Small Shifts, Big Faith: Standing in Newness (Part VIII)

Sermon Title: Small Shifts, Big Faith – Standing in Newness

Good News Statement: Jesus encourages his church to be alive

Summary: The church isn’t perfect but yet is willing to grow in faith, practice love, and be alive today and tomorrow.

Preached: Sunday, August 2, 2026 at Dogwood Prairie UMC & Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSVUE): Acts 17:16-21, 32 Today’s scripture passage comes from the Book of Acts. In this specific passage, Paul travels to Athens, an ancient city engrossed in the belief of idolatry and philosophy, to teach them something new. To Paul’s surprise, they chose to listen and contemplate the newness of Jesus Christ. Our scripture reading comes from the Book of Acts Chapter Seventeen, Verses Sixteen thru Twenty-one. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life?

 

Paul in Athens

¹⁶ While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. ¹⁸ Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this pretentious babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) ¹⁹ So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? ²⁰ It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.” ²¹ Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new….

³² When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, “We will hear you again about this.”

 

 

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

 

Introduction:

The ministry of Jesus Christ has been shared. Healings have been performed. The blind were able to see and the lame able to walk. Those demon possessed were set free. The chains of the oppressed were broken. People began to believe and prayed to have their “unbelief turn into belief” (Mark 9:24). Some were even raised from the dead to breathe again. And some were welcomed home after being outcast to the dark, damp, tombs outside of the city walls.

Then, after riding into Jerusalem on a never before ridden donkey and being praised as the people laid their cloaks on the ground as shouts of “Hosannas” filled the air, Jesus is turned over to the religious leaders of the day. Jesus is questioned and tortured by the Roman soldiers—beaten nearly to death—prior to receiving a crown of thorns and a purple robe as a sign of earthly mockery. He was presented to the people in the presence of Pontius Pilate, who said, “But what crime has he committed? I cannot find anything he has done to deserve death! I will have him whipped and set him free” (Luke 23:22, GNT). To which the people responded, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” (Luke 23:20, GNT). Luke 23:24 states, “So Pilate passed the sentence on Jesus that they were asking for.”

Jesus is marched from the palace to Calvary, bearing the weight of the cross—most likely the horizontal beam—as excruciating pain shot through his body with every step, as blood dripped from his head to the ground, soaking the dirty road beneath his feet, and as both cries and shouts surrounded him. On Calvary, he hung on the cross for six hours before taking his last breath and proclaiming “It is finished” (John 19:30). Then he was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Three days later he rose from the dead to prove that death does not have the last word, that a tomb sealed by a large stone could not withhold him, and that an instrument of death—the cross—is a promise of hope and salvation. And now, after 40 days of walking this earth in his resurrected form, he has ascended to heaven; but before leaving this earth, he gave his apostles and disciples a challenge: to keep the church alive.

This is where the Book of Acts comes into play. For those that are unaware, the Book of Acts (or sometimes called the Acts of the Apostles), written during the time of 33AD to 62AD, is a sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Luke was a physician back in the day and has been credited to write the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. The theme of Luke’s writing after the ascension of Jesus Christ is focused on how the Holy Spirit empowers believers to declare the gospel among both Jews and Gentiles. In doing so they establish the church, which is the fulfillment of God’s promises from the beginning of time. Jesus states in Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Luke’s purpose for writing the Book of Acts—the journey and testimony of Paul and the rise and growth of the early church—was to give an orderly account of the early church after Christ’s resurrection; and to highlight the notion that keeping the church alive was not, is not, and will not be easy. But keeping the church alive is necessary. So, for the next several weeks, we are going to explore certain themes sprinkled throughout the Book of Acts which I believe remind us of how important it is to keep the church alive today for tomorrow. And the question I propose to you is this: “What are we doing and could be doing to keep our church and the whole Church—the body of Christ—alive?”

 

Body:

Why is it that so many of us have difficulty in dealing with change? Change comes in a variety of sizes, shapes, and flavors. Fact is, most people feel change will have an immediate negative impact on their life or career. They choose not to see the positive of change because change makes them do something they may not want to do. In communication and language, the word change is often used in a threatening manner. “If things don’t get better, we’re going to make some big changes.’ Or how about, if you don’t change your attitude right now you’re going to your room.” Even when we say, “If he gives up another hit, we’re going to the bullpen and changing pitchers.” It’s not your fault that the word “change” is often viewed as a being a negative. However, many people don’t like change.

How many of you like change? Now be honest. How many of you like change, but it depends on what that change is? How many of you like change if it doesn’t change your way of living or disrupt your plans? How many of you are okay with last minute changes? How many of you like change if you have all the time in the world to contemplate that change, think about that change, and ponder that change? How many of you fear change: are okay if things stay the same for days, weeks, months, and even years? How many of you would rather run away from change than accept change?

As much as we try to avoid change, change doesn’t avoid us; and it certainly doesn’t avoid the church. We live a time where change is inevitable: change is going to happen. Some of you may have even changed your mind a few times this morning before coming to church: should I wear this, I don’t need to leave that early, where am I having lunch/dinner after service, and the list goes on. You may not like change, but I bet you wouldn’t be where you are today if it wasn’t for change. I bet our church wouldn’t be where it is today—doing what it is doing—if it wasn’t for change.

To understand our sermon passage today, we need to be clear about the truth that holds up Acts 17:16-21. Having been rushed out of the dangers in Berea, Paul is now in Athens waiting on Silas and Timothy to arrive. As Paul walks around Athens, he is overcome by the everywhere-idolatry of the city. The city is submerged in idolatry (Stott, 277). Paul immediately goes to work engaging the Jewish synagogue, the popular marketplace, and the educated masses because Paul is ruled by the calling to bring glory to God, to administer a change within the existing culture. The early church was about change: about administering change, about doing change, about being change so that the newness of Jesus Christ would come to change the hearts of many people. On the one hand, not everyone was accepting to this change. On the other hand, some realized that change needed to happen. On then there were some, like the Athenians—idolatry worshipping, many gods-believing—who didn’t dismiss Paul’s message of change although they have spent centuries believing in the same thing.

Today, we see how the early church grew because it wasn’t afraid to embrace change, experience change, and be the change people needed in their life to grow their faith and trust in God. Church, are we okay with change, with doing something new if it leads to keeping the church alive?

 

Movement One: Knowing the Text…

For the past several weeks, we have been reflecting on the Book of Acts, by highlighting certain key moments in the beginning days of the early church and the formation of Christianity. We continue examining the Book of Acts by zooming in on a moment in Paul’s ministry in which a well-established culture doesn’t push back against Paul. Rather, they say, “We will hear you again about this.” Other translations note that those present “spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.” They were intrigued—maybe curious is a better word—about this new teaching that had found them.

We are now in a new month which will be filled with new opportunities, new perspectives, new possibilities, new chances, new obstacles, new scenes, new failures, and new successes. But when it comes to newness, or even change as I mentioned earlier, how easy is it to accept that newness in our life especially if what we are doing doesn’t need fixing. We are cultured people in which newness is not highly favored. We like routine. We like to be comfortable. And change is not something we pursue for the fun of it. Sometimes we even close off other suggestions from people because we think our way is the only (and best) way to do things. But my question for you is, “If we don’t accept newness—change—in our life, how can our faith grow and how can the church reach more people?”

Our scripture passage comes from Acts 17:16-21 and verse 32. Keep in mind that at this point Luke—the author of Acts—is telling us about the ministry of Paul, the same Paul that was once Saul the Christian persecutor and the same Paul who didn’t want to give Mark a second chance. Also at this time, according to the timeline of the Book of Acts, 40AD-55AD, Paul is also beginning his letter writing to churches: such as 1 and 2 Thessalonica, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Corinthians, and possibly Philemon. My point is while Luke is recording the Book of Acts, the world is still turning, and believe it or not, there are other cultures living and thriving that are older than Christianity during this time. Some of those cultures accepted this new faith, others rejected it and wanted Paul and the other disciples thrown in prison, and yet others pondered it. This is where our scripture passage comes into consideration.

“While Paul was waiting for [Silas and Timothy] in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this pretentious babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.” Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new….When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, ‘We will hear you again about this’” (Acts 17:16-21, 32).

For starters, I would like to point out a few things and groups of people that are mentioned in our text this morning: First, Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is located in Greece and has been inhabited since the 11^th Century BC—about 1000 years before Jesus was born. Second, the Epicureans were a group of philosophers who taught that the goal of life is to attain a happy, tranquil life through the absence of pain and fear. Third, Stoic Philosophers believed that virtue is the only good, and that a virtuous life, lived in accordance with reason and nature, is the key to happiness. Fourth, the idols in our text refer to the Greek gods[1]—like Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hermes, Aphrodite—which have been around since the Bronze Age, approximately 11,000 years before Christ. Lastly, the Areopagus was a principle council of Ancient Athens which operated as a judicial body.

I mention this things and groups to help you realize that during the formation of Christianity other cultures, civilizations, religious traditions, and beliefs were well-established while Jesus walked this earth. It wasn’t just the Greek gods that were around; as a matter of fact, Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Greek Mythology were are thriving and growing. And as the word of Christ was spreading, it was encountering traditions older and more influential than Christianity at the time. We often forget that there was a world in operation beyond what we read in scripture. So, this specific text reminds us of this when it mentions traditions and beliefs of the Ancient Greeks. Paul and the other apostles and disciples weren’t just going against longstanding traditions and thousands of followers of those traditions, but they were willing to preach on something that was new, different, and offered a change from the status quo. It was sort of like Paul, with the help of Jesus Christ, was adding a new menu item to the McDonald’s menu which already has plenty of consumer favorites. The task for Paul and the early church was not to give up, but to continue to do new things, to push this new product on the religious menu to let people know that they are present. In order to do that, Paul needed to point out idolatry, philosophy, and change.

 

Movement Two: Does Idolatry Provoke You?

Look at verse 16, “While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols.” Paul is provoked by their idolatry because it is wrong and destructive to give yourself to another, to worship something or someone that is not God. [Remember what was written on the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2 and Deuteronomy 5:7.)] Idolatry is giving the worship that belongs to God to another; this is morally wrong. Idolatry is destructive because it is seeking safety and help from an imagery friend at best or from a demon at worst (1 Corinthians 10:20). When we worship what is not supreme and when we trust what is helpless God is defamed and we are hurt. In fact, God is provoked when we give God’s glory to another and when we pursue what is harmful.[2]

Paul walked into a culture that had been worshipping idols for thousands of years and basically tells them “You need to stop.” Can you just imagine the response of the people? I bet it was similar to what Luke notes in Acts 19:23-41. A silversmith named Demetrius led a major riot in the city of Ephesus because Paul’s preaching against idols threatened their financial income and the worship of the goddess Artemis. A riot broke out amongst the people because Paul was teaching something that would disrupt their current way of living—would make them see things in a new perspective. The people weren’t happy. They were angry and furious. They acted similar to many of us when it comes to change: we don’t want it, we don’t want to think about it, and we would rather start a riot than take a step back and see how the change could change our life in a positive way. Paul found himself preaching something new within a culture that was stubborn and stuck in its ways. But Paul didn’t give up.

As a matter of fact, Paul found a way forward through evangelism. Look again at Acts 17:17, “So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.” Paul doesn’t blow up on them, taunt them, or make fun of them. He is provoked in his spirit meaning his anger is born out of the new spiritual life he has in Jesus. This is a pure and spiritual anger harnessed in pursuit of the glory of God and the good of those. Their idolatry and his righteous anger lead to evangelism. Paul is provoked by idolatry, but he is fueled by glory and love.[3]

Paul is provoked by idolatry but fueled by glory and love. Paul has something new he wants to say and the people need to hear. Paul wasn’t backing down. Paul wasn’t going to retreat. Paul wasn’t going to give in to what was comfortable and easy, which was to remove himself from the synagogue and return to a place that welcomed him. Paul was standing up for Jesus Christ. Paul was letting the light of Christ shine. Paul was doing something new. In the teachings of Jesus, Paul was planting the seed.

How often, in your life, have you backed down because things got too difficult, too hard, too emotional, too overwhelming? How many times have you retreated? How many times have you pushed for something new in a crowd that didn’t want to hear you? How many times has God called us as a church to do something new but we shied away because it meant taking a risk? How many times have we talked about doing something new but didn’t follow up? Paul did something new with a crowd of people that didn’t really care for him because he realized that what needed to be done was what God needed him to do. He spoke against idolatry to let the people know that with Christ in their life they wouldn’t need all those things because they would have more than enough.

Sometimes the new things God needs us to do actually have a way of impacting more people than we realize.

 

Movement Three: Has Philosophy Taken You Captive…

Second, many people in Athens were captivated by philosophy. Philosophy is the study of truth, knowledge, reality, and right and wrong. In Greek, philosophy is often translated to mean “love of wisdom.” Philosophy is basically the attempt to make sense out of our experience. Where did we come from, why are we here, where are we going, and is anyone or anything in control of it all? Does truth exist and can we know it? I took philosophy in college, and barely got by; so, kudos to Paul for choosing to talk to these people. Verse 18 identifies two specific groups of thinkers, the Epicureans and the Stoics: “Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, ‘What does this pretentious babbler want to say?’ Others said, ‘He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.’ (This was because [Paul] was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.)” Those in Athens were infatuated with ideas. So, what is happening here?[4]

For the purposes of our text today, let’s notice how in verse 18 there is a mixed response. Some called him derogatory names like babbler. This is not a reference to his speaking style or stuttering but is a philosophical insult (Stott, 282).[5] Instead of giving insults, others wanted to hear more: believing he was preaching foreign divinities possibly hearing in Paul a reference to two gods one called Jesus and the other Anastasias, the Greek word for resurrection. So, these two groups were not captive to gods and idols. These men were captive to philosophy.[6]

Although, philosophy is intriguing, it’s not something that should captivate our life. Rather, our life should be captivated by Christ. The Epicureans were captive to their pleasure. The Stoics were captive to their duty. The Christians were captive to Christ.[7] We are captivated by the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So, there are only two options, to be a slave to darkness (be it idols or empty philosophy) or be captive to Christ who restores us to true dignity, authority, and purpose in the presence of God.

Finding Paul speaking to a group of people captivated by things less powerful than God has me thinking. What captivates you? Have you found yourself being captivated by idols in your life: money, comfort, social approval, technology—specifically the device in your pocket? Have you found yourself captivated by philosophy: believing that you can live a good and righteous life based upon your own wisdom instead of on the wisdom of God? Or have you found yourself captivated by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: the cross that bore the sins of the world, the salvation given within Jesus’ last breath, the forgiveness extended to all people, and the grace shared, the love given, and compassion received?

Thinking a little broader, what captivates us as a church: where is our attention, how is our faith being exercised, and who needs to know that we are here for them? Reading past reports from previous pastors of our church and seeing what we are doing now, our focus has changed. It has changed because the needs of those in our pews have changed; it has changed because the interests of those in our pews have changed; and it has changed because those in the community have sought assistance in different ways. What captivates us today as a church should be what allows us to help those in need while seeking to be a church that is here for the next generation. But sometimes we allow ourselves to become distracted and put what Jesus said—“to seek and save the lost”— to the side because we are scared, we don’t believe in ourselves, we don’t see how what we do today will impact tomorrow or even grow the church.

Paul spoke to a group of captivated people, who had believed in “wisdom and truth” for centuries before Christ walked this earth. He knew it would take a miracle to change their minds. But, he didn’t give up. He preached on what captivated his mind—the person of Jesus of Christ. And because he did so, we, as a church, are here today! Church are we captivated by Jesus? If so, what are we doing about it?

 

Movement Four: “There’s Something New…”

This leads us to our final point of the day which is found in Acts 17:19-21.  Luke notes, “So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, ‘May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.’ Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.” A few verses later we read these words, “When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, ‘We will hear you again about this’” (Acts 17:32).

Let’s break these verses down. In verse 19, the Athenians were intrigued by this new teaching that Paul was presenting. Paul isn’t thrown in prison. Paul isn’t ridiculed. Paul’s life isn’t threatened. Paul is heard. In verse 20, strange things get their attention, and they want to know what these things mean. Those present are interested in something new. Luke then gives the hard word, “they would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.” They were in love with whatever is new. I appreciate what one pastor said about these verses: he said, “The only difference between our culture and this culture in Athens is they were captive to new ideas while we are captive to new items: new clothes, new phones, new cars, new trips, new churches,…. The symptom of an empty soul is the constant thirst for something new.”[8]

Those in Athens, the philosophers, the “think-tanks” of the day, the truthful and wisdom-filled minds, heard something new and they didn’t dismiss it. They spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. There was something about Paul’s words that caught their attention. There was something about Paul’s faith that opened their eyes. There was something about Paul’s trust in a single God that captivated their minds. Those in Athens didn’t back away from something new, but embraced it. This moment was probably on Paul’s mind when he wrote to the people of Ephesus, “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life…and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God…” (Ephesians 4:22-24). Those in Athens were beginning to think about their former way of life while also considering what could be, the new self.

Today, what things do you need to “put off” so that you can see something new? What is God inviting you to get involved with, to do, to start, to pursue? What new ideas or ministry opportunities has God or is God wanting us to do as a church? The church doesn’t grow by remaining stagnant: it grows because it wants to do something new, to offer what the people need. Are we willing to do something that leaves the people in the same spirit as those in Athens: “spending their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new”?

What Paul did in Athens wasn’t easy. As a matter of fact it was daunting, fearful, terrifying, and life threatening. He entered a culture that was well established in their beliefs and traditions. But, what he offered them was something new that began changing their minds. What he offered was something that grew the church. What he offered was something that kept the church alive!

 

Conclusion:

The newness of the goodness of Christ, exemplified in Acts 17, is about realizing that something new can change our life, open our eyes, open our ears, and open our heart to that what is around us. But how receptive are we to newness? I believe what Paul encountered and what Luke recorded is something we need to hear every day of our life. Christianity is new: it is growing, it is adapting, it is changing, it is transforming, it is learning, and it is seeking, asking, and knocking. In a way, it is meeting us where we are. Following Christ is about being willing to do something new (because that is what Jesus did): taking risks and not passing up opportunities in which can grow your faith.

Change is not always easy. Some people love change, while others despise change. And some are somewhere in the middle. Change is not always easy for me, just ask Emily! However, we all need a new perspective at times. We need to be reminded that not all change, that not all newness, is a bad thing. Paul took a chance on a well-established group of people: he did and offered something new. We don’t know if the Athenians fully accepted or rejected the new teaching of Jesus Christ. But what we do know is that almost 2,000 years later the good and new news of Jesus Christ is still teaching us something new about our own faith and the purpose of the church. I’m simply inviting you to embrace the newness, embrace the changes, and be willing to do something that leaves the people thinking about and talking about what we are doing as a church.

What new thing is God inviting you to do? What new thing is Christ inviting us to do as a church? And what new thing is the Holy Spirit leading you toward that reminds you that the church and your faith are still alive today? Church; let’s do something new because we are still alive!

Let it be so…

 

Communion:

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us pray… Lord, we thank you for Paul’s commitment to the church and for is unwavering faith. Help us this week to do something new for you. Help us as a church to do something new that reminds us that we are still alive. O Lord, we want to be counted among those who think about and talk about the new things you are doing in our life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Benediction:

Church, what new things is Jesus calling us to do? Will we pursue that new thing or run from it? I hope the Lord blesses us with the will to do something new for Christ each and every day. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth being the church God needs all of us to be. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

 

 

[1] The main Greek gods and goddesses are the Twelve Olympians, led by Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon. They lived on Mount Olympus and ruled over the world, human life, and natural forces. Zeus: King of the gods, ruler of the sky, and master of thunderbolts; Poseidon: God of the sea, horses, and earthquakes; Hades: God of the underworld and the dead (he lived below, not on Olympus); Hera: Queen of the gods and goddess of marriage and families; Apollo: God of music, light, sun, and healing; Artemis: Goddess of the hunt, wild animals, and the moon; Ares: God of brutal war and violence; Athena: Goddess of wise war strategy, craft, and wisdom; Aphrodite: Goddess of love and beauty; Hermes: The fast messenger god of travelers and thieves; Hephaestus: God of fire, metalwork, and building; Demeter: Goddess of agriculture, grain, and the harvest; Dionysus or Hestia: Dionysus is the god of wine and party, while Hestia is the goddess of the home and hearth (different lists swap these two).

[2] Let’s look now at Isaiah 65:1-7: “I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ to a nation that did not call on my name. I held out my hands all day long to a rebellious people who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on bricks; who sit inside tombs and spend the night in secret places; who eat the flesh of pigs, with broth of abominable things in their vessels who say, ‘Keep to yourself; do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.’ These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long. See, it is written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their laps their iniquities and their ancestors’ iniquities together, says the Lord; because they offered incense on the mountains and reviled me on the hills, I will measure into their laps full payment for their actions. But is God a toddler throwing a temper tantrum because when we worship idols He doesn’t get any attention? Is God’s jealousy inappropriate? Not at all. Listen to Psalm 147:1, “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.” It is morally right to praise God alone because He is greater in every category than all others. The worship of the one God is fitting, right, and good because God is the only infinitely glorious one. Therefore, the worship of an idol is inappropriate, wrong, and harmful. Give glory to God.

[3] So, he reasons with Jews and Gentiles in the synagogue. We saw this back in Thessalonica in Acts 17:2. In the synagogue Paul would start with the Scriptures to identify the promises about the Messiah then show how the resurrection of Jesus proves that Jesus is the Messiah promised by God. The answer to idolatry is a clear explanation of the gospel, the good news, the new news. This is fulltime evangelism, Saturdays in the synagogue and every day in the marketplace.

[4] Remember, it was here in Athens that Socrates and Plato dialogued with students and opponents. Socrates had been tried and sentenced on this same spot on the Areopagus in 399BC for being a preacher of foreign divinities because he opposed the Greek gods celebrated in Athens. On the Areopagus (or Mars Hill as it is often translated), there is a long history of intellectual and philosophical debate, trials, and even execution.

In Acts 17, debate occurs with two schools on opposite ends of the philosophical spectrum. John Stott writes, “To oversimplify, it was characteristic of Epicureans to emphasize chance, escape and the enjoyment of pleasure, and of the Stoics to emphasize fatalism, submission and the endurance of pain” (281). The Epicureans saw God as distant and uninvolved; do what feels good. The Stoics saw God as pantheistic, impersonable more in line with fate than a personal sovereign God; do what is right. Paul’s argument touches on Epicurean beliefs but centers on the Stoics.

[5] Like a hen scurrying around the yard pecking here and pecking there, so they accuse Paul of being a shallow thinker only grabbing at scraps that others throw out. Think of the intellectually lazy eating out of this trash can and that trash can as others do the hard work of study and critique in the pursuit of truth. Paul’s response answers the charge of being shallow and inconsistent in his beliefs. Effective evangelism requires diligent study and deep thinking.

[6] Colossians 2:8 addresses them. “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” Paul probably wrote this to the Colossians in response to his experience in Athens. Those in Athens were captivated by the workings of philosophy so much so that they used Paul’s words to argue that Paul was in some way speaking about their gods and not the God.

[7] Captive can be negative as in an enslaved by his enemy. Captive can be naïve as in captivated by puppy love. And captive can be freedom when we are ransomed and sustained by a good and benevolent King. Salvation is being transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son.

[8] Our goal is to live Psalm 131, “O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.”