In Athens

HOOK

DO NOT FORGET TO UNMUTE

It’s the 16th day of December— Wednesday! Happy birthday Ate Liz Samson

Yesterday right here at “The Message” we heard what happened to Paul and his companions when they arrived in Berea after their stay in Thessalonica was cut short short because the jealous Jews— the Jews in Berea were of noble character than those in Thessalonica for they receive the message with gladness, eagerness and open-mindedness— they examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said to them was true— as a result, many of them believed— from this we learned:

I SHALL RECEIVE GOD’S WORD WITH EAGERNESS AND OPEN-MINDEDNESS

I WILL EXAMINE THE SCRIPTURES TO SEE IF WHAT THE PASTOR SAID WAS TRUE

When studying the Bible, look for words that defines the CHARACTER of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit— keep an eye on COMMANDS to obey— good EXAMPLES to follow, and bad examples to avoid— PROMISES that you could claim— sins to CONFESS— CHALLENGES you encountered— and ENCOURAGEMENT to keep you going

READ ACTS 17:16-34

BOOK

Acts 17:16–34 NIV

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People 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. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” 32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

WHAT: Paul preached in Athens

WHERE: When the jealous Jews from Thessalonica who came to Berea stirred up the crowds against Paul— they immediately sent Paul to coast to sail to Athen leaving Silas and Timothy behind [SHOW MAP]

WHEN: Early church— second missionary journey [SHOW TIMELINE]

WHO: Paul apparently was alone— it is not clear if Luke [the author] was with him— Jews, Greek, Epicureans [the world was made of atoms and the the world was purely material— they attempted to free people from he idea of gods, the afterlife, and the fear of death— believe that life is without meaning or final judgment], Stoics [contrary to epicureanism, stoics are committed to life— system of thought that prioritized logic]

WHY: Preach the Gospel of Christ in Athens

LOOK

HE WAS GREATLY DISTRESSED TO SEE THE CITY WAS FULL OF IDOLS

Idols— man-made images, statues, representation of deities— a clearly violation of the second commandment— EXODUS 20:4-5

So Paul reasoned in the Synagogue with both the Jews and God-fearing Greeks— he also preached at the market place every day until a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers noticed him and began to debate with him because he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection— an idea, a new teaching that is strange to them

Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus [name of a hill northwest of Acropolis in Athens overlooking the market place— is also refers to the Athenian Council that meets there]— they said to Paul, “may we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?”— so then, Paul stood up in the meeting of Areopagus and said..

I SEE THAT IN EVERY WAY YOU ARE VERY RELIGIOUS

Paul said that because when he walked around Athens, he saw their objects of worship— he even said that he saw an altar with this inscription...

TO AN UNKNOWN GOD

Like what Jesus said to the Samaritan lady in JOHN 4:22— Paul added..

YOU ARE IGNORANT OF THE VERY THING YOU WORSHIP

What resonated to me out of our short devotional study today was about idols, being religious and being ignorant at the same time

Let met put these in sentences we can all easily remember

TOOK

I MUST NOT WORSHIP IDOLS

BEING RELIGIOUS IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE

SING

Deacon Anton