SERMON OUTLINE:
Athens: A City of Extremes
Paul: A Man of Courage
Communication: A Message of Impact
Response: A Reaction of Conflict
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• Mercedes Benz were the company who first produced;
• A car body design that absorbed the force of a collision on impact.
• One Mercedes Benz TV commercial;
• Shows their car colliding with a cement wall during a safety test.
• Since then of course many other car companies have followed its design.
• Someone then asks the company spokesman;
• Why they do not enforce their patent on the Mercedes Benz energy-absorbing car body.
• He replies mater-of-factly,
• "Because some things in life are too important not to share."
• How true!
• In that category also falls the good news of Jesus Christ,
• News that saves people from far more than automobile collisions.
TRANSITION:
• The apostle Paul, was the first person to travel widely telling people about Jesus.
• He is considered the first missionary - a word meaning; ‘Someone who is sent out.’
• Quote:
• “Someone has said that you are either a missionary or a mission field.”
• Meaning of course you need to hear and respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ;
• And when you have you then need to share it with other people.
• That is the mandate for every Christian.
• It was given to us by Jesus at the great commission - Matthew chapter 28 verses 19-20,
• And it has never been rescinded.
• “Therefore go…into all the world…to the very end of the age.”
• Although the great commission;
• Is the last recorded personal instruction given by Jesus to His disciples.
• It is also a special calling from Jesus Christ to ALL His followers;
• To take specific action while on this earth.
• Now you and I might not have a specific calling to go abroad to another country;
• But we can pray and support those who do;
• And our calling of course is to start witnessing where we are.
• Quote from Richard Bach:
• "Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't."
Note: The apostle Paul made three missionary journeys:
• We have read and already studied his first missionary journey in Acts chapters 13 & 14.
• This first expedition lasted at least two years,
• His second missionary journey is found in Acts chapters 16, 17 and 18.
• This trip is likely to have lasted at least three years.
• This is what we are currently looking at in our studies.
• And in a few weeks-time we will read and study his third missionary journey;
• In Acts chapters 19, 20 and 21.
• This final trip would last about five years.
Note: In Acts chapter 17 we are travelling with Paul on his 2nd missionary journey:
• After teaching some in Berea,
• Paul departed ahead of Silas and Timothy his friends and co-workers;
• And heads to Athens, possibly to spend the winter there - 51-52 AD (verses 14-15).
(PP slide 1). Athens: A City of Extremes (vs 16-22a)
• For centuries, Athens had been the cradle of democracy and education.
• Athens had been home to some of the greatest ancient philosophers;
• i.e. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle.
Joke: How many Philosophers does it take to change a light bulb?
• Socrates (469-399 BCE)
• "A light bulb unexamined is not worth changing."
• Plato (circa 427 - circa 347 BCE)
• "There is no need to change the light bulb because the only true light is knowledge."
• Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
• "First we must understand what we mean by change."
• Epicurus (circa 342-270 BCE)
• "We must consider whether changing the light bulb will bring pleasure or pain before we decide whether to change it at all."
And in response – how many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?
• Charismatic:
• 1 – His hands are already in the air.
• Pentecostal:
• 10 – One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.
• Reformed:
• None – Lights will go on and off at predestined times.
• Roman Catholic:
• None – Candles only.
• Baptists:
• At least 15 – One to change the light bulb,
• and three committees to approve the change.
• Anglicans:
• 3 – One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks;
• And one to talk about how much better the old one was.
• Christian Brethren:
• 0 – What do you mean change?
Athens: A City of Extremes:
• For centuries, Athens had been the cradle of democracy and education.
• Athens had been home to some of the greatest ancient philosophers;
• i.e. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle.
• Notice that even though the entire city was a showcase of past intellectual achievement.
• The people of Athens still hungered for spiritual things.
Quote:
• It was the French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher ;
• Blaise Pascal who said in his book, ‘Pensees’:
“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.”
• This entire city was a showcase of past intellectual achievement.
• Yet the people of Athens still hungered for spiritual things.
• That hunger was most evident in what Paul first noticed about the city;
• He saw something (verse 16) that disturbed his soul.
• “While Paul was waiting for them in Athens…”
• Pause and say that the ‘them’ in verse 16;
• Were Paul’s fellow workers and friends;
• Dr Luke was coming from Philippi and Silas and Timothy from Berea,
• While he was waiting for them to arrive he saw something that distressed his soul.
• Verse 16: “…he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.”
• Athens was a city idols:
• Tens of thousands of idols had been cut into the public buildings,
• Stationed along the streets, and memorialized in shrines and temples.
Quote:
• According to R. C. H. Lenski,
• Even the ancient historians were amazed by the vast number of them.
• Quote: Petronius (Pet-ron-i-us):
• Satirically remarks that “in Athens it was easier to find a god than a man”.
• Quote: Pausanias (Pau-san-i-as):
• States that “Athens had more images than all Greece put together”.
• Quote: Xenophon (Zen-o-fan):
• Calls Athens "One great altar, one great offering to the gods."
So Athens was a city of contrasts;
• A contrast between great scholarship, great education, great learning;
• And yet a city bound up in idolatry!
(PP slide 2). Paul: A Man of Courage (vs 17-22a)
“So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the market-place 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.)”
Ill:
• In St Giles, Old Town Edinburgh,
• There is a stone with "J. K." on it, marking the spot where John Knox's dust reposes.
• John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation;
• Who brought reformation to the church in Scotland.
• It is said that Mary, Queen of Scots trembled when John Knox went to his knees in prayer
• One time she even exclaimed that;
• “She feared Knox's prayers more than an any army in Europe."
• When the Regent Morton saw John Knox laid in the grave, he exclaimed,
• "There lies he who never feared the face of man!"
TRANSITION: Like John Knox the apostle Paul was a man of great courage!
• Even without his team of helpers and support workers;
• Remember (vs 16) Dr Luke was coming from Philippi & Silas & Timothy from Berea,
• Paul was determined to plant God's flag of truth in this dark, idolatrous city,
PAUL HAS A THREEFOLD PLAN:
First: In the Synagogue.
• Paul always started at familiar territory - in the Synagogue.
• Verse 17: As is his habit, he begins evangelizing the city by
• "So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks" (v, 17a),
• Notice his approach in verse 17;
• Because it will change according to his situation and audience.
• There is no “One size fits all” mentality in evangelism.
• Different people will need to be reached with the gospel in different ways.
• We have an expression: “Horses for courses”;
• Or a more well-known phrase: “By any means necessary”,
Ill:
The apostle Paul - 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verses 19- 22:
“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
• Therefore in the Synagogue talking to Jewish people looking for a Jewish Messiah;
• The apostle used the Jewish Old Testament scriptures to argue his case.
• Paul selected familiar passages from the Old Testament;
• And proved to them that Jesus is the Messiah;
• He is the one they have been waiting for
Second: At the Marketplace
• After talking to fellow Jews;
• Paul then takes his message onto the streets, to the marketplace
• The marketplace provides the perfect platform to reach a wider audience;
• Here the local Athenians mix and mingle,
• Idly shopping for the newest fashions and the latest philosophies.
• Verse 17b-8: “…in the market-place day by day with those who happened to be there.
• A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him”
Two groups of thinkers started to react to this curious foreigner and his new teaching:
• One group were called ‘Epicureans’,
• The other group were called ‘Stoics’.
• You can ‘Google’ them when you get home if you want to know what they believed;
• But they were philosophers at widely divergent ends of the spectrum.
• ill: Philosophy simply means:
• Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline
Notice: Paul had captured their attention and these ‘learned’ men react differently:
• Some call him a “babbler” (vs 18);
• The word literally means "seed-picker,"
• ill: They viewed Paul like a small bird;
• "One who picked up scraps of learning here and there and spread them where he could."
• Others (vs 18): are curious about Paul's teaching;
• Especially about Jesus and the resurrection.
• They know of course about Zeus and their numerous gods but who is Jesus?
• And so as they consult with one another (vs 19):
• They come to a decision - take him to the Areopagus!
Third: On the Areopagus:
• The Areopagus or Mars Hill is a bare marble hill next to the Acropolis in Athens;
• It was a place of learning;
• And they particularly enjoyed listening to itinerant lecturers passing through the area.
• Verse 21: “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there;
• Spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas”.
• It was a very tough life for men in that city;
• But…somebody had to do it!
The wise courageous apostle Paul stands in this majestic yet intimidating place:
• And grasps the opportunity;
• He speaks eloquently and clearly,
• But notice he does not speak about philosophy or culture, but about God and His Son.
(PP slide 3). Communication: A Message of Impact
Ill:
• The preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike,
• Unlike todays wireless mics, this had a wire attached to it.
• He was an energetic preacher and as he preached, he swung his hands;
• And he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike cord as he went.
• Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in the cord and nearly tripping;
• Before jerking it again and repeating the process on the other side of the platform.
• After several circles and jerks, a little girl leaned toward her mother and whispered,
• "If he gets loose, will he hurt us?"
TRANSITION:
• The apostle Paul was let loose to preach;
• His message is brief address, but one in which every word counts.
• In fact five factors stand out;
• That we would do well to heed as we communicate our faith with others.
(a). He started where they were (vs 22b-23a):
“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”
• He didn't start with the Creation, Old Testament Scripture, or even Jesus Christ;
• Because that was all foreign to his audience.
• Instead, he opened with a subject close to home: religion.
• He wasn't attempting to flatter them, either;
• He was just stating as fact that a city displaying so many idols;
• Must contain people interested in religion.
(b). He Used the Familiar to Introduce the Unfamiliar (vs 23b-24a)
“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”.
• To these Athenians, God was unknown;
• So Paul's point was to make clear the fact that God was not unknowable.
• With all the care of an architectural engineer,
• Paul was methodically constructing a bridge;
• That would hopefully span the gap between their ignorance and the truth of Christ.
(c). He Developed His Theme Forcefully and Clearly (vs 24b-28a).
• Speaking in terms they could relate to and understand,
• In verses 24b-28a Paul continues,
“…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.”
In these verses the apostle Paul reveals four key facts about God.
• FIRST: God is the Creator, and therefore God cannot be contained (v. 24).
• This told the Athenians that their temples and shrines wouldn't do.
• SECOND: God is the originator, He has no needs (v, 25).
• This told the Athenians that they could not give Him anything
• He didn't have or tell Him anything He didn't know; He is self-sufficient.
• THIRD: God being intelligent, has a definite plan (vs 26-27).
• This told the Athenians that He is in control,
• Yet unlike the Epicureans' or Stoics' gods, He is accessible and approachable.
• FOURTH: God is the sustainer, He is not dependent (vs 28a).
• This told the Athenians that we are dependent on Him - His grace, mercy, and love.
(d). The apostle Paul kept Their Attention with Relevant Illustrations (vs 28b)
“As some of your own poets have said, “We are his offspring.””
• To many of us these four truths about God are very familiar;
• But to the Athenians, this was a banquet of new truth.
• So Paul helps them digest it by using relevant illustrations.
• He quotes from Aratus, a Greek poet;
• As he tries to convince them that God is their Creator;
• And he shows them that even their own poets believed in a creator-god.
• Paul was very astute because he took a poem about the Greek God Zeus;
• And turned it;
• Revealing the God of the Bible – not Greek mythology – as the source of creation.
(5). He Applied the Message, Personally (vs 29-31)
‘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.’
• Their philosophers had always discussed comfortable ideas,
• But Paul brings his truths much more close to home-uncomfortably close.
• God was not only their creator,
• He was also their judge.
• Our actions and lifestyles today;
• Will impact their lives beyond the grave, where the resurrected Jesus awaits.
Note:
• This would have been a stumbling block between Paul and his audience:
• Since childhood, the Athenians had heard a certain motto denying bodily resurrection
• "Once a man dies and the earth drinks up his blood, there is no resurrection."
• Now here was an itinerant lecturer/preacher;
• Telling them there was not just a resurrection but also a judgement as well!
Question: How would they react to this aspect of Paul's teaching?
Answer: Verses 32-34.
(PP slide 4). Response: A Reaction of Conflict
“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.”
• Luke's conclusion of this episode reveals the Athenians' three responses:
• These three responses are often present whenever the Bible is taught and preached.
• FIRST: Some of them openly rejected Paul and his teaching.
• Verse 32: “…some of them sneered,”
• They rejected his message as nonsense, it did not fit with their mind-set.
• SECOND: Some put off the decision to follow Christ;
• Saying they would get back with him later.
• ‘We want to hear you again on this subject.’
• They appear to be genuinely interested in the message;
• And they planned to hear the apostle Paul again.
• THIRD: There were those who believed;
• “Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed”
• One of whom was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus council;
• We might say an important somebody.
• But we also told of
• “…a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.”
• These might not be important people in society but they are important to God;
• Therefore she gets a mention.
And finally…
• Which of the three response best describes you?
• Unbelief, interested, believer!
