Evangelism Case Studies from Scripture, Part 2

Paul at Mars/Ares Hill (Acts 17:16-34)

Context

This takes place in Athens, Greece.

Acts 17:16 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.

This was the birthplace of Greek mythology and philosophy.

Acts 17:21 ESV

21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

Three very different audiences: Jews, Greek converts to Judaism, and Greek philosophers.

Acts 17:17 ESV

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.

How much shared cultural and religious background did Paul have with each of these three groups? Write the groups on the line below where you think they go. <————————————————————————————> None Moderate Lots

Paul’s Method

Acts 17:17 ESV

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.

v. 17 Paul embraced whatever platform his target audience was comfortable with.

For Jews and Gentile converts, that was the Synagogue.

What is our equivalent of the Jewish synagogue? (Church)

For Greeks/Gentiles, it was the marketplace and the Areopagus.

Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary Agora

Agora. ag´uh-ruh.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Paul and the Agora

Paul and the Agora

Where do people of all ages go to socialize, exchange ideas, buy and sell goods, gather a following and gain public recognition, play and waste time?

What is our equivalent of the Greek Agora? The Internet & Social Media

Acts 17:18–21 ESV

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.

vv. 18-21 He refuses to be offended or baited into debate and accepts their invitation to speak.

Acts 17:22–23 ESV

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.

vv. 22-23 He uses a cultural icon (and felt need) as a bridge to the gospel.

Rather than just argue monotheism vs. polytheism, which is unlikely to be successful, he picks something out of their religion that he can use as a bridge.

You can use another religion’s concept of the afterlife, some unresolved question their religion doesn’t adequately address, or even just ask questions about things they don’t have answers to in order to provoke thought and reflection.

Acts 17:24–25 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.

vv. 24-25 Since there is very little shared background, Paul starts his gospel presentation with creation and the nature of the Creator.

Polytheism and paganism by definition worship the created rather than the Creator. (Rom. 1:18-23)

His gospel presentation on Mars Hill roughly follows his presentation of the gospel in the Letter to the Romans.

Focuses on the self-sufficiency of God, his transcendence over his creation, and mankind’s dependence upon him.

Acts 17:26–27 ESV

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,

vv. 26-27 He shows the need we have for reconciliation with God.

He’s describing God’s Kingship over all mankind, God’s original purpose for man, mankind’s separation from God due to sin, and our need for reconciliation with God.

Acts 17:28 ESV

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.’

v. 28 He uses culturally relevant beliefs to point to the truth of Scripture.

With Jews, Paul would cite OT Scriptures that pointed toward the Messiah. But since those would have been unknown and irrelevant to Greeks, he uses their own respected sources to support the truth he proclaims.

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 17

The first quotation (in him we live …) appears to be from a hymn to Zeus by Epimenides of Crete (c. 600 B.C.); the words are found just two lines later than the quotation Paul takes from the same poem in

Acts 17:29–31 ESV

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.”

vv. 29-30 Paul calls out their sin, shares the good news of Jesus, and invites them to repent.

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.

vv. 32-34 Paul doesn’t get discouraged when he is rejected and instead focuses on discipling those who believe.

Summary:

No “one-size-fits-all” method in the Bible.

Jesus’ and Paul’s ‘method’ varied from person to person based upon the individual’s situation and need; there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach. But, several commonalities can be observed.

Core aspects of Jesus’ and Paul’s evangelism method:

Intentionally going wherever lost people congregate to create opportunities to share with them

Using kindness and crossing social barriers to create opportunities

Using mundane, daily life issues, cultural figures, and felt needs as a bridge to deeper, spiritual needs

Accepting invitations to press deeper

Boldly (but compassionately) calling out pet sins and idols

Refusing to take the bait and engage in distracting debates.

Redirecting the conversation back to spiritual issues.

Allowing the Spirit to do his work/patiently waiting for a response

Refusing to water down the message when people got offended

Core truths in the gospel message:

Jesus is King of the Universe.

Mankind is outside the Kingdom because of sin and must repent of sin and idolatry.

The judgment of God will come upon those who refuse to repent.

The path to reconciliation and eternal life is through belief in Christ.

Other Examples:

Crowd of the 5,000 (John 6:22-51)

vv. 1-14 Jesus uses unexpected kindness and meets a felt need (physical hunger) to create an opportunity for conversation.

vv. 15 Jesus dodges the crowd’s instinct to pursue the purely physical blessings

vv. 22-26 Jesus calls out the crowd’s obsession with their physical needs

vv. 27 Jesus uses the crowds felt (physical) needs to transition to their deeper spiritual needs

v. 28 Jesus corrects their misunderstanding of the gospel (works vs. faith)

vv. 30-33 Jesus sidesteps the crowd’s defensive topic shift and combative reply and shifts back to the heart issue

vv. 34-40 Jesus accepts their invitation to go deeper and gives them an invitation to believe in him

vv. 41-46 Jesus recognizes their rejection and trusts in the Father’s sovereignty

vv. 47-51 Jesus offers another invitation

v. 52 The crowd rejects the gospel even more strongly, pressuring Jesus to soften his message

vv. 53-66 Jesus refuses to soften his message, trusting in the Father’s sovereignty

Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-22)

vv. 16-19 Jesus accepts the man’s invitation to dialogue on spiritual matters

vv. 20-21 Jesus sees through the man’s self-righteousness to the heart issue and calls the man to give up his idol (money)

vv. 22 The man refuses; Jesus lets him go. (Not all evangelistic encounters result in conversion, even for Jesus! Most of those who heard his message rejected it. Success is telling the truth with love.)