PAUL THE APOSTLE ( PART 33 ) | THE SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY | LESSON FROM ATHENS ( PART 2 )

Pastor Christopher Choo

Lesson 3133

PAUL THE APOSTLE ( PART 33 )

THE SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY
LESSON FROM ATHENS ( PART 2 )

PAUL'S FAMOUS SERMON ON MARS HILL IN ATHENS

The text which we are about to study is unique in that it is the only complete synopsis of one of Paul’s sermons to a pagan, Gentile audience.

But let us study the background of this famous sermon first.

In the sixth century before Christ, the city of Athens was being devastated and decimated by a mysterious plague. When no explanation for the plague could be found, and no cure was in sight, the approach was to assume that one of the city’s many gods had been offended. The leaders of the city sought to determine which of the gods it was and then determine a way of appeasing that god. This was no easy task since the city of Athens had literally hundreds of gods.

It took Epimenides from Cyprus to conclude that none of the known gods of Athens had been offended, but some, as yet, unknown god. 

Thus they built an altar to this  "unknown God" on Mars Hill and the plague mysteriously subsided.

In his sermon, Paul seized this example to tell his audience that their  "unknown god" could actually be known step by step. 

1. Paul’s first point, in referring to the “unknown god” of the Athenians, is that the religion of these people is obviously not adequate, for they are looking for yet another “god.”

2. Paul’s second point, seen throughout the entire sermon, is that their system of searching for the one true God is defective and futile. The God who was, to the “unknown” is a God who has made Himself known.

3. The “unknown God,” whom they have acknowledged exists is the God who caused all things to come into existence—the Creator of all things, including men. And His very creation is that which bears testimony of His existence, as well as His attributes (or characteristics).

4. He is a God who is willing to overlook past sins, but who requires that all men repent of their sin, of their rejection of His self-revelation and of His standards of holiness.

5. And He is a God who does not allow men to be speculative about Him or of religion. He is, in fact, about to judge the world in righteousness, through One whom He has appointed, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, the Jewish Messiah. And as proof of His identity as the Judge of the earth, God raised Him from the dead. Thus their “unknown god” should not have remained unknown, for His identity is now made known—Jesus, the Son of God, raised from the dead.

However, this short and incisive sermon did not go down well with those who heard it. 

Acts 17: 32-34 tells us:

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 gave them a very simple gospel, the same gospel which he preached everywhere, the message of a Savior, of a cross, of resurrection, of a coming day of judgment, and of a choice which must be made. 

Abba Father, only two believers are named, Dionysius the Areopagite and Damaris, an Athenian man and woman. There were others, too, but these are not named. The good news is that the preaching of the gospel in Athens was not without fruit.

Although the majority of listeners knew that Paul was preaching Jesus and the resurrection (verse 18), such a topic garnered no automatic interest, as it did with the Jews, who were at least looking for their Messiah. They would listen to Paul, for the sake of curiosity and speculation, not for the sake of truth. Unlike the Bereans, they were not eager for truth. They were always “window shopping” in the marketplace of truth, but never buying. Thus they failed to seize their time to accept the gospel of salvation. 

Time is precious, and we are concerned to employ it well because eternity depends upon it, but much is wasted in unprofitable conversation. (Acts 17:22-31). So it was with the Athenians who did not accept the gospel. They wanted novelty to pass the time and not a life-or-death encounter with the gospel that would have given them eternal life in Christ.