The Unknown God
by Scott R. Bayles, preacher
Church of Christ
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As Paul approached the great city of Athens, he came not as a sightseer, but as a soul-winner. He arrived with open eyes and a broken heart. Athens was in a period of decline in the early first-century. Though still recognized as a center of culture and education, the glory of its politics and commerce had long since faded. It had a famous university and numerous beautiful buildings, but it was not the influential city it once had been. The city was given over to a "cultured paganism" that was nourished by idolatry, novelty, and philosophy.
The Greek myths spoke of gods and goddesses that, in their own rivalries and ambitions, acted more like humans than gods; and there were plenty of deities to choose from! Someone once said that in Athens it was easier to find a god than a man. Paul saw that the city was "wholly given to idolatry," and it broke his heart. As was his custom, Paul spoke in the synagogue with the Jews, but he also witnessed in the marketplace (agora) to the Greeks. It didn’t take long for the philosophers to hear about this "new thing" Paul was preaching.
The Council of the Areopagus was responsible to watch over both religion and education in the city, so it was natural for them to investigate the "new doctrine" Paul was teaching. They courteously invited Paul to present his teaching at what appears to have been an informal meeting of the council on Mars’ Hill. After all, life in Athens consisted of hearing and telling new things, and Paul had something new! Let’s listen to what he said.
Acts 17:22-34 (NASB-u)
So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. [23] For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ’TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. [24] The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; [25] nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; [26] and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, [27] so they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; [28] for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ’For we also are His children.’ [29] Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. [30] Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, [31] because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
[32] Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this."[33] So Paul went out of their midst. [34] But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Paul’s message is a masterpiece in communication. He started where the people were by referring to their altar dedicated to an unknown god. Having aroused their interest, he then explained who that God is and what He is like. He concluded the message with a personal application that left each council member facing a moral decision. Using this "unknown god" as a jumping point, Paul shared four basic truths about God that we still need to hear today. The first is...
I. THE GREATNESS OF GOD:
Paul declared that this unknown God, "made the world an all things in it" (24). He is the Creator. Every thoughtful person asks, "Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?" Science attempts to answer the first question, and philosophy wrestles with the second; but only the Unknown God has a satisfactory answer to all three.
The Epicureans, who were atheists, said that everything was made of matter and matter always existed. The Stoics said that everything was God, "The Spirit of the Universe," that God did not create anything; He only organized matter and impressed on it some law and order. But Paul boldly affirmed, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth!" God made the world and everything in it, and He is Lord of everything He has made. He is not a distant God, divorced from His creation; nor is He an imprisoned God, locked in creation. He is too great to be housed in man made temples, but He is not too great to be concerned with man’s needs. I wonder how the Council members reacted to Paul’s statement that God "does not dwell in temples made with hands," since right there on the Acropolis were several shrines dedicated to Athena. One thing was for sure, this Unknown God was far greater than the gods of Greek myth.
The universe and all things in it were created by God--including you and me! King David, while meditating on God’s great care and concern for humanity, wrote, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well" (Psalm 139:4). That was written three thousand years ago. Now, with all the scientific knowledge and technology of the ages at our fingertips, we are no less impressed by the intricate workings of God’s greatest masterpiece.
One of the most amazing examples of design in the human body is the eye. Your eyes are incredibly complex organs that receive and focus light patterns, convert them into nerve impulses, and send them to the brain so you can see where you are going. In some ways, the eye can be compared to a video camera. A camcorder has a protective lens cover; the eye has an eyelid. The camcorder has a lens that is capable of automatically focusing at various distances; so does the eye. The camcorder senses the amount of light it is receiving and adjusts its aperture to ensure that the picture is neither over--nor under--exposed; the eye also senses these variations and adjusts the opening in front of the eye (pupil) accordingly.
The retina is covered with a layer of tall, tightly packed cells. These cells are of two types: rods and cones. Each eye contains about 100 million rod cells that are extra-sensitive to dim light and see in black and white, and about 3 million cone cells that are responsible for seeing color. As light is focus upon these rods and cones, it is absorbed and converted into electrical signals--similar to the way a camcorder converts light into magnetic or digital code. The signals are processed by a network of interneurons that enhances the information before sending it to the brain. Of course, all of this is done in a fraction of a second!
When we look at the intricate workings of a video camera, it is natural to marvel over the advances of human technology. But in comparison of complexity, the human eye makes the camcorder look like a child’s toy. How much more, then, should we marvel at the greatness of our Creator and the work of His hands! But Paul not only preached the greatness of God, he also preached the...
II. THE GOODNESS OF GOD:
After introducing the Unknown God to the Athenians, Paul continues to tell them about Him: God "is [not] served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things" (25). He is our Provider. People may sometimes pride themselves in serving God, but it is really God who serves us. If God is God, then He is self-sufficient and is in need of nothing. Not only do the temples not contain God, but the service in the temples does not add anything to God! In two brief statements, Paul completely wiped out the entire religious system of Greece!
It is God who gives to us what we need. God is not dependant on man’s offerings for His being, because He is the great giver. When Paul says, "He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things," our lives must be viewed as a gift from above, and every breath we breathe is courtesy of God. If these are not awesome enough in their own right, every gift that is given and needed by the human race comes from the goodness of God. Everything we need and receive is a divine gift. The Bible says, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father..." (James 1:17).
The time we have on Earth is a gift from God. The energy or mobility we have that enables us to get up and go to work in the morning or assemble with others of like faith on Sunday to worship is a gift from God. The talent or skill we have by which we earn an income is a gift from God. The combination of all these, our productivity or accomplishments, are a gift from God. Our purpose in life is a gift from God! What would life be without a purpose? None of us came into this world when we chose or because we chose, but because God had a purpose in mind for us. Our families, parents and grandparents, a good husband or wife, and lovely children are all God’s gifts. The Bible says, "Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward" (Psalm 127:3). Houses we live in, covers to keep us warm on a cold winter night, and friends with whom we can share our joys and sorrows are all gifts of God.
And, what about our precious freedoms here in America? The government does not give us these freedom; they are gifts of the God who rules the world. When we count our blessings we should not neglect the spiritual ones, either. Salvation, the greatest of all gifts, if from God. The Bible says, "by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8). God gives us life and sustains that life by His goodness. Surely He is as good as He is great! Paul goes on, though, to talk about...
III. THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD:
Paul announced, "He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation" (26). He is Ruler! The gods of the Greeks were distant beings who had no concern for the problems and needs of men. But the God of Creation is also the God of history and geography, "He is Lord of heaven and earth!"
Paul’s message on Mars’ Hill about the Unknown God is the majesty of the Sovereign God of the universe. J.I. Packer says, "But this is knowledge which Christians today largely lack: and that is one reason why our faith is so feeble and our worship so flabby. We are modern men, and modern men, though they cherish great thoughts of man, have as a rule small thoughts of God." He says, "When the man in the church, let alone the man on the street, uses the word ’God,’ the thought in his mind is rarely of divine majesty" (Knowing Go pp. 73-74). Yet, Paul says that God is in control of everything.
There are some things that we can know about God because He is Lord of all. For instance, God can only be Sovereign over all creation, as Paul says He is, if He is all-knowing. If there is one smidgen of knowledge that is unknown to God, His rule over all things breaks down at that point. Even that little bit would open the door for man to say that because one God does not know everything, there must be two or more gods at work in the world. How vital it was for Paul to affirm to the Athenians the Sovereignty or total knowledge of the Almighty God. If God is all-knowing (or omniscient), then He never knew any less nor will He ever know any more.
That God is absolutely all-knowing is an awesome thought. It is humbling and even freighting. But it is to be the cause of much joy in a person’s life, too. If God knows everything about everything, then He knows everything about me and my life. While that can be very sobering, it is also a great comfort.
Also, to be the Supreme Ruler and Lord of heaven and earth, God must be all-powerful. This is Paul’s emphasis in the use of the word "Lord" in Athens. If it could be shown that there is just one stray atom of power that the Lord God does not control, He would be seen as a limited ruler and not Sovereign at all. That is what Jesus meant when He said, "with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26). Genesis affirmed from the beginning, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (18:14). John saw it in his vision on Patmos and wrote, "Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" (Rev. 19:6).
But God’s infinite knowledge and power are meaningless if He is not free to exercise them according to His will. The Bible says, "But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases" (Psalm 115:3). But God is not a distant deity: "He is not far from each one of us." Truly He is the Lord of creation and Lord of my life. We need never worry nor fear, for He is in control. Finally, As he brought his message to a close, Paul summarized the clear evidence of...
IV. THE GRACE OF GOD:
Listen to his closing words: "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, [31] because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead" (30).
God vividly demonstrated His grace in that, for centuries, God was patient with people’s sin and ignorance. This does not mean that people were not guilty, but only that God held back divine wrath. Paul made a similar statement in his sermon in Lystra. There he spoke of God, who "In the generations gone by...permitted all the nations to go their own ways" (Acts 14:16). Albert Barnes says, "For wise purposes he suffered them to walk in ignorance that there might be a fair experiment to show what men would do, and how much necessity there was for a revelation to instruct them in the true knowledge of God."
In due time, though, God sent a Savior, and now He commands all men to repent of their foolish ways. The grace of God was wholly manifested in Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. Let’s never forget the words of Isaiah: "But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).
This Savior was murdered and then raised from the dead, and one day, He will return to judge the world. When God created man, male and female, He gave them the Garden of Eden as a beautiful place to live. He came and walked with them and talked with them and enjoyed their company. Then came the tragedy of sin, and man was alienated from God. That wonderful association was broken. Man was driven from the Garden and from the presence of God, who is the source of all life, and man died. Separation from God is death. But God, in His great love, would not allow thing to end that way.
God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to reconcile the world to Him. He didn’t do that for the angels who sinned. They were cast down to Tartarus and held without hope in chains of darkness to await the day of God’s judgment. Is the sin of man any less grievous than that of the angels? No. Are the people who sin more worthy of salvation than the angels who sinned? No. Could people earn their salvation? No. The answer can only be that God is gracious toward us and has made a way of salvation. It does not mean that man is worthy or has earned it, but it is a gift to those who will accept it.
But acceptance is essential. The invitation is "whosoever will." In acceptance of that gift we must believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, repent and turn from our sinful lifestyles, confess Jesus as Lord, and be immersed into Him. Doing do does not earn salvation; doing so is acceptance of the gift--the grace of God.
Conclusion:
As Paul spoke before the Athenian Counsel about this Unknown God, he made known these four basic truths--the intrinsic qualities of the Unknown God:
The Greatness of God: "Who has made the world and all things in it."
The Goodness of God: "He gives to all people life and breath and all things."
The Government of God: "He is Lord of heaven and earth!"
The Grace of God: "having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring...that all people everywhere should repent."
The real message of Paul’s sermon is that the Unknown God has made Himself known! And we can know Him today, through the blood of Jesus, His Son.
Invitation:
There were three different responses to Paul’s message from Mars’ Hill. Some laughed and mocked and did not take the Gospel message seriously. Others were interested, but wanted to learn more before making a decision. A small group, though, accepted what Paul preached, believed in Jesus Christ, and were saved. How will you respond today?
Are you in need of God’s grace? Are you ready to commit your life to Jesus Christ and to call on the name of the Lord? If you are subject to the invitation, please come...
