Acts 17

Preaching Jesus To The Scriptural Illiterate

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Paul the apostle to the Gentiles is in Athens, Greece at the time of this message. He is standing and walking through an area where there were many altars to the gods that they worshiped there. When the people asked him what this new doctrine (teaching) he shared Jesus with them without the Scriptures, and spoke to them through the altar they had to “The Unknown God.”

“Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised him from the dead.”  And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, “We will hear thee again of this matter.”
So Paul departed from among them.  Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Acts 17:29-34

Paul’s sermon begins at verse 22, and continues through verse 31; a very short, yet powerful testimony of the good news of Jesus Christ. He uses their worship to the Unknown God, to point to the name of the One true God, whose Son Jesus Christ showing that through Him only will come judgment on the whole world. This was a different culture, and they were not knowing of the Jewish and Christian God, but they heard of it from Paul.

God calls for all people to repent of their sins. The time of God’s overlooking sins of the Gentiles is over. He tells then that God has given assurance to all that He has raised His Son from the dead. When Paul mentioned the resurrection of the dead we are told that some mocked, and others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” There were also some who believed and went with him when he departed.

Maybe we a Christians need use the knowledge God has given us about Himself, and of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the times we live in, to point people to  Jesus. We must know the Scriptures. We must know Jesus most of all. There is no room for Biblical or Scriptural ignorance, or illiteracy.

Many of us are ignorant of a lot of things, some of which we do not need to be knowledgeable of. The Bible is one we need to be knowledgeable  of. You will never know the Scriptures if you never read it, and you cannot know God and His Son Jesus except through the word of God; the Scriptures.

Preaching Jesus The Messiah

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Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: and Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, 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.  And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
Acts 17:1-4

A Stirred Spirit

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It has been a few days since I share a study with you other than a reblog by brother Wally Fry.  I appreciate the studies which Wally shares with his readers.

I have been away from a good source for an internet connection, with one exception for poor cell phone service for my smart phone; and I find it very difficult to do anything in the way of posting anything on the sites here. I have been away serving as a camp cook/kitchen helper at our Associations Children’s Camp. I will endeavor to get back to serving my readers, and pray God will speak to all who come here. For today…

“Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.  Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.” Acts 17:16-17 (KJB)

The apostle Paul was in a city of Greece, very familiar with many people even in 2019.  The city of Athens.  He witnessed many forms of worship.  It was all to idols.  His spirit (not the Holy Spirit though I believe that his spirit was stirred by the Holy Spirit) was stirred or provoked to not just sit there.

Many times we as Christians just accept the way things are rather than confront the issue of idolatry.  Someone might say, “There is no idolatry in our day”.  Maybe we ought to think again there.  There are many who adore, follow, even worship science.  Others do the same for the technological advances that have been made in the past few years.  There are others who are absorbed by Money and finance.  There are also those who relish the thought and idea of a Global government.  Then, there are also those who worship the idea of there not being any god at all, and just trust in themselves and human ingenuity.  Now, have you rethought your position on being no idolatry?

We Christians should be grieved by idolatry; especially if we are guilty of it.  Also when we see it in our land, and culture; and we should not be silent about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I for one do not like to argue.  I am not real good at debating issues.  I can proclaim that Christ Jesus came into the world to die on the cross for the sins of the world, He was buried, and He rose again.  As they say, That is a hill I can die one; and I will if that is what it takes.  In the mean time let us live the gospel before an idolatrous and evil and dark world.

 

The Gospel Preached in the Midst of Religious Superstition

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“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, ‘Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needed any thing, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: for in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by Man whom He hath ordained; He hath given assurance unto all, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.”  Acts 17:22-31  (KJB)