what jesus did next (the book of acts) studies 7 -...

What Jesus Did Next (The Book of Acts) Studies 7 - 10

Table of Contents

7. Acts for the Gentiles (Acts 11:1-18) – February 22nd 2015.............................................................2

8. Acts of Church Planting (Acts 13:1-3 and 14:21-28) – March 1st 2015...........................................6

9. Acts Overseas (Acts 16:1-15) – March 8th 2015............................................................................10

10. Acts for Thinkers [check title] (Acts 17:16-end) – March 15th 2015...........................................14

Acts Bible Study Notes 7 – 10 February 2015 James Leachp. 1

7. Acts for the Gentiles (Acts 11:1-18) – February 22nd 2015

WelcomeWhat kind of people would you hesitate to talk to about Jesus? Is there anyone for whom you don’t think Jesus is good news?

WorshipRead these two passages:

Matthew 19:25-26

25When the disciples heard this [i.e. Jesus saying how hard it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven], they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Acts 1:8

8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Spend some time praising God that with Him all things are possible and there is nobody who is beyond God’s reach with the gospel. God is concerned for the wealthy, for the poor, for those in the grip of addiction, for the complacent, for the self-righteous – indeed for all people whatever colour or race. Thank him for people you know who have come to faith, especially the unlikely ones!

Word(All quoted bible verses from the ESV version)

Background (get someone to read this out)

Acts 11:1-18 is Peter’s personal account of his meeting with Cornelius. Previously, in Acts 10, Luke records the events in chronological order and we’re given a ‘bird’s eye view’ of all that goes on. In Acts 11, we see things from Peter’s perspective. The striking feature of both accounts is that God works in both men, with perfect timing, to bring his plans to fulfilment. God has total oversight of all that happens.

In Acts 9, Luke gives an account of the extraordinary conversion of Saul of Tarsus who becomes Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles. There seems an abrupt change of focus as, towards the end of chapter 9, Luke concentrates on Peter who is instrumental in the healing by Jesus of Aeneas and the restoration from the dead of Dorcas. This chapter closes with

42And it (restoration of Dorcas) became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.

But all the events of Acts 9 look outwards from a Jewish background to a Gentile horizon. Peter is in the Gentile territory of Lydda and of Joppa and is being prepared for what is to come in his meeting with Cornelius, the first Gentile convert. At the time he is staying in the house of a tanner (9:43) who Acts Bible Study Notes 7 – 10 February 2015 James Leach

p. 2

works with the skins of dead animals. According to strict Jewish purity laws this would be an “unclean” occupation, but Peter seems prepared to overlook this. What other possible preconceptions is he going to have to overcome? Let’s read on …

Who is the Gospel for?

Read Acts 10:1-8

1. Why do you think Cornelius is told to send for Peter? Cornelius is a prominent soldier and most likely very wealthy. He’s a religious man who worships Israel’s God and is ‘well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation’ (10:22). If that’s not enough to put him right with God, what is he still missing?

Read Acts 11:1-18 (Peter’s version of events)

Context (get someone to read this out)

The men sent by Cornelius arrive at the house at the moment Peter is pondering the meaning of the vision (see also 10:17ff.).

Cornelius, as a Gentile, is outside of God’s covenant with Israel. Despite God’s promise to Abraham, that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3), by the time of the NT many Jews had misapplied the covenant and its laws to exclude Gentiles from God’s blessing and had established traditions to maintain the separation. Thus no orthodox Jew would think of entering a Gentile home, let alone eating with Gentiles.

So it’s not surprising that we read in 11:2 that Peter is criticised by ‘the circumcision party’ who were most likely a group of strict Jewish converts. They believed that Gentiles should first become converts to Judaism, and all that entailed, before they could be Christians. Against this cultural opposition, Peter explains precisely what has happened.

2. Peter is in Joppa praying when he falls into a trance and has a vision of all sorts of animals, reptiles and birds that he is commanded to kill and eat. This he’s very reluctant to do. He has the same vision three times. Why do you think it’s necessary for Peter to experience the vision more than once?

3. Bearing in mind the Jewish food laws and the Jewish view that Gentiles were “unclean”, what does the vision of the clean and unclean animals symbolise for Peter?

4. During the time of the early church, there is a massive gulf between Jews and Gentiles. Is there a similar situation in the world today, or any deep prejudice, that stands in the way of reaching out to people with the gospel?


At precisely the moment when Peter is receiving the vision, the men sent by Cornelius (10:7) arrive at the house in Joppa where Peter is staying. The Spirit tells Peter to go with the men. With six brothers alongside, Peter enters Cornelius’ home. Peter relays what the angel had said to Cornelius (11:13). Although the exact details are omitted from Luke’s account in chapter 10, the words are highly significant: …’he (Peter) will declare to you a message by which you will be saved …’

Read Acts 10:34-43 (Luke’s summary of Peter’s message to his Gentile hearers)

5. Peter declares firstly that race is not relevant to salvation and that Jesus is Lord of all, not only of the Jews (vv. 34, 35). John Stott notes that v. 35 literally reads ‘in every nation whoever fears God and works righteousness is acceptable to him (i.e. God)’ … and explains that ‘the emphasis is that Cornelius’ Gentile nationality was acceptable so that he had no need to become a Jew, not that his own righteousness was adequate so that he had no need to become a Christian.’ N.B. “Acceptable” here seems to mean not that such people are already saved, but that they can be saved, that God is prepared to reach out to them. Cornelius still needs to hear the good news about Jesus; the surprise to Peter is that Cornelius, a Gentile, is an acceptable receiver of this good news. How does this compare to your answer to q. 1? What are the implications of vv. 34 and 35 for cross-cultural mission?

6. Peter’s message encompasses the life and ministry of Jesus, including judgement and the way of forgiveness and salvation. Is this the message we preach today, or do we tend to shy away from the topics of judgement and forgiveness? What might be wrong with that?

7. With reference to Acts 2 and the experience of Pentecost and Peter’s sermon declaring the good news of Jesus to Cornelius and his household, what is the significance of what happens when Peter is speaking?

WitnessWhat is our role in the Gospel?

What is the implication of Peter’s experience for our congregations? Are there people like Cornelius in our church who need to hear the Gospel?

How might we take the gospel across the boundaries that exist in our locality? Pray together for opportunities to take the gospel to all people despite the barriers that are real or imagined.

Before next timeRead Acts 11:19 – 12:25


Notes for leadersAim of the study: God shows us that the gospel knows no boundaries. It’s for all people whatever their colour, race, gender, social standing. Furthermore, in bringing people to himself, God orchestrates people and situations to accomplish his purposes.

The implication of this passage is not only that the gospel is for ALL sorts of people but that ALL SORTS of people will be in the family of God and we must not show any favouritism to anyone or despise anyone – James 2:1 ff.

Therefore we must be inclusive and welcoming to everyone and anyone. There is no room for any exclusivity within our local church.

1. We can never say ‘only the sinful need forgiveness, respectable people (such as Cornelius) don’t’. Cornelius is good, respectable and God-fearing but he’s not right with God – he needs peace with God through the forgiveness that only Jesus can bring.

2. God shows Peter that, despite its Jewish roots, the gospel is for all people. God needs to hammer home his message in order to overcome Peter’s prejudices. Jesus has commissioned Peter (and all the disciples) to be witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The gospel’s Jewish roots and Peter’s own Jewishness mean that he needs a revelation from God to change his preconceptions.

3. The vision challenges the rules concerning clean and unclean foods that were an integral part of Peter’s upbringing. The Holy Spirit applies this to clean and unclean people (10:28; 11:12) – God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.

6. There is a need to preach the whole gospel. We’re all sinners (Romans 3:21ff.) and will all face judgement (2 Corinthians 5:10). But, in Christ, we’re free from condemnation (Romans 8:1ff.).

7. This event is termed the Gentile Pentecost – see below. The Holy Spirit comes upon Gentiles – As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning (11:15) – Peter’s recollection of the Pentecost event in Acts 2. The same gift is given to all people regardless of their origin.

The account of the Holy Spirit falling on Cornelius and those gathered to hear Peter has been termed ‘the Gentile Pentecost’. The gift of the Holy Spirit is for all people at conversion. However, speaking in a foreign language is not necessarily a universal blessing. Furthermore, Luke is describing the conversion of Cornelius and not a post-conversion blessing. Peter preached, Cornelius repented (11:18) and believed (15:7, 9). Luke uses different terms for the gift of the Spirit – receiving the Spirit and being baptised with the Spirit. Post conversion, we are required to go on being filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).


8. Acts of Church Planting (Acts 13:1-3 and 14:21-28) – March 1st 2015

WelcomeChoose one of these questions to answer:

What particular advantages do our own home or work situations give us with regard to sharing the gospel?

Antioch was the place where the disciples were first nick-named ‘Christians’ by the locals (Acts 11:26). What nick-name might be attached to our church by the local community?

WorshipListen to ‘Build Your Kingdom Here’ by Rend Collective (you can find it on Youtube) and pray the words with the song:

1. Come set Your rule and reignIn our hearts againIncrease in us we prayUnveil why we're madeCome set our hearts ablaze with hopeLike wildfire in our very soulsHoly Spirit come invade us nowWe are Your ChurchWe need Your power In us

Chorus:Build Your kingdom hereLet the darkness fearShow Your mighty handHeal our streets and landSet Your church on fireWin this nation backChange the atmosphereBuild Your kingdom here We pray

2. We seek Your kingdom firstWe hunger and we thirstRefuse to waste our livesFor You're our joy and prizeTo see the captive hearts releasedThe hurt; the sick; the poor at peaceWe lay down our lives for Heaven's causeWe are Your churchWe pray revive This Earth

3. Unleash Your kingdom's powerReaching the near and farNo force of hell can stopYour beauty changing heartsYou made us for much more than thisAwake the kingdom seed in usFill us with the strength and love of ChristWe are Your churchWe are the hope On Earth

WordBackground (get someone to read this out)

Having grasped the revolutionary idea that God intended to embrace the whole world with his love – not just the Jews; the stage was set for the ministry that (unbeknownst to the apostles) was to change the history of Europe and the world. It was time to move out from Jerusalem and Samaria to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Antioch was an excellent place for the work to start: ‘the Roman headquarters of Syria and Cilicia, the location of the imperial mint, and the cosmopolitan meeting place of Jew, Greek, Roman and Syrian. Here Christianity first encountered the full broad stream of the empire’s varied life’ (Blaiklock).


The ethnic and cultural diversity of the city was reflected in the make-up of the church leaders; a Cypriot, a black African, a North African, Herod’s foster brother and Saul from Tarsus in Turkey.

‘God loves churches that look beyond their own needs. One wonders where the church today would be if Antioch had not been led to look beyond its own community and city limits …’ (D. L. Bock)

Read Acts 13:1-3

1. How is the mission to ‘go to the ends of the earth’ initiated here? (It was not a committee meeting!)

2. What are the roles of the Spirit, the church and of the individuals concerned in this commissioning and how might this be a useful model of how to launch a mission enterprise?

Role in discerning and launching the mission

Spirit (13:2b, 13:4)

Church (13:2a, 13:3a and 3b)

Paul and Barnabas (13:4)(see also Acts 9:15)

3. What can we learn from the church at Antioch about how to listen to God?

4. The instructions given by the Spirit are not very specific (similar to those given to Abraham in Genesis 12:1). What does God look for in Paul and Barnabas’/our response to him?

We now fast-forward to the end of the mission trip and meet Barnabas and Paul working their way back to Antioch through the towns they had visited …

Read Acts 14:21-28

5. Focus on the verbs from verses 21-23; how did Paul and Barnabas establish firm foundations for the fledgling churches?

6. The new Christians will need strength in the face of inevitable suffering (v. 22). How can we strengthen each other in our Christian journeys? (see Romans 1:11-12)


7. Notice the third mention of prayer and fasting in our passages – is this something we should take more seriously?

8. From verses 26-28, what were the roles of God (26-27), Paul and Barnabas (26) and the sending church (27-28) in the completed mission?

Role in the completed mission

God (vv. 26-27)

Paul and Barnabas (v. 26)

The sending church (vv. 27-28)

WitnessIf your group hasn’t done so already, could your group ‘adopt’ one of our church missions and maintain a pastoral connection (receiving reports of what God has done and encouraging the missionaries) with those who have been sent out from among us for a particular work of God?

Whether or not you decide to do this, pick one of the missions the church supports and pray for them. N.B. This will require getting hold of prayer pointers for the mission. See www.saintjames.org.uk/mission for more details.

Before next timeRead Acts chs. 13 - 15


http://www.saintjames.org.uk/mission

Notes for leaders:Aim of the study: To consider the unique opportunities for mission open to each of us and to learn from the way the church in Antioch, operating as a body discerned the direction of the Holy Spirit, responded in obedience and supported the mission.

1. John Stott writes that this way of discerning God’s will guards on the one hand against individualism and on the other against an over-reliance on the church. The church and the individuals confirm together the word of the Spirit by fasting and prayer and are able to send off the missionaries with their full support and blessing.

2. It required obedience, faith and courage to step out into the unknown. A supplementary question might be whether anyone in the group has taken a similar risk or been discouraged from obedience because they were not sure what would happen.

3. The actual way the Spirit revealed God’s plan is not made clear but in some way the community sensed God’s clear direction.

5. Before the books of the New Testament were written, core doctrine was taught by means of short summaries, hymns (e.g. Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:15-20, 1 Corinthians 15:1-3) and the rites of baptism and the Lord ’s Table. Paul confidently left them to manage themselves with the foundation of ‘apostolic instruction, pastoral oversight and divine faithfulness’ (Stott).


9. Acts Overseas (Acts 16:1-15) – March 8th 2015

Welcome1. What themes/applications were covered in previous life group session on Acts?2. Do you know any examples from personal experience/Christian organisations where

outreach was carried out in a way which was sensitive to local culture/traditions?3. Do you know any examples from personal experience of being guided into outreach

events/projects by the Holy Spirit?

WorshipChoose one of the following:

1. Lyrics to say/sing and various versions on YouTube to play:

Here I am, Lord

1. I, the Lord of sea and sky,I have heard my people cry.All who dwell in dark and sinmy hand will save.I, who made the stars of night,I will make their darkness bright.Who will bear my light to them?Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?I have heard you calling in the night.I will go, Lord, if you lead me.I will hold your people in my heart.

3. I, the Lord of wind and flame,I will tend the poor and lame.I will set a feast for them.My hand will save.Finest bread I will providetill their hearts be satisfied.I will give my life to them.Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. ...

2. I, the Lord of snow and rain,I have borne my people’s pain.I have wept for love of them.They turn away.I will break their hearts of stone,give them hearts for love alone.I will speak my words to them.Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. ...

2. Read Psalm 25 verses 4 – 10 and spend time worshipping the God who guides us to meet the needs of those who need his love and salvation.

WordRead Acts 16 verses 1 - 15

Review: last week's theme was titled ‘Acts of church planting’ and focused on Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey. This week’s passage can be naturally divided into three sections for you to study some or all as you wish to decide.


A) Re-read Acts 16:1-5

Background

The towns of Lystre/Derbe/Iconium are all close together in what is now modern day Turkey. Each had a significant Jewish population.

1. Focusing on vv. 2-3, why was Timothy (a) a likely recruit for Paul, and (b) an unlikely recruit for Paul?

2. What was the real reason why Paul had Timothy circumcised (vv. 3-4)?

3. What is the evidence of the wisdom in this approach to gospel work (v. 5)?

4. How culturally sensitive are we in our outreach as a church to other people groups and cultures?

4a. Supplementary questions, if time:

In choosing partners /co-workers in the mission field, should Christians rely more on proactive choice in recruitment instead of people stepping forward?

In what ways do we create barriers to the gospel by failing to adapt our approach to suit local cultures, both at home and abroad?

B) Re-read Acts 16:6-10

Background Macedonia was on the other side of the Aegean Sea from the area travelled in vv. 1-5

All the regions and towns mentioned in vv. 6-8 are in modern day Turkey

Macedonia in vv. 9-10 is in modern day Greece

Geographically Paul and Silas come to a dead end at Troas, in the NW of modern day TurkeyThey have three options…

a) Go back and retrace their stepsb) Go south into the region called Asia (note God’s guidance in verse 6)c) Cross the sea to Macedonia

Against these choices Paul's vision could have made a lot of sense.

5. How much of this journey do you think is …a) Paul making the decisions where to go?b) The Holy Spirit instructing Paul where to go?

6. How typical is this passage of the way the Holy Spirit guides us? In what ways might it be a special circumstance?

C) Re-read Acts 16:11-15

Background The locations in vv. 11-12 are in modern day Greece

In v. 13 Paul sticks to his custom of first speaking to the Jewish people. (The Jewish population in Philippi was probably not big enough for a synagogue.)


In vv. 14-15, Lydia is identified as 'worshipper of God', probably a Gentile attracted to the Jewish faith. The fact that she is a dealer in purple cloth means she is a wealthy single woman. The reference to the household (v. 15) is probably to servants and slaves.

7. What does v. 14 say about (a) Paul’s role, and (b) God’s role in Lydia’s conversion?

8. What evidence is there of the genuineness of Lydia's conversion? What kind of evidence would you look for today?

9. According to Jewish customs, Paul, as a Jewish male, should not have:

gone to a Gentile house gone to a single woman's house

Against this background, what do Paul’s actions here tell us about Paul, his character, and the way he fulfils his calling as an apostle? What cultural scruples might we have to overcome for the sake of the gospel?

Witness Spend some time seeking God's encouragement in our current journey with Him, or in

seeking a new direction. Spend time prayerfully reflecting on barriers we may have in sharing the gospel with

different sections of our society or other nations. Ask God to take down these barriers.

Before next weekRead Acts 16:16 – 17:15


Notes for leadersAim of the study: To see how the Holy Spirit prompts Paul to take the gospel in a new geographical direction and to reflect on the ways that the Holy Spirit might lead us to cross geographical and cultural barriers with the gospel.

1. Because Timothy had a Jewish mother he would have been identified as a Jew because Jews believed Jewishness was inherited from the mother

2. He wanted to encourage Jewish Christians but not put stumbling blocks in their way.

5 and 6. These questions may lead to a general discussion about how God guides us, so you may want to decide in advance how far down that road you want to go! Throughout our reading of Acts we will find this tension between (a) affirming the possibility of ways that God can act in and through the church, and (b) recognising the special circumstances of the ground-breaking missionary work that happens in these early years (and, possibly, in other frontier mission contexts in the world today).

7. N.B Luke tells us that Paul conveys the message, but it is the Lord who opens Lydia's heart.

8. N.B. Lydia’s desire to show hospitality, especially in this case to messengers of the gospel and her desire to make a public demonstration of faith in the form of baptism. Today, in the C of E, where infant baptism is practised, public declarations of faith by an adult might take the form of baptism (if not already baptised), confirmation, or re-affirmation of baptismal vows.


10. Acts for Thinkers (Acts 17:16-end) – March 15th 2015

WelcomeWhat would your feelings be if you were asked to explain the gospel at a dinner party table?

Worship

Read (or sing) this hymn together and meditate on “the greatness of the Lord” that Paul declared to the Athenians.

1. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice; Tender to me the promise of His Word; In God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.

3. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of His might!Powers and dominions lay their glory by; Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight; The hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

2. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of His Name!Make known His might, the deeds His arm has done; His mercy sure, from age to age the same; His holy Name, the Lord, the mighty One.

4. Tell out, my soul, the glories of His Word!Firm is His promise, and His mercy sure.Tell out my soul, the greatness of the LordTo children’s children and forevermore.

WordRead Acts 17:16-34

Reasoning and Idols.

1716 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. 17 So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present.

Paul was very exercised by the religious confusion that he found in Athens, manifest in a profusion of altars to various idols. He therefore used this unplanned waiting time to preach the gospel, accepting it not as a set-back, but rather an opportunity. As was his custom he first started in the synagogue and reasoned there with the Jews concerning the truth, using their scriptures to support his arguments. These arguments were also relevant to God-fearing Gentiles when Paul later delivered them in the open market place, but baffled those Gentile intellectuals whose culture and thinking was Greek orientated rather than Hebrew.

1. What do you think it was about the presence of so many idols that “provoked” Paul’s spirit? What things in our present society should provoke us in a similar way?


Resurrection and Interest.

18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,"-because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming? 20

"For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean." 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

The resurrection is unique to the gospel and it was this issue that aroused the curiosity of the Epicurean and Stoic Greek philosophers. It sounded to them as if Paul’s teaching about Jesus and the resurrection was teaching about “strange deities”. Paul was therefore faced with the challenge of presenting the Gospel to these very intelligent Gentile thinkers, steeped as they were in philosophy and false religion, but without the background understanding of Jewish theology. With his unique spiritual understanding of God’s truth Paul was able to meet this challenge by adopting a simple strategy; he chose not to enter into any fruitless discussion concerning the pros and cons of their human philosophical and religious ideas, but instead simply and powerfully declared God’s sovereign authority and righteous activity. By proclaiming Jesus and stressing the fact of His resurrection and life he exposed the weakness of their philosophy and barrenness of their idolatry.

2. In spite of their scornful attitude, the Epicureans and Stoics were still curious to hear more. Why do you think this was?

Religion and Ignorance.

22 So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23 "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

Paul had total confidence in his message, what he taught was not a product of his reasoning, but the result of God’s revelation. The reality of the gospel was to be seen not in an idol, but in the fact of the resurrection. It was no small thing to be called to the Areopagus (the members had the power to condemn to death anyone considered to be a threat to Athens) and Paul was very diplomatic when called to give account of his teaching. He acknowledged the value that they placed on their religion and that they wanted their many Gods to receive appropriate worship. He also observed that in case they might have accidentally overlooked a god and offended him they had provided an altar to “An Unknown God” to be on the safe side; something of an insurance policy as it were! This diplomatic introduction to what he had to say enabled Paul to appeal to their religious enthusiasm by giving them a magnificent view of the supremacy and reality of the living God and contrast it with the inadequacy of idols. He showed that if religion was to have any value it had to be true, not the product of ignorance.

3. What helpful techniques does Paul employ in his introductory remarks to engage his audience?

4. How do people today worship “an unknown god” in their practical lives?5. How has the God we know as Christians become “known”?


Reality and the Infinite.

24 "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' 29 "Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.

Paul could not reason with this audience from scripture as he could with the Jews so he instead he proclaimed the truth in a way the Athenians and their philosophers would understand. He beautifully describes the person, power and purposes of the God who fills the universe; someone even their own poets felt must exist. This meant that there was a fundament difference between their philosophies and Paul’s teaching; the former comprised the thoughts of humans who had created false gods and the latter concerned the true God who had created humankind. The superb picture of God given by Paul made the total inadequacy of their idols again self-evident. Note how Paul’s approach show us that faith in Christ involves the mind as well as the heart, so having faith does not mean dumbing down. On the contrary, it involves our minds and thoughts being enriched as we explore the wisdom of God

6. Notice how Paul stresses that the God he is talking about is not just “his” God or “the God of the Jews” but the God of the universe, of every human being. Why is this important in his context and why does it remain important today?

Repentance and the Inevitable.

30 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."

Paul now introduces another concept that would regard as being part of the “strange things” he was bringing to their ears, namely that of spiritual responsibility. Paul explained that God was not only a living person, but He was a totally righteous one as well. This is not an abstract concept because it has a direct bearing on the future of all mankind – judgement of all that is unrighteous must, and will, most certainly take place. Furthermore, this judgment will be carried out by a person having a uniquely combined human/divine nature and His judgement will therefore be perfect. This is because the world has to be judged by a person who knows what it is like to be human and yet embody the righteousness of God. Only Christ is in this position (this is why the Father is not our judge).The proof that Jesus is this person has already been made by virtue of Him being publically raised from the dead. Repentance thus clearly a universal necessity; it is a revealed as a command not an invitation.

7. Looking at vv. 24-31 as a whole, what are the key issues in Paul’s teaching? Which of these do you think would have been very new to the hearers (hint – can you think of four words beginning with “R” that are used or implied)?


8. Why is it important for Paul to finish his speech with the subject of coming judgement?

Realisation and its Implications

32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this."

33 So Paul went out of their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

There are always serious implications associated with hearing the truth about God; revelation requires a response. Paul’s wonderful exposition of the gospel meant that the hearers had to do something about it. In this case it resulted in divided opinions due primarily to the difference between the Epicurean and Stoic views of life. The former opposed the concept of immortality and resurrection, whereas the stoics did believe in immortality, albeit in a somewhat material way. The Epicureans were probably the ones who sneered, whereas the stoics were probably among those who wanted to hear more. The wisdom of thinking people can become a stumbling block and become arrogance towards God. Paul’s sermon did not result in mass conversion as Peter’s had, but notwithstanding what may have been a disappointment to Paul, there were some who believed, including Dionysius, a member of the court. No church seems to have been founded in Athens as a result of this incident.

9. How easy do people find it in our culture to believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus and its implications?

WitnessWhat does Paul’s experience in Athens teach us about explaining our faith to thinking people? What mistakes might we make and why? Has anyone in the group first-hand experience of this recently and what resources have they found helpful? Pray for wisdom to be able to explain the faith clearly.

Before next Acts studyRead Acts 18:1-17

N.B. At this point in the series there is a break to focus on Love Africa. The next Acts sermon is on April 12th.


Notes for leaders

Aim of the study: To appreciate how Paul was inspired to present the gospel to the intelligent and thoughtful elite of Athens. His sermon is a guide to us when we seek to help serious thinkers concerning the issues of life and death, but who do so from a purely human point of view. It is important to show them that having faith in Christ does not comprise a mindless leap into the dark, it involves responding with our minds as well as our hearts because the Spirit of God enables us to think properly about God and understand truth.

The following facts may be helpful:-

Epicureanism was founded by Epicurus (341–270 B.C.). Epicureans believed that pleasure was the beginning and end of a happy life. There were two levels of pleasure, i.e. the satisfaction of physical desires and the deeper pleasure such as friendship. They stressed retreating from a violent and cruel world and of cultivating and maintaining friendships. Epicureans were not atheists, but they did not believe that the gods were interested in the world and the affairs of people. For them religion was also a barrier to a happy life since it involved suffering and punishment and fear of death. For Epicureans, happiness required removal of the fear of death and worrying about the afterlife, thus religion was a hindrance to the good life. They believed death to be the end of all things thus the concept of resurrection was unacceptable.

Stoicism was a philosophy founded in ancient Greece by Zeno of Citium (3rd cent. B.C.). A major part of Stoic philosophy was the acceptance of misfortune and trials without complaint. The ideal was to face life with a grim determination. Even today when people face life in this way it is regarded as being “stoical.” The Stoics were pantheistic materialists. They believed that all things, including the soul and God, were material and that the soul at death was absorbed again into that from which it sprang. Stoicism is named from the Stoa Poikile or “Painted Porch” in Athens where the founders of Stoicism taught.

Areopagus. The Areopagus, or Hill of Ares was a sort of spur extending from the western end of the Acropolis and separated from it by a very short saddle; traces of old steps cut in the rock are still to be seen. The Areopagus, or Hill of Ares, was the ancient seat of the court of the same name. This court exercised the right of capital punishment, in 594 B.C. the jurisdiction in criminal cases was given to the archons, the noblest, richest and most distinguished citizens of Athens. The Areopagus saw not only that the laws in force were observed, but also it protected the worship of the gods, the sanctuaries and sacred festivals, and the olive trees of Athens. Without waiting for a formal accusation the Areopagus could summon any citizen to court, examine, convict and punish him. Here the apostle Paul came to meet the philosophers of fashion; it was a serious place for Paul to preach the new message of Christ. No city has ever seen such a forest of statues as studded the market-place, the streets and the sides and summit of the Acropolis of Athens and the apostle naturally made this extraordinary display of votive statues and offerings the starting-point of his address.

Some thoughts concerning the questions:-

1. Perhaps it was his sense of compassion for the misguided. The spiritually barren and ill-informed opinions that prevail today should be of real concern to us.

2. The Athenians liked discussing new ideas, but there is also a deep rooted concern in the hearts of people concerning God, death and the future, the “ultimate things”.

3. He gives credit to his hearers for their beliefs where he can and uses something topical as a basis for his presentation.


4. Everyone has something in their life that determines their behaviour; they would not necessarily recognise this as being a god.

5. Faith in Christ rests on firm historical facts (i.e. Jewish history and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus) combined with a personal experience of God; it is not based on human ideas or inventions, or material things like idols.

6. In a “multifaith” environment, or where people believe that everyone can have their “own” truth, it is crucial to stress that the God we are talking about is the Creator, the one God of everyone and everything.

7. You might like to consider the following, i.e. that God actually initiates and does things i.e.:-

The creator God who made us does not need anything from us But, he does want us as his children to reach out and find him Making temples and idols is the wrong way to do this, because God is not

like that Up to now he has overlooked our wrong worship, but now he has appointed

a judge (Christ) and calls us to repent He has proved Christ is right by the resurrection

For the “Rs”, consider the following:-

RevelationResurrectionRighteousness These things originate from God, not human minds Repentance

8. He challenges his hearers to face the reality of coming judgement, the truth of God is not simply a topic for idle discussion it is a command to repentance from sin.


what jesus did next (the book of acts) studies 7 -...

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