Consider the Call

Intro: Today, we are talking about the call of the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. Up to this point, we have been discussing the existence of God and the person of Christ. But today, it it your turn for today this sermon involves the response to these things. Today, instead of me sharing the Gospel call with you we are going to see the preaching of Paul in Athens on Mars Hill. If you would turn there with me.

Acts 17:16–34 ESV

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.

Setting:

Athens:

Intellectual and Cultural center of the world

Known for its philosophy

Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

They sat around and talked about questions like how are we here, and who are we, and what are we

Have you ever met someone who loved talking a lot for a long time, that was the way of these philosophers

Epicurean

Believed pleasure to be the most important thing in life

Stoics

Considered emotional control to be important

Neither believed in one God

Also, Athens was known for having idols, one report was that it was easier to find an idol than a person in Athens

Paul was provoked by this idolatry (v.16)

Areopagus:

This was a place where the philosophers would hang out and talk.

Why was Paul invited there: Because there heard him teaching in the synagogue are they heard him teaching something weird and new

They did not invite Him because they were accepting, but to hear something new and maybe make a little fun of it

Opening Lines:

Acts 17:22–23 LSB

22 So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23 “For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

Religious nature of the philosophers

To an unknown God

But He can be known!!!!!

Examples of how you can use this structure today in America:

To the Atheist

To the Muslim

Explanation of God:

Acts 17:24–29 ESV

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.

Teaching about God

God created the world (v.24)

God is Lord of heaven and earth (v.24)

God gives all things (v.25)

God created all descending from Adam (v.26)

God wants His creatures to seek him (v.27)

The Call:

Acts 17:30–31 ESV

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.”

Vs. 30 shows a delay in punishment for sin, allowing for repentance

This is a warning not a blessing that God has overlooked sin.

Most people view sin as unserious. This is being God overlooks sin for a time

Two types of consequences in life:

Instant

Delayed

Sticking a fork in the outlet

What is repentance? repentance is a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ. - wg

This does not contradict the truth that faith is the sole instrument of justification but rather illustrates that the New Testament authors regarded the relationship between repentance and faith to be so intimate that the mention of the one implied the other—that one cannot turn from sin without turning to Christ in faith, and vice versa. M& m

Vs. 31

What would a true friend do?

God has determined a day of judgment for those who reject Christ and do not repent

Guess who will judge the world according to this verse- Christ!

Guess how you know this for sure, because of what we talked about yesterday, Christ rose from the dead.

Revelation 20:11–15 ESV

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The Response:

Acts 17:32–34 ESV

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.

Some made fun of this message of repentance and judgment, and especially of the resurrection of the dead.

And some listened to the message.

That’s the thing about repentance my friend, some people are not into it.

Admitting you are a sinner deserving of hell is too much for some people

Feeling sorrow over sin is not ok to some people

and maybe most of all Committing to leave your sin is too much for some people.

Verses 30 and 31 of this chapter we went over might be the most important verses you will ever read.

I would ask you guys to maybe make the most important decision to consider the Gospel call of repentance today.