Acts Chapter 17 - Reasoning from Scripture: Seeking the God Who Is Near

Today we are studying Acts Chapter 17. In this chapter, Paul continues his missionary journey through Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. He reasons from the Scriptures, explaining that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and many believe. In Berea, the people receive the message eagerly and examine the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said is true. Later, in Athens, Paul speaks to people surrounded by idols and points them to the one true God who made the world and gives life to all. Acts 17:27 says, “He did this so they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” This chapter reminds us that God’s truth can be examined, His gospel must be proclaimed, and He is near to those who seek Him. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:17

What a blessing it is to see God's word continuing to reach hearts across the world. This passage reminds me of Joshua chapter 1, verse 8. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth. You are to recite it day and night. Praise God that his word is being meditated on and lived out in 45 countries around the world. We want to take a moment to say hello to our listeners in Cachawares de Makaku, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sachian Sea, Yangsong Namdo, South Korea, Tampa, Florida, United States, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand, and Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan. We're grateful you've joined us today. Thank you for being part of this mission. It means so much to have you listening.

SPEAKER_00 1:02

Welcome to Giving God Praise. This is a podcast where we walk through the entire Bible, book by book and chapter by chapter. Our desire is to discover not only what God's Word says, but what it means to praise God in our daily life. In each episode, we explore a promise to claim, a response to make, an attitude to change, an instruction to obey, a sin to confess, and an example to follow. So let's go ahead and grab our Bibles and dive into today's teaching. Today we are studying Acts chapter 17. In this chapter, Paul continues his missionary journey through Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. He reasons from the scriptures, explaining that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and many believe. In Berea, the people receive the message eagerly and examine the scriptures daily to see if what Paul said is true. Later in Athens, Paul speaks to people surrounded by idols and points them to the one true God who made the world and gives life to all. Acts 17 27 says he did this, so they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. This chapter reminds us that God's truth can be examined, his gospel must be proclaimed, and he is near to those who seek him. Let's begin walking through Acts chapter 17. Then they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As usual, Paul went to the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the scriptures, explaining and showing that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah. Then some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a great number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women. But the Jews became jealous, and they brought together some scoundrels from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. Attacking Jason's house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly. When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too, and Jason has received them as guests. They are all acting contrary to Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, Jesus. The Jews stirred up the crowd and the city officials who heard these things. So taking a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them. As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea. On arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that God's message had been proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and disturbing the crowds. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go to the sea, but Silas and Timothy stayed on there. Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed. While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was troubled within him when he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews, and with those who worshipped God, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Then also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers argued with him. Some said, What is this pseudo-intellectual trying to say? Others replied, He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities, because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, May we learn about this new teaching you're speaking of? For what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these ideas mean. Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new. Then Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, Men of Athens, I see that you are extremely religious in every respect. For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed, To an unknown God. Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he is Lord of heaven and earth, and does not live in shrines made by hands. Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. From one man he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth, and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live. He did this so they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring. Being God's offspring, then, we shouldn't think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination. Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead. When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him, but others said, We'd like to hear from you again about this. Then Paul left their presence. However, some men joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. Let's take a moment to pause and bring our focus to the Lord. Heavenly Father, thank you for the truth of Acts chapter 17, and the reminder that your word can be trusted, examined, and proclaimed with confidence. Thank you that you are not far from us, but near to those who seek you, Lord. Give us hearts like the Bereans, eager to receive your word and faithful to search the Scriptures. Help us to turn from every idol and worship you alone. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

SPEAKER_01 8:28

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SPEAKER_00 8:49

Now that we've read God's Word and prepared our hearts in prayer, let's begin our praise study and listen to what God wants to say to our hearts today. In Acts chapter 17, we see a powerful promise to claim in the truth that God is not far from each one of us. Paul stood in a city filled with idols and proclaimed the living God who made the world, gives life and breath to all, and calls people to seek him. This is a beautiful reminder that God is not distant, hidden, or unreachable. He reveals himself through creation, through his word, and most clearly through Jesus Christ. We also see the promise that the gospel is powerful in every setting. Whether Paul was in a synagogue, a marketplace, or among philosophers in Athens, the message of Jesus still had power to reach hearts. Another promise is that God's word can stand under examination. The Bereans searched the scriptures daily and found the message to be true. This promise encourages us to seek God sincerely, trust his word deeply, and believe that his truth is strong enough for honest questions. The response to make in this chapter is to receive God's word eagerly and examine it faithfully. The Bereans did not reject Paul's message without listening, and they did not accept it blindly without searching. They listened with open hearts and tested what they heard by Scripture. That is a wise response for every believer. We should welcome biblical teaching, but we should also make sure it lines up with God's word. Another response is to proclaim Jesus clearly in whatever setting God places us. Paul spoke in synagogues, marketplaces, and public gatherings. He adapted his approach, but he did not change the truth. We are also called to respond by turning away from idols. The people of Athens were religious, but many did not know the true God. This chapter calls us to respond with eagerness, discernment, boldness, and repentance, allowing God's word to shape what we believe and how we live. We are called to change our attitude from spiritual laziness to eager searching. Acts chapter 17 shows us the beauty of people who examine the scriptures daily. They did not treat God's word casually. They searched, compared, studied, and listened. We need that same hunger today. Another attitude to change is from intimidation to courage. Paul was surrounded by opposition, jealousy, false accusations, and intellectual pride, yet he kept proclaiming Jesus. We may feel nervous sharing our faith, but God can give us wisdom and boldness. We also need to change from curiosity without surrender to seeking that leads to repentance. The Athenians loved hearing new ideas, but hearing truth is not the same as obeying truth. A changed attitude does not approach God's word as entertainment or information only. It approaches Scripture with humility, readiness, and the desire to know the living God and respond faithfully to Him. The instruction to obey in this chapter is to seek God and repent. Paul makes it clear that God commands all people everywhere to repent, because judgment is coming through the one He appointed. And he proved this by raising Jesus from the dead. This instruction is not complicated, but it is serious. We are called to turn from sin, false worship, pride, and self-reliance, and turn toward the living God. Another instruction is to reason from the scriptures. Paul explained and showed that Jesus is the Messiah, which teaches us to ground our faith in God's Word. We are also instructed to be discerning. Like the Bereans, we should examine what we hear and measure it by Scripture. Obedience means seeking the Lord sincerely, turning from idols completely, studying the Word faithfully, and living under the truth that Jesus is risen, Lord, Savior, and righteous judge. The sin to confess in this chapter is idolatry. Athens was full of idols, but idolatry is not limited to statues or temples. Anything that takes the place of God in our hearts becomes an idol. It may be comfort, success, money, reputation, entertainment, control, or even religious activity without true surrender. We need to confess when we have given our attention, affection, or trust to something more than the Lord. Another sin to confess is spiritual pride. Some mocked Paul when he preached the resurrection. Pride can make us dismiss truth before we truly listen. We also need to confess neglect of Scripture. If we only depend on what others say without personally seeking God's word, our faith can become shallow and easily shaken. Confession brings our hearts back to the living God, teaches us humility, and helps us replace false worship with true devotion to the one who gives life and breath to all. The example to follow in this chapter is the Berean believers. They received the message with eagerness and examined the scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true. Their example teaches us how to listen well. They were not closed-minded, but they were not careless either. They were humble, hungry, and anchored in God's word. Paul also gives us an example to follow. His spirit was troubled by the idolatry in Athens, but he did not respond with hatred or silence. He responded by pointing people to the true God with wisdom and courage. He met people where they were, yet called them to repentance and faith in the risen Christ. We also see an example in those who believed, including Dionysius and Damaris. Following these examples means searching Scripture faithfully, speaking truth wisely, grieving what dishonors God, and responding to the gospel with sincere faith. Acts chapter 17 reminds us that God is near, his word is trustworthy, and the gospel of Jesus can be proclaimed in every place. It calls us to search the scriptures, turn from idols, and seek the living God who gives life and breath to all. Take time today to reflect on your walk with God. Are you examining the scriptures daily or only receiving secondhand faith? Are there idols competing for your heart? Are you willing to share Jesus with wisdom and courage where God has placed you? If this message encouraged you, share it with someone who needs to be reminded that God is not far away and that his truth can be trusted. We invite you to continue walking with us through God's Word at www.giving God PraisePodcast.com as we grow together, book by book and chapter by chapter. Let's close today by bringing our hearts before the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that our listeners chose to spend their time with us in your word today. Thank you for the truth of Acts chapter 17 and the reminder that you are near to those who seek you. Lord, give us hearts like the Bereans, eager to receive your word and faithful to examine the Scriptures. Help us turn away from every idol and worship you alone. Give us courage to proclaim Jesus with wisdom, love, and boldness. We pray that this message would encourage every listener and draw them closer to you. May God bless you and keep you in his grace. In Jesus' name we pray.

unknown 17:13

Amen.

SPEAKER_02 17:15

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