Bold Proclamation Before a Mocking World

Acts 17.1-34

The last Sunday of October is a time when many churches remember the Reformation. When Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and Thomas Bilney read the Greek New Testament and discovered the gospel - that Christ alone saves sinners. They preached boldly and many were converted from their works righteousness. And the result was joy - people read the Bible, they grew, they loved Christ. But many reacted against the Scriptures. They persecuted the Reformers. Martin Luther was dragged to a trial - and would’ve been executed in a plot by the Catholic church, if his friends hadn’t helped him to escape. The bold preaching of the Word will result in persecution, and also in ridicule. You will be ridiculed if you stand firmly on what the Bible says on sexuality and morality. This conversion, persecution, and ridicule happened years ago when Paul preached. What are the lessons from this passage especially today?

There are 2 lessons from this passage. Firstly, the Word of God proclaimed will change the hearts of the faithful who receive it. Secondly, the Word of God must be boldly proclaimed to mocking hearts.

Firstly, the Word of God proclaimed will change the hearts of the faithful who receive it. We see here that when Paul ministered, he preached Christ. After Paul ministered in Philippi, verses 1-2, he traveled through Macedonia to Thessalonica, a journey of 100 kilometers. There, he preached at the synagogue for 3 Sabbath days where he reasoned with them. His preaching had content. And he spoke from the Old Testament Scriptures, expounding and proving that Christ had to suffer, die, and resurrect, verse 3. In other words, he used the Old Testament like Jesus did en route to Emmaus - the Old Testament shows us Jesus. Dearly beloved, our beliefs, assertions, and faith must be based on Scripture. It’s not based on what Confucius says, what our mind has crafted, or what a church’s or culture’s tradition is. It’s by the Word alone. That’s a Reformational principle - Sola Scriptura.

And such teaching produced faith and faithful believers. Verse 4 says that some Jews were persuaded to believe; and many Gentiles believed, including some noble women. They joined Paul and Silas, meaning they identified as Christians. And so a church was founded there, by the Word of God. They were like the early church - they were of one mind and accord and had all things common. There were Jews and Gentiles, and even nobility. The Word caused them to love one another - not feel superior over one another. Paul wrote to them years later in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 to describe how the Word affected them. He said, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” And it worked so effectively that they were faithful - they believed and loved one another. But not everyone believed. Some Jews didn’t. And these were jealous, verse 5. People were converting to Christ and they didn’t like it. And a number of lewd fellows of the baser sort gathered a company. Some troublemakers formed a mob to start a riot by slandering. They went to Jason’s house to get Paul and Silas. Jason probably hosted the church. But when they couldn’t find them, they took Jason to the rulers of the city. They accused them in verses 6-7 - “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.” Now, these words reveal several things. They tell us that their preaching was not only about salvation - but about submission. Christians must overtly serve Christ as king. So this message was counter-cultural - dangerous in those days. As a result, the rulers took a security bond from Jason to ensure there’d be no further trouble. Yes, the Christians didn’t start the riot, but they paid the fine. In faithfulness to their king, they suffered injustice. But their faith and faithfulness went further than their suffering, they loved. After the riot, the Thessalonian believers helped Paul and Silas escape to Berea. Verse 10 says they immediately sent them away by night - “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.” They helped them to flee the mob. They loved and protected them. The Word of God produced faith, faithfulness, and love.

But we also learn that such teaching produced hunger and diligence. Berea was a backwater town - but those who heard the gospel there were called noble. Verses 11-12 - these Jews, “were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.” Many of them believed including their nobles - men and women. But they were labeled noble because of their hunger and diligence for the Word. They received the Word just like the Thessalonians - and they submitted to Christ. But going one step further, they received it with readiness of mind. They were eager not skeptical. And they also received it with diligence. While they listened eagerly, they did it thoughtfully. They were discerning. The Greek word of “searched” means to examine - like how a prosecutor cross-examines a witness. They checked in Scripture what was preached - not with a critical spirit but an eager one to learn. Their nobility was not because of their wealth, position, their race, denomination, but their love for the Word. Now, the Jews of Thessalonica heard about this hunger and diligence and the same troublemakers came to Berea. They traveled 100 km to create issues. Verse 13 - they stirred up a mob there just as they did in Thessalonica. Just as the Bereans were noble, diligent, and hungry for the Word - these were shameful, diligent, hungry to fulfill their sins. And it was so hostile verse 14 says he was sent away immediately to Athens - no time to lose - and so quickly that Silas and Timothy were left behind. But they joined him later.

We see how quickly the Word of God changes the hearts of people. They believe, are made faithful and loving, are diligent and hunger after it. But not all who hear love it - many who hear the gospel hate it. There will be some who are indifferent. But what are we to do? Keep silent? Should we moderate because they may react badly? Should Paul be more careful how he says things now? While being moderate is not naive and sometimes the situation requires it, but the Word must be boldly proclaimed.

That’s the second point - the Word of God must be boldly proclaimed to rebel hearts. After leaving Berea, he was taken by sea to Athens. This was a historic city. 500 years before Paul, Athens had her golden age - of philosophy and art. It was the place where brilliant minds would go for their education. And while the golden age was passed, it still had influence. It was the headquarters of the Epicureans and the Stoics - two great schools of thought. But Paul was not in awe. There was a lot of culture - but he was not impressed. There was a lot of wealth - it didn’t move him. There was a lot of scholasticism - he took it in stride. Why? He encountered darkness. These things were not impressive - they were the products of the dark world. So he went straight and preached the gospel. Why? Because there was a lot of idolatry and darkness. In verse 16, we’re told that his spirit was stirred or provoked in him and he preached. Why? Because only the gospel brings true achievement, wealth, and wisdom. For all the intellectualism there, it was a dark place. Paul preached in the synagogues and in the market place, verse 17. And this didn’t go unnoticed. His words pricked the minds of the people - especially, the resident intellectuals. Verse 18 - “certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him.” These thinkers while differing from one another in conclusion, had one thing in common - they elevated human wisdom. And they mocked Paul. In verse 18, they called him a babbler. Babbler was a pejorative term describing how crows scavenged for food - pick here and pick there. Meaning, Paul didn’t speak sophisticatedly. “Are you sure he went to that school or not?” But this remark revealed more about them than Paul. If you think you’re smart, then no one else is. They were too “haolian” (proud) to receive the Gospel. It’s no surprise to us - the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that carnal people can’t understand spiritual things - they’re foolish to them; only spiritual people can understand spiritual things. But they were broadminded enough to hear. In verse 19, they invited him to Areopagus, the highest hill of Athens - where there was a council. They bring all the new preachers there. Since he was preaching a new god, he had to be evaluated. Before giving a new religion a space to build an altar, the Athenians had to vote on it (because they were a democracy) after the council gave recommendations. And we see that many came to hear. Verse 21 says, “(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)” These people were different from those in Thessalonica and Berea. Those received with gladness. These were going to judge if Christ was worthy or not. Those examined to believe, these examined to critique. Those examined to act upon it, these examined to mock. So in the end, Christ and not Paul would be judged. But instead of this turning Paul off, it drove him to preach Christ more. It wasn’t only the eager, diligent, faithful, and loving that motivated him to preach - it was these who’d turn up their noses to the gospel - that motivated him to preach. How did he do it?

He’d preach boldly by dismantling their idolatry. Here, Jesus was on trial before the wise of the land. Would Paul try to impress them? Would he try to make Christianity relevant and reasonable? Well, he dismantled their superstition. Verse 22 - “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.” Now, he was not insulting them. The Athenians were well-known to be very superstitious. Many ancient writers mentioned it. This was proven by the many idols and artifacts. Verse 16 says, the city was wholly given to idolatry. This is also seen in academia today. The leading atheist professor in the world - Richard Dawkins - staunchly denies the existence of God, and affirms that life was not created but evolved. He’s supposedly a man of science. But he suggests that aliens were responsible for terraforming the earth. So instead of a creator who creates, he believes aliens seeded the earth. Educated men can be superstitious. But so superstitious were these academics that they had an altar to an unknown god, verse 23. Why an unknown god? Sometimes, because of age or war, the inscription on the idol got broken off - so they didn’t know which god it was. And because they were afraid of calling it wrongly, they put the inscription “unknown god.” And Paul was bold in verse 23 - “this unknown god whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.” He called them ignorant because they didn’t know who this god was. But he’d teach them about this unknown God - “him declare I unto you”. Now it’s always risky to call scholars ignorant. But here, he turned the tables on them. You want to put Christ on trial, you’re on trial now. But Paul was not afraid to be bold. They needed to be saved from culture and philosophy. They needed to be challenged.

He also preached Scripture to instruct them about Christ. Now, Paul was not a babbler. He had the best education - he knew how to debate. He knew Greek philosophy. But he simply preached from the Scriptures. Verses 24 and 25 are quotes from Isaiah 42. Where he said that God didn’t dwell in temples made by hands, that’s a direct quote of Solomon’s prayer in 1 Kings 8. Psalm 146:6 is quoted in verse 24. Psalm 50:12 in verse 25. Deuteronomy 32 and Genesis 1 are quoted in verse 26. Psalm 98:9 in verse 31. Why did he instruct these academics with Scripture? Why not with highfalutin speech? Because only Scripture leads to salvation. It’s sufficient. So he declares the God of the Scripture to them. How he’s different from their idols; that this unknown god is the creator of the universe. Verse 24 - “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands.” While the Greeks believed that Zeus created the world, they also believed that Zeus was created. Secondly, this creator God was Lord - and obedience is owed to him. The Athenians honored their gods to receive blessings. Their gods existed for them. So the idea of obedience was foreign, since the Greek gods were unholy. Hermes was the god of thieves - he endorsed stealing. Ares was the god of war, but he was afraid of his wife. He didn’t confront her when she cheated on him many times. The Greek gods got drunk and lusted after each other. But the Greeks worshiped them to get stuff. This is the same with many pagan religions today. Thirdly, this God is a spirit. “He dwelleth not in temples made with hands.” God cannot be contained. The Greek gods could get hungry and thirsty, so they offered them food. But God doesn’t need any thing to live - we need him to live. He feeds and sustains us. Think about the trial - they thought Paul wanted to add God to their gods and build him a temple - but he said God didn’t need an earthly temple - he’s too glorious. Fourthly, God is relational. Paul said in verses 26 that he made all the nations from one man. And he made everyone to seek him - verse 27. In verse 28, Paul quotes 2 of their philosophers to prove this - that we have our being in God and we are his children. Paul’s point here was this - man was created to have a relationship with God - but because they can’t find him, they make false gods. They were ignorant - they didn’t know God. If they did, they wouldn’t make images of gold, silver, or stone.

And Paul called them to repentance. To these erudite, scholarly people, he called them unenlightened - and called them to repent. Verse 30 - “And the times of this ignorance (this idolatry) God winked at (or overlooked); but now commandeth all men every where to repent.” He and Jesus were on trial. But Paul turned the tables and called them to repent. Verse 31 - God has fixed a day to judge the world through Jesus. Now, how do you think Paul’s great scriptural sermon was received? He even peppered it with the words of their own philosophers. How did these intellectual elite react? Predictably. These men, according to verse 21 were busybodies. They’re too busy focusing on other people’s faults and not their own. Busybodies don’t repent. Verse 32 - “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.” They laughed and mocked him.

In the other cities, Paul was beaten and imprisoned for preaching the gospel. But in Athens, they laughed. Christ is considered unworthy of the noble halls of academia. Schools today teach all kinds of philosophies and Christ is mocked. But to shun away from mocking is unfaithful. To refuse to be a witness is unfaithful. The LGBTQIA movement is here. Christians will face ridicule and even persecution. Those of us who fear these things, will put God in a box and make him silent. We will also keep silent. We will make him an idol for us to worship in church, but not proclaim him. Why? Because our lives, reputation, comfort, and our children’s future have become our idols. Will we be ashamed? “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.”

But the response to the gospel is always two-fold - there will be scorn, but there will be salvation. Even with such an arrogant audience, Paul’s gospel bore fruit. Verse 34 - “Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” Dionysius - he was a professor sitting on the council. Maybe he had tenure. But now he was saved. He believed. And Damaris and others with them! So in the midst of such mocking, the foolishness of the gospel bore fruit. The Word was sufficient and authoritative. Even as Belgic Confession Article 5 says, “the Holy Spirit witnesses in our hearts that they are from God, and also because they contain the evidence of this in themselves; for even the blind are able to perceive that the things foretold in them are being fulfilled.”

But those who scorned and laughed at God, one day he will laugh at them. His anointed, the Lord Jesus, will return on the day of judgment - no laughter but the gnashing of teeth. Dearly beloved, let the work of reformation continue in our hearts - that we would be diligent, eager, faithful, and loving. That we would also be bold. Even as Christ, in the face of the persecution of the Sanhedrin, the mocking of his own family members, the hatred of the village he grew up with - he preached the Word. That has always been God’s way to save - through the preached Word, working in our hearts to make us faithful, loving, and bold.

James 3:13-18 - “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

1. The Word of God Proclaimed Will Change the Hearts of the Faithful Who Receive It

A. Paul preached Christ from Scripture

B. It produced faith and faithful disciples

C. It produced hungry and diligent disciples

2. The Word of God Must Be Boldly Proclaimed to Mocking Hearts

A. Paul encountered mockers

B. He dismantled their idolatry

C. He was unashamed of the Scriptures

D. He called them to repentance