Acts 17:16-34 "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD"

Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City! Please turn in your Bibles to Acts 17 as we continue our verse-by-verse journey through the New Testament.

We finish Acts 17 today looking at Acts 17:16-34.

Last time, Paul, Silas, and Timothy were in the City of Berea in Macedonia (modern day Greece).

Our key verse last week… V11 states, “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

Paul went to the Synagogue in Berea to share the gospel and prove that He was the Messiah based on OT prophetic scriptures.

The Bereans were ‘fair-minded’ or ‘noble-minded’ in that they were eager to hear the word from Paul, but then they also searched the scriptures to verify what Paul shared was accurate.

A great model for us in life and in this New Year. Last week was a passage rich in application for our lives today.

Many of the Jews in Berea believed, as well as many of the Gentiles, but then Paul’s stay was once again cut short…

This time, not from persecution by the Bereans, but the envious Jews in Thessalonica who travelled 15 hours to stir up the crowds against Paul.

The evil of envy is a strong motivator, and seems to have no end.

But God, would use this evil for good… as Paul was sent south to the capital and largest city of Greece… Athens.

Athens, Greece… A city historically steeped in the idolatry of the Greek pantheon of false gods…

A city in desperate need of the true and living God.

Silas and Timothy hung back in Berea for a time, until Paul sent for them to come “with all speed”… meaning… as soon as possible.

We pick up with Paul in Athens where Paul shares the Gospel to the Athenians… who worshipped many gods, but were ignorant of Jesus Christ… who walked among us.

The title of today’s message is “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.”

Let’s Pray!

Acts 17:16 “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.”

Stop there… let’s get grounded in our geography and why Paul was so provoked in his spirit by what he saw in Athens.

In many ways… we live in Athens today… when you look around at our culture and our world… your spirit should be provoked as well.

Athens was an important city… rich in history. Most of us know of Athens, Greece, but probably don’t really know it’s history. So, let’s take V16… and make it a little more 3D…

You history buffs out there… and those of you who like pictures (lot’s of pictures today)… will appreciate this glimpse into Ancient Athens.

Let’s pull up our map of Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey… find the red asterisk and you will find Athens in the South of Greece.

Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world… said to be inhabited consistently now for 5000 years… since 3000 B.C.

The city is named after the false Greek goddess Athena…not surprising… Athens… Athena. She was named the patron of the city… the story goes… after winning a contest with Poseidon to see who would be the patron.

They liked her gift of an Olive Tree over Poseidon’s gift of a water source which turned out salty.

Fast forward to the Greco-Persian Wars in 499–449 BC which was led by Athens and Sparta… and you come to a pivotal moment in World History that led to…

Fifth Century Athens… known as The Golden Age of Athens…

This was 50 years of peace and prosperity… where many ideas were birthed that would be foundational for much of the world today.

Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization.

Ideas flowed during this time… democracy, philosophy, historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, theatre, literature, art, architecture and the Olympic Games.

It was during this time that the physician Hippocrates lived… to whom credit is given for the “Hippocratic Oath”… for ethics in the medical practice.

Also, the philosophers Plato and Socrates lived during this time…

A student of Plato, the famous Aristotle, would be the tutor of Alexander the Great.

Alexander reigned from 336–323 BC… and would conquer the known world in his short 13 year reign before he died of either illness or poisoning.

His death would mark the beginning of the Hellenistic Period which lasted until the emergence of the Roman Empire in 31 B.C.

In 146 BC the Roman Republic conquered mainland Greece.

Greece was absorbed into the Roman Republic… and Greece was divided into the Roman provinces of Macedonia and Achaea.

The prophet Daniel predicted this change of hands… when he explained Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2.

The Grecian Empire… represented in the dream by the belly and thighs of bronze… the empire founded by Alexander the Great… would be conquered by Rome represented in the dream by legs of iron.

But, Greece would also leave it’s lasting mark on Roman culture, language.

By the time Paul brought the Gospel to Athens, the city and country was a fraction of it’s former glory.

And, yet… the most prominent university in the Greek world remained in Athens… Epicurean and Stoic philosophy was prevalent… and idolatry was prevalent.

I have a slide of 2nd Century Athens… what the city mostly would have looked like in Paul’s day.

Paul would look around at the vast number of statues and temples to false gods… and V1 states… “his spirit was provoked within him.”

Paul was in the midst of this historical city that was fully given over to false worship and he was provoked.... he was greatly upset or troubled.

In the midst of the city… you look up… still to this day.. and you can’t miss “Mount Lycabettus” where the famous Acropolis sits.

Acropolis is compound word- Gk. akron means "highest point or extremity" and polis means "city."

This was the highest point in the city at 200 feet above the plain below… it’s a flat-topped rock with a surface area of 7.4 acres.

In 1400 B.C., Athens was a settlement of the Mycenaean civilization, and the Acropolis was the site of a major Mycenaean fortress.

In 432 B.C., the Acropolis was transformed into many masterpieces of architecture… but works of man’s hands that provoked the spirit of Paul… because they were dedicated to false gods… idols.

The Acropolis… as well as the surrounding plains of Athens is saturated with many Temples and statues to false Gods.

On the Acropolis alone stands, the Parthenon which is a temple to Athena, the Temple to Athena Nike, the Sanctuaries of Zeus, Artemis, Pandion… and more.

Paul would have witnessed droves of people ascending to the Acropolis to petition their deities who had no capability of hearing for they were as dead as the stone in which they were made.

Ps 135:15-18 reads, “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. 16 They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; 17 They have ears, but they do not hear; Nor is there any breath in their mouths. 18 Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.”

Paul was greatly disturbed seeing all the lost people worshipping all the false idols.

As I mentioned, in many ways we live in Athens today. Perhaps the idols of our times are not statues and temples…

But, substitute these for the idols of our bank accounts… homes… cars… pleasure… so many things are worshipped above God.

And we are right to be like Paul… greatly provoked in our spirits upon gazing at the idols in our land.

Like Jeremiah… Paul could not hold back from proclaiming the truth of the word of God amidst all of this darkness.

There was a time when Jeremiah considered withholding God’s word because of persecution, but when he did… he recounts in Jer 20:9 “But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.”

I pray that you and I experience the same… when we gaze around at a world of darkness fully given over to idols… even if we are mocked and ridiculed… that we would not be able to hold back sharing the truth of His word.

And, that’s exactly what happened to Paul.

Because of V16… because of the idolatry and Paul’s spirit being provoked… we read his response in V17…

Acts 17:17 “Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there.”

Paul reasoned… which can be translated as “discussed, argue, or preached.” Depending on who he was talking to... Paul probably did all of the above.

And, we know Paul talked to a lot of people… because he was all over Athens having conversations about Jesus… in the synagogue… in the marketplace… and later we will see he was at the Areopagus.

In the Synagogues… Paul reached Jews and Gentile God-fearers… Gentiles who reverenced the God of Israel.

In the marketplace… Paul reached a multitude of Athenians. The marketplace or Gk. agŏra was the town-square west of the Acropolis… it was the center of civic life.

There were numerous Stoas with their beautiful colonnades open to the public for merchants to sell their goods and artists to display their artwork. There were many temples and statues. Official offices like the senate house and archives were located at the Agora. And, philosophers debated at forums.

It was here that daily Paul shared Jesus with whomever he encountered… all walks of life. Paul later wrote to the Corinthians (the next town he will visit), and said, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

Paul demonstrated this well during his ministry in Athens… another model for us on how we should engage the people of the world… ‘all things to all men.’

If you are open to allow the Spirit to work through you to engage people… don’t be surprised if you come under some criticism.

Paul did. Don’t let this discourage you. Paul was mocked, but not discouraged.

Let’s see how Paul handles criticism and mockery.

Acts 17:18-21 “Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” 21 For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.”

At the Agora, Paul encounters and converses with philosophers of different schools of thought… who were his primary antagonists.

The Epicureans were followers of the philosopher Epicurus who lived from 341-270 B.C. His teaching emphasized maximizing pleasure and happiness as the chief end of life… this was the ultimate good.

While pain should be minimized for this is evil. Achieving tranquility was the ultimate goal in life.

The fear of death was taught as the main opposition to living a life of peace and pleasure… and he taught one not fear death because we cease to exist after death.

They believed pleasure would result from being free from pain, by not allowing passions or excess to dominate their lives… by not fearing death or superstitions… and through loving fellow people.... friendship was a highest form of pleasure.

But, they were also criticized for immorality… they were probably a little too friendly.

They believed gods existed, but the gods were not interested in the lives of people… so, they held the gods were disconnected from human affairs.

Just reflect on our culture today… there are MANY people who hold to similar philosophies still today.

The Stoics, on the other hand, followed the philosopher Zeno who lived from 320-250 B.C., so a contemporary to Epicurus.

They were pantheists that emphasized wisdom through freedom from excess emotion… such as great joy or grief. They focused on being rational, directing history, being self-sufficient, and living in harmony with nature.

Essentially, these opposing schools of thought were representations of how humanity attempts to understand life, existence, humanity and deity… apart from the truth of Scripture… apart from Jesus Christ.

There are many people who live life today who live by similar principles, and also mock Jesus and those who follow Him.

And, these philosophers did mock Paul. They called him a “babbler.” V18 states, “…some said, “What does this babbler want to say?”

By def. a babbler lit. is translated “seed-picker” as in a bird that would pick up seeds here and there. They were accusing Paul of picking up scraps of knowledge here and there… of being without a philosophy.

It’s an accusation that Paul was not legitimate… that he didn’t measure up to the intelligentsia… that he had just a bunch of strange ideas and was not legitimate…

If anything, Paul was just the opposite… a Hebrew of Hebrews… a Pharisee… studied under Gamaliel. Paul was not some country bumpkin, but the teachings he presented were so counter to their thinking.

Some said in V18, ““He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.”

The idea of one God… who was not distant, but who tabernacled with us… who died for us… and who rose again from the dead… this was crazy talk to them.

And, so in V19… they take him to the Areopagus… a prominent rock outcropping, 50-60 feet above the valley… where their judicial council… similar to a supreme court met.

Gk. legend was Ares stood on trial here for the murder of Poseidon’s son.

So, they take Paul here… Not for trial, but an opportunity… a hearing of sorts… to present this new teaching before the judges of the court… the Areopagites… officials, people of influences… and any onlookers in attendance.

I have an aerial view of the Areopagus… and what I love about this picture is that it’s just a screenshot I took from Google Maps this past week.

We open our Bibles… we read about these places… and I go online and get satellite imagery of the very location.

These places are not fiction… they’re fact. They’re real. The Bible is real… verified by archaeological evidence… verified by satellite imagery… verified by the reality of your changed life… your changed heart.

We’re not who we used to be. Sometimes my wife is confused by me… for a variety of reasons… I’m a complex individual…

But, sometimes she’s confused because even now… God is still working on my heart… working on my mind… sanctifying me by His word of truth.

The change in our lives is a real evidence of the veracity of the word of God.

As much as this geography is real.

The name areopagus is another compound word… Arĕiŏs Pagŏs meaning the “Hill of Ares.”

Ares in Greek Mythology is the God of War.

In Roman Mythology, the God of War is Mars. Thus, the “Hill of Ares” is also referred to as “Mar’s Hill.”

And, as Paul stands on Mar’s Hill… the Athenians want to know about this new doctrine… this new teaching that is so distinct from their Pantheon of gods…

In V20, they call this teaching “strange” or “surprising” and they want to know more.

V21 tells us why… the Athenians and foreign students relished in accruing new knowledge and had all the time in the world to discuss and debate such things.

Intellectual accent was no doubt another idol in their lives.

But, Paul will use their openness to new ideas to his advantage.

Though they were misguided, this open door allows Paul to preach truth in their lives.

And starting in V22, we are still blessed today… to have another recorded sermon of Paul the Apostle…

Paul’s first and longest recorded sermon in in Acts 13:16-41… and that message is VERY different from what we are about to read… BECAUSE the audience was different.

Acts 13… Paul preaches to Jews at the synagogue… and heavily references OT scripture.

Here in Acts 17… Paul preaches to Athenian Gentiles who did not know the OT… so the focus is more general about attributes of God… creation… seeking God… much more general… and entirely intentional.

Two totally different teaching styles to totally different audiences. Another example of being all things to all men.

This was not compromise… this was meeting them where they were… expressly to lead them to God.

Let’s read the whole message… VSS 22-31… then discuss.

Acts 17:22-31 “Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

I’m not sure if anyone there said, “Amen,” but certainly that would be an appropriate response. Amen… meaning “in truth” or “so be it.”

Paul, standing on the the rocky Areopagus in the midst of the men of Athens… philosophers, students, citizens… he addresses them…

First pointing out their religious zeal in V22. The city was said to have more idols in it than people.

They were religious… though misguided. We know people like this today. They believe in God, but because they don’t read their Bibles, they believe in superstitions… they follow religious traditions…

And, then they think we are weird for being grounded in God’s word. That’s ok… I’m happy all day long to be that kind of weirdo.

Paul calls them “very religious”… which can be translated “reverencing the gods and divine things”, in a more positive light, but in a bad sense, “superstitious.”

I think Paul was complementing their openness to spirituality… even though their faith was misplaced.

People like this need discipleship… they need a guide that can steer them in the right direction.

It’s a good thing that their spiritual engine is moving… they just need to be re-routed in the right direction.

I don’t think Paul spoke poorly about them because… It’s unwise to mock someone if you’re about to share the gospel with them… I don’t get the sense this is what Paul was doing.

So, in V22 he recognizes they are religious as evidenced by V23… all over Athens Paul observed the objects of their worship… statues of gods… temples to gods…

Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Hermes, Apollo…

Just to name a few of the Olympian gods.

Their full pantheon of gods would also include the Primordial gods, the Titan gods, the lesser gods… the list was huge.

They Greeks were cautious also to NOT OFFEND a god they were not aware of… thus as Paul observed… they build an altar that was inscribed “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.”

The statement on this altar is not just a key memorable moment of our passage today… this statement truly summarized the condition of Athens.

They recognized that God existed, BUT… they did not know Him.

Let me say that again… They recognized that God existed, BUT… they did not know Him.

Sadly, this describes the majority of the world. Most of the world has a general sense or belief in God.

They are theists, but they are misguided because they have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

Like the Scribe who questioned Jesus on the greatest commandment… and after Jesus quoted the Great Shema from Deut 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.”

And, Jesus said… paraphrase… ‘Love God… Love neighbors as yourself…’

The Scribe agreed and wisely expounded and Jesus replied, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

The Scribe was not far from the kingdom of God… he was close to the kingdom of God… the only thing holding him back was he needed to place his faith in Jesus Christ.

Faith in God alone does not save… there’s a broad road leading to destruction… and many people… like these religious Athenians follow that path.

Religions cannot co-exist in truth. The bumper sticker is in error.

Because there’s only one truth.

John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Jesus said HE IS THE truth and entrance to heaven is only through faith in Him.

In Acts 4:12, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The privilege we have today is we never need to have an altar that says, “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.”

Because He is known to us… Messiah was revealed. Our Savior and King has a name. We know Him. He is Jesus… the Christ.

And, not only do we know Him, but He knows us… He is not some distant and disinterested God.

If you don’t know this… I suggest you read Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer… John 17.

In the first part of John 17:24 Jesus expressed His desire for us to be with Him eternally… He prayed, “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am,...”

Jesus was always about the Father’s will, but the one time He expressed His desire… it was for eternal relationship with us.

He is NOT an Unknown God to us.

But, in Athens, He was… so because they did not know him at the end of V23 Paul declares, “Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you...”

In VSS 24-25 Paul shares the first truth about God… He is the Sovereign Creator over all.

He “made the word and everything in it.” Just read Gen 1 to see that truth.

John 1:3 proclaims “All things were made through Him [speaking of Jesus], and without Him nothing was made that was made.”

“He is the Lord of heaven and earth”… the Supreme Master over earth, the universe and eternity…

Temples made by His creation are not His dwelling place… as the Athenians believed was true for their gods.

You have to wonder if Paul is grabbing ideas from Stephen’s sermon when Stephen proclaimed in Acts 7:48 “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands...”

Paul, as a young man named Saul, was no doubt stirred by Stephen’s message.

V25 continues, “...as though He needed anything, , since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.” … emphasizing that God is self-sufficient… He doesn’t need anything from us… in fact He is the one who gives all things to us… He gives life and breath, and satisfies every need.

Another truth about God is He is our provider.

The Stoic Philosophers would like these statements, as they sought to be in sync with the ‘purpose’ of the Cosmos.

Paul meets them where they are, as He leads them to truth.

In V26, Paul teaches that God created all peoples from one man Adam… we are all of one blood.

After the flood… there was a reset… still now all people are from Adam, but now all are from Noah. .

From Noah, came three sons… Shem, Ham, and Japheth. From Japheth and his sons are the ancestors of the lands to the North and West of Israel… Europe… our descendants.

One of Japheth’s sons was named Javan… His name is linguistically associated with Ionia… a word for the Hellenic or Grecian race.

Still today, there is the Ionian Sea west of Greece… the Ionian Islands in Greece. Lot’s of history.

And, the Athenians were said to boast about being pure Ionians… that their blood lines had not been polluted over time.

So, they may not have liked this teaching that we all came from one man… since they felt superior to other ethnicities.

For us, there are many teachings in the Bible about how we are to be impartial.

James 2:1 “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.”

One person is not to be elevated above another. Don’t be an Athenian in your relation to others.

Paul also emphasized that God ordained history and the boundaries or locations for where nations would settle… all chipping at Athenian pride, and the Epicurean philosophy that one’s destination is entirely in their own hands.

Continuing in V27… Because of who God is, here is how people should respond…

All people should seek God… with the hope that they would reach out and find Him.

Jer 29:13 states, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Just like Israel simply need to seek Him sincerely… If you are honestly searching for God… you will find him.

In fact, Paul emphasized to the Athenians… “He is not far from each one of us...”

God is not distant and disinterested as the Epicureans supposed.

And to build a bridge into their culture… Paul in V28 quotes two Greek poets.

“For in him we live and move and have our being” comes from the Cretan poet Epimenides (c. 600 B.C.)

And, “for we are his offspring”, from the Cilician poet Aratus (c. 315–240 B.C.)… from Paul’s homeland.

Paul cites them to demonstrate that even some of their greatest minds concurred that God is our Creator, our Sustainer… and our very existence is in Him.

This God who was Unknown to them… is the one who gave them life… not the many false gods they worshipped.

And so… as a result… “Therefore”… V29… Paul’s conclusion is since we are children of God… since we are His creation… we cannot possibly create Him by our own hands… as in the forms of the many statues or gold, silver, and stone in Athens.

God is not a idol created by the hands of people.

May I suggest that if your God is something you can create… something you can handle… something of this world…

Then your God is small… and you should get another God… a true and living God.

My God is not of this world. He created this world. And, He’s coming back to reclaim that which is rightfully His.

V30… God is gracious in that He takes into consideration the ignorance of mankind.

All the idolatry in Athens… Paul calls… “times of ignorance.”

One generation was leading the next generation in error… over and over… but that season was coming to an end.

For those of us who didn’t grow up in Christian homes… perhaps you can relate to a “time of ignorance” in your testimony. A time we were swayed by the ways of our culture…

And, aren’t you glad that God was patient with you? That in His grace He was willing to overlook or disregard that season of ignorance? I am.

But, there came a day when God revealed truth in our lives…

And, for the Athenians, that day had come as Paul shared the Gospel.

God overlooked ignorance, “but now commands all men everywhere to repent.”

To turn from idolatry and turn to Him.

I love how Peter puts it… 2 Pet 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

God is not delayed… He is patiently waiting “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”

Hey… if you’re not saved… would you get saved already? You might be that last Gentile holding the whole program up!

We’re ready to get out of here!

In V31, Paul explains God’s patience in overlooking ignorance a bit different than Peter.

Peter emphasized God is patient because He doesn’t want anyone to perish… to choose hell… He wants everyone to choose Him… to choose heaven.

But, Paul emphasizes that a day is coming when the world will be judged… in all righteousness because God has given every opportunity… throughout the ages… to repent.

And, the world will be judged by Jesus Christ.

John 5:22 “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son...”

Believers, though saved, will still stand before Christ where the motives behind our works will be judged at the Bema Seat Judgment of Christ. (2 Cor 5:10; 1 Cor 3:13-15)

For unbelievers, there is the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:11-15)… and none will stand.

In V31, Paul cites Jesus’ resurrection as proof that these things are true.

The resurrection is a hallmark of our faith… it distinguishes our faith from all world religions and other false teachings.

The resurrection authenticates that Jesus is real… and all other deities are a lie.

But, the idea of resurrection was foreign to Grecian philosophy… thus there is a mixed response.

Acts 17:32-34 “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite [a judge of the court], a woman named Damaris, and others with them.”

The response to Paul’s message was mixed. Some mocked him… some procrastinated, but were in a state of indecision… and others believed.

And, so it is when you share the gospel.

The results for Paul were not overwhelming in Athens. We hear of no church in Athens… no future visits to Athens… no epistle to the Athenians.

One scholar wrote, “If no church was begun in Athens, the failure was not in Paul’s message or method but in the hardness of the Athenians’ hearts.”

Paul’s purpose and success and Athens was not based on the harvest of souls… because there wasn’t a great harvest.

His success was in His obedience to boldly preach the truth despite the majority that mocked and rejected.

And, in this day you must have the same mindset… for we very much live in Athens… and are surrounded by Athenians who mock and reject.

Can you preach the gospel despite the reality of our day?

Those who said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” It doesn’t seem they even got the chance to hear Paul again.

This points to the reality that NOW is the time to make a decision for Christ, because you don’t know what the future holds.

Life is but a vapor… today is the day of salvation.

And, Paul was blessed to see some fruit… just two names, and some others… who are not named… that were with them.

We know nothing about any of these saints in V34 except that one was a prominent citizen… and the other was a woman.

And, maybe that’s the message of the Gospel… some reject it… some procrastinate… but for those who accept it… it reaches all walks of life.

Men… women… prominent people… and the obscure. The Gospel is not partial… it’s available to all.

And, it’s not about the numbers… Jesus left the 99 to find the 1.

Luke 15:10 says, “...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

And, to those who accept Jesus… just like these names in V34… their names are forever penned in eternity.

Let’s Pray!

If you are hear today… and you’ve never prayed to accept Jesus as your Savior… and you want to now… raise your hand.

Believe and confess Him... and you will be saved.

If you need prayer for anything else… let us know and we will cover you in prayer today.

We live in a world of Athenians… may this message today give you boldness to proclaim truth… no matter the result.

May God bless you, and go in peace.