“PEARLS FROM PAUL-PREACHING TO THOSE WHO LIVE IN …



“PEARLS FROM PAUL-PREACHING TO THOSE WHO LIVE IN DARKNESS”

ACTS 17:16-34

INTRO: As you study the life of the Apostle Paul you will see that the passion

of his heart was to preach the gospel. He wrote in Romans 1:16-17—

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God

unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to

the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith

to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Paul’s passion was

preaching the gospel. Why? Because as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians

1:17-18, 21—“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the

gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be

made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that

perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God,

it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that

believe.”

A lady wrote Dear Abby and said: “Dear Abby: Your answer to the

woman who complained that her relatives were always arguing with

her about religion, was ridiculous. You advised her to simply declare

the subject off-limits. Are you suggesting that people talk only about

trivial meaningless subjects so as to avoid a potential controversy? It

is arrogant to tell people there are subjects that they may not mention

in your presence. You could have suggested she learn enough about

her relatives’ cult to show them the errors contained in its teachings.”

Abby wrote back: “In my view, the height of arrogance is to attempt to

show people the ‘errors’ in their religion of choice.” (Cited by Dennis

McCallum, ed., The Death of Truth, pp. 199-200.) In this politically

correct, ultra-tolerant, multicultural world in which we live today

there are many who feel the same as Abby does. But Jesus Christ is

alive and we must show people the errors of their religion of choice.

Paul understood this. He was not politically correct nor theologically

tolerant.

In our text we see Paul confirming his words of Romans 1:16—“For I

am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ…” In Athens, about 50 yards

from the Parthenon is a huge rock about forty five feet high called the

Areopagus, which literally means in Greek “the hill of Ares.” Ares was

the Greek god of war. His equivalent was the Roman god called Mars,

so it came to be called “Mars Hill.” The Areopagus, or hill of Mars,

(dedicated to Mars, the heathen god of war,) was the place where the

Athenians held their supreme court of judicature. But it does not

appear he was carried thither as a criminal. The original number of its

judges was twelve; but afterward it increased to three hundred. These

were generally men of the greatest families in Athens, and were famed

for justice and integrity. (John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes) From this

rock Paul preached perhaps his greatest sermon, to the hardest

audience, in the toughest setting he ever encountered. Charles

Swindoll in his Book, Paul, A Man of Grit and Grace, says “It was akin

to being invited to preach in the hall of Congress or to stand and

speak for Christ before the United States Supreme Court. The

sharpest minds and most respected judges of the land would listen to

every word you’d say.” (Swindoll, p. 206).

Paul desire was to bring the glorious light of the gospel into the

darkness of a lost city that is so typical of the lost world we live in

today. The City of Athens was proud of her intellectual heritage (v21).

It was the home of Socrates, Plato, Herodotus, and Homer. The

concepts of Liberty, law, democracy and parliament all originated from

the Greeks. It was the Greeks who are credited with giving the world

the love of knowledge, beauty and freedom. But as enlightened as

they were, they still were living in the shadows of darkness. Athens

was spiritually bankrupt. She had no church, no creed or systematic

theology. There were many gods in Athens but these gods had no

morals so neither did the Athenians. Eight hundred years of Greek

mythology and five hundred years of Greek philosophy had come and

gone. God had given human wisdom plenty of time to demonstrate

what it could. And still the culture was bathed in darkness.

Athens was proud of her religious tolerance (vs. 16-23). The ancient

writer Petronius said, “It was easier to find a god than a man there.”

(1). While Paul waited for Silas and Timothy, who remained at Berea

(v14), Paul saw the city, the beautiful City of Athens, “wholly given to

idolatry” and “his spirit was stirred in him”. Not only his soul was

troubled and his heart was grieved, but he was exasperated and

provoked to the last degree: he was in a paroxysm; his heart was hot

within him; he had a burning fire in his bones, and was weary with

forbearing, and could not stay; his zeal wanted vent, and he gave it.

(John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible) He knew that Christ and

Christ alone was what was needed in Athens and He knew he must

preach Christ. But how did he deliver his message to this intellectual

and tolerant society? The way he preached might be a shock to many

in our society today. But from his message we learn how to preach to

those living in darkness. Note three things as we think on the

subject, “Preaching To Those Who Live in Darkness”.

NOTICE:

(1) PAUL’S PREACHING WAS WITH GENUINE CONVICTION

ACTS 17:16—“Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit

was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to

idolatry.”

A. HE PREACHED WITH A STIRRED HEART (V16). The word “stirred”

here means “easily provoked, exasperated, excited, agitated.” His mind

was greatly excited. It…means that the mind of Paul was greatly

concerned, or agitated, doubtless with pity and distress at their folly

and danger. (Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible) Paul knew that there is

only one God and that He can be known, and that the people of Athens

did not know Him. Paul could see through their folly and the veil of

darkness which surrounded them. He knew that men without Jesus

are lost, and that human wisdom is foolishness and philosophy cannot

change the heart of man. Paul knew that there was only one way to

God, and that is Jesus, and they didn’t know that (v18). Jesus is the

Light of the world and still this world lives in darkness. That should

stir each of our hearts. We need those today who have passion and

conviction as they preach Jesus to those who are living in darkness.

ILLUS: A young minister in a college town was embarrassed by the

thought of criticism from his cultured congregation. He sought

counsel from his father, a wise old minister, saying, "Dad, I

am handicapped in my ministry in the pulpit I am now

serving. If I cite anything from geology, there is Prof. A,

teacher of this science, right before me. If I use an illustration

from Roman mythology, there is Prof. B ready to trip me up

for any little inaccuracy. If I mention something in English

literature that pleases me, I am cowered by the presence of

the learned man that teaches that branch. What shall I do?"

The sagacious old man replied, "Do not be discouraged;

preach the gospel. They probably know very little of that."

PAUL PREACHED WITH A STIRRED HEART AND ALSO…

B. HE PREACHED WITH SCRIPTURAL CONVICTION. Paul preached

with such power because he was convinced in his heart the message

he preached was true. We need some men today who believe the Word

without compromise and are not afraid to preach it with conviction.

ILLUS: The problem in this nation is not with the prosititutes, the

punks (and) the pushers. But it's with puny, pampered,

passive preaching from the pulpits of America . . . Nobody it

seems, is standing and preaching that the Word of God is the

Word of God and hell is hot and heaven is high and sin is

wrong and God and marriage are right. It's time to take a

stand. - Bobby Boyles, pastor of Eagle Heights Church in

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, speaking at the 1994 annual

meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention; quoted by

Baptist Press, Nashville

There was in Athens one great "market place," or public square. The

porches around it were favorite places for discussion. (The People’s

New Testament Commentary). Paul preached Christ wherever he went

whether in the public square, pulpit, or prison cell. Why? Because he

was convinced the Word he preached was God’s Word. V17 say,

“therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the

devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.”

The word DISPUTED IN V17 means “to preach unto, to reason with”.

PAUL’S PREACHING WAS WITH GENUINE CONVICTION AND ALSO…

(2) PAUL’S PREACHING WAS WITH PROFOUND SIMPLICITY

ACTS 17:22-31

ILLUS: Some preachers have the instincts of aviators-they announce a

text, taxi for a short distance, then take off from the earth and

disappear into the clouds. After that, only the din of exploding

gasoline is heard, signifying that they are flying high, very high,

above the heads of their hearers. In other words, a sermon, rightly

presented, should not be a meteor, but a sun. Its true test is "Can

it make anything grow?"

George Fox, seeking spiritual guidance, walked seven miles to talk

to a clergyman who had the reputation for being helpful. "But I

found him but like an empty hollow cask," he reported sadly. The

problem with our preaching is that too often people come seeking

the Water of Life, only to find an empty cask. But sometimes they

find water-when the preacher with simplicity and authority

proclaims Jesus Christ. Feed your people with the Bread of Life;

cause them to drink deeply of the Water of Life. Be careful not to

confuse simple, easy communication with superficial study and

shallow preaching. You can dig deep, but you do not have to come

up dry. Use your professional tools at home, but take the inspired

Word alone into the pulpit. With God's help, your sermons can be

profoundly simple and simply profound.

Paul, even though he was highly educated, preached with simplicity. It

tells us in v18, “…he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.”

Note two things:

A. THE MEN TO WHOM HE PREACHED. V18 tells us, “then certain

philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him…”

Paul encountered two of the most notorious philosophies in Athens-

Epicureanism and Stoicism. Their creeds were sterile. They were

empty of true life and left their followers holding an empty bag

spiritually. Epicureans were followers of the teaching of Epicurus…

who “taught that the highest good and great end of existence was

serene enjoyment, which his followers interpreted to mean pleasure,

and that often of the grossest kind” (Alexander). Morgan said, “The

Epicurean philosophy in practice, habit, and experience, when Paul

came to Athens, was lust, in its most degrading form.” Epicureanism

was simply a deifying of the vile passions of the flesh. Stoicism was not

any better…Stoics were pantheists. Fatalism and endurance were their

basic tenets. In Paul’s time, “Beneath the profession [of Stoicism] was

the most degrading form of evil, and the ultimate word of the Stoic was

suicide” (Morgan). False doctrine brings death, not life (2).

These men, as v21 tells us were always eager, “either to tell or to hear

some new thing.” You can be very interested in spiritual matters and

yet be woefully ignorant of them if you do not have the TRUTH before

you. Notice:

1. Their interest in religion (v22). Paul said the Athenians were “too

superstitious.” The word rendered “too superstitious” means here

“god-fearing.” They were "more religious", than any other persons,

in other places, which has been observed before on Act_17:16 they

had more gods, and more altars, and more festivals, and were more

diligent and studious in the worship of the gods, than others. (John

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible) The Athenians great interest

and devotion in religious matters forcefully instructs us that you

can be great devoted to and occupied with religious matters and

still not be saved. Salvation has to do with one receiving Christ as

Savior. Leave that out of the picture and all the religions in the

World will not save…Religion is no substitute for Jesus Christ (3).

ILLUS: America is being inoculated with a mild form of

Christianity that is making it's citizens immune to the real

thing. There are several types of this religious false

Christianity.

• PSYCHOLOGICAL CHRISTIANITY - an obsession that makes God a good "pepper-upper" and religion a comforting thought. It devotes see theology as a waste of time; shutter at the mention of sin; go to church to seek psycho-religious adjustment for tension and frustration. There heaven is health and wealth.

• SOCIAL CHRISTIANITY - a good time religion with special appeal to those who cannot get into lodges, clubs, or the society column. It expresses itself in a round of socials, banquets, or - in its more liberal manifestations - theater parties, dances and bridge.

• POLITICAL CHRISTIANITY - a reform movement with a social gospel, that is so busy with surveys, committee meetings, projects, campaigns, etc., to clean up society that individuals are starving to death for spiritual food.

• EMOTIONAL CHRISTIANITY - a type of inoculation that gives the patient divine thrills and mystical exaltations, but often leaves him spiritually dead.

• ATAVISTIC CHRISTIANITY - a sort of religious loyalty to the beliefs of our dead forebears. The Chinese have it in a bit different form and call it ancestor worship.

• SACRAMENTAL CHRISTIANITY - a blind loyalty to certain rites or ceremonies, the faithful performance of which is supposed to give one a "pass" to glory. Its devotees have a "form of godliness," but "deny the power thereof."

• THEOLOGICAL CHRISTIANITY - an intellectual and coldly scientific acceptance of the abstract truth in the New Testament Scriptures. Those who have been immunized by this serum can split hairs with the same finesse that Nero played his fiddle while Rome burned.

A very large proportion of the American people are

Professedly religious, but their religion is not deep, vital,

real! It does not grip the whole man and change and

transform him into a new creature in Jesus Christ.

We see THEIR INTEREST IN RELIGION, but we also see…

2. Their ignorance in religion (V. 23). They knew many things

about religion, but they didn’t know Christ. We see it in their

calling Jesus and the resurrection “strange gods” (v18). We see it

again as they asked Paul to come to the Areopagus and declare

this “new doctrine” (v19), which they describe as “strange” and

unknown to them (v20). And finally, we see it in the inscription on

their altar “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.” How amazing it is to see

people who were so very religious yet so extremely ignorant of the

most spiritual Truth of all! But this is so typical of many today.

Many today have their entire lives involved in religion, and yet they

are ignorant of Christ Jesus and the redemption through the blood

of His Cross!

ILLUS: In His earthly life among men, Jesus, more than once,

virtually said that if they had really known who He was

their course of action would have been widely different. It

was so of the whole Jewish nation. They had long waited

and sighed for the coming of their Prince, but when He

came they knew Him not.

A young man was taken prisoner and was to be shot at

sunrise. As he lay upon the ground that night between his

sleeping guards, his heart was full of bitter thoughts. Oh

for a single sight of the dear ones at home! What would he

not give to be free once more? Suddenly, he saw a solitary

figure steal out from behind a clump of bushes. The man

saw that he was awake and began to make signs, as

though trying to communicate with him. He crept nearer

and nearer. The soldier thought he could see a grin of

derision on the man's face. Evidently, one of his enemies

had heard of his plight and had come there to taunt him.

He was mad with rage. It was enough to have to die like a

dog, but this cruel mocking was more than he could

endure. With a shriek of anger, he sprang up. In a

moment, his guards had awakened and the entire camp

was in an uproar. In the midst of the excitement, the

stranger had fled, and the condemned man never knew

that the one he repulsed was a friend who had come to

deliver him from the hands of his enemies. --McCartney

The sad reality is that many have treated Christ the same way. The

One who came to be a friend of sinners and deliver them from their

life of spiritual darkness and the second death has been turned

away, spurned, and mocked by so many! Many today would rather

trust in the tenets of their religion than to place their trust in the

One who loved them so much he was willing to lay down His life for

them! Jesus said in Matthew 15:8-9—“This people draweth nigh

unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their

heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for

doctrines the commandments of men.” Many today are religious but

are spiritually bankrupt because they know not Jesus!

B. THE MESSAGE TO THEM HE PREACHED (vv. 22-31). Paul message

was simple, yet profound. Notice what he preached to them. He

preached to them about:

1. The Power of God to Create (v24). Athens had many gods, but

none that had the power of the True God. The main object of this

discourse of Paul is to convince them of the folly of idolatry

Act_17:29, and thus to lead them to repentance. For this purpose

he commences with a statement of the true doctrine respecting God

as the Creator of all things. We may observe here:

(1) That he speaks here of God as the Creator of the world, thus

opposing indirectly their opinions that there were many gods.

(2) he speaks of him as the Creator of the world, and thus opposes

the opinion that matter was eternal; that all things were

controlled by Fate; and that God could be confined to temples.

The Epicureans held that matter was eternal, and that the world

was formed by a fortuitous concourse of atoms. To this opinion

Paul opposed the doctrine that all things were made by one God.

(Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible)

2. The Power of God to Control (v26). Notice the words “hath

determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their

habitation.” Paul here speaks about God’s sovereignty. God is in

charge and control of all things. God created and God controls.

Paul wanted the Athenians to know that their lives were in God’s

hands. He and He alone determines when men are born and when

men die.

3. The Power of God to Judge (v31). The reason men are urged to

repent, as (v30) tells us, is because judgment is coming. We see

three things about judgment in this verse:

a. The People to be judged include everyone, for the “world” will be

judged. The Bible speaks of two judgments: 1) The Judgment

Seat of Christ. This is for Believers. It does not deal with the

question of salvation, but about service. It will not be of

retribution but of reward. 2) The Great White Throne

Judgment. It is about salvation—the lack of it—and condemns

all the unsaved to eternity in the lake of fire. This judgment

deals with retribution not reward.

b. The Principle guiding the judgment is “righteousness.” God’s

judgment will be true and it will be righteous.

c. The Person who will judge is Jesus Christ. “He will judge the

world by that man whom he hath ordained..” (v31b). (4)

4. The Power of God to Save (vv. 31-34). God can save anyone!

But a person can only be saved if they are willing in repentance

and faith to turn to Jesus and receive Him (Romans 10:9-10, 13).

It is what a person does with Jesus that determines where they will

spend eternity!

(3) PAUL’S PREACHING WAS MET WITH VARIED RESPONSE

ACTS 17:32-34

*NOTICE THREE RESPONSES TO PAUL’S MESSAGE:

A. SOME MOCKED (v32a). When we speak the truth about Jesus many

in this world will see us as archaic, puritanical, fundamental and out of

touch. Many today say that in our presentation of the gospel the blood

of Jesus shed for us should not be mentioned. But, is there any gospel

without the blood? NO! Ephesians 1:7 tells us, “In whom we have

redemption THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to

the riches of his grace.” Oliver B. Greene in his commentary on

Ephesians said, “Redemption is through His blood. Jesus said, ‘The

Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give

His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). In the book of Leviticus (the

‘Hebrews” of the Old Testament), we read, ‘The life is in the blood’

(Leviticus 17:11). Therefore, Jesus came to give His blood a ransom for

many. The blood of Jesus was pure, holy, sinless, guileless, stainless—

the blood that ran through the veins of Jesus was the blood of Jehovah

God (Acts 20:28). The blood is the price Jesus paid for our redemption”

(5).

B. SOME PROCRASTINATED (V32b). To many such a decision may

sound like a reasonable answer. No one should make a hasty

decision. But the most convenient cop-out is “I’ll decide later.” Many

have procrastinated themselves into hell! Proverbs 29:1 warns us,

“He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be

destroyed, and that without remedy.” Augustine said, “God has

promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised

tomorrow to your procrastination” (6).

ILLUS: Someone has said, “Being neutral about Jesus is like a

paratrooper jumping from an airplane being neutral about

pulling his rip-cord.” There comes a time when you MUST

decide.

C. SOME BELIEVED (v34). A few believed. “Dionysius” was a member

of the Areopagus, an intellectual. “Damaris” was a woman who heard

the message and believed. But the majority rejected Paul’s message.

*Charles Swindoll says in his book, Paul, A Man of Grit and Grace, “The same

response happens today. Every effective sermon results in some sneering and

rejecting—and immediate negative response. Some are intrigued enough to

return for a second hearing. A small group of others believe..You too are in

one of those categories” (Swindoll, p. 211-212).

CLOSING: How do we preach to those living in darkness? As Paul did: WITH

GENUINE CONVICTION and WITH PROFOUND SIMPLICITY. And

we will see our message met WITH VARIED RESPONSE.

Friend, are you sharing Christ with those living in darkness? You

do not have to be a preacher to proclaim Christ to others.

Is there one here who realizes they are living in darkness? If so,

Will you come to Christ today?

A Buddhist in Africa was recently converted to Christianity. He

was asked why he changed his faith and why he converted to

Christ. He said, “It’s like this: If you were walking along and

came to a fork in the road and two men were there and one was

dead and the other was alive, which man’s direction would you

follow?” There’s a great message there for the lost world. Jesus is

alive, standing at the fork of the road waiting to show you the way

to heaven. Which direction will you choose?

NOTES: 1. John G. Butler. Paul, The Missionary Apostle. p. 396.

2. Butler. p. 400.

3. Butler. p. 407.

4. Butler. p. 414.

5. Oliver B. Greene. The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the

Ephesians. p. 42.

6. Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary &

Classical. p. 166.

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