Acts 17: Paul in the City of Philosophers

Alongside our Sunday teachings, we’re keeping things simple. We’ll be reading through the book of Acts, featuring the many unique voices of the ClearView Church congregation. Each week, we’ll release two chapters, followed by a few reflection questions.

In this  episode, you’ll hear a brief introduction from Pastor Phil, followed by a reading of Acts 17 and some reflection questions from a member of our congregation.

Read along with the following reflection:

Our world is full of ideas, isn’t it? Some strange, some challenging, some interesting, some troubling. 

What are the latest ideas in the news or on socials, in articles, books, blog posts or other that have grabbed your attention of late?

What do you notice about the way Paul introduces the Athenians to the idea of Jesus? 

In verses 24-29 Paul presents the story of God. How did those who heard it respond?

How might you tell the good news story of Jesus?

Meditate on what has connected with your heart or mind…pray to God about what has moved you today. Turn your thoughts to God and enjoy being with him.

Faith Matters is a ministry of Clearview Church, Oakville, On.
https://clearviewchurch.com/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

You are listening to the Faith Matters Podcast from Clearview Church, where we explore everyday faith in a complex world. Our goal is to strengthen and equip followers of Jesus just like you through practical and theological discussions and resources. In this season of the podcast, we're diving deeper into the practices of prayer and study. Each week, we'll release two episodes featuring voices from our congregation reading a chapter from the book of Acts, along with a few reflection questions. Each episode will begin with a short introduction to help set the context of the passage. As you listen, we encourage you to go slow. There will be built-in pauses with gentle background music, giving you space to reflect and wonder about what you're hearing. You might choose to follow along in your Bible or use a Bible app as the passage is read aloud. Above all, invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you and reveal what you need from the text. Now, on to the book of Acts and the passage of the day.

SPEAKER_01 1:39

We find Lydia opening her doors and prison bars also open, where a jailer and his household come to faith. And now in chapter 17, we're going to read how the gospel meets Athens, a center of philosophy, ideas, and idols.

SPEAKER_02 2:01

When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. But other Jews were jealous, so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting, These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus. When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason and the others pose bond and let them go. As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Beria, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, What is this babbler trying to say? Others remarked, He seemed to be advocating foreign gods. They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean. All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas. Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, People of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription to an unknown God. So, you are ignorant of the very thing you worship, and this is what I'm going to proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth, and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations that they should inhabit the whole earth, and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any of us, for in him we live and move and have our being. As some of our own poets have said, we are his offspring. Therefore, since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, for he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead. When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, We want to hear you again on this subject. At that, Paul left the council. Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysus, a member of the Area Pagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others. Our world is full of ideas, isn't it? Some strange, some challenging, some interesting, some troubling. What are the latest ideas in the news or on socials, in articles, books, blog posts, or other that have grabbed your attention of late. Pray to God about what has moved you today. Turn your thoughts to God and enjoy being with Him.

SPEAKER_00 10:25

Thank you for listening to the Faith Matters podcast. We hope this time has helped you slow down and create space to hear from God. Join us again for our next episode as we continue through the book of Acts together. Go in peace and may you continue to grow your life with Christ.