Sermon At The Areopagus

Acts 17:22-31

When someone wants to attract and get the attention of a group of people, it always helps to know the audience.  Are they children, teens, or is it a group of senior citizens?  Is the group Wall Street businessmen or are they farmers?  Advertisers know that when one wants to get the attention of a group, the approach often varies depending on the audience.  What works for one doesn’t necessarily work for another.  The Apostle Paul knew this.  In seeking to reach all people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he knew he must be sensitive to his audience.

Our passage today from the Book of Acts picks up right where we left off last week.  Paul and his companions had been preaching the Gospel in Thessalonica, but had been run out of town by those who hated the Lord Jesus Christ.  They then went on to the smaller town of Berea, several miles away.  Their enemies followed them there, stirred up trouble, and they had to leave.  Paul then headed further south to the city of Athens, where his companions would join him a little later.

In Paul’s day, the city of Athens was a big center for Greek culture, for philosophy, and for education.  The Areopagus, also known as Mars Hill, was where intellectuals gathered to discuss and debate philosophical, moral, and religious matters.  One could always find philosophers and intellectuals gathered together there, eager to hear and discuss something new. That was where Paul decided to go while he waited for his companions to arrive.

Generally when Paul would present the Gospel in a city, he sought out a Jewish synagogue, and would proceed to use the Old Testament Scriptures to show that Jesus Christ was the Messiah.  However here in Athens, these folks at the Areopagus were well-educated Gentiles.  Paul was extremely well-educated himself, having gone to some of the best schools in the Middle East, and was taught by some of the most learned teachers.  With a Jewish audience, Paul could use the Old Testament as a common ground, a starting off point they all knew, to begin witnessing.  The Gentile Greeks did not know the Old Testament, so Paul needed a different approach.

Paul began his witness to these Greek Gentiles by commenting on an inscription he had seen on one of their religious altars, “To the Unknown God” (vs. 22-23).  He was not giving an endorsement of that, but would use it as a point of entry for his witness to the true God.  Paul began his message by using something the Greeks would understand, establishing a common ground.  He sought to establish rapport with his audience, not to come right out and condemn or put them down.  Paul commended them for even trying to worship every god there might be, and then sought to introduce them to that God they were seeking (vs. 23), moving the message on to Yahweh and the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Paul proceeded to use nature, proclaiming Yahweh as the Creator, One who is involved in the affairs of men, who is near them, and within reach to those who seek Him (vs. 24-28).  Many of the Athenians were genuinely seeking for the truth, as some are today.  God has revealed Himself through nature and history, so we would know He exists.  No one has an excuse for not believing in Him (Romans 1:20).  God sent Paul to Athens to show them the truth.

Paul did not leave his message unfinished, but brought it home by urging the listeners to repent and turn to Jesus for salvation, as the judgment day is coming (vs. 30-31).  We should never neglect to seek for people to turn to Jesus.  If we don’t, our message is only half given, and we have left the most important part off.

Though we are definitely called to be salt and light to the world, waving a Bible and spewing fire and brimstone isn’t always effective.  We should never forget the power of Biblical truth, but use wisdom and discernment when witnessing.  Paul knew what his audience was like, and he sought a common point of entry to win their attention.  He began with things they could relate to and understand.  But then, and most importantly, Paul moved to Jesus and their need for salvation.  He never stopped trying to bring people to Jesus, no matter where he was or who was listening.