Acts 17

Paul In Athens

By the time Paul comes to Athens it’s golden days are behind it but it is still a very intellectual city. People who are highly intellectual and highly religious but know nothing of the Bible.

People who are highly intellectual and highly religious but know nothing of the Bible.

Areopagus - At the top of this hill was a temple to the God of war… Aries (greek)… or maries (roman)… Mars Hill.

The parathion… the highest point held athena

A temple to the God of war… Aries (greek)… or maries (roman)… god of war.

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.

So much of our lives today are shaped by what happened in the city of Athens… Plato, Aristotle, Socrates.

God uses a loving pursuit in the midst of righteous anger to produce a fruitful invitation.

But when Paul comes into the city he becomes angry with what he sees.

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.

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Paul is repulsed by the idolatry of the city… the false worship.

Shama - Righteous Anger - Shama yisrel, Adoni Elohinu, Adoni Echad

Paul is repulsed by the idolatry of the city… the false worship.

Again and again in the old testament when Gods anger is kendeled agains the Israelites it is their idolatry that fans the flam.

Idolatry - the worship of other false gods… or the giving of worship to anything other than God.

There is a teaching coming out of Utah right now that argues in ancient Israel the Hebrew people didn’t really believe that there was only one singular God. Only that their God Yaweh was to be worshiped above all the other Gods. They point to the Shema, saying yes, the God of Israel is one but in the fact that God needs to clarify that there are clearly more… or Passaged like the first commandment “you shale have not other God’s before me”… clearly there are other Gods… or “give thanks to the God of Gods”… clearly there is more than one God. God is simply speaking into and protecting His people from outside cultures that worshiped a pantheon of Gods and made idols to bow down to.

No scolar worth there salt would ever make this argument… and the ultimate truth is this… the thing that angers God more than anything in the bible is the idea that maybe there are other Gods worthy of our worship.

So Paul is grossed out and provoked to a righteous anger over these false Gods.

Do you see the idolatry of our city?

Our neighbors are kind, loving, helpful… do you see their brokenness… Have you become numb to it, or is there something in you that says, thats not ok...

What does Paul do?

What does Paul do?

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.

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Righteous anger MUST produce a loving pursuit.

This is the essence of the Gospel.

Gospel

What does your anger cause you to do?

Often what I have noticed is that we grumble and complain against the person… we look down on them, we see ourselves as better than them. Many times, I have listened toFRIENDS, here at FGC, followers of Jesus belittle their neighbors, and poke fun at another persons beliefs. I have also hear (though far less often) words of true anger and malice towards neighbors not because they blocked your driveway, or don’t keep up their yard, or they peed on your front porch… these are normal neighbor issues… no I hear unrighteous anger and malice because they believe something that you see as illogical.

Righteous anger produces a loving pursuit.

Unrighteous anger produces sinfulness.

Remember this… When we see sin in the faith of others we must work (by the power of the spirt) to find a righteous anger that produces a loving pursuit. If not we will find in unrighteous anger that produces hateful spite. If we allow the sin of others to produce sin in us, not only are we no better, but we have no hope of ever making a difference. Your children are watching, your neighbors are watching, your God is watch. When He saw your sinfulness he lovingly pursued you… what will you do with the sinfulness of your neighbors?

If we allow the sin of others to produce sin in us, not only are we no better, but we have no hope of ever making a difference.

Bonhoeffer - The man who despises another will never be able to make anything of him. Nothing that we despise in the other man is entirely absent from ourselves….

Bonhoeffer - the man who despises another will never make anything of Him.

If there is any hope for the gospel in your neighborhood, your office, your family… you must not allow the sin of others to produce sin in you.

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.

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Righteous anger produces a loving pursuit.

Old Testament Anger vs the loving pursuit of Jesus.

Gospel

English Standard Version Chapter 17

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

God uses a loving pursuit in the midst of righteous anger to produce a fruitful invitation.

Seeds Vs Substance.

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?

— -19

Stoics - Force - Impersonal Force - We need to be good people who are not emotionally engaged.

Epicureans - Maybe there is a god but maybe not… we can’t really know. We just need to eat drink and be marry for one day we will die and that is the end.

Seeds Vs Substance.

σπερμολόγοςb, ου m: (a figurative expression, literally ‘one who picks up seed,’ originally a reference to birds picking up seed, but figuratively applied to a person who is an information scavenger) one who is not able to say anything worthwhile in view of his miscellaneous collection of tidbits of information

Seeds Vs Substance.

σπερμολόγος- SPERMALOGOS (a figurative expression, literally ‘one who picks up seed,’ originally a reference to birds picking up seed, but figuratively applied to a person who is an information scavenger) one who is not able to say anything worthwhile in view of his miscellaneous collection of tidbits of information

Do people in your life look at you this way… As if perhaps your faith is the leftovers… what you believe is good… but it’s not quite enough… You have a picked up a few of the seeds, but we have the real information, the full meal.

US Secular Culture

Utah Religious Culture

Epicureans - Maybe there is a god but maybe not… we can’t really know. We just need to eat drink and be marry for one day we will die and that is the end.

19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?

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Kindly persistence produces an invitation.

Paul does not take his ball and go home. Paul is provoked and Repulsed but still willing to lean in… still willing to meet with them, on their terms, in their place, and engage on their level.

Kindly persistence produces invitation.

Kindly persistence produces invitation.

Are you willing to love your neighbor with a patience endurance?

Provoked and Repulsed but still willing to lean in… still willing to meet with them, on their terms, in their place, and engage on their level.

Are you willing to love your neighbor with a patience endurance?

Are you willing to show up and attend their events? Go to their place of worship? Love them on their terms?

Areopagus - At the top of this hill was a temple to the God of war… Aries (greek)… or maries (roman)… Mars Hill.