Acts 17:16-34 (ESV)
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Picture the great Areopagus in Athens. What a great occasion that must have been for Paul to preach Christ before the crowd. There were many idols in the city of Athens and alters to many gods. Paul noticed an alter “To the unknown god”. Paul told those at the Areopagus that this was the God he was proclaiming to them. How great is our God. When we stop and look at the great creation God made. When we look at how wonderfully and fearfully we are made we cannot but be amazed and stand in awe of the power of God. To think that the God of all the universe and the Lord of heaven and earth sent his son to die for us and who has called us to be his Children is amazing and wonderful. How great is the love of God for us. How great is His purpose for us. Paul told those in Athens that “The times of this ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent”. God sent His son to deliver a saving message. God has appointed a day that he will judge the world. May we accept and follow the saving message of Jesus Christ. Paul said that “he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” May we be diligent in seeking God word and will in all things. May we seek to be a light in the world and allow Christ to live in us.
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