Introduction
We are studying the Book of Acts in a sermon series called “Turning the World Upside Down.”
The gospel changed lives wherever it went.
Saul of Tarsus was converted to Jesus and became known as the Apostle Paul.
We are currently studying Paul’s second missionary journey.
Last time, we learned about Paul’s ministry in Berea. He left Berea hastily and traveled about two hundred miles to Athens.
Paul’s visit to Athens appears unplanned.
Things had not gone well in Macedonia, as the Thessalonians remarked, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also” (Acts 17:6).
Paul and his team encountered trouble wherever they traveled.
Early in his second missionary journey, Paul faced expulsion from Pisidian Antioch, threats of stoning in Iconium, and was stoned in Lystra.
Paul was imprisoned in Philippi, and a riot was sparked in Thessalonica.
When some Thessalonian Jews came to incite crowds in Berea, Paul’s companions decided he needed a break.
They sent him on a ship along the Greek coastline to Athens, perhaps hoping he could relax and recuperate.
It’s hard to picture Paul on vacation, but his companions likely intended this.
He must have been physically and emotionally exhausted, and Athens provided the perfect destination.
However, while Paul was wandering the streets of Athens, waiting for Timothy and Silas to join him, he was distraught by what he saw.
Scripture
Let’s read Acts 17:16-34:
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 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, 27 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, 28 for
“ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Lesson
Acts 17:16-34 teaches us that we must proclaim the gospel in a world filled with idols and competing philosophies.
Let’s use the following outline:
1. We Must Reach People Where They Are (17:16-23)
2. We Must Declare the Greatness of God (17:24-29)
3. We Must Call Unbelievers to Repentance (17:30-31)
4. We Must Expect Mixed Reactions (17:32-34)
I. We Must Reach People Where They Are (17:16-23)
First, we must reach people where they are.
When Paul arrived in Athens, it was a city in decline.
Undoubtedly, Paul had learned about Athens in his studies.
He must have looked forward to seeing the city with its stunningly beautiful architecture.
Athens was still renowned for its politics, culture, religion, and philosophy.
As Paul walked around the city while waiting for Timothy and Silas to join him, Luke tells us in verse 1 that “his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.”
I read that in that day Athens had about 10,000 residents and 30,000 idols!
Someone said of Athens that “it was easier to find a god there than a man” (John R. W. Stott, The Message of Acts: The Spirit, the Church & the World, The Bible Speaks Today [Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994], 277).
Paul interacted with three groups of people in Athens.
First, Paul interacted with Jews in the Jewish synagogue.
Second, he also interacted daily with anyone in the marketplace.
Third, Luke tells us in verse 18, “Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him.”
At the expense of being simplistic, the Epicureans were materialists and atheists, and their goal in life was pleasure.
The Stoics were pantheists, emphasizing personal discipline and self-control.
Warren Wiersbe summarizes each worldview when he writes, “The Epicureans said ‘Enjoy life!’ and the Stoics said ‘Endure life!’ ” (Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 [Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996], 472).
Then, Paul came with a message about eternal life!
The Athenians took Paul to the Areopagus, a public forum where speakers could present their ideas and philosophies.
They said to Paul, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean” (vv. 19-20).
What an invitation!
They were puzzled by what Paul was proclaiming about Jesus and the gospel.
So, they asked Paul to explain what he was promoting.
Notice what Paul said to them, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you” (vv. 22-23).
Paul did not begin in Genesis.
Paul began his message with something that the Athenians had built.
They apparently wanted to ensure that no god was offended, so they erected an altar “to the unknown god.”
Paul used this object of worship to point them to the true God.
Every person worships someone or something.
It may be power, possessions, popularity, success, Allah, or whatever.
Think about people you know. What are their gods? Their idols?
Try to identify what your friend is worshipping.
Then, think about how those idols will ultimately fail to satisfy.
They may be delighted with their power, popularity, and possessions now.
But when that person stands on the brink of eternity, how will his money, popularity, or success satisfy him in the future?
How will his idol help him in the life to come?
You must learn to reach people where they are and point them to someone more significant than what it is they are worshiping.
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.
Paul said in verse 24, “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man.”
This view differed significantly from the Epicurean’s materialism and the Stoic’s pantheism.
Paul affirmed that the God who created all things is personal and supreme.
It is absurd to think that the true God could ever live as something created, such as an idol, or dwell in a shrine made by humans.
People cannot limit or localize the creator of the universe.
Second, God is the sustainer of life.
Paul said in verse 25, “… nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”
God sustains all the life he has created.
God gives every breath taken by every creature.
Not one breath more. And not one breath less.
It is absurd to think that the one who gives life and sustains life should himself need anything.
As John Stott said, “We depend on God; he does not depend on us” (John R. W. Stott, The Message of Acts: The Spirit, the Church & the World, 285).
Third, God is the ruler of every nation.
Paul said in verse 26, “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.”
Paul affirmed that all people come from one man, Adam.
He did not affirm an evolutionary view of humanity.
Moreover, God controls the time and place of each person’s birth.
Paul also stressed that God “is actually not far from each one of us” (v. 27).
God is not a distant deity.
Then, Paul quoted from the poet Epimenides, “In him we live and move and have our being” (v. 28a), and also from Aratus and Cleanthes, “For we are indeed his offspring” (v. 28b).
Paul was affirming that all people were created by God.
Paul concluded that God made us in his image, as he said in verse 29, “Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.”
Someone once said, “God created man in God’s image. Man has returned the favor by creating God in man’s image.”
When sharing the gospel with unbelievers, we must correct their understanding of God, particularly the person of Jesus.
Let us highlight the beauty and sufficiency of our glorious Savior Jesus.
Tell our friends that Jesus is sufficient to meet their every need.
III. We Must Call Unbelievers to Repentance (17:30-31)
Third, we must call unbelievers to repentance.
Paul said in verse 30, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”
God would not be unjust if he punished us immediately when we sinned.
But God is patient.
He knows that we are ignorant of the truth.
He overlooks our ignorance.
But God commands all people every to repent.
By the way, notice that God does not invite people to repent.
No. God commands all people everywhere to repent.
The gospel does not conclude with an invitation but with a command to repent.
Why is that?
If I invite you to my home for a lovely dinner, you can accept or reject it.
I may be disappointed if you don’t accept it.
I may be reluctant to invite you to my house again.
But there is no penalty for turning down my invitation.
On the other hand, if you receive a summons to appear in front of the local judge, you realize that it is a command and not an invitation.
You reject the command to appear at your peril.
Similarly, God does not invite sinners to repent.
God commands sinners to repent.
Rejecting God’s command is a grave mistake.
Why does God command all people everywhere to repent?
Paul answers in verse 31a, “… because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed.”
Paul told the Athenians that there was a coming Day of Judgment.
We don’t know when that Day will be.
But it is coming.
The judge whom God has appointed is none other than Jesus.
Paul said in verse 31b, “… and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Though Paul did not give Jesus’ name, he was referring to Jesus because God raised Jesus back to life three days after he was crucified.
When I was at seminary, one of the classes I took was called “Evangelism.”
My professor, John Nystrom, used to say, “You have not properly shared the gospel until you have called for a response.”
In other words, after sharing the gospel, we must call people to respond to it.
It is not sufficient to give information.
We must call unbelievers to repentance.
IV. We Must Expect Mixed Reactions (17:32-34)
Fourth, we must expect mixed reactions.
There were three reactions to Paul’s speech at the Areopagus.
First, some mocked.
We read in verse 32a, “Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked.”
This reaction is perhaps why Christians don’t share the gospel.
Christians are afraid of being mocked.
Some Christians fear that they may not have answers to unbeliever’s questions.
But I think most Christians don’t want to be mocked.
Let me encourage you to persevere in sharing the good news.
The consequence for unbelievers is eternal damnation in hell.
When God started working in me to convince me of my sin, I would argue with my best friend and my brother, who were sharing the gospel with me.
They may have become discouraged at my reaction to them sharing the gospel with me.
But they persevered.
Eventually, on Easter Sunday evening in 1976, I repented of my sins and trusted in Jesus alone for the gift of eternal life.
Second, some delayed.
We read in verses 32b-33, “ ‘We will hear you again about this.’ So Paul went out from their midst.”
They could have been polite.
They could have been putting Paul off.
Or, they could have needed time to think things through.
Regardless, they did not react immediately to Paul’s presentation.
It was D. L. Moody who once preached what he thought would be the first of two messages to his congregation.
In the first message, he told them about the greatness of God and the coming judgment.
He planned to tell the congregation about Jesus and the need to respond in repentance and faith the following week.
However, during the week was the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
The church building was destroyed, Moody’s own house was damaged, and the homes of most of his members were destroyed.
Three hundred people lost their lives.
Moody determined never again to preach half a gospel. He determined that he would always call for a response to the gospel.
Third, some believed.
We read in verse 34, “But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.”
Praise God!
Some believed and became Christians.
It is the Holy Spirit who gives new life to unbelievers.
Our job is to share the gospel and leave the Holy Spirit to regenerate unbelievers.
So, let us share the gospel with friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, and even strangers.
Conclusion
Frank Jenner was an Australian Christian known as the “George Street Evangelist.”
He became known for his unique and persistent approach to evangelism.
For nearly 28 years, he would ask strangers on George Street in Sydney, Australia, a simple yet profound question: “If you died within 24 hours, where would you be in eternity? Heaven or hell?”
Most people did not want to listen to what he had to say.
But some did.
Frank Jenner shared the gospel with them.
Jenner’s story gained wider recognition when the Reverend Francis Dixon, an English pastor, began hearing testimonies from individuals who had encountered Jenner and later became Christians.
These stories emerged from various parts of the world, highlighting the far-reaching impact of Jenner’s ministry.
Reverend Dixon visited Jenner to meet the man and see how he shared the gospel.
When Jenner heard that people with whom he had shared the gospel had become Christians and were still following Jesus, he broke down and cried.
He had not known that even one person with whom he had shared the gospel had remained faithful to Jesus beyond an initial profession of faith.
Despite his struggles with health issues like narcolepsy and Parkinson’s disease, Jenner remained faithful to his calling, speaking to an estimated 100,000 people over nearly 28 years.
Jenner’s approach to evangelism may not be your cup of tea.
Nevertheless, find an approach and tell others about Jesus.
Let me encourage you to share the gospel with someone this coming week. Amen.
