ACTS 17
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How Will You Respond To The Gospel?
How Will You Respond To The Gospel?
Evidently Paul worked at his trade while he was there
Acts 18:3;
and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers.
1 Thess. 2:9;
For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
2 Thess. 3:7-10
For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you,
nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you;
not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.
he recieved financial help twice Phil. 4:15-16
You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone;
for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.
For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.
For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,
for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.
Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.
reasoned - dialogue (questions and answers)
explained - explained what the scriptures meant
evidence - proving
proclaiming - preaching announcing (1 Cor. 15:1ff)
Preaching of the Resurrection is paramount Acts 1:21-22; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32
“Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—
beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
“This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.
but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.
“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Verse 4
Aristarchus & Secundus (Acts 20:4)
verse 5 out to the people - demos - where we get the word democracy - free-state governed by the people
Verse 6 & 7
upset the world - the word was used for a fisherman turning over his boat and scraping the barnacles off of it. What they did not realize was that sin had turned the world upside down and thru the Gospel god was turning it rightside up.
disturbing the peace and promoting treason Luke 23:2
And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”
“another” - another of a different kind - neither political or of the this world Jn. 18:36-37
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
His weapons are truth and love
He conqueror s with ambassadors of Christ
He died for His enemies Rom. 5:6-10
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
verse 9
Jason could be a relative of Paul Rom. 16:21
Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
is this the hindering that Paul talks about in 1 Thess. 2:18
For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us.
Obviously Paul did more than just preach the resurrection
1 Thess. 4:2, 3, 6
For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;
and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.
So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.
For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.
BEREA
if Paul was was overjoyed how Thessalonica recieved the Word 1 Thess. 2:13 what about Berea?
For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.
For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
Noble minded - noble in character and integrity
receptive - “recieved the word with great eagerness”
diligent - examined the scriptures daily
cautious - to see whether these things were so
loyal - to the scriptures, they didn’t search their traditions or what they had previously been taught, did not search what was practical pr workable
surprise surprise - many believed
NOTE: Thessalonica showed how the Gospel should be preached
Berea showed how the Gospel should be recieved
v.12 Sosipater Acts 20:4; Rom. 16:21
Satan has missionaries too (2 Cor. 11:13-15)
ATHENS
some scholars think this may be the Paul’s biggest disappointment, his worse response
Luke mentioned only a few responses
N.T. never refers to a congregation there
no traveling companion was ever mentioned from there
Paul never mentioned a Christian from there in his greetings
V. 16 “full of idols” - 1 Cor. 10:14-23; 1 Cor.8:1-6; 1 Cor. 1:18-25; Rom. 1:18-32
Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.
If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;
but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.
For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;
but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing to be wise, they became fools,
and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,
being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say.
Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?
Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.
Look at the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar?
What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?
All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.
Why did some statues provoke Paul - an idol represented someone who worshiped that false deity and offered sacrifices to it instead of the living God.
Every idol and the service rendered to it represented someones heart; it was not art or something beautiful in fact it was ugliness of error, spiritual pornography, ignorance of the soul.
new - Eccl. 1:8-11
All things are wearisome; Man is not able to tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which one might say, “See this, it is new”? Already it has existed for ages Which were before us.
There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will occur, There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come later still.
Epicurean - existentialist - sought truth by personal experience and not through reasoning, they were materialist and atheist , pleasure was their goal, avoided extremes
Stoics - rejected idolatry of pagan worship, one world God, pantheists - emphasis on personal discipline and self control - pleasure was not good and bad was not evil, follow reason and be self sufficient unmoved by inner feelings or outward circumstances
two opposite philosophies - enjoy life and endure life
ignorance - lack of knowledge, this is where we get our word agnostic (atheist says there is no God, agnostic says I do not know whether there is a God or not
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Sixteen: Responding to God’s Word (Acts 17)
Every thinking 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 Christian faith has a satisfactory answer to all three.
THE GREATNESS OF GOD: HE IS CREATOR
v. 24 how could He dwell in temples made by hands - 1 Ki. 8:27; Isa. 66:1-2; Acts 7:48-50
“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!
Thus says the Lord, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?
“For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.
“However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:
‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is the footstool of My feet; What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord, ‘Or what place is there for My repose?
‘Was it not My hand which made all these things?’
Epicureans - world came into being by chance - Paul said God made it.
temples don’t contain God and services in the temple add nothing to God
He cares for us v. 25
THE GOODNESS OF GOD: HE IS PROVIDER
God gives 3 things - How much do you need God?
life
breath
all things
Jam. 1:17 Matt. 5:45
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
The goodness of God should lead men to repentance Rom. 2:4 but instead they worship his creation and glorify themselves Rom. 1:18-25
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD: HE IS RULER
God determines the rise and fall of nations
Dan. 4:35
“All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’
“It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.
Man must seek God
“But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
we are not here to seek position, pleasure, or possessions, but to seek God
THE GRACE OF GOD: HE IS SAVIOR (v. 30-34)
repent = change 1 Thess. 1:9
For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
ignorance - no longer an excuse that could be used Rom. 1:20
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
NOTE: withing the sermon we have the past, present, & future
Response:
some sneered
some wanted to hear more
some believed
WHAT IS OUR RESPONSE?
will we resist the word?
will we receive the word?
will we ridicule the word?
HAVE WE TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN? HAVE WE EVEN MADE IT ROCK A LITTLE?
Someone has said if we compare the church of the first century to the church of today we would be like comparing “the deafening roar of a canon to the insignificant pop of a toy gun.
NOTE: THE ATTITUDE OF CHRISTIANS IN ACTS
Christianity was their passion, their way of life - because of that they gave their all, sold their possessions gave to others. They gave up their homes their families their jobs some even gave their lives
The answer to LIfes Big Questions?
where did I come from - God made me (v. 24-26)
why am I here - to seek God v. 27-29
where am I going - to judgment v. 30-31
(man’s origin, man’s purpose, man’s destiny)