Bible Reading: Acts 17
Acts 17:22-23 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye 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.
The Areopagus or Mar’s hill was one of the highest courts in the land. Paul was not necessarily on trial but since he was setting ‘forth strange gods’ (at least to these Athenians) he was asked to speak before the philosophers. When Paul entered into Athens, he was by himself and he was waiting for Silas and Timothy.
Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
Instead of openly insulting the Athenians by calling them idolaters, Paul began by pointing out that they were too superstitious. They were so afraid of offending one of the many gods that they had actually erected an altar to the Unknown God. Paul used this as his starting point to preach Jesus to them. The One God that they did not know was the only true God and they needed to know him desperately.
We can learn much from this preaching of Paul’s. First, we learn how to take a pagan concept and introduce the true God. Second, we learn how to start with the creation and move to the Cross. Paul talked about the Creator and how he had made all men of one blood. He also explained that God did not live in temples made with hands. Nor was he these idols of stone and metal that were all over the city. Men do not make gods. God made men. He also desired for men to seek him and find him.
Finally, Paul discussed the fact that the ignorance of men was winked at by God, but now the time had come to repent. The reason given is that God provided assurance to all men of the validity of Jesus Christ and his atoning death by raising him from the dead. In other words, the proof of God is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We can take this same approach when we witness. We can start where people are and move the conversation in a logical fashion to where they need to be. We also need to call for a decision. Even if people need more time to think, as these did, we need to remind people that God wants them to change their mind about false views of God and trust in Jesus Christ.
Let’s have some conversations about Jesus.
In Christ,
Rody
