Acts Chapter 17

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS

Paul Preaches Christ

            The ministry of Paul is now the focus of Luke’s record.  The gospel message is now being spread to the Gentiles.  Chapter seventeen gives us the record of Paul’s journey to Thessalonica, Berea and Athens.  Luke’s record reveals revival in these places. It also reveals great persecution.  The Jews were now doing all they could do to destroy the ministry of this one who used to be one of their leaders.

Acts 17:1-3

1              Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

2              And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

3              Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

Acts 17:10-12

10           And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11           These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

12           Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

Acts 17:22-23

22           Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.

23           For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. (NIV)

Acts 17:30  In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  (NIV)

Paul’s message was simple – Jesus is the Messiah.  This is the main reason that the Jews persecuted Paul so severely.

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

1 Cor 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

1 Cor 1:23-24

23           But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

24                 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Gal 6:14

14           May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

(NIV)

Eph 2:13-22

13           But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

14           For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

15           by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,

16           and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

17           He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

18           For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19           Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,

20           built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

21           In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

22           And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (NIV)

1 Pet 2:6-8

6              For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

7              Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,"

8              and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message-- which is also what they were destined for. (NIV)

Eph 2:19-22

19           Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20           And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21           In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

22           In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

(KJV)