul, “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said. 20 “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.” (vv. 19-20).

o

o JW: Some new thing - The Greek word signifies some newer thing. New things quickly grew cheap, and they wanted those that were newer still.

o

o Cell phones….?

What an invitation for Paul—he lived for opportunities like this!

- Notice what Paul said to them, “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’

- This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.”

Paul did not begin in Genesis, he began his message with something that the Athenian’s had built to point them to the true God.

The point here is: to reach people where they are and point them to someone more significant than who they are and who they are worshiping, we have to meet them where they are and relate to them in some way (show them how much we care)!

II. We Must Declare the Greatness of God (17:24-29)

Second, we must declare the greatness of God.

Paul shared three fundamental truths about the greatness of God.

- First, God is the creator of the universe.

- Second, God is the sustainer of life.

- Third, God is the ruler of every nation.

o Paul also stressed that God “is not far from any one of us.” (v. 27).