One Way, Jesus

Go ahead and grab your Bibles and turn with me to Acts 17 this morning.

Some years ago a terrible railroad accident occurred, killing many people. A commuter train had stalled on the tracks just a few minutes before a fast freight was due to arrive. A conductor was quickly sent to flag down the approaching "flier." Being assured that all was well, the passengers relaxed. Suddenly, however, the speeding freight came bearing down upon them. The crash left a ghastly scene of horror. The engineer of the second train, who escaped death by jumping from the cab, was called into court to explain why he hadn’t stopped. "I saw a man waving a warning flag," he said, "but it was yellow, so I thought he just wanted me to slow down." When the flag was examined, the mystery was explained. It had been red, but because of long exposure to the sun and weather it had become a dirty yellow. Dr. Harry Ironside commented on this incident: "O the lives eternally wrecked by the ’yellow gospels’ we are hearing today -- the bloodless theories of unregenerate men that send their hearers to their doom instead of stopping them on their downward road!"

Have we become yellow over time? Has the urgency of the situation faded in the sunlight of this world and we are waving a yellow faded flag of redemption while our neighbors, family and coworkers and those who live around us sit idly by as the destruction of a Godless eternity come rushing toward them?

This example should urge us to enter into a mindset of self evaluation this morning!

as we enter into our text!

Acts 17:16–17 CSB

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed when he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God, as well as in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

Acts 17:22–31 CSB

22 Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “People of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect. 23 For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it—he is Lord of heaven and earth—does not live in shrines made by hands. 25 Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. 26 From one man he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. 27 He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is 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 also his offspring.’ 29 Since, then, we are God’s offspring, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination. 30 “Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

What’s the Context

Author - Luke

Speaker - Paul

Timeframe covered- between 30-61 A.D.

Purpose - Continuation of the works of Jesus from Luke’s Gospel. Some even believe them to have been two parts of one work of Luke’s Authorship. Both Luke and Acts written within 1 year of each other

When we get to the 17th chapter, A lot has happened!

Most recently, Paul, Silas, and timothy have been preaching in a ton of places. Their main purposes at this time were to first - preach the Gospel, and second - Strengthen and encourage the established churches in these areas.

It’s been an interesting time to say the least.

Paul and Barnabas had gone their separate ways to preach the Gospel (15:36-41)

They had seen the Lord work by saving people like Lydia, and using her as an instrument in Paul’s life! (16:11-15)

They’ve been imprisoned for ruining a fortune telling business by casting the demon out of a slave girl (16:16-24)

They worshipped in Jail, and they even led the Jailer to Christ during there imprisonment (16:25-40)

This brings us to our focal text this morning. Paul has gone ahead of Timothy and Silas to Athens. What would Paul do while he was waiting for them to arrive? He would have had a beautiful view!

Look at These!!

This is a small but important detail, that will often be overlooked in this passage of scripture!

Paul Wasn’t Distracted by Athen’s “Beauty”

Acts 17:16 CSB

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed when he saw that the city was full of idols.

Paul had a sense of urgency that was unwavering! He was not easily distracted from his task! The Lord had seen Paul at his worst, and by Grace had saved his life! This motivated him to use every breath that he had to tell people about Jesus, The Risen Savior!

So with his “down time” he Preached! He saw the desperate need for Christ in Athens, so he spared no time in Proclaiming the Gospel!

and people noticed!!

Acts 17:19–21 CSB

19 They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, “May we learn about this new teaching you are presenting? 20 Because what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new.

You see, The Athenians were free thinkers. They loved hearing new ideas, stories, and beliefs. So much so that in the pursuit of knowledge, they wouldn’t have believed anything to be absolute.

And honestly, their experience had taught them exactly that! They had either witnessed the creation of Idols, or created a number of Idols that had served the role of a “god” for a long period of time!

So Paul addresses the issue head on by making a powerful statement in Vs. 24:

God Made us, We didn’t Make Him!

Acts 17:22–24 CSB

22 Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “People of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect. 23 For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it—he is Lord of heaven and earth—does not live in shrines made by hands.

Paul begins his defense by addressing creation itself! A topic that would have immediately caught their attention!

He’s also echoing what Stephen had said years before in Acts 7!

Paul Echos Stephen

Acts 7:48–50 CSB

48 but the Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands, as the prophet says: 49 Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool. What sort of house will you build for me? says the Lord, or what will be my resting place? 50 Did not my hand make all these things?

Why do we care that he’s echoing Stephen?

because these are the words that Stephen spoke right before he was stoned to death for telling people about Jesus!

Stephen, like Paul, saw how important it was that people heard about Jesus!! That He was willing to risk everything to make sure that people had a chance to feel the warmth, assurance, and Hope that only comes from Jesus!!

We also see the Lord’s hand in Creation in the Old Testament

Isaiah 42:5–6 CSB

5 This is what God, the Lord, says— who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it— 6 “I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,

Like many in today’s world, these people believed much too highly of themselves. They loved hearing these stories and belief systems because they were on a quest for knowledge, not because they wanted to surrender their lives!

But It is absolutely VITAL that we understand that we are not on equal ground with God! That He is the creator, He is the Master, and that He, and He alone, is the meaning and purpose of this life that we life on a daily basis!!

It is only when we understand this, that we can see that:

God is NEVER far away!

Paul transitions his message, and begins to focus more on the nearness of Christ:

Acts 17:27–28 CSB

27 He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is 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 also his offspring.’

Paul quotes the famous Poet Aratus’s poem Phainomena in order to drive his point home! Here is an exert from that poem:

From Zeus let us begin; him do we mortals never leave unnamed; full of Zeus are all the streets and all the market-places of men; full is the sea and the havens thereof; always we all have need of Zeus. For we are also his offspring; and he in his kindness unto men giveth favourable signs and wakeneth the people to work, reminding them of livelihood.

We naturally long for relationships. The reason that we often feel alone, is because we have been hurt, and that hurt over time causes us to build walls around our heart! We feel that no one knows the answers, and if there are people who do, they are so far away that we have no access to that comfort of knowledge!

That’s how the athenians would’ve felt about Zeus. He was an all knowing figure, but far away!! He wouldn’t have cared about there struggles, but Jesus does!!

Someone under the sound of my voice is seeking God, just like the text says. But what you haven’t realized yet is that HE IS NEAR! He is waiting for you to see Him, but you just won’t turn around.

You are so focused on having all the answers.

You are so focused on keeping up with Society.

You are so focused on walking toward the world, that you don’t even realize that all you have to do is turn around.

All you have to do is turn away from the world, and He is waiting for you!!

But Knowing that God created the world, and knowing that God is Near are only foundational elements! In the last part of this passage, we see Paul enter into a place, that sometimes makes us uncomfortable! He Says that:

God Brings us Good News that requires a Response!

Acts 17:30–31 CSB

30 “Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

The time of watching from the sidelines is over! God requires a response! He requires action!

A man coached his son’s Little League Team. They spent many hours practicing. They practiced and practiced and learned the fundamentals; how to hit, how to bunt, how to throw, how to pitch and catch. They learned all of the secret coaching signs. They honed Their skills day after day in the summer sun. They could have practiced all summer but it would have been meaningless. He may have had a great team; Little League World Series contenders maybe, but unless they quit practicing and went out and met the opposition, he would never know. The team would never accomplish anything until they played a game. The act of playing the game after careful preparation is what the world is all about. Practicing and learning go for nothing if we don’t go out and use our skills. There comes a moment in time when we need to leave the safety of our pews and go out and meet the opposition and win them over.

There have been an uncountable number of people who have lived their entire life in the church who never received Jesus.

There have been an uncountable number of people who have asked the Blessing over their table on Christmas day who never received Jesus.

There will be an uncountable number of people who will sit under the preaching of the Gospel today who will not receive Jesus.

I use the word receive instead of respond intentionally, because every single one of us will respond. We will either respond by Accepting Jesus or by Rejecting Him, it’s that simple.

If we do not completely surrender our lives to Jesus then we are Rejecting His love and Grace!

The Gospel of Jesus is GREAT NEWS!!! But it does require something of us that can be tough, Surrender!

Psalm 143:1–6 CSB

1 Lord, hear my prayer. In your faithfulness listen to my plea, and in your righteousness answer me. 2 Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous in your sight. 3 For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making me live in darkness like those long dead. 4 My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay. 5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on the work of your hands. 6 I spread out my hands to you; I am like parched land before you. Selah

I have four questions for you this morning!

Are you Sharing the Gospel with Urgency?

Christian, i’m talking to you

Paul and Stephen risked everything so that others could feel the Joy and Assurance that they had in Christ!! Do we have that type of Urgency?

If we don’t, do we really believe that what we say we believe?

Are you Broken?

Is the world making you live in Darkness?

Is the world crushing you to the ground?

Is your spirit weak?

Jesus is the Healer!

Is the Lord Calling you?

The Creator of the Universe, the one with all of the answers, is near to you. All you have to do is turn around, and respond to Him.

Leave behind the chains that enslave you, and turn to the God in Heaven who can set you free!!

Pray and Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, leave those sins behind, and commit to following Jesus!

Start a new Journey with Jesus today!

How will you Respond?

Give your life to Jesus this morning!