A New Beginning!
ACTS 17: 16 - 33
The Story:
From Berea – sent to Athens
Athens known for their
philosophers, teachers,
intellectuals.
The city had a large hill
called “Mars Hill”
On the “Hill” was built a
lecture hall called the
“Areopagus” – an outdoor
amphitheater
Mars Hill in the Areopagus – Paul’s “greatest
message” preached!
Paul walks through Athens and becomes ‘greatly distressed’
because he see idols to false gods everywhere
He goes to the synagogue (Jewish church) and speaks to the
Jews and God-fearing listeners (Greeks who change to
accept and practice Jewish beliefs) – preaching the
resurrection (remember Pharisees believe – Sadducees not)
“What is this man babbling?” “He preaches a new religion”
“What does this mean?”
Paul is taken to the Areopagus…
Paul meets the Epicureans & Stoics:
Epicureans:
Greek philosophy (500 bc)
created by Epimenides
Pleasure must be the
only internal sought
goal
No political involvement
Live simply and
peacefully
Stoics:
Created by Aratus from Tarsus
(315 – 245 bc)
God is unknowable – no
personal relationship
Can please God by your duty,
intellect, and good behavior
We can liberate ourselves from
fear and anxiety by submitting
to the will of the divine
Paul starts with, “I see you are religious (hungry), I looked
very carefully…many idols but you still do not
know…one is named ‘to the unknown god’ let me tell
you Who He is…”
The God Who made all things IS LORD of heaven and earth
You/we cannot earn His attention by ‘serving as if He needs
anything…He Himself gives everything’ v23 (?Stoics?)
Through one man (Adam) all earth is inhabited and He
marked out the boundaries of where they live (countries)
He established their appointed time in history – He knows our
name and puts us where we are in history’s time…He sets our
birth and death…
?Why? – So people would seek Him v27
V28 (Epicurean poem quoted) “For in Him we live and
move and have our being”…
V28 (Stoic writer Aratus quoted) “We are His offspring
(children)”.
Your own literature says He made us…So how can the
God Who made us be an idol made by human hands
and made of silver, gold, and stone?
Idols are not gods! And God is NOT an idol!
This is a NEW DAY!
Ø V30 In the past God overlooked/tolerated such ignorance
… BUT now…
Ø He commands all to repent – the Day of Judgement is set
Ø Judgement will come from ‘the appointed man’ – Christ
Jesus
Ø You will know Him because he was risen from the dead!
Some believed – Some did not…
Are you an Epicurean Christian? = believe in
Jesus, ask forgiveness, and live for peace and
please self? (once saved, always saved, I can do
whatever I want now)
Are you a Stoic Christian? = believe in Jesus,
work hard to be forgiven, and do do do for the
Lord to earn His approval?
Born again Christian
Repentant
Still hungry for more of Jesus – not satisfied with
same same same?
Heart’s goal and efforts = to be obedient to His
Word – want living relationship with Jesus
Am I an active part of the Body of Christ – here
at BDA and in our Deaf Community?
We can have a New Beginning - 2024
You notice?
60 minutes = 1 hour
24 hours = 1 day
7 days = 1 week
4 weeks = 1 month
12 months = 1 year
And we start all over again…a new year