Experience: S2 - Day 29

Acts 17:16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. 17 He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.

18 He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”

Acts 17 is one of my favorite chapters in the book of Acts.  There is so much to unpack here that I look forward to spending time together.

First, Paul has continued his missionary journeys and now finds himself all the way out in Athens.  Of course, Athens would be in the heart of Gentile territory and a place where the gospel message had not yet gone, to our knowledge.  So what Paul had to bring was truly new teaching to many who were either considered pagan or whose religion involved the cult of Rome, where the emperor was the closest they got to divinity.

Obviously, when you head into new territory like this, the risk of rejection is fierce.  Paul had no idea if they’d be open to hearing what he had to say, and even if they did, he had no idea if anyone would accept the gospel.  But Paul knew his call to take the gospel to the Gentiles, so he continued to be faithful to his cal despite the risks in front of him.

The first thing to note, which I love, is how Paul apparently took time to walk the city and observe what was important to them before he started to speak with anyone. He didn’t just go into the public square without any knowledge of what these people valued or believed in; instead, he took time to observe and listen to their culture.

We should remember this very important aspect as it pertains to evangelism.  Instead of barging into a new town or culture or a room full of people we don’t know from Adam and pushing our agenda on them, we’d be way better off listening to their needs and what they feel is important first.  The more time we take to listen, as we’ll see in this story, the more we may be able to connect their current culture and needs to the deep need in all of us to connect with something bigger than us.  The hunger inside to fill that God-shaped hole we all have, even when we don’t know what it is or why it’s there.

So Paul took time to observe and listen, and then he began to teach.  He tried to understand who they were and what made them tick, then he sought to connect them to the gospel.  Let’s see how the rest of the story unfolds.
 
Questions:

1. Have you ever traveled to a country or place you had never been to?  How did you prepare for that trip?
2. If you take some time to think about walking the streets of where you live, read the news that is shared and the stories that get told, what are some of the things you think you’d learn about what the people in your town believe in, value, and spend their time with?
3. Can you think of one way you could connect the gospel and story of Jesus, to one of those beliefs and values from those you live contest too?