Acts 17:16-34

Do turn to Act 17. Act 17. And it will probably be four weeks. I think sometimes it's easier to get into a chapter than a whole book. And before we kick off, it's prayer meeting on Wednesday. So we're on Zoom still for prayer meeting. It's been great that actually more people have been able to gather with us in prayer meeting in that way. We do come this Wednesday at 8pm.

So what I want to do this morning is I just want to set the scene really. It's not as structured as it normally is. I want to spend most of our time the next couple of weeks looking at the sermon itself perhaps, taking it point by point, going through the great points that Paul makes in this sermon as he speaks to the city of Athens.

But really what I want to do this morning is I want to look at what the city of Athens has got to say to Paul, first of all.

Because before Paul even opened his mouth, before Paul said anything to the city of Athens, the city of Athens had got quite a lot to say to Paul and it made quite an impression on him.

We're told there in verse 16 of Acts 17, if we take that as our text, that while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, while he's on his city break in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him.

As he saw that the city was full of idols.

I don't think I've met anyone who would admit to being a philosopher.

People don't admit to that today.

And yet we're all philosophers of some sort.

Anyone who's got a point of view that they want to get across is a philosopher.

Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells is as much of a philosopher as Bertrand Russell or Jean-Paul Sartre.

Anybody who's been tempted to write in to the editor, to ring up a phone in, or to shout at the radio, is a philosopher of sorts.

We've all, each one of us, have got an approach to life, from the youngest to the oldest.

All of us have got a point of view.

I think there are even fewer people who like to be thought of as religious.

I ask people, you're Christian, oh I wouldn't call myself religious.

Do you go to church? Oh no, I'm not religious.

But if your view of the world includes God, or for that matter even leaves him out, you are religious.

Atheism is a religion.

Atheism requires just as much faith to disbelieve in God.

As to believe in God.

And so in a sense this morning, we're all philosophers, and we're all religious people, whether we want to admit it or not.

And there may be differences in how well thought out you are, and thought through you are, how well expressed your views are.

But each one of us will have a view of life, a point of view.

Each one of us will have a philosophy.

Every one of us has got a religion of some sort.

And the question is, how do we know who's right, and how do we know who is wrong?

And actually, does it really matter anyway?

As long as you're sincere.

Isn't that the big thing?

As long as it means something to you, that's the big deal.

What does it matter what you believe?

If your religion is a help and a comfort to you, well that's what counts anyway.

That's the kind of thing I'm told all the time.

I hear that a lot.

Well, Paul, we all worship the same God, really, at the end of the day.

Allah is just another name for God, isn't it?

All religions lead along the same path.

All religions lead to the same place in the end.

That's the air that we breathe.

And very often, we're put in our place.

And when you say, well, hang on a minute, no, that isn't actually true.

They say, well, nobody's got a monopoly on the truth.

It's sheer arrogance, isn't it, for you to think that you have the truth.

Every single one of us has got our different insights.

And what we've got to do is we've got to throw them all into the kind of melting pot.

And that is the kind of new enlightened way of thinking.

There's nothing new under the sun.

There's nothing new under the sun.

Because that would describe exactly the attitude that the Apostle Paul faced in Acts 17.

20 centuries ago, when he turned up in Athens,

he faced the same attitude that you and I face today.

So look at verse 21.

Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

It was like stepping into a supermarket.

You know one of the giant supermarkets?

There's one, isn't there, in Austerle there.

And you go, it's absolutely massive on two levels.

A giant supermarket.

And going to Athens was like going to a giant religious supermarket.

It wasn't kind of a Lidl or an Aldi.

It wasn't a kind of Tesco even.

It was kind of more upper class philosophical supermarket.

It was more kind of a bit above Waitrose.

Kind of Fortnum or Mason.

The greatest thinkers in the history of the world used to peddle their philosophy in the marketplace of Athens.

Socrates, Plato, Aristotle.

All the great thinkers were there.

But of course that was in the past.

That was long gone.

And so when now Paul turns up in the philosophical supermarket of Athens,

there's just well-known brand names.

There's just the Epicureans and the Stoics.

And the Epicurean approach to life was, well, life is to be enjoyed.

And so enjoy it.

And the Stoic approach was quite the opposite.

Life was to be endured.

So just endure it.

Endure it.

And you pay your money and you take your choice.

And so in Athens, it's estimated there are about 3,000 different shrines when Paul visited it.

It's a little bit like rural Wales.

And when I was growing up, it's not the same yet.

But still the same in some parts of Mid Wales.

You go to the little villages and there are as many chapels as there are pubs.

There's a chapel on every street corner.

Now there are carpet warehouses or different things.

But in Athens, there was a shrine on every street corner.

Any amount of choice.

It was like a supermarket full of philosophy and religion.

And you paid your money and you got your choice.

And whatever happened to grab your fancy,

whatever kind of religion you might like,

whatever suits you,

whatever kind of God you wanted to believe in,

well, there was plenty of choice in Athens.

And that's how it was.

You could shop around for a God or a religion.

And so I think this passage has got a great deal to say to you and I

when we live in a multicultural, multi-faith society.

This passage has got a great deal to say to us

about what is the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ in society today.

It says a lot to us about how we're to conduct ourselves as Christians

in a multi-faith, multicultural society.

And so I want to look this morning at Paul

before we come to what he's got to say.

And so let's see, how did Paul behave himself

in that kind of society?

Look at verse 16.

First of all, Paul is pained.

He is pained.

Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens,

his spirit was provoked within him

as he saw that the city was full of idols.

He's got a few days off.

He's got time to kill.

He does a little bit of tourism.

He's waiting for his friends, Silas and Timothy,

to catch up with him.

And so he goes sightseeing in Athens, like you may have.

And we're told he waited in Athens

and his spirit was stirred up within him.

His spirit was provoked within him.

Why?

It's a really strong expression.

He was pained and angered

by what he saw to the very depths of his being.

Now why was that?

Why was it when he went around Athens

that there was something within him

that pained him to the very depths of his being?

I think there's two reasons.

First of all, he stirred in his heart

by the plight of the people.

By the plight of the people

because he could see that

for all their sophistication,

for all their philosophy,

and for all their religion,

they just didn't know God.

So just look at verses 22 and 23.

Paul says,

For as I passed along and observed

the objects of your worship,

I found there also an altar

with this inscription,

For as I wandered around the city,

your beautiful city,

I found there also an altar

with this inscription,

to the unknown God.

As I wandered around the city,

your beautiful city,

I found something that sums it up for me.

As I wandered around the streets of Athens,

I came across an altar

to the unknown God.

And that says it all,

doesn't it, Athenians?

Because here were people

that prided themselves

on their philosophy,

the greatest thinkers

that the world has ever seen

lived in Athens

through the centuries,

but for all their philosophy

and all their religion,

these people,

they were ignorant of God.

They didn't know God.

And not only were they

ignorant of God,

but it does seem,

doesn't it,

that there's an uneasy awareness

amongst them

in their hearts

and in their consciences.

They're aware

that they're not right

with this God

that there is.

And so Paul says,

doesn't he,

I found,

can you see it in verse 23,

an altar.

And I think that

must be significant.

He doesn't say,

I saw a plaque on a wall.

He doesn't say,

I saw a statue.

He doesn't say,

I saw a pedestal

or some monument

to the unknown God,

but I saw an altar.

What does an altar speak of?

It speaks of sacrifice.

An altar speaks of atonement.

And so that is common

to all the religions

of the world,

the need to get right

with God

through sacrifice.

And Paul says,

as I wandered through

your beautiful city,

for all your philosophy

and for all your religion,

you don't know God,

do you?

You don't know God.

And you're not right

with God.

And it may be

that you've come here

this morning

or you're watching

on the internet

and you've got

a point of view

and you've got

an approach to life

and you've got

a philosophy to life

and maybe you're religious,

you're very religious

and yet God

is not real to you.

He's an idea

in your head

but you don't know Him.

And you know

that you don't know Him.

And you can talk

about Him maybe.

That's perhaps

why you're here.

But you don't know Him

and God is a stranger

to you.

And not only

are you ignorant

of His presence

in your life

and not only

is He distant

and vague

and far away

but also you know

in your heart of hearts

that things actually

are not right

between you and God.

And there's a problem

between you and God

and you know

that that's there.

And that is how

it was in Athens.

And as Paul realized

that he was moved

to the depth

of his being

because of it.

Because he saw

people were without God

and they were without

hope in this world.

And they had religion

up to the eyeballs

but they didn't have God.

They were lost.

That's the Bible word

that sums it up

of course.

They were lost.

And they were lost

in terms of

a relationship

with God.

It's like the little boy

in the supermarket.

The little boy

in the supermarket

his mother was

chatting

or looking at something

and he's wandered off

and he's lost.

He's lost touch

with her

and so he

walks the aisles

of the supermarket

and this little boy

he's lost

and he's crying.

And in the end

one of the staff

kind of picks him up

and the manager

is called for

to sort things out

and the manager

asks the little boy

who's lost

in crime

where do you live?

And the boy

can tell him

where he lives.

He's got his address

memorized.

He's learned it off

by heart

and the little boy

knows his way home.

And the little boy

would know

which bus to catch.

But he's lost

isn't he still?

He's not lost

in terms of his surroundings.

He knows where he is

but he's lost

in terms of his relationship

to his mum.

He's lost touch with her.

He's lost

in terms of relationship

with the person

that matters most

in his life

his mother.

And she's not there anymore.

And he is lost

and he feels lost

and that's exactly

how it is in this city

this morning.

That we are lost

and the human race

is lost

not in terms

of our surroundings

not in terms

of our environment.

We're able to understand

aren't we

and explain the world

in which we live

better than any other

people in history.

We're not lost

in terms of our surroundings

but we are lost

in terms of our

relationship to God.

Paul is stirred

and he's provoked

in his spirit

and as he thinks

about that

as he tramps

around the streets

of Athens

the culture capital

of the world

with something new

and exciting

on every street corner

with towering architecture

and magnificent sculpture

and awe-inspiring temples

and great libraries

and centers of learning

his spirit is stirred

by the spiritual tragedy

of the city.

A city that is so wise

and yet so ignorant.

So rich in culture

and yet so poor

in spirit.

spirit.

And that is our world today.

And as we walk

around this city

our spirit

as God's people

should be stirred

at the plight of men

and women

and boys and girls.

That for all their

philosophy

and all their sophistication

and all their religion

they are ignorant of God.

And they're under

God's judgment

and their sin

is unatoned for

and they are lost

and without hope

and without God.

And I'm sure

that Paul was stirred

with compassion

for the people.

Like our Lord

Jesus saw the multitudes

and he said

they are like

sheep without a shepherd.

And Jesus saw people

didn't he

in a way that

we often don't see them.

He saw them as sheep

without a shepherd

and there's nothing

more pathetic

is there than

a sheep without a shepherd.

Who does this belong to?

There's no one.

But there's another

reason why I think

Paul's spirit

was pained

and not only because

of the plight

of his people

of the people of Athens

but also because

of the glory of God.

As Paul wandered

around the city

of Athens

he saw all the

evidences of religion

all the kind of

manifestations

of religion

and all of people's

religious instincts

and his spirit

was stirred

and provoked

to anger

even to indignation

but provoked

out of concern

for his father

in heaven

also.

Like David the psalmist

where he says

oh that

men would praise

the Lord

oh that people

would praise the Lord.

I think in the heart

of every Christian

there is that cry

isn't there?

That as we

watch the news

as we read

the internet

oh that

oh that people

would praise the Lord.

That's the answer

to their issues.

Oh that men

women who are made

in the likeness

of God

would stop

their idolatry

and their hero worship

and praise the Lord

for his goodness.

There's a cry

that the psalmist

knew

that you were made

to live

and worship

and to glorify

and to enjoy God.

I've told you

the situation

of the ugly duckling

and so

the ugly duckling

he's upset

isn't he?

Why is he upset?

Because he's not

like the other ducklings

and he looks

like the ugly duckling

and he

feels

a lack of self worth

because he's

an ugly duckling

but what was the problem

with the ugly duckling?

What was the problem

with the ugly duckling?

Do you know?

Do you know that story?

What do you reckon?

What was it, Ellie?

He didn't know who he was.

Who was he?

Who was the ugly duckling?

He was a swan, wasn't he?

And so

we live in a city

where people live

like ugly ducklings

but actually they're swans.

They were made to glorify

and enjoy God

and yet they live

kind of as earthlings,

as ducklings.

and it

should grieve us

that men and women

and boys and girls

may to honor

their father in heaven

have no relationship

with their father in heaven.

We're told that

his spirit was provoked.

Verse 16

The city is given over

to idols.

We don't often do this

but I want us to go

to Romans 1.

Let's go and try

and tease this out.

What is idolatry?

Because I think Romans 1

is the great chapter

on idolatry.

Maybe you think

that idolatry

is something

that belongs in the past.

Let me read to you

from Romans 1.

Let me read to you

from Romans 1

just the next book

on from verse 18.

For the wrath of God

is revealed from heaven

against all ungodliness

and unrighteousness

of men

who by their unrighteousness

suppress the truth.

For what can be known

about God

is plain to them

because God

has shown it to them.

For his invisible attributes

namely his eternal power

and divine nature

have been clearly perceived

ever since the creation

of the world

and the things

that have been made.

So they are without excuse

for although they knew God

they did not honor him

as God

or give thanks to him

but they became futile

in their thinking

and their foolish hearts

were darkened.

Claiming to be wise

they became fools.

And they exchanged

!

the glory of God

and they worshipped

and served the creature

rather than the creator

who is blessed forever.

and I think you see

there are two great definitions

of idolatry.

What is idolatry?

Number one

it is to make

God in man's image.

It is to make God

in man's image.

And that is what they have done.

That is what they have done

in Athens.

They have made mental images

and we laugh at that

don't we?

We think that is ridiculous.

We think it is ridiculous

to make a saucepan

and use a bit

for a saucepan

but then take the same

piece of metal

and fashion it into a god

and worship it

and bow down to it.

We know that is ridiculous.

We laugh at that.

But actually

we live in an age

where people say all the time

well I like to think

of God like this.

And you talk to them

about the God of the Bible

and they say

well no

that is not the God

I believe in.

What is that?

That according to the Bible

is idolatry.

We are not so daft

are we to make a God

of stone or metal

or wood

but we hammer out

our own idea of God

and we make God

in our image

like a kind of glorified

version of us.

And that is idolatry.

And so the God

that lots of people worship

is like that great big

Cheshire cat

in Alice in Wonderland

with just one big smile

and nothing else.

And that is the God

that people like to believe in

but it is not the God

and Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ.

Idolatry is to make God

in our image

but the other thing

that Paul says

which is so helpful

in verse 25

is that they exchanged

the truth about God

for a lie

and worshipped

and served the creature

rather than the creator

who is blessed forever.

They worshipped

and served the creature

rather than the creator.

That is idolatry.

And so that means

to live for things

is idolatry.

And that is

to find your happiness

and your goal

and your meaning for life

within the created order

within this world

is idolatry.

And so good things

that God has given to us

to enjoy

can become idols

can't they?

So think of

for some

it might be the family.

The family is a good gift

from God

but the family

being happy

that is life.

And so if the family

aren't happy

my life kind of

falls apart.

And that shows us

doesn't it?

It's idolatry.

To look for an explanation

of a human existence

and you think

well if I got this

or if I get that job

or I get that

wife

or I get that husband

or I get that relationship

that will make

everything alright.

The Bible says

that's idolatry.

Because you're looking

at creation.

You're looking at

creating order

rather than the creator.

And so work

can become the be all

and the end all

isn't it?

And my fulfillment

and work

that becomes

the great thing

or a house

or whatever it may be.

And if it is touched

and if it is affected

then my life collapses.

The Bible tells us

that's an idol.

To look to creation

and try to find

the meaning for existence

is idolatry.

And once your eyes

are fixed on this world

rather than the creator

of this world

you'll find idolatry there.

And so what's the difference

in real terms?

What am I trying to say to you?

I'm trying to say to you

first century Athens

21st century UK

there's no difference.

And so as Paul saw

what was going on

in Athens

it pained him

and it provoked him

and it angered him.

And so again

as we look at our world today

it should pain us

that Christianity

is taught on a par

with every other

Christian religion.

It should anger us.

We all worship

the same God

don't we?

Allah is just

another name for God.

that should make us

indignant

that should fill us

with a holy anger.

Oh that people

could really know

who the God

and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ is.

What are we to do about it?

And let me just

finish with this

the third thing

what does Paul do?

He's pained

he's provoked

what does Paul do?

And I want you to see

what he does

and what he doesn't do.

We're told in

verse 17

that while he waited

in Acts 17

while he waited

his spirit is provoked

and then verse 17

he reasoned

with them.

Can you see that?

He reasoned in the synagogue

with the Jews

and the devout persons.

He's provoked

he saw the plight

of the people

he saw

and knew something

of the reputation

and the glory of God

and because of that

pressure on his heart

and spirit

he reasoned in the synagogue

he spoke.

Earlier on

in chapter 17

he's been chased out

of the synagogue

by an angry mob

and so for him

it's quite dangerous

to go to

the synagogue.

He looked at Athens

he saw the idolatry

he felt for the people

he's concerned about God

and so he moves out

and he speaks.

He reasons.

He doesn't shy away.

He doesn't go into the ghetto.

He doesn't keep his head down.

He goes to the marketplace

where people's thoughts

and philosophies

are being formed

where people are influenced

and he contends.

He doesn't sit back

and he reasons

and he speaks

the word of God.

And I think it's a really

sorry thing

when the church

just sits there

and takes the punches

and waits to be asked

to speak.

it has been disgraceful

I think that Christian leaders

have sounded like

health and safety experts

during COVID

and not preaching

the gospel

and not proclaiming

the claims of Christ.

But just notice with me

what he doesn't do

and I love this

what does he refuse to do?

He refuses to toss

the gospel

into the melting pot.

He refuses to say

it's just one of the options

he's on a par

with everything else.

Let me read to you

from verses 19.

And they took him

and brought him

to the Areopagus

saying

may we know

what this new teaching is

that you're presenting

for your brain

some strange things

to our ears

we wish to know

therefore

what these things mean

and all the Athenians

and the foreigners

who lived there

would spend their time

in nothing

except telling

or hearing something new

and then verse 22

so Paul standing

in the midst

of the Areopagus

said

men of Athens

I perceive that in every way

you're very religious

for as I passed along

and observed

the objects of your worship

I followed also

an altar with this inscription

to the unknown God

what therefore you worship

is unknown

this I proclaim to you

the God who made the world

and everything in it

being Lord of heaven and earth

he doesn't live in temples

made by man

he says to them

doesn't he

you don't know

what you're talking about

you're absolutely clueless

let me tell you

you're ignorant of God

and

you know that you're

ignorant of God

because I found an altar

saying to the unknown God

and you admit it

you don't know God

so let me tell you about him

and Paul isn't the slightest

but impressed by their learning

or intimidated by it

he's not threatened by it

and he doesn't say

well let me give you

my point of view

the gospel isn't

the point of view

the gospel is the truth of God

and they say

but no one has got a monopoly

on the truth

and Paul says

listen you don't know

what you're talking about

you've not got a clue

let me tell you about him

he's not the slightest

but intimidated

or threatened

by the great intellectuals

of Athens

and look at verse 29

he says

doesn't he

verse 29

being then

God's offspring

we ought not to think

that the divine being

is like gold

or silver

or stone

there's something

marvelous about that

you oughtn't to think

of God like that

he's talking to the greatest brains

in all the world

the philosophers of Athens

the greatest intellectuals

of the age

and he says

you've not got a clue

and I think you know

that kind of pressure

you know

what it is

don't you

to be threatened

and intimidated

like Paul could have been

but do you know

what it is

to have the confidence

in the gospel

Paul could have

taken them

on their own ground

he could have

spoken philosophically

to them

he was bright enough

he was trained

like they were

he was an intelligent man

but just

look with me

as we close

what was his message

his message was

don't you love it

at the end of verse 18

Jesus and the resurrection

Jesus and the resurrection

he's not intimidated

he's not afraid

he's got confidence

in the message

was he open to misunderstanding

yeah they misunderstood him

verse 18

they think he's speaking

about two different gods

a kind of twin deity

they totally misunderstood him

and people

misunderstand us

he was the object

of contempt

and ridicule

what does this

babbler say

verse 18

but he knows

that what these people

need to hear

is not philosophy

and it's not mere religion

but what these people

need to hear

is that

the gospel

is about the God

the only God

that there is

the one true

living God

who's revealed himself

in a man named Jesus

that is the message

that God has made himself

known in time

and space

in Jesus Christ

and how do we know

that that is the message

well because God

has raised him

from the dead

and God

has singled

Jesus Christ

out

out of

all of humanity

and he singled him

out from all the great

gurus

and all the great

philosophers

of the ages

and God has singled him

out by raising him

from the dead

and so Paul

told them about

Jesus and the resurrection

and he wouldn't be

shifted from it

and that is the message

we proclaim

to our multicultural

multi-faith society

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