An Unknown God

Intro

Acts 17:16-34

We all bear a responsibility to preach the gospel… not all of us are called to stand in front of a church and preach a message about the gospel, but we are all called to share the good news of Jesus Christ. What that looks like has changed, but the message really hasn’t in the 2000 years since Christ walked the earth and gave the command to His disciples.

While some of you might not be convinced, thinking that a lot has changed in that amount of time. This morning I want to direct our attention to Acts 17, verses 16-34 in particular. It describes part of Paul’s missionary journey, more specifically a period of time that he spent in Athens.

Paul was called to evangelical missionary work. Not all of us have spiritual giftings leaning towards evangelism, but we are all given the same mission: Share the gospel with those to whom we are called. Our mission field is different than ancient Athens as Paul would have experienced, but I hope that throughout today’s closer look at the narrative account, that you can begin to appreciate the stunning similarities between the people then and compare it to the current attitude of the culture in which we find ourselves today.

The main point of the message this morning is that we are to preach the gospel through whatever means are necessary. We are not called to save all people around us, but to give everyone around us a chance at salvation. Living the word is an essential part of our missional duties, but speaking the word in an inteligent and compelling manner is equally as important.

Paul was able to quickly determine the spiritual state of the average person in Athens and to speak to the needs of the people using language that they would understand. So too should we consider strategic ways of sharing the gospel in the culture in which we find ourselves. Not that we compromise the message to fit the culture, but consider how we might use cultural norms to share the gospel unashamedly and without twisting it into something it is not.

Setting the Stage

Acts 17:16–21 “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would this idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming? “For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)”

What was Paul doing at the beginning of this passage? Keep in mind that they had just left Berea and arrived at Athens. Take quick glance at verse 15 for your clue. I can’t emphasize enough how important context is to any form of Bible study. Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy to come.

What happened while Paul waited? The Spirit was at work in his heart and mind. Yes, Paul was a missionary and not all of us are called to missions work, but all of us find ourselves in situations like Paul from time to time… not necessarily engaged in what we feel called to do, but none-the-less feeling as though something could be done. Paul’s visit to Athens might have been a midpoint on their journey to then next location as they planned it, but the Spirit had other plans. We might make plans from time to time too, the question is whether we are open to the Spirit’s leading or not. Holy disruptions are purposeful and what you can accomplish if you listen to the Spirit’s leading can be remarkable.

As Paul waited, the Spirit stirred him to take action. Paul was clearly quite observant and in a city like Athens, there was a lot to see. While not necessarily the biggest or most important city, it was important enough and populous enough that Paul could watch the people and what they were doing. Athens was also known for its architecture and for its idols. This is important for later in the narrative.

Paul then carried on doing what he would normally do on his missionary journeys, namely, he would go to the synagogue and talk with Jews and God-fearing Gentiles alike. He wanted to tell the people of God all about Jesus Christ whom God sent to save sinners the world over in fulfillment of OT prophesies!

Paul’s talks with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles caught the attention of a couple other groups of people… verse 18 calls them Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. They began to engage him in conversation trying to discover this news that he had to tell.

For those who might not know, one commentary defines them as follows:

Epicureans were thoroughgoing materialists, believing that everything came from atoms or particles of matter. There was no life beyond this; all that was human returned to matter at death. Though the Epicureans did not deny the existence of gods, they saw them as totally indifferent to humanity. They did not believe in providence of any sort; and if one truly learned from the gods, that person would try to live the same sort of detached and tranquil life as they, as free from pain and passion and superstitious fears as they

John B. Polhill, Acts, vol. 26, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 366.

The Stoics had a more lively view of the gods than the Epicureans, believing very much in the divine providence. They were pantheists, believing that the ultimate divine principle was to be found in all of nature, including human beings. This spark of divinity, which they referred to as the logos, was the cohesive rational principle that bound the entire cosmic order together. Humans thus realized their fullest potential when they lived by reason

John B. Polhill, Acts, vol. 26, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 366–367.

To summarize, Paul piqued the interest of a group of people who could care less about religion and sought after worldly things that felt good and avoided pain, and another group that acknowledged the existence of god(s), but pursued their own religiousness rather than adhearing to any particular religious organizational structure. Is it just me or are there hints of modern atheism and agnosticism here?

Connecting the Gospel

Acts 17:22–31 “So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. “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. “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ “Being…”

While it almost seems that Paul is dragged to this “Aeropagus” similar to how Jesus was dragged before the courts, this seems more out of curiosity than some legal trouble Paul caused. The people of Athens were curious people to a fault and wanted to know all about new ideas and Paul’s message of a resurrection indeed was a new and novel idea.

This gives Paul a platform from which to preach and he takes the opportunity and delivers a powerful message crafted from what he witnessed around Athens. He observed the religiousness of the people and points to one of their objects of worship with an inscription: “To an unknown God.” One commentary states this:

This gave him the perfect launching pad for his presentation of monotheism to the polytheistic and pantheistic Athenians. Piety had no doubt led the Athenians to erect such an altar for fear they might offend some deity of whom they were unaware and had failed to give the proper worship. Paul would now proclaim a God who was unknown to them. In fact, this God, totally unknown to them, was the only true divinity that exists.

John B. Polhill, Acts, vol. 26, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 371.

What we might not catch right away is that Paul is playing with the notion of ignorance. The Athenians did not want to be found ignorant of any god and thus “covered their bases” with the alter to the unknown God. Paul leans into this notion that he will now tell them about this God… who is in fact the only one and true God. Beyond this, he really points to their ignorance and basically calls them as such. The Stoics pursuit of divine reason within themselves completely missed the mark and Paul accuses them of such ignorance.

Mixed Responses

Acts 17:32–34 “Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” So Paul went out of their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.”

The responses recorded here reveal that not all will come to Christ, but some will. Paul’s well strategized speech, organized, structured, thoughtful, all of that was not 100% effective.

But it wasn’t supposed to be. Paul spoke to a mixed audience. We are told about several different types of people… Epicureans and Stoics, not to mention the Jews and God fearing Gentiles mentioned even earlier, but there would have been others gathered there too. Our job is not to be 100% effective and convert everyone we attempt to share the gospel with. Our job is to tell the story of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the one who does the actual work in the heart of the people who listen to the message. Jesus is the one who pays the price for the sins of those who respond to Him. And the Father forgives us for our sins because of Jesus’ sacrifice, and He welcomes us into the family of God as adopted sons and daughters. God does all the work and gives us abundantly beyond all that we could ever imagine, and we get to share that story with anyone who will listen. And because we share the gospel and its impact in our lives, some might get saved too!

But notice that Paul wasn’t stopped in his preaching, rather he roused the curiosity of even those who did not accept the message. They wanted to hear more about this Jesus and about the resurrection. And this of course gives Paul further opportunities to connect with certain people and build the Christian community within the city of Athens.

Conclusion

The people that Paul talked to were not all that unlike people today. The Epicureans pursued life’s pleasures and didn’t really care much for the notion of God. They wanted painfree and pleasure-full lives that they lived their own way. I think that description would fit a lot of people in today’s culture, although they wouldn’t call them selves “Epicurean.”

The Stoics were much more religious, spiritual even. They had no problem accepting that another “god” was out there because they were pantheists. They also thought that there was a divine something in everything, including people. There are a great many people today who believe that each person has something spiritual, if not divine, about them, though they might not call themselves “Stoics.”

Paul was able to speak to these different groups of people using their own thought processes and objects of worship. He connected to them in such a way that he could address real problems and issues. He launched his speech from seeing the idol to the unknown God and he made it his purpose to reveal to them that which they did not know. He spoke in terms they understood, but also had no qualms about pointing out the futility of their way of thought.

One idea that has permeated much of the evangelical church in the last twenty or more years has been the idea of being “seeker-sensitive.” It’s not necessarily an inherently bad idea. People who are looking for God come to church and we don’t want to offend them, and want them to keep coming back to church. If we are “seeker-sensitive,” we are careful about what topics we bring up, politics and sexual orientation are just a couple of examples. But if we are not careful ourselves, we might soften the gospel message… attempting to be more palatable... and therein lies the danger.

Paul’s message was anything but seeker sensitive. He went right for their religious objects of worship and in the course of his message called them futile and the people that worship them ignorant! This is not a call to get aggressive in our evangelism either. Rather, I believe that Paul was listening to the Holy Spirit as he walked through Athens, seeing the idols and listening to the people looking for new news about anything and everything.

This is the encouragement that I give each of you today. Listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit in your lives. He will draw your attention to things that need to be addressed. If you are with friends and the Holy Spirit nudges you to speak to them about something they are doing, some decore in their house, some debate they are having with one another, etc… listen to the Spirit. You might not know how to craft a sermon like Paul was able to preach, but you don’t need to. Luke 12:11–12 ““When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.””

This is a promise from God that we can trust in. Be bold in your faith and share the gospel through whatever means are necessary and available!