This week’s lesson truth brings to my mind an evangelism training course we offered at MGBC a few years ago. Pastor Jimmy Scroggins authored “3 Circles: Gospel Conversations for Life” which in brief is a simple method to turn everyday conversations into gospel conversations. The goal is for believers to intentionally engage in gospel conversations daily. The following is a link that introduces the concept:
Verses 16-18 - Before arriving in Athens, Paul, Silas, and Timothy had been in Thessalonica and Berea where they faced strong Jewish opposition. Out of concern for his safety, Paul went ahead to Athens awaiting the other’s arrival. While he waited, he went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and into the streets and markets to speak with anyone he may meet about the resurrection of Christ. Athens was the intellectual and philosophical center of the day. The city drew the elite thinkers of the day where they would gather to debate and exchange ideas. What Paul saw there caused him great distress or even anger to some extent. Athens was home to any and every pagan god/idol that the human mind had conceived. The Athenian elevation of human thought and prideful intellect had given birth to an ungodly mishmash of misguided religious thought.
The Epicureans and the Stoics are two groups mentioned specifically in verse 18. Epicureans chief aim was to achieve pleasure in this life and avoiding discomfort. They did not believe in any god that had an involvement with humanity. Stoics, on the other hand, emphasized personal virtue, logical thought, self-control, and living in harmony with nature. They believed that there was some form of divinity in all things. In either case, we read that Paul was not well received by most of his audience. While the CSB uses the adjective “ignorant show-off” most other translations say Paul was referred to as a “babbler.” Others could not gain an understanding of Paul’s teaching about the resurrected Jesus because they (Epicureans) had no belief in an afterlife. Even though Paul was met with skepticism and doubt he continued to boldly proclaim the gospel message of Christ and His resurrection.
Verses 22-23 Here Paul is speaking to the group gathered at the Areopagus (Mars Hill). The philosophers of the day would gather to debate and judge the merits of the ideas presented there. We might call it the marketplace of ideas where listeners would pick and choose what suited them the best. Paul begins on a seemingly positive note to open the door to discussion as he acknowledges their religious fervor. Yes, the Greeks were devoted to their belief system. Unfortunately, their devotion to temples and statues of stone was not the answer to their greatest need. In the hope of covering all the bases they had even set up an altar to an “Unknown God.” Paul seeks to explain to them who this God they are seeking is and how He can become known to them. Paul used common techniques and concepts the audience would identify with to make his message understandable for them.
Verses 30-31 These two verses give us a brief synopsis of the gospel. In the preceding verses (24-29) which are not included in the focal text for the lesson Paul tells more about who this Unknown God is. He made the heavens and the earth. He is the One who gives life to all living things. He does not reside in temples built by human hands. He is not in any form that could be constructed by human design or skill. He is above all others. Now the Athenians are hearing the truth and God is willing to “overlook” their past ignorance. Now their time of ignorance would come to an end as Paul proclaimed to them that there was in fact only one, true God.
Paul summarizes what God has said: people are commanded to repent, God will judge the world, and God has raised Christ from the dead. We see from Paul’s words that God has set the day He will judge the world. He is able to judge because He is the righteous and just One. This will be accomplished through the man He has appointed. This man is Jesus Christ who came in the flesh as the Son of God. Through the Son our salvation is possible. He concludes by reemphasizing the fact of the bodily resurrection and that it was God’s power that resides fully in Christ.
The truth of this lesson relates to verses we looked at two weeks ago in Romans 10:14-17. How can they believe unless they are told? Faith comes by hearing the message of Christ. My prayer for myself and for all of us is that we will be ready to share the story as we are going.
Paul’s words to the Colossian church apply to us as well:
2Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossian4:2-5
